American Solar Enterprises LLC

What People Get Wrong About the Inflation Reduction Act | SEIA

https://www.seia.org/blog/what-people-get-wrong-about-inflation-reduction-act

What People Get Wrong About the Inflation Reduction Act | SEIA The IRA will create millions of jobs, reduce energy costs, slash pollution and mitigate climate change impacts. The bill’s clean energy provisions represent a win for all American communities, and in fact, today, the most prevalent arguments against the law have little to no basis in truth.

This 100% solar community endured Hurricane Ian with no loss of power and minimal damage | CNN

This 100% solar community endured Hurricane Ian with no loss of power and minimal damage | CNN Climate resiliency was built into the fabric of Babcock Ranch with stronger storms in mind, and Hurricane Ian was a major test.

SCC formally OKs Dominion's interim 12% bill increase for rising fuel prices

The SCC has approved a 12.2% rate increase for Dominion customers for the next year, due to increased fuel costs.
As we well know, the price of sunshine never increases.
This is well above the historic 3% annual growth in electricity rates in Dominion territory, leading to much faster payback of residential solar systems.

SCC formally OKs Dominion's interim 12% bill increase for rising fuel prices The big bump in Dominion Energy bills that took effect on an interim basis in July will remain in effect through June 2023, the State Corporation Commission ruled.

Buckle up, folks: this federal climate bill is going to supercharge Virginia’s energy transition - Virginia Mercury

https://www.virginiamercury.com/2022/08/09/buckle-up-folks-this-federal-climate-bill-is-going-to-supercharge-virginias-energy-transition/

Buckle up, folks: this federal climate bill is going to supercharge Virginia’s energy transition - Virginia Mercury The IRA will benefit former coal workers in Southwest Virginia looking for jobs at least as much as NoVa suburbanites jonesing for Teslas.

California went big on rooftop solar. Now that's a problem for landfills

I've seen this coming for a while! I hope the solar manufacturers get on top of this sooner than later! We cannot allow all of those heavy/toxic metals to pollute our groundwater!

California went big on rooftop solar. Now that's a problem for landfills California, a national leader in the solar market, has no plan for safely recycling more than 1 million photovoltaic panels that will soon need to be discarded.

The Virginia General Assembly came to a close on March 12. Solar advocates have many reasons to celebrate. Here’s a few bright spots of how solar fared during the legislative session:

🌞Protected solar rights for all Virginians
Many bills proposed, primarily in the House of Delegates, attempted to roll back critical parts of the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA). VCEA passed in 2020. There were even bills attempting to diminish rooftop solar.

Fortunately, Virginia legislators and coalition partners did not allow these bills to pass. Together, we protected solar growth in the Commonwealth.

🌞Increased solar access for electric cooperative customers
Solar United Neighbors supported legislation that expands solar for customers in electric cooperatives in two ways:

lifts the caps on net metering and

expands power purchase agreements (PPAs)

The bills, SB 505/HB 266, won bipartisan support. They eliminate the 7% cap on net metering for cooperatives. They expand access to PPAs for residential and non-residential customers in cooperative territory.

🌞Advocated for financial transparency and governance reforms for rural electric cooperatives
Our coalition worked with Delegate Wendy Gooditis to introduce HB 723. This bill called for standardized governance practices at Virginia’s Rural Electric Cooperatives (RECs). The bill would have:

Mandated open board meetings,
Ended proxy ballot voting, and
Increased transparency for political lobbying.
The bill did not pass. But it put RECs on notice. They need to fix the serious transparency and governance problems at electric cooperatives. We will work toward a new and more impactful piece of legislation for the 2023 session.

🌞Secured property tax exemptions for small solar owners
There are more solar cost-savings coming around the corner. A bill passed that exempts residential and agricultural solar systems smaller than 25kW from property taxes. This will save solar property owners more money on their investment. The bill, SB 686, ensures the value of a solar array cannot be used to raise or lower property taxes. Provided the Governor signs this bill, it will take effect January 1, 2023.

We’re out of time on climate. Tell Congress to pass Biden’s clean energy plan now!

Tell your elected officials that it's time to take action on climate change! But it's not enough to just sign a petition, YOU must do your part too! Here is a short list of things that you can do, to do your part! https://www.nrdc.org/stories/how-you-can-stop-global-warming

We’re out of time on climate. Tell Congress to pass Biden’s clean energy plan now! Are you freaked out by yesterday’s “red alert” report on global warming from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change?  Then send a note to Congress telling them to pass Joe Biden’s ambitious climate agenda. 

Stop whining about solar panels — we need more now - Virginia Mercury

No Solar on Farmland... well, not all farmland

Stop whining about solar panels — we need more now - Virginia Mercury By Bobby Whitescarver Clouds of soil stir around the hooves of our cattle as they walk through the brown, dried-up pasture. Smoke haze from the megafires out west 2,000 miles away permeates the sky. It’s just as the scientists said: The weather is getting warmer and weirder. We have a cattle farm ...

SREC Incentives for Virginia Solar Owners

Hey Look, SRECs have come to Virginia! (Unfortunately, not for Thermal, just PV)

SREC Incentives for Virginia Solar Owners The Basics In Virginia, utilities have to meet certain sustainability requirements. They do this by purchasing credits from people like you who are producing solar energy. Solar owners sell their Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs), which can help them pay off system costs more quickly. Here is a...

So, I just had this conversation with my friend Aaron...
Aaron:
Friend of mine and I were debating whether solar panels made sense in this area on a purely budget factor. He argues that if an installation costs 20K, and your bill is normally around 200 a month, it would take 9 years to pay off. That same money in the market would pay approx 20K in interest.
Me:
So, ask him what is the difference between making $20k and saving $20k? At the end of 9 years, the solar system would still be worth a lot of money. Sure, perhaps not the full $20k investment, but NREL did a study and found that for every $1000 in energy savings that you provide to your home, it increases the resale value by $20k. So technically, solar systems can be net positive from day one! Plus, the cost of electricity is guaranteed to increase over time. So, the more energy that you produce, the more money you save! Also, he didn't account for the 26% federal tax credit which lowers your out of pocket cost, plus the tremendous environmental benefits of using clean renewable energy!

‘It’s Not Too Late’: Is America ready for solar power?

It's never too late to go solar!

‘It’s Not Too Late’: Is America ready for solar power? ABC News’ Ginger Zee takes a look at the growing demand and need for renewable solar energy.ABC News Live Prime, Weekdays at 7 EST & 9 ESTWATCH the ABC News ...

Report ranks Virginia fourth among states for 2020 solar installations - Virginia Mercury

Way to go Va! Now, let's keep up the good work!

Report ranks Virginia fourth among states for 2020 solar installations - Virginia Mercury Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Virginia topped almost other states in solar installations in 2020, ranking fourth behind only California, Texas and Florida. According to findings from the analysis released Tuesday by the Solar Energy Industries Association and energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie, more...

The General Assembly made progress on climate in 2021, but our work here is hardly done

Virginia is still slow on its environmental progress, but we are starting to make some headway!

The General Assembly made progress on climate in 2021, but our work here is hardly done Before the start of the 2021 legislative session, I highlighted three areas where Virginia needed to make significant progress to support its climate agenda: transportation electrification, improvi…

Defend solar rights in homeowner associations

Don't let this proposed bill take away our solar rights! Click the link and let your elected representatives know that solar rights are important to you!

Defend solar rights in homeowner associations Last year, Virginia solar supporters worked together with homeowners associations (HOAs). We convinced lawmakers to pass a bipartisan, consensus law to protect homeowners’ right to go solar. That law successfully balanced the rights of solar owners and HOA authority. It clearly defined what restri...

Bill Gates: Here's a Formula That Explains Where We Need to Invest in Climate Innovation

https://news.yahoo.com/amphtml/bill-gates-heres-formula-explains-170833680.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=tw&tsrc=twtr&__twitter_impression=true

Bill Gates: Here's a Formula That Explains Where We Need to Invest in Climate Innovation It's possible to provide affordable energy for everyone without causing a climate disaster

The Solar Investment Tax Credit has been extended!

The federal government provides a tax credit to homeowners who buy new solar systems. Homeowners who installed solar in 2020 were eligible for a 26% tax credit. If you installed a solar system that costs $10,000, you would be able to deduct $2,600 off your taxes.

This credit was to lower to 22% for systems installed in 2021, and was set to expire in 2022.

But Congress stepped in and included an extension of this tax credit as part of the federal budget bill.

What does this means for prospective solar owners?
If you buy a solar system in 2021 or 2022, you will still be able to take the tax credit at 26%. If you go solar in 2023, you will be eligible for a 22% tax credit, and then the credit expires in 2024.

This extension means you could earn several thousand dollars in tax credits for new installations.

If you are ready to install solar, contact us today!

Sometimes, but not very often, the Solar Dr will work on a Sunday... and amazing things happen! Check out this beauty that we finished up yesterday! This is a 32 panel thermal system, the largest we have ever installed! It's also the largest contract my company has ever landed, and hopefully just the first of many. It's also our fist gov't contract, again, hopefully the first of many!

I'm selling a used solar thermal system for 33% off!!! This is a solar system for heating the water in your home, see our website for details on these systems. This system newly installed cost $12,000, but we are reducing the fully installed price to $8,000! These systems typically provide about 80% of your annual hot water needs and last about 40-50 years. This system is only 13 years old, so you should still get another 30+ years of life out of it! The reason it's available, the current owners just moved into the property and didn't want it. Even though I explained that it could save them about $700-900 a year, they preferred having the extra space back over the savings. So, their loss is your gain!
I forgot to take a picture of them while they were installed, but the attached picture is what they look like.

How to spot solar scams

Don't fall prey to FB scam ads!

https://www.solarunitedneighbors.org/news/how-to-spot-solar-scams/

How to spot solar scams The demand for solar energy is skyrocketing across the nation. This is great news! However, as the solar industry grows and more companies compete for your business, you might notice an uptick in misl

Jigar Shah: Pandemic reveals solar as ‘one of the largest, most trusted industries in the country’

Solar is essential... WE are essential!

Jigar Shah: Pandemic reveals solar as ‘one of the largest, most trusted industries in the country’ “It’s critical for us to recognize that we are being looked to by everyone from prominent political campaigns to elected officials in your town to provide the necessary economic development t…

Solar Rights Vindicated: Richmond energy lawyers resolve six cases to allow rooftop solar in Virginia HOAs - LEAP: The Local Energy Alliance Program

Another win for solar rights in Va!
https://leap-va.org/energy-news/solar-rights-vindicated-richmond-energy-lawyers-resolve-six-cases-to-allow-rooftop-solar-in-virginia-hoas/

Solar Rights Vindicated: Richmond energy lawyers resolve six cases to allow rooftop solar in Virginia HOAs - LEAP: The Local Energy Alliance Program # RELEASE # # FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JULY 29, 2020 Download .pdf Recent efforts of a Richmond-based energy law firm have helped six Virginia homeowners install rooftop solar at residences within homeowners’ associations (HOAs). In each case, the homeowner’s request had been originally denied ...

The Arctic is Experiencing its Hottest Temperatures on Record, Ever

The Arctic is Experiencing its Hottest Temperatures on Record, Ever We are barely a few weeks into summer and it is a hot one. The Arctic Circle, Siberia, and much of Northern Europe are seeing record high temperatures; some higher than in recorded history. Siberia has experienced brutal heat this weekend. The rural town of Verkhoyansk (67.5°N latitude) peaked at 1...

The Trump Administration Is Reversing Nearly 100 Environmental Rules. Here’s the Full List.

Environmental protections being rolled back

The Trump Administration Is Reversing Nearly 100 Environmental Rules. Here’s the Full List. A New York Times analysis found more than 60 environmental policies officially rolled back under Mr. Trump and another 34 rollbacks still in progress.

New Solar Thermal panels loaded up and headed out for delivery! Check back in next week to see them when they're installed!

The oldest deliberative body in the Western Hemisphere made a new kind of history today. With climate change impacts growing worldwide and scientists saying we’re almost out of time, the Virginia General Assembly leaped into national leadership on climate with passage of the “Virginia Clean Economy Act” (SB 851).

Approved with one day left in the legislative session of 2020, the Virginia Clean Economy Act reverses decades of bad energy policy in Virginia. It mandates the shutdown of most of the state’s coal plants by 2030 and all the state’s fossil fuel plants for electricity – including gas plants — by 2045. It opens the gate to the biggest offshore wind farms in America and turbocharges the spread of solar rooftops and solar farms. It does this while creating real safeguards against Dominion Energy for ratepayers – especially for low-income families – and by mandating the use of LESS electricity statewide in the future. Indeed, most ratepayers will see no bill increases at all over time.

Amazing NASA images show how pollution has CLEARED over China

Air pollution from China's factories

Amazing NASA images show how pollution has CLEARED over China NASA and the European Space Agency have used pollution monitoring satellites to track the decrease in nitrogen dioxide levels over the past two months during the coronavirus outbreak.

Virginia county’s solar ambitions curbed by state cap, but maybe not for long

Virginia is finally heading towards becoming a solar-friendly state. The bills haven't passed the Senate yet, but things are looking optimistic!

Virginia county’s solar ambitions curbed by state cap, but maybe not for long Fairfax County legislators are leading the charge to lift a cap on solar power purchase agreements in Dominion’s territory.

LIS > Bill Tracking > HB414 > 2020 session

Congratulations Va homeowners, they have now passed HB 414 which prohibits community associations from imposing unreasonable restrictions on new solar installations! If their "reasonable restrictions" increase the cost of the installation by 5% or reduces production by more than 10%, it is now illegal for them to impose said restrictions!
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?201+sum+HB414

LIS > Bill Tracking > HB414 > 2020 session Virginia Energy Plan; covenants regarding solar power; reasonable restrictions. Provides that a restriction on solar energy collection devices is unreasonable if it increases the cost of the solar energy collection device by $1,000 over the cost originally proposed or causes a decrease in production...

Monocrystalline vs. Polycrystalline Solar Panels - What’s the Difference?

Ever wonder, "What's the difference between Mono/Poly-crystalline solar panels?"

Monocrystalline vs. Polycrystalline Solar Panels - What’s the Difference? See options of mono and poly solar panels at altE’s website: https://www.altestore.com/store/Solar-Panels/c541/ . We often get asked by customers what’s the ...

Don’t let homeowner associations block the sun – Solar United Neighbors

Don’t let homeowner associations block the sun!
A loophole in Virginia law allows HOAs to impose unreasonable restrictions on solar. Click on the link below to contact your legislators and urge them to support this common-sense bill.

https://www.solarunitedneighbors.org/virginia/take-action/dont-let-homeowner-associations-block-the-sun/

Don’t let homeowner associations block the sun – Solar United Neighbors Don’t let homeowner associations block the sun A loophole in Virginia law allows HOAs to impose unreasonable restrictions on solar Homeowner Associations (HOAs) have prevented hundreds of Virginians from installing solar. This has cost solar contractors millions of dollars. Virginia law protects h...

This appears to de-regulate Virginia's electricity markets, which would mean solar farms could provide solar power offerings for electricity retailers. It also allows true community-owned solar.

BlueVirginia - Historic bipartisan bill would open Virginia’s electricity market to competition
https://bluevirginia.us/2020/01/historic-bipartisan-bill-would-open-virginias-electricity-market-to-competition?fbclid=IwAR2VW8LTnlvn6IbLh8sfoZGOcmO1vyOWkgAlfW3j9WjADxBKkvkxx_pZb28

Among other things, the Virginia Energy Reform Act would:

Establish a well-designed, competitive market for electricity retailers to give families and businesses a choice.
Require monopoly electric utilities to exit the retail services and generation businesses and be limited to just owning and maintaining the distribution system.
Establish a nonprofit independent entity that has no financial stake in electricity market outcomes to coordinate operation of the distribution system.
Remove existing interconnection and financing barriers to customer-owned energy resources.
Build in additional consumer protections and education to ensure smart energy choices.
“Virginia is shackled to a monopoly utility model that stifles innovation, increases costs and puts government in the difficult role of replacing competition. It’s time for Virginia to liberate market forces, empower consumers and shift the role of government to facilitate competition. Competitive markets are the path to an innovative and consumer-friendly clean energy future. It’s time for Virginia to make the right choice,” said Devin Hartman, Director of Energy and Environmental Policy at the R Street Institute.

“Our mission at VPLC is to break down systemic barriers that keep Virginians in poverty,” said Dana Wiggins, Director of Outreach and Financial Advocacy, with the Virginia Policy Law Center. “Virginia’s current energy regulatory structure is broken and disproportionately affects low-income people who pay a higher percentage of their household income on energy than moderate- or high-income households. All families want affordable electricity bills. This legislation includes a program that provides protections for them to be able to have just that.”

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We're hiring again!

Careers at American Solar Enterprises LLC Find your next great career opportunity at American Solar Enterprises LLC

Enphase Micro Inverter Review — Clean Energy Reviews

https://www.cleanenergyreviews.info/blog/microinverters

Enphase Micro Inverter Review — Clean Energy Reviews Microinverters have many benefits over string inverters but also a higher upfront cost. In this review we look at whether it is worth paying that extra money and what you need to know when considering a micro inverter system.

What a beautiful solar day! Check out our latest install... The Solar Dr is happy!

Fracking boom tied to methane spike in Earth’s atmosphere

Fracking boom tied to methane spike in Earth’s atmosphere The chemical signature of methane released from fracking is found in the atmosphere, pointing to shale gas operations as the culprit.

Defend the Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC)

Don't let the Federal Tax Credit disappear! Urge your elected officials to extend the ITC! Also, if you're thinking about taking advantage of the 30% tax credit, give us a call to review your options. We offer Solar Thermal (hot water), Photovoltaic (PV) electric, Solar Attic Fans and Solar Pool Heating! But just remember, the current 30% ITC expires 12/31/2019!

Defend the Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) The solar investment tax credit (ITC) is one of the most successful clean energy tax policies ever passed. It has enjoyed bipartisan support and created more than 200,000 jobs and $140 billion in private investment. We're asking you to make your support for solar known in social media, and to engage...

Two companies petitioned for Trump’s solar tariffs—now they’re both out of business

Be careful what you wish for... you just might get it!
Here at American Solar, we use American Made solar thermal panels and storage tanks! Give us a call to learn more!

Two companies petitioned for Trump’s solar tariffs—now they’re both out of business Not a new job in sight.

Every time we use the reusable version of these items, our impact grows!

Why Our Environment and Birds Are Forever Intertwined

Why Our Environment and Birds Are Forever Intertwined

Earth Day is almost here - get your FREE sticker today!

Earth Day is almost here - get your FREE sticker today! Your free Earth Day 2019 sticker, here for a limited time, is a reminder to celebrate and protect our planet every day.