The owners of this building on Lomas NE in Albuquerque installed photovoltaic panels and say they now enjoy being paid to produce electricity. (© 2008 Photo by Denise Tessier)
You, too, can watch your electricity meter go backward
By Denise Tessier
08/26/2008
| 1 Comment
ALBUQUERQUE -- When working at his Foundation for Sustainable Living in Costa Rica, Franklin Wilson directs a nonprofit organization that strives to develop “wise use” projects, like growing organic food locally and developing renewable resources.
So it simply makes sense that the Central American foundation’s Albuquerque office, which provides administrative support for the foundation and its programs and projects, should reflect those same principles.
The foundation office at 333 Lomas NE not only has cut its energy use, but produces power that can be sold back to PNM. Wilson wants to spread the word that anyone can pretty much do the same. In fact, he says, it’s “rather easy”:
The feeling of opening the mail and receiving a check from the utility company is hard to explain. It can be compared to receiving a dividend from your investment in a “green” company, except in this case we have eliminated the risk of investing with someone we may never see, or paying a commission to a broker. We are being paid directly to produce our own energy.
Last year, the foundation elected to install a photovoltaic system that uses solar energy to produce electricity. Wilson -- a surveyor, water systems operator, contractor, land developer and one-time North Valley organic farmer who now farms in Costa Rica -- wrote up the foundation’s experience in becoming energy efficient and sent it to the New Mexico Independent. In it, he writes:
We were fortunate to find a reputable local dealer that was able to install a complete working system. We selected a grid-tied system whereby PNM purchases all of the excess power the system produces. In addition, PNM pays a conservation credit of $0.13 [2007 rate] per kilowatt hour [kWh] for all electricity generated.
Since that time, the state Public Regulation Commission says it has simplified its application process so that more utility customers will connect to distribution systems like PNM with customer-owned photovoltaic or other qualifying renewable resource generating systems. The PRC issued its new rules defining the process on July 29 of this year.
While there are "a few folks in the Santa Fe and Albuquerque area [like Wilson and the foundation] who are already ahead of the curve," interest in applying for connection "is sporadic" but increasing, according to Paul Carbajal, public information officer with the PRC.
Carbajal told the New Mexico Independent "folks are still doing their homework" on whether to connect to the grid; some are starting by registering their solar rights with the PRC so that future construction to the south of their own buildings doesn't block the sun.
"In light of the economic times, I think folks are looking into doing something different," Carbajal said. The PRC, he added, is "still working on some kinks in getting to where we need to be" to help consumers pursue such alternatives.
The building that houses the office of the Costa Rican foundation founded by Wilson also holds Surveys Southwest Ltd. Located just west of Broadway NE, the passive solar stucco structure pretty much blends in with its environment. The solar panels, too, blend in on the roof, not readily obvious from the street.
The foundation did all it could to reduce energy use before calculating how much power would be needed in terms of panels to cover the structure’s electricity needs, Wilson said.
To minimize overall cost we began by evaluating our present energy use, finding that the fluorescent ballast lighting installed in 1985 was consuming 2.5 times more energy than modern lighting systems. The old style produced more heat around the work spaces, which required greater work on the part of the cooling system.
A more efficient lighting system was installed, and now we work with better quality light, half the number of fluorescent tubes and 40 percent of the previous energy use.
The electric hot water heater was placed on a timer to produce hot water at lunchtime, and an on-demand hot water heater is proposed as a future energy saving replacement. We determined that the unvented attic space was a source of unwanted heat, and we installed two wind powered turbines to exhaust this heat. The cooler attic lowers cooling costs.
The building was designed and built in 1985 as a passive solar office.
The south-facing walls are all glass with a massive concrete Trombe wall located one foot inside the windows. A clerestory window also allows sunlight to strike the massive concrete north wall and store radiant solar energy. The design originally specified a passive system that relied on heat radiation and the convective loop to move the warm air through the building. Three small blowers controlled by a thermostat attached to ductwork were later added to move warm air to the cooler areas of the building. The heat produced is stored in the thick walls and concrete slab floor.
On those rare cloudy days, electric or gas heat warms the building. Springtime ventilation and summer cooling for most months is provided by evaporative coolers. These energy efficient units move fresh, humid air in through the ductwork and exhaust stale air to the outside through ceiling vents. Refrigerated air is used only in the hot humid months; this is done quite reluctantly because of the high energy consumption.
Wilson said that in order to determine the size of the system needed, the directors determined how much electricity they needed, which is measured in kilowatt hours.
The cost of a photovoltaic increases as the capacity of energy production increases. Our choices for sizing were dictated by roof area available to place panels, size of invertors and controllers readily available, peak energy demand, and initial capital the foundation was willing to invest.
We selected a system sized at 10 kilowatts (10kw), which means for each hour of optimum sunlight the panels can produce 10,000 watts. This is enough energy to illuminate 100 light bulbs of 100 watts each or, in the case of our office, provide all of our electric needs.
With an option of installing a smaller, less costly system, or purchasing a system that costs more but is capable of producing much more power, we chose abundance. The roof area was available, the funds were in the bank, and our commitment to make a statement of energy independence was strong, so a significant increase in system size resulted in a slight rise in cost.
Does it pay for itself?
Wilson said it will “indeed pay for itself in about 20 years, but this time is reduced to 10 years when federal and state tax credits are factored in. Also, thanks to some forward thinking of elected or appointed officials in New Mexico, there is no state sales tax on this equipment.”
In fall, winter and spring, when energy use is low, he said, the PNM meter on the building actually runs backward. Only when the refrigerated air is operating does the meter move forward at a slow pace or just stops in a balanced position: when energy produced equals energy consumed.
Wilson said it will “indeed pay for itself in about 20 years, but this time is reduced to 10 years when federal and state tax credits are factored in. Also, thanks to some forward thinking of elected or appointed officials in New Mexico, there is no state sales tax on this equipment.”
In fall, winter and spring, when energy use is low, he said, the PNM meter on the building actually runs backward. Only when the refrigerated air is operating does the meter move forward at a slow pace or just stops in a balanced position: when energy produced equals energy consumed.
But Wilson questions why people so often are concerned with systems paying for themselves.
When we built the original building we never asked, “When will this pay for itself?” We knew we would pay for the energy we consume and energy prices would always rise. The return on the money spent can be measured by the feeling that is present in the staff every day when we arrive at work to a comfortable work place that produces more electricity than it consumes.
Wilson urges property owners to move toward energy independence now, not later:
For the price of a new economy car, a property owner can install a system that will create some energy independence, which for many will provide a strong sense that they can contribute to the overall well-being of the planet. Some will feel an urgency to act now and control a part of their energy consumption. To become an energy producer is rather easy and for the foundation it has been a rewarding experience.
The Foundation for Sustainable Living is funded by private donations. Wilson can be contacted at info@foundationforsustainabliving.org.
A number of photovoltaic vendors will be on hand at the 2008 Solar Fiesta, scheduled from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 20 and 21 at Highland High School. This year's fiesta, "It's Easy Being Green," will offer classes for adults and activities for children along with exhibits of products and services related to saving energy, generating renewable energy and conserving natural resources. For more information about the fiesta and about solar vendors, check out the Web site of fiesta sponsor the New Mexico Solar Energy Association.
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© 2008 The New Mexico Independent
Comments:
Posted 08/28/2008 13:27 with
Great story, Denise!
Thank you for showing readers how this can work. It is so important for increasing the comfort level of the general public on building or retrofitting in this manner. Time for renewable energy to move into the mainstream.