Harvesting Solar Energy in Western North Carolina

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Harvesting Solar Energy in Western North Carolina

• Brent Summerville
• Western NC Renewable Energy Initiative
• July 2008

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If we took all the worlds reserves of coal, oil,
and gas and burned them at a rate fast enough to
give us the same amount of heat we are accustomed
to receiving from the sun, the supply would be
entirely gone in less than three days. -Branley,
F. (1957). Solar Energy
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Learn from Nature
A cat sunning himself in the doorway of a barn
knows all about solar energy. Why cant man
learn? -E.B. White
Augustyn, J. (1979, 2003) The Return of the
Solar Car Book
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Big Brains
Augustyn, J. (1979, 2003) The Return of the
Solar Car Book
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New Construction? Build It Right
www.wncgbc.org
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www.dsireusa.org

• Database of State Incentives for Renewables
  Efficiency

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Available Incentives

• NC State tax credit
• Federal tax credit
• Federal Accelerated depreciation (MACRS)
• USDA Farm Bill
• Property tax exemption

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NC State Tax Credit

• Enacted in 2000, extended 5 years in 2005
• 35 of installed cost
• Limits
• 1,400 solar hot water and solar pool heating
• 3,500 passive solar, active solar space
  heating, combined solar space and water heating
• 10,500 PV, Wind, other residential RE
• 2,500,000 Commercial/Industrial

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Federal Tax Credit

• Part of Energy Policy Act of 2005
• Set to Expire December 31, 2008
• 30 of installed cost for solar water and PV
• Limits
• 2,000 for solar-electric systems and solar
  water- heating systems
• No max Commercial/Industrial

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47Off!
Nows The Time! The system will cost 6000
installed After tax credits, your cost is only
3192
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Combining NC and Fed Credits
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Accelerated depreciation

• Federal Modified Accelerated Cost-Recovery System
  (MACRS)
• Solar property can be depreciated in five years.
• Total deduction tax rate x 85 x system cost
• .34 x .85 x 80,000 23,120

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NC Property Tax Exemption

• In addition to the tax credit, North Carolina
  provides for a property tax exemption for solar
  water heating and active space heating or cooling
  systems.
• This means that the additional value of your
  solar system relative to a conventional heating
  or cooling system is excluded in the appraisal
  for property tax purposes.

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USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP)
Grants and Loans

• The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008
• 55 million for FY 2009, 60 million for FY 2010,
  70 million for FY 2011, and 70 million for FY
  2012.  
• 25 grants
• 75 max grant loan
• www.farmenergy.org

• All applications go through our NC contact
• H. Rossie Bullock, USDA RD
• PO Box 7426
• Lumberton, NC 28359
• [phone] ext 4
• rossie.bullock_at_nc.usda.gov

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Goat Lady Dairy

• Solar thermal system 10,000
• Federal Farm Bill grant for 2,500
• 30 federal tax credit
• Depreciate the system over five years
• 35-percent North Carolina corporate tax credit
• Add it all up, and the 10,000 solar thermal
  system is costing Steve Tate less than 1,500.

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Local Installers
Find a NC installer at www.greenprofessionals.org
Here are a few local ones....
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Local Installers

• Advanced Thermal Solutions
• Tomas Koenig
• Saluda, NC
• 828-749-1774
• atsinc_at_mchsi.comwww.gotsun.com

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Local Installers

• Appalachian Energy Services
• Seth Wiley
• Murphy, NC
• Toll Free [phone] Local [phone]
  info_at_appalachiansolar.com www.WNCsolar.com

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Local Installers

• Appalachian Energy Solutions
• Kent Hively
• Sugar Grove, NC
• 828-773-9762
• kenthively_at_yahoo.com
• www.appalachianenergysolutions.com

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Local Installers

• Appalachian EnergyFletcher, NC
• 866-813-7323
• info_at_appalachianenergy.com www.appalachianenergy
  .com

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Local Installers

• Atomic Solar
• 165 Whirlwind DriveBurnsville, NC 28714(828)
  675-9643atomic_at_wnclink.com

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Local Installers

• Blue Ridge Energy Solutions
• Bill PoteatMorganton, NC
• 800-689-8824
• bresco_at_charter.net
• www.brescoltd.com

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Local Installers

• FLS Energy, Inc.
• Dale Freudenberger
• 400 Eastside Dr.
• Black Mountain, NC 28711
• 828-669-5070
• FAX [phone]
• info_at_flsenergy.com
• www.flsenergy.com

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Local Installers

• Solar Dynamics
• Ole Sorenson
• phones 828-665-8507 and 828-231-9106Fax
  828-665-8507
• ole_at_solardynamicsnc.com
• 40 Green Valley Rd.
• Asheville, NC 28806
• www.solardynamicsnc.com

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Local Installers

• Sundance Power Systems
• Dave Hollister
• Phone [phone]Fax [phone] Beauty
  Spot CoveMars Hill, NC 28754info_at_sundancepower.c
  om
• www.sundancepower.com

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www.nabcep.org
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Web Resources

• North Carolina Solar Center
• www.ncsc.ncsu.edu
• Florida Solar Energy Center
• www.fsec.ucf.edu
• Database of State Incentives for Renewables
  Efficiency
• www.dsireusa.org
• NC GreenPower
• www.ncgreenpower.org
• USDA Farm Bill
• www.farmenergy.org
• WNC Renewable Energy Initiative
• www.wind.appstate.edu

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Questions?

• Thanks
• Brent Summerville
• 828-262-7333
• wind_at_appstate.edu
• wind.appstate.edu

This presentation is available at
wind.appstate.edu Click on REPORTS.CONFERENCE
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