Solar panels installed on roof in Cherokee Village

Chuck....you are on the right track...I too have a propane cook stove in my home and I hope the propane folks don't try and wack me too , as I have not had my propane topped off for 2 years....am using a wood stove for heat and it works great...will keep you up to speed on the solar install....Herb

Topgun, That is some awesome savings. There are so many things we can do to make our homes more energy efficient. It sometimes takes some time and patience, but it can pay off. We have tightened up our house pretty good for energy savings. In the past 6 years we have insulated our floor from the crawlspace, installed new windows, and just went through the house sealing up drafts. We also took advantage of all the incentives and tax rebates we could. We use propane to heat. During the ice storm we hooked up a vent-less propane fireplace, which is 98% fuel efficient. We lease our propane tank and have to pay a yearly $38 dollar rental fee. Last year I went to pay for the rental, and was told that this year I was going to have to pay double the fee because we were not using enough propane. They told me I must have switched over to electric heating. I explained to them we had not, and that over the years we have made improvements, and that we now allow the fireplace to do more of the heating for the whole house. The conversation did end well, and we are still paying the same for the tank, but it really showed us how important doing some of these things can be. I hope that you have great success with the solar retrofit, and look forward to updates from you, if you have a chance.

Paul2CV wrote:J3topgun,

When I was driving to Florida this summer, I couldn't believe how many farmers had solar panels on their barns and houses. They are doing it because it works!

Should cut my electric bill by 75%...I hope....Herb

J3topgun,

When I was driving to Florida this summer, I couldn't believe how many farmers had solar panels on their barns and houses. They are doing it because it works!

Will do....should be up and working by the end of Feb....

Hi,

The issue of solar panels has my interest -- especially if there are incentives. There's not question that we have the strong sun here to make it work. Keep us posted.

Chuck...yes there are incentives out there...The state of AR gives low inst. loans for these and there is a 30% tax write-off in the year of purchase...I also think the electric company ENTERGY has some programs...so there is lot out there to get a person started...Herb

Hi Herb, I also checked yesterday. Liz explained to me that net metering is basically getting credit from the electric companies for excess energy that is produced by the homeowner. It's a great idea, and hopefully one that has increased interest in years to come. Do you know if there are any state or national programs that provide grants or low interest loans to homeowners that are considering installing solar, wind, geothermal, or any other renewable energy sources ?

Chuck..Thanks...I have already checked with the city and they don't have any baseline for rules..I will help them establish some guidelines after mine are installed...should be done by the end of Febuary...will keep the forum up to date...Herb

Hi j3topgun, I can check with the city for you on solar panel installs. Not exactly sure of the term net meter their electric bill, But I will find out what I can.

Has anyone installed solar panels on their home to net meter their electric bill in CV ????