Special Thanks to Jason Szumlanski, our Operations Manager, for this blog post!

Being energy efficient is critical to saving money, but reducing power is only half the battle.  Some changes that may seem energy efficient on the surface may not save any energy at all.

For example, you might ask about replacing an existing 1-1/2 horsepower pool pump with an “energy efficient” 3/4 horsepower pump.  The smaller pump would definitely use less power – in fact, about half the amount of power. Unfortunately, to circulate the same amount of water, you would need to run the smaller pump for more than double the amount of time each day, ultimately using more energy!

A better strategy would be installing a photovoltaic (solar) pool pump that runs using energy from the sun, eliminating the utility electricity consumed by your circulation pump.

Some items are inherently inefficient, and power savings are simply not a viable option.

For example, a curling iron will use essentially the same amount of power to reach the same temperature as any other brand. The only way to reduce energy used in your daily hair care regimen may be to work faster!

Conversely, if you want to watch television, it’s hard to reduce the time it takes to watch American Idol (except with a DVR!)

The best way to reduce your energy use with this appliance is to buy an energy efficient model, which saves energy by using less power.

Some items that can be more efficient by using less power to do the same job are televisions, computers, and air conditioners. Some items that simply need to be used for shorter periods of time are water heaters, hair dryers, and irons.

The bottom line is that saving energy with one appliance may require a different strategy than with another appliance.

Don’t bother shopping for a toaster that uses less power, and you won’t find a light bulb that shines when it is turned off.

Understanding the relationship between power and energy (efficiency and time) is critical to reducing your overall energy use.

- Jason

Special Thanks to Jason Szumlanski, our Operations Manager, for this blog post!

However, these terms represent very different, but related concepts.

Power is the rate at which energy is consumed, expressed in watts or kilowatts.

Energy is the amount of power consumed, expressed in watt-hours or kilowatt-hours (kWh).

To understand energy use, and consequently our utility bills, we must factor in the amount of power devices and appliances use and how long we use them.

Let’s look at the example of a typical light fixture outside your front door with a 60 watt light bulb. Sixty watts is the amount of power the lamp consumes, or the rate at which the lamp uses energy. If you run a 60 watt light bulb from dusk to dawn for 12 hours, you will consume 720 watt-hours of energy (or 0.72 kilowatt-hours).

In Southwest Florida we currently pay around 10 cents per kilowatt-hour, so that light bulb would cost 7.2 cents per night, or $26.28 annually.

If you look at your utility bill, you will see that you are charged for the number of kilowatt-hours (KWH) that you consume.

This is the amount of energy consumed between meter readings. To reduce the energy you use, you must either reduce the amount of power you use, or the amount of time you use that power (or both!)

Energy  =  Power  x Time

Going back to our light bulb example, you could install a light bulb that uses less power, or you could reduce the number of hours it runs. Both courses of action would reduce the energy used and save you money. Here are three different ideas to save energy and money.

1) Replace the bulb with a 13W compact fluorescent with equivalent light output (reduce power).

Energy Saved:                   0.56 kilowatt hours daily, or $20.58 saved annually

2) Put the light on a timer and run for just 6 hours nightly (reduce time).

Energy saved:                  0.36 kilowatt hours daily, or $13.14 saved annually

3) Do both of the above (reduce power and time).

Energy Saved:                   0.64 kilowatt hours daily, or $23.43 saved annually

While power and energy are intimately connected, they are not the same.

Understanding the difference can help you save money!

In my next article, I will take this concept one step further and explain why you think twice when trying to be “energy efficient.”

- Jason

PS – Be sure to check out our information on “TED – The Energy Detective” to monitor your energy usage!

…and I thought based on our previous posts “Buying Eight Track Tapes in an iPad World”, this would be a great follow-up for you to read.

It was created on May 12, 2010 by Janet Larsen for EarthPolicy.org, and it starts:

“The enormously devastating oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is just one reminder that stretching out an addiction to a polluting and planet-warming fossil fuel poses risks to our health, our environment, and our economy. ”

“U.S. oil production peaked in 1970 at 9.6 million barrels per day. Since then production has dropped by almost half and now supplies less than 30 percent of domestic consumption. In 2009, the United States spent nearly $200 billion on oil imports to make up the difference.”

Continue reading this on the EarthPolicy web site…

Buying Eight Track Tapes in an IPad World” is a special blog series written by Melissa Upton, of our team here at Fafco Solar, reviewing four arguments against drilling for oil off of the coast of Florida.

…expensive way to produce energy – investing in clean energy would create four times as many jobs as investing the same amount of money in oil.

We need energy efficiency coupled with new, advanced, sophisticated, clean renewable energy technologies such as solar energy.

What we can do is thank Florida Senators Mel Martinez and Bill Nelson for their continued strong opposition to drilling and spilling oil on America’s best beaches, drilling that would ruin our state’s number one economic resource: our beach sand.

People in other states can help by getting their Senators to take Florida drilling out of the Senate’s energy bill.

Renewable energy technology works extremely well in an iPad world!

- Melissa

…to our product offerings!

What is Zep?

The Zep system eliminates costly and cumberson aluminum rakcs by integrating the rails WITH the solar modules.   It also provides the most reliable electrical grounding system WITHOUT separate grounding wires.

Zep is simpler, easier, and cleaner – the best part?  It’s less expensive, too!

What does this mean for you?

• Dramatically shorter installation times on our solar panels,
• Elimination of mounting rails and clip hardware,
• Elimination of separate grounding hardware,
• Ultra-reliable hyper-bonded grounding matrix,
• Ultra low part counts – 3 parts for the entire array,
• Enhanced aestetics – low-profile, straight and level!

Learn more about Zep on our Web Site, or by giving us a call at (239) 574-1500.

- Dan

..about using our Hybrid Solar Air Conditioning product.

They excitedly talk about using Solar Energy to cool their Dental Office, reducing their electric consumption (as well as their demand on fossil fuels), while harnessing the power of the sun to help them succeed.

A great story, indeed!

Enjoy,

- Dan

PS – Our solar air conditioning solution is available in Charlotte, Collier, Sanibel Island, and Cape Coral at this point — very shortly, we’ll have approval in Lee County & the City of Fort Myers as well.

Learn more by visiting our Web Site at: www.FafcoSolar.com, or by giving us a call at (239) 574-1500.

“Buying Eight Track Tapes in an IPad World” is a special blog series written by Melissa Upton, of our team here at Fafco Solar.

It is outdated.

Our current renewable energy options are now advanced, sophisticated, clean, coming down in price, and safe.

Over the next series of blog posts, I’ll be reviewing four serious arguments to be made against drilling for oil off of Florida’s Gulf Coast – they are sand, hurricanes, the bell curve, and tragic accidents.

Talk to you soon,

Melissa

…that was held at the Koreshan State Historic Site in Estero, Florida.

The event was co-sponsored by the Sierra Club Calusa Group & The Happehatchee Center.

It was a great event, the weather was beautiful, and there were speakers there and bands playing all day.

We supplied our very own power (from the sun!) via our Mobile Photovoltaic (PV) trailer!

At the event, most were involved in exalting and celebrating the earth.  The band mentioned several times that the sound stage was being powered by Fafco Solar’s mobile trailer – it’s amazing that our small array could handle the entire stage!

The crowd seemed very intrigued by that.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Mobile Photovoltaic (PV) Trailer be sure to contact us, or give us a call at (239) 574-1500.

Here are some more photos from the event:

You’re invited!

We’re having an open house at our “green” building in Cape Coral from Monday, April 19 to Friday, April 23, 2010, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m, and we’d love to see you!

At our Open House, you’ll be able to:

• take a tour of our Green Building,
• sign a “Declaration of Energy Independence,” and
• learn more about all the solar energy products offered by us.

We’ll also give you a listing of other local Earth Day events, tips and suggestions for going green and a “Solar Bill of Rights” to take home!

As I said in a recent News Release:

“This is a great opportunity for us to be able to educate the public on what they can do to be green and do their part to save the environment. Solar energy is a readily-available and renewable source of energy that will not only reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, but it also helps our customers save lots of money. We’re proud to celebrate Earth Day by teaching our customers how to be environmentally responsible citizens.”

See you next week, and have a great day!

- Dan

…one of the most common questions people have is:

“How Do I Power My Home From the Sun?”

The answer is with a Solar Electric Photovoltaic System.

Solar Electric Photovoltaic Systems, sometimes referred to as PV Systems, have many benefits:

• Reduce your electric bill.
• Take advantage of tax benefits and rebates.
• Help our country become less dependent on fossil fuels.
• And – Watch your meter spin backward (we never get tired of this!)

Be sure to learn all about Solar Electric Photovoltaic Systems on our Web Site, and visit our Learn More section to see the common questions people have as well.

Enjoy!