using clean energy
The Value of Clean Energy to Property Owners
As an owner of commercial or residential properties and lessor, you are presumably always looking for ways to reduce your overhead and maintenance requirements. Clean energy is one of the effective options that you should evaluate. Are you aware that there are solar heating tubes that can be used to heat water more economically? China is the leading country for utilizing solar water heating systems. Several rooftops in China are installed with solar heating tubes to supply the apartment dwellings with most of their heating needs. In China, there is an estimated thirty million solar heating systems, currently installed. This has considerably reduced not only utility charges for residents and tenants, and overhead costs for commercial building owners, but the level of air pollution in China as well.
Previously, many of us have thought that solar energy applications for residences and apartment buildings were only for producing solar electricity. Now, more people are becoming aware of its other uses, such as water heating. Furthermore, even national governments have recognized the economic and social benefits for their country, if more and more people began using clean energy alternatives. This is the reason why attractive financial rewards were offered to those who install solar heating systems and PV panels in their apartment, residential, and commercial properties.
Nowadays, the common homeowner or landlord can receive local, state, and federal tax credits. Property owners can also avail of accelerated depreciation. This means that they won’t have to wait for a number of years in order to realize the financial incentives of using solar electric power and solar hot water equipments. In fact, most property owners are able to get a payback on their capital investment as early as two years, with most property owners seeing a total return on his or her investment in 5 years.
But it is important to keep in mind that current clean energy technologies, like wind energy and solar electricity are still incapable of providing the total electricity required by the commercial or residential building owner. Improvements are still needed on the efficacy of the following solar technologies: heat storage, solar cells, and conversion rates. For example, a regular photovoltaic panel will lose efficiency when temperatures go over 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Additionally, some of the solar technologies, such as amorphous panels, can only convert 7 percent of the energy they receive from the sun. And with wind power, at least a 10 mph wind is essential for electric power to be generated.
The installation of clean energy through ‘net metering’ can also provide property owners the chance to earn extra money or credit by putting in their excess stock of electricity into the electric public grid. For instance, a landlord installs a couple of small wind turbines on his roof space, and because of a handful of days of ideal wind conditions, he produces a greater quantity of electricity than what his residents will use for that period. The building owner can then send into the power grid, his surplus or unutilized energy for this period. And in return, the landlord will receive a check or credit by their local electric company.
Therefore, with clean energy there are plenty of ways and means that residential & commercial building owners can utilize green energy or clean energy to avail of a few tax breaks. It may require some work and research and initial investment on the solar equipment and installation, but the payback period is going to be quite short; and most significantly, benefits to the environment are substantial.
About the Author
Craig Axelrod is VP of Business Development for Emmy Energy, a NY solar power company offering solar heating tube systems & solar panels throughout the North East.
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Tags: blog, energy, environment, green, web2.0
