“Imagine fuel without fear. No climate change. No oil spills, dead coal miners, dirty air, devastated lands, lost wildlife. No energy poverty. No oil-fed wars, tyrannies, or terrorists. Nothing to run out. Nothing to cut off. Nothing to worry about. Just energy abundance, benign and affordable, for all, for ever.”

Wow! These are the opening lines to the preface of “Reinventing Fire”, the latest book from Amory Lovins and his team at Rocky Mountain Institute –

To me, the key word here is “imagine”.

Reread the lines and feel what it would be like to live in such a world.

It’s coming. 

I know it is.

I’ve made it my mission to make it happen. (I hope that makes you feel as good as it makes me feel.)

I’ll be sharing more quotes from this inspiring book with you in the future, but, in the mean time, if you want to light your own fire, I suggest you get cozy with your own copy… or better yet!… Connect with www.fafcosolar.com to learn how Fafco Solar can light your (reinvented) fire!

- Dan

PS – If you have a moment – be sure to watch this very inspirational video as well:

I’m so happy to be doing what I’m passionate about, and being able to do it while we’re seeing such a great evolution with Solar & Renewable Energy solutions. The realization, adoption, and results generated from these solutions are simply mind-blowing.

More energy can be captured, and utilized, with today’s solutions – less expensively – than ever before.

If you’d like to learn more about solar and renewable energy solutions – feel free to comment below, contact us online or give us call at (239) 574-1500.

Be sure to take a look at all of our wonderful online resources as well:

• Solar Pool Heater- save by using the sun to heat your pool!
• Solar Water Heater NEW! – save by using the power of the sun to heat your water!
• Solar Electric Photovoltaic System – save by powering your home with solar energy!
• Solar Lights – save by using natural light for your home!
• Solar Attic Fan – save by using the sun to remove heat from your home!
• Solar Pool Pump – save by using the sun to power your pool pump!
• Pool Automation – save by automating your chlorination, pump timing and heating!
• Solar Water Pump – save by not having to bring in costly utility lines!
• Hybrid Solar Air Conditioning NEW! – save between 30-50% on your air conditioning!
• Solar Breeze Pool Skimmer – save time and money with an automated pool skimmer!
• Home Energy Monitoring NEW! – monitor your energy use and find ways to save!
• Solar2Go NEW! – mobile solar power – trailer mounted solar generator!

We service the following areas in Southwest Florida -  Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples, Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, Bonita Springs, or Hendry or Glades Counties.

We also service all brands of solar equipment! Find out what solar equipment services we perform here.

Learn More about cost-efficient solar energy.

Discover how you can improve our environment by using renewable energy for life. Check our Resources page.

Thank you so much, and here’s to a renewable energy world!

-Dan

Well, guess what?  It’s here!

Earlier this year, Ford, and Sunpower agreed to a partnership that will allow purchasers of Ford plug-in vehicles the ability to charge their cars.

Sunpower’s president and CEO, Tom Werner, says “This is taking solar power mainsteam” – and I think he’s right!

The Ford-Sunpower “Drive Green for Life” program will install enough panels on a customers roof to satisfy the energy demands for an electric vehicle that drives about 1,000 miles per month.

Learn more about this wonderful advancement in this PC Magazine article.

Good times ahead, that’s for sure!

- Dan

…they seem to be on target all of the time.

Recently, they published the 10 Facts About Our Energy Landscape, which are:

1. The US burns 13 millions barrels of oil a day (half imported) at a cost of $2 billion!
2. The US’s 120 million buildings consume 42% of the nation’s energy.
3. We spend more than $400 billion a year to heat and power buildings.
4. US industry employs about 131 million people and generates over 40% of the US GDP, using roughly one-fourth of the nation’s total energy per year.
5. 86% of US electricity is generated in large, centralized power plants.
6. By 2050, if we make efficiency a goal, and switch from oil, coal and one-third less natural gas to renewable energy, we’d save a net $5 trillion!
7. By 2050, a $2 trillion investment to make cars, trucks and planes more efficient, and more effectively used would save $5.8 trillion.
8. Building’s energy use can be 40 to 60% more efficient in 2050 than today – despite 70% more floorspace.
9. US industry can produce about 84% more output with 9 to 13% less energy.
10. We can capture and integrate the renewable energy needed to meet 80% or more of our electricity needs by 2050.

Interesting, isn’t it?  Be sure to read the entire post, and comment below if you’d like to share your thoughts on this.

Thank you,

- Dan

(Photo used with permission from Paul Shahriari – www.FLGreenHouse.com)

…I’d found the most beautiful kitchen in the world!

It was absolutely break taking – aside from its very functional design – the fact that it was flooded with natural daylight really took it over the top!

Some light entered the room through windows on the north and south sides of the house, too.

But most of the light was provided by two tubular skylights centered in the ceiling.  The combination created a very enjoyable feeling…  I just wanted to stand there and breathe in the natural light.

Paul’s Florida High Performance Green House is located right here in Cape Coral, Florida, and he shares ALL of the details of this unique learning opportunity, including:

• the cost/benefit of green building,
• exactly what green elements are used in this project,
• real-life data of energy consumption (this is amazing!), and so much more!

Be sure to learn more about Paul’s project at: www.FLGreenHouse.com.

How inspiring!

Enjoy,

- Dan

PS – Did you know we have 21 tubular solar skylights that light up our office’s at FafcoSolar?  Come in sometime, and see for yourself, it’s really cool!

It’s taken some time but we’re beginning to look at renewable sources of energy such as solar owner as the norm in new construction.

“Solar power as the norm rather than the exception.” –Philip J Reed, Westwood College

It’s taken some time but we’re beginning to look at renewable sources of energy such as solar power as the norm in new  construction. Take a look around at new builds and renovations and there are clear indications that we are taking the condition of our environment much more seriously then we have in past years.

Government incentives, buy back programs, and rebates have played a large part in this change in attitude as they have lowered the price of these technologies therefore making them far more widely accessible. There is no point in championing a technology if no one can afford to implement it. This is important not only in commercial or industrial applications, but in residential ones as well.

If a homeowner has the option of an inefficient heating or cooling system that literally hemorrhages money or an efficient solar or other renewable system that actually saves them their hard earned cash and has been made affordable by incentive programs, which do you think they’ll choose?

A perfect example of this new way of thinking is to look at the education sector. Seem like a strange jump from environmentally friendly building practices to education? It’s not.

At some schools- the ones that are forward thinking and have an eye on industry- a construction management degree will include curriculum in utilizing renewable resources. This is a very important change in our thinking as it ensures that our future builders will consider these options the norm rather than the exception. This inevitably means that we will see a greater increase in green builds and a more stable cost to do so. The better training in renewable options given at the university level will mean more implementation at the building level.

There are certainly further steps to be taken and more environmentally sensitive options and technologies to explore but adding a solar power component to something like a construction management degree is defiantly a step in the right direction. If we can make environmentally damaging construction something that is socially frowned upon by teaching its alternatives to those who will eventually be in charge of building, we will all win.

- Philip Reed

PS – Here’s a related quote from a builder we know, too:

“The truth of the matter is this, if building an energy efficient or energy independent house is the goal from the start, it’s really pretty simple.  By bringing together the client with a designer, architect, and building scientist that understand the process, a High Performance or Net Zero home can be built at a competitive price to similarly equipped ‘energy hog’ homes.” 

Reed Schweizer
Ravenwood Homes

Our Showroom with Solar Lighting

The photo above shows the power of Solar Skylights redirecting sunlight directly into our showroom!

Did you know we have 21 tubular solar skylights that light up our entire office area?

The best part?  We hardly ever use the florescent lights.

Some of the benefits of tubular Solar Skylights are:

• Energy savings – there’s no cost for directing natural light into your room!
• Far less expensive than conventional skylights.
• Emit more light per given area.

Be sure to learn more about Solar Skylights, or give us a call at (239) 574-1500!

Enjoy!

- Dan

PS – Also, feel free to stop by our office sometime and see our solar skylights in action!

Some of my ideas were:

eFiF, EFIF, iEFF, eFFi, FLefi, FEFI, FeFi, FLORife…

but here’s the one I like the best:

LIFE: a Love for Independent Food and Energy.

I continued massaging the idea:

Florida LIFE, A Peaceful Florida LIFE.

What do you think?

- Dan

Every two years, the U.S. Dept. of Energy holds a week-long event at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. called the Solar Decathlon.

This year, twenty university teams from around the country (and a few international) will compete to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are:

• cost-effective,
• energy-efficient, and
• attractive.

Four universities in Florida are collaborating on one entry called: FleX House.

I’ve wanted to go for years… and so this is the year I’m going, and I’m extremely excited!

If you, or someone you know, might be interested in this event, be sure to share this blog post with them.

I plan on taking photos while I’m there, and I’ll share them after my return, too.

As you may know, I own & operate Fafco Solar in Southwest Florida, and our passion is helping people use the power of Solar & Renewable Energy.   Be sure to see our list of solar & renewable every services, or give a call at (239) 574-1500 if you’d like to learn more.

Complete information on the Solar Decathlon is available at:

www.SolarDecathlon.gov

and on the FlexHouse is available at:

www.FlexHouse.org

Here’s to creating amazing solar & renewable energy solutions!

Enjoy!

- Dan

If you have been waiting for a new rebate program to invest in solar, your time has come. Florida Power and Light, our state’s largest utility has just announced a NEW and Improved solar rebate program!

Beginning June 21, Florida Power & Light (FPL) will begin offering a rebate for solar electric (photovoltaic) and solar domestic hot water systems.

The rebates will require an application and pre-approval, and are available on a first come-first served basis.

Your early planning is critical because rebate funding is limited. Contact us, and we’ll help you through the application process to give you the best chance of qualifying for this exciting solar incentive.

The FPL photovoltaic rebate is $2 per installed watt of solar power with a limit of $20,000 for residences and $50,000 for businesses.

A typical 5 kilowatt residential grid-tied solar electric (photovoltaic) system would qualify for a $10,000 rebate, drastically increasing your return on investment!

Solar water heating systems qualify for a $1,000 rebate!

Coupled with a currently available 30% Federal Tax Credit and the lowest prices ever for solar energy systems, there has never been a better time to GO SOLAR!

If you have any questions about the FPL Solar Rebate, or would like to learn more about how we can help you – please contact us, or give us a call at (239) 574-1500.

Thank you,

Dan