Friday, January 30, 2009
Solar Panel Tips for Renters
You know about the energy benefits that are possible from switching to solar energy from
traditional power-plant energy. Maybe you'd like to live off-grid because you care about the
environment and want to reduce your carbon footprint. But there's a problem...you live in an
apartment, so you're not about to invest several thousand dollars into solar panels for your home.
What are your options?
Here are three ideas that can help you realize your dream of using solar power:
1) Invest in your own portable solar panels for your small appliances. If you have a window, patio,
deck or balcony that gets enough sunlight during the day, you can get a portable solar charger that
will collect the sunlight and store enough of it to recharge your laptop or power your TV. These
portable systems will only provide an hour or two of use, though. And the cost of portable panels
isn't yet cheaper than running your laptop and TV off the grid. But they're a good backup power
source if you live in a place with frequent power outages. And they're a great way to keep your
rechargeable batteries fully charged.
2) Talk your landlord into installing a solar panel system for the whole building. You might be
able to get together with some neighbors and make a presentation to your landlord. This approach
can be especially effective if your apartment building is located in a city or town where solar
energy is popular and already being used. You'll have to gather some data from the local utility
company to find out what their policy is on buying back energy from solar installations, and how
much money your landlord might save from installing solar panels. Do some research on state and
local tax credits for installing solar energy systems. Also, find out if there are any other
apartment complexes in your town (or even nearby towns) that use solar energy, and ask them how
they market that fact to their future renters. The plan is to show your landlord that he can save
money on utilities, and decrease vacancies because renters would rather live in energy efficient
apartments. With a little research, you can come up with a presentation showing your landlord that
solar panels are a good business decision.
3) Make a point of seeking out apartment buildings and complexes that already have solar panels
installed. You might be surprised to find out that there are apartment communities in your town
that are ahead of the curve on solar energy. This is especially likely if you live in the "Sunbelt"
area of the US, or if you live in a progressive-minded college town, or if your state or city
offers attractive tax benefits for solar energy installations.
Even if you can't live your off-grid energy dream right now, take heart. Solar energy technology is
under rapid development right now around the world. That means your dream of better solar
technology for lower prices is not far away.
|
|
