Install solar photovoltaic (PV) panels by purchasing, leasing, or entering into a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for a system on your home or property
Solar photovoltaic systems consist of solar modules or panels that convert sunlight directly into electricity. Modules are connected to an inverter which converts the direct current produced by the modules into the alternating current that is identical to the power we receive from the grid. To be effective, rooftop or ground-mounted systems should face south or southwest with little or no shading.
Because sunlight is intermittent, most systems are grid-connected, net-metered systems. When the sun is shining and system is producing more energy than the building and its occupants are using, the excess energy flows back onto the electric grid and the meter “runs backward” providing a net credit to the homeowner. When the system is not generating enough electricity to meet the needs of the building, the homeowner can utilize regular grid-supplied power as needed.
Solar PV systems are expensive, but incentive grants, tax credits, and the sale of solar Renewable Energy Certificates can offset the cost of purchased systems. Alternatively, options to lease or enter into a PPA with a solar provider can reduce or even eliminate upfront costs. Installers typically offer a free site assessment and estimate, handle local permits and inspections, and assist you with applying for grants and tax credits.
If your home’s roof is not well oriented for a roof-mounted system, you may want to consider a ground-mount system or a solar shed.
Even if you heat your home with an oil burning furnace, you can burn a more renewable fuel by using bio-heating oil, which is traditional home heating oil blended with 5% Biodiesel (known as B5). Biodiesel is made in the U.S. from soy, corn, and other vegetable oils, animal fats, recycled restaurant oils, and other natural sources. New sources, such as algae and cellulose from switch grass, cornstalks, and other plants, are under investigation. As an incentive, the State of Maryland offers a Bio-Heating Oil Tax-Credit of up to $500 for using bio-heating oil through 2017. Bio-heating oil costs are similar to traditional heating oil costs.
Take Action:
Purchase bio-heating oil from a distributor serving Frederick County. As of March 2013, two distributors offered bio-heating oil:
Use efficient furnaces and stoves designed for biomass fuels. a. Replace an older inefficient wood burning stove with a new efficient wood or pellet stove
Residential biomass furnaces and stoves are an alternative to heating oil furnaces or electric systems; they burn renewable materials like wood, wood pellets, corn, or nutshells. Biomass is a renewable energy source because the carbon dioxide emitted when it is burned can be recaptured if the biological source used is replanted. Depending on home size and layout, free-standing biomass stoves can provide all of a home’s heating needs or supplement traditional heating systems. Biomass furnaces and boilers are designed to replace traditional furnaces.
The Maryland Energy Administration’s (MEA) Clean Burning Wood Stove Grant Program offers $400 grants for approved wood-burning stoves and $600 for approved pellet-burning stoves. A wide variety of stove and furnace options are available; enter “biomass stove” or “biomass furnace” into your internet browser to review products on the market, or review the lists of stoves eligible for the grant program.
Opinions differ on how “green” biomass stoves and furnaces are. See How Green are Biomass Stoves and Furnaces? for more information.
Use efficient furnaces and stoves designed for biomass fuels. a. Replace an older inefficient wood burning stove with a new efficient wood or pellet stove
Use efficient furnaces and stoves designed for biomass fuels. b. Purchase a new efficient biomass stove or furnace
Residential biomass furnaces and stoves are an alternative to heating oil furnaces or electric systems; they burn renewable materials like wood, wood pellets, corn, or nutshells. Biomass is a renewable energy source because the carbon dioxide emitted when it is burned can be recaptured if the biological source used is replanted. Depending on home size and layout, free-standing biomass stoves can provide all of a home’s heating needs or supplement traditional heating systems. Biomass furnaces and boilers are designed to replace traditional furnaces.
The Maryland Energy Administration’s (MEA) Clean Burning Wood Stove Grant Program offers $400 grants for approved wood-burning stoves and $600 for approved pellet-burning stoves. A wide variety of stove and furnace options are available; enter “biomass stove” or “biomass furnace” into your internet browser to review products on the market, or review the lists of stoves eligible for the grant program.
Opinions differ on how “green” biomass stoves and furnaces are. See How Green are Biomass Stoves and Furnaces? for more information.
Solar water heating systems, also known as solar thermal systems, are a simple, reliable, and cost-effective method of harnessing the sun's energy to heat water for your home. Solar thermal systems collect energy from the sun to heat a fluid which then transfers its heat directly or indirectly to your water supply. A solar thermal system can supply 50 – 80% of a typical household’s hot water needs.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), heating water accounts for up to 14 percent of the average household's energy use. Solar thermal systems will significantly reduce the amount of electricity or natural gas your household uses to heat water. While the system will cost more upfront to install, it will save money in the long run through reduced utility bills.
In Frederick County, solar thermal systems typically range in size from two 4'x8' collectors heating an 80 gallon tank, to three 4'x8' collectors heating a 120 gallon tank and cost approximately $8,400 to $9,600 respectively before incentives. The Maryland Residential Clean Energy Grant, the federal tax credit, the sale of Solar Renewable Energy Credits, and electricity savings can reduce first year costs by as much as $4,000.
Many installers offer a free site assessment and estimate, handle local permits and inspections, assist you with applying for grants and tax credits, and refer you to brokers for the sale of Solar Renewable Energy Certificates. Be sure to ask about these services in advance.
A geothermal Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system uses the temperature of the earth to heat and cool your home. In Maryland the ground temperature stays at a constant 55°F year round. A geothermal system uses one of the principles of thermal dynamics (heat travels to cold) to transfer the earth’s naturally occurring temperature to a working fluid (glycol). To perform this heat transfer, geothermal systems use piping buried in your yard or installed vertically in wells. During the summer months the heat taken out of the air in your house is transferred to the ground. The process works in reverse during the winter months, transferring the heat of the ground to the house.
A geothermal system is a major investment. In a typical home of 2,500 square feet, a geothermal system may cost $20,000 - $25,000 to install. While this is roughly double the cost of a conventional HVAC and hot water system, geothermal systems can reduce utility bills by 40% to 60%. Maryland grants and the federal tax credit will typically cover 40% of the total cost of the system; in addition, loan and financing plans are available.
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