Dear Bill: I'm considering putting solar panels on my home and I've been told that you can sell your excess electricity that your solar panels produce back to the utility company. I've heard that this is not true but I'd like to know for sure since it will determine the size of the solar array system I install on my roof.
- Shirley G., San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Dear Shirley: Well, I have some good news for you since you live in California. Most states do not allow for resale of your electricity that you generate from your solar panels on your roof back to the utility company for a profit. Most only allow up to zeroing out (pay nothing) through a system called "Net Metering" your electric bill, although you will still pay to have your electric meter read by the utility company. However, since Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is energy and solar conscious solar installations in California have grown from an estimated 500 a decade ago to nearly 50,000 currently.
Recent California legislation, AB920, that was signed into effect for implementation in January 2011 by Governor Schwarzenegger will allow you to sell your excess electricity, called "Net Surplus" back to your local utility company for the same rate that the utility company is selling you your electricity for that time of day. Since solar panels create electricity during the day and the Peak Period costs are during the day (the most expensive time) you will be selling your electricity to the utility company at a peak rate.
While it's good for the environment and energy independence to install solar panels on your roof, you probably will not see a profit for the "Net Surplus" for quite a while. In most cases even after rebates from your local utility company and the Federal Tax Incentive of 30% of the cost of the installation it will be several years before you save enough money on electricity to breakeven on the solar installation. However, if you live in your home long enough you will earn some additional money from selling your "Net Surplus" of electricity to your local utility provider.
Dear Bill: I plan on purchasing a new TV and would like to know which is the most energy efficient large screen television on the market. Cost is a major factor with respect to size of the TV I'll buy but saving energy and money is a big part of the mix as well.
-Jerome T., Fort Worth, Texas
Dear Jerome: It's true that televisions can be an energy hogs but if you're conscious of what you're buying the TV can be a small energy user. TVs are much bigger than the older TVs and certainly LCDs are much more energy efficient than the old standard CRT (big tube) TVs. But remember, the bigger the television screen the more the energy is needed to use it.
First thing, make sure you buy a television that carries the Energy Star label. It's your guarantee that it'll use about 30 percent less energy than non Energy Star TVs. Some states, like California, are considering banning non-Energy Star label televisions.
A simple rule of thumb is if it's less than a 50-inch TV screen get a LCD television set. If the screen is more than 50 inches get a DLP (rear projection) television but make sure it's light source is LED which uses less energy than older rear projection versions. Plasma TVs forget about it. They use far more energy and throw out heat that in the summer, your AC will have to deal with.
Another simple rule of thumb, a 42-inch LCD television uses approximately 200 watts of energy and a 50 inches or bigger DLP uses about 175 watts of energy. For comparison, a Plasma 50-inch + big screen TV uses about 350 watts or more of energy.
Don't worry about HDTV, most new televisions are set up for HDTV programs.
Send your energy-related questions to: The Green Energy Coach at GreenEnergyCoach@aol.com. Tauber is a radio talk show host and a nationally recognized expert on energy reduction and solar power. He has been interviewed by The Wall Street Journal, The Orange County Register, Los Angeles Times, Fox Business, Kiplinger, Investors, ABC and Forbes websites and several environmental newsletters and Web sites.
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