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Turn back your

meter
Make the Utility Company Pay You!

Brought to you by:

FacingEnergy.com
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INTRODUCTION
Over the past several years we have helplessly watched the price of
oil skyrocket to astronomical level, and felt its reverberating effects
throughout all aspects of our everyday lives. Added energy expenses
has resulted in higher costs for virtually all products and services. Now,
the price of food has never been higher, the transportation industry
has been essentially crippled, and the utility companies continue to
raise their rates for delivering power to our homes and businesses.

Even with the recent dramatic turn-around in the price of crude oil,
the sudden drop has only translated into relief at the pumps. Utility
companies are slow to follow suit, actually claiming they did not raise
prices enough during the oil crisis, and are now trying to recoup their
losses.

It is only a matter of time before speculators will find another reason to

jack up oil prices and we will begin the vicious cycle all over again. It
is becoming evident that the current status of energy in our country is
an endless game of price gouging and manipulation of the American
people. While we continue to work harder and harder to provide for our
families in a declining economy, the super rich keep getting richer.

We do have a choice, however. We can stop padding the pockets

of the utility companies and actually have them pay us for the energy
we use. By taking some simple steps toward greater energy efficiency,
such as weatherproofing your home, and curtailing frivolous energy
use, you can easily cut into your energy bill by 20-50% or more.

Although properly insulating your home, using energy efficient

appliances, and adopting a few energy saving behaviors will surely
lead to significant financial savings, the number one weapon against
rising energy costs is to produce your own energy. By converting to a
renewable energy source such as wind or solar, you can easily slash
your energy bill by up to 90% or more.

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Solar Power
Of all the energy sources in use today, solar
energy possibly has the most potential for
solving the world’s long term energy
problems. Solar energy is the cleanest form
of renewable energy; producing zero
carbon emissions, and provides over 35,000
times the total amount of energy that
humans use every day.

Many applications exist for harnessing this energy for home use such
as heating and cooling, lighting, and even complete solar home
solutions. As the price of crude oil escalates, and the demand for
alternative energy sources increase, advancements in technology
and government programs are making it easier and more affordable
to install solar energy equipment in the home.

How it works:

Because there are many options for harnessing energy from the sun,
solar power can work in a variety of ways. The most common one
is through the use of photovoltaic (PV) technology, which directly
transforms sunlight into electricity. It does so through the use of solar or
PV cells.

A solar panel is made up of modules of these solar cells. When exposed

to the photons found within sunlight, some electrons of the solar cells
are knocked loose. These loose electrons create an electrical current
which can be harnessed for electrical needs.
Another way that solar power works is through the use of solar thermal
collectors, which capture heat from the sun. This method is often used
in solar hot water heater systems, and is generally used by large solar
power plants which generate electricity by heating water to produce
steam which drives an electric generator.

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How does solar power work at night?

The fact that solar panels can only gather sunlight during the day is
often touted as a major drawback to solar power. However, it is possible
to draw the power off into a battery source for later use. In fact, this is
the way outdoor solar lights work-- they draw energy during the day to
power nighttime illumination.

Solar makes sense:

Although the initial cost of solar panels and their accessories (solar lights,
etc.) may be considered pricey, the fact of the matter is, it’s much more
cost effective over the long term. This is mainly because solar cells and
solar panels are long lasting and require very little maintenance. Also,
most conventional energy sources are created from a limited supply
of fossil fuels and will continue to rise in cost over time, while the energy
from the sun will always be widely available and free. Barring the
unlikely reversal of this trend, your overall annual savings will continue
to increase the longer you own your solar equipment. When you also
factor in its environmental benefits, and it’s easy to see how switching
to solar is a smart decision.

Wind Power
Although wind power, like solar power, is the most
abundant, pollution free, renewable energy
source on the planet, it remains one of the most
untapped by the private sector. Contrary to
popular belief, you don’t need a 400ft turbine
outside your home in order to harness wind power
for practical home use. Turbines are made in a
variety of sizes to accommodate all types of home
installation, and can even be used in urban
settings.

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In parts of the country where it is feasible to use wind power, it is not
uncommon for someone to reduce their electricity bill by 50 - 90 percent.
In fact, during the windiest parts of the year, one could produce a surplus
of electricity and sell the excess back to the electric company!

Before deciding to take on installing a home wind turbine, it is important

to make sure the average wind speed in your area is sufficient enough
to produce the energy needed to offset your electricity usage.

How it works:

Wind turbines operate on a simple principle. The energy in the wind turns
two or three propeller-like blades around a rotor. The rotor is connected
to the main shaft, which spins a generator to create electricity. Wind
turbines are mounted on a tower to capture the most energy. At 100
feet (30 meters) or more above ground, they can take advantage of
faster and less turbulent wind. Wind turbines can be used to produce
electricity for a single home or building, or they can be connected to
an electricity grid for more widespread electricity distribution.

Other Wind Power Applications:

Wind turbines are not only used to power homes and buildings, but
can also be used to generate electricity in marine vessels! Marine wind
generators, specifically designed to perform in aquatic environments
and withstand corrosion from water and salt, are an excellent alternative
for:

• Sailboats - Recreational boating

• Offshore beacons and remote monitoring equipment
• Oceanside homes & cabins
• Water pumping
• Battery charging
• Science & education projects

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Turn Back Your Meter
Without Getting In Trouble!
Most people know that if you are willing to invest
in solar or wind power for your home, the long
term savings can equate to many times more
than the initial cost, spanning the life of the
equipment. Not many people know, however,
that you can actually accelerate that process
by generating more energy than you use and
selling the excess back to the utility company.
This is made possible by connecting a solar panel or wind turbine system
to a power inverter, which is tied directly into the power grid.

Using a power inverter allows you to power your home directly from solar
panels or a wind turbine when the sun is shining or the wind is blowing,
while still maintaining the ability to pull electricity the conventional
way, from the power grid, when there is insufficient sun or wind. All this
is done seamlessly by the inverter without any additional monitoring
or participation by the homeowner. This type of configuration is aptly
called a “grid-tie” system. These systems are relatively easy to install,
and while you have the option to incorporate a battery back-up system
for emergency situations and blackouts, a battery is not required, which
reduces the need for added maintenance and battery replacement.

National Interconnection and Net-Metering policy requires all investor-

owned utility companies to allow interconnection of a privately owned
solar or wind power system with the purpose of selling excess generated
power back to the utility company. Rural electric cooperatives,
however, are exempt from this law, so if you are considering installing
a grid-tie system the very first thing you should do is call your utility
company to see if they allow grid-tie interconnection and to verify their
energy buy-back policy. Some utility companies will buy the energy
back at the same retail price they charge their customers, and some
may pay out at a wholesale rate. Ideally you want the utility company
to buy back any excess electricity that you produce at the same retail
rate at which you buy electricity from them.
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Net-metering
The practice of buying and selling electricity at an equal retail rate is
known as “net-metering” and is the simplest way to setup a grid-tie
system. Net metering uses only one electricity kWh usage meter, and
it is allowed to spin in either direction depending on if you are buying
or selling energy. For example, if you were to go on vacation for a
week (and you remember to turn off all your appliances) all the power
you generate for the entire week will feed back into the electrical grid,
making your electrical meter spin BACKWARDS!

Non net-metered systems, require that you install a second kWh meter
to record any excess energy production which is then sold back to
the utility company at a wholesale rate. Keep in mind that although
a non-net-metered system pays less for producing excess energy, it in
no way affects the energy saving benefits of installing a wind or solar
system in your home.

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state incentives
Availability of net-metering is often determined by State law, and
anyone considering installing a renewable energy system should
first find out what policies and restrictions apply before making any
purchases.
www.dsireusa.org is a great resource for researching your State’s
net-metering laws as well as determining whether you qualify for any
incentives for installing a renewable energy system in your home. Very
often, States will offer generous rebates to help offset the initial cost of
a renewable energy system installation.
The Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE) is
a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and
selected federal incentives that promote renewable energy. To access
information, click on the map below.

 Federal Incentives

                                                      US Territory Incentives

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system configurations
Grid-tie systems without a battery backup are the least costly systems to
purchase, and require little maintenance and few replacement parts.
The downside to this type of set-up is during blackouts or situations
where the power grid goes down, your wind or solar system must be
shut down as well. This is to prevent an electrical surge, generated
by your system, from injuring anyone performing maintenance on the
power grid.
To work around this scenario, a battery bank can be installed to store
excess energy for emergency situations. You can even incorporate
a gas powered generator into your system for an added layer of
security.
One of the greatest advantages of a grid-tie system is all the components
are designed to be expandable so you can start with a small system
(and a smaller investment) and add more to it as your budget allows.
You can even combine different types of energy sources to create a
hybrid grid-tie system. For example, by installing a wind turbine and
a solar panel system you can maximize your energy production by
generating solar power on sunny days, and wind power on not so sunny
days and at night.
Determining the system that works for best for your situation will largely
depend on your budget, how much energy you want the system
to produce per day, and of course your geographic location. Your
location is a big factor in determining how much energy any grid-tie
system will produce since you will obviously generate more solar energy
in Phoenix, Arizona than you would in Seattle, Washington.
Again, the greatest feature of a grid-tie system is the fact that it is
modular. If you determine that in order to generate 100% of your home
energy needs, you would need to install a $20,000 solar system, you
don’t necessarily have to do it all at once. In fact you can break the
cost up into “installments” by adding only a few panels at a time. Every
new component you add, no matter how big or small, will move you
one step closer to energy independence, and contributes to creating
a cleaner environment.

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A Look to the future
With continual advancements in technology in the renewable energy
sector, and the increasing public demand to take control of their
energy costs and eliminate our dependence on foreign oil, the future
of America’s energy looks promising. There will surely come a day
when we no longer have to deplete our planet’s natural resources nor
pollute our environment in order to satisfy our energy needs, but we do
not have to stand idle and wait for that day to come.
Our greatest energy resources are abundant, clean, free, and available
right now! If everyone made the decision to generate only half of their
total home energy needs from solar or wind, it would reduce the nation’s
energy expense by more than $100 Billion annually. That’s $100 Billion
dollars which can be put into savings for our children’s college funds,
invested in clean alternative energy projects, or spent on consumer
goods which would help stimulate our economy.
The next 100 years will be known as the New Energy era, as it will be
the development of newer, cleaner, more efficient energy sources,
which will carry us into the future. History tells us that almost all great
change in our country comes from the actions of the people as a whole.
Without the efforts of the masses, our nation will become stagnant and
unprogressive. From the masses, however, come the pioneers who
take reigns and pave the way for others to follow. The pioneers will
show others that a difference can be made literally right in their own
backyards. And the pioneers will spread the message that we have
the power to control our future. These are the days of the pioneers.

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FacingEnergy.com
Whether you choose to install a complete solar or wind system in your
home, or just need a few energy efficient accessories, you can find
everything you need at www.FacingEnergy.com. We carry everything
from top quality name brand solar panels and small wind turbines to
complete off-grid and grid-tie systems. We also offer a wide selection
of energy efficient products to help save tons on your energy bill. Visit
us on the web at www.FacingEnergy.com, browse our inventory, and
let us outfit your home with the best in renewable energy equipment
and accessories.
Click on the categories below to see the products we offer:

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