Analysis by the Environment California Research & Policy Center shows that rooftop solar panels have surpassed 1 gigawatt (or 1,000 megawatts) or energy production – a new milestone for California, San Diego solar energy, and the United States.  This amount of energy is enough to power about 750,000 residences.

This achievement puts California well on its way to achieving its projected goal of three gigawatts of residential solar by the year 2016.  According to the research, rooftop solar power generation has increased by about 40 percent each year since 2006.  This strong growth reflects California’s commitment to renewable natural resources and finding solutions to the energy crisis.  According to the California Public Utilities Commission, 60 percent of the rooftop solar installations were financed in part by the California Solar Initiative, or CSI, which helps finance solar projects and gives customers of investor-owned utilities an alternative way to power their homes.  This new solar milestone helps encourage Californians who are interested in solar power and reminds the rest of the country how successful renewable energy programs can be.

Congratulations, you have just installed a solar panel array for your home.  Welcome to a more environmentally friendly and energy cost-effective way of living.  After the san diego solar panel installers leave and your electrical or heating system is good to go, there is very little maintenance to worry about.

Despite being very low-maintenance, solar panels do need some level of care and monitoring.  Photovoltaic panels are made of two wafer-thin slices of silicon sandwiched between plates of glass and surrounded by a metal frame.  Solar energy san diego is made when sunlight hits the plate glass and is absorbed into the silicon.

Panels must be kept clean so the sun can penetrate the glass effectively. Rooftop panel arrays are more prone to collect dust, dirt and debris from trees than panels installed on the side of the house and need to be gently scrubbed and hosed down on a regular basis.  In colder regions, snow should be kept clear of the panels during the winter months.   The panels need to be inspected every few months to check for cracks in the plate glass to prevent water damage to the delicate silicon.  Depending on whether your home is on the municipal power grid or off grid and runs entirely on solar, you will need to check the PV inverter for on-grid and the generator and/or batteries for off-grid every couple of months in order to keep your solar energy system running at optimum level.

It’s not surprising you want to do more for the planet, considering these times of global warming. As you look for small and large ways to improve your daily contribution, I urge you to look into installing solar panels in your home or business.

How does absolutely no pollution sound to you? Solar systems san diego are a great option because they don’t release carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, or nitrogen oxide into the atmosphere. They also do not require the burning of fuel, and there are no emissions.

Solar panels are sustainable, renewable, and practically maintenance free. Not only will they save you money, but they will save your conscience too. And that will have you singing to the sun.

One in every four Americans would consider installing solar power panels in their home says a new report from Applied Materials. The results are a part of the third annual solar energy survey released by the company in honor of the summer solstice.

Although the results of the study show that most Americans are still quite resistant to solar energy, it appears that the idea is catching on.

Over 80 percent of those who said they would not consider solor power panels at this time did say that they would be more interested if it would mean cost-savings for them in the long run. This could come in for the form of government incentives to offset installation costs, increase in home value, or the ability to sell off some of the electricity they create with the panels to a power company.

The good news is that the price of San Diego solar energy is continuing to decline as technological advances continue. The price of a solar power panel has already dropped 70 percent from $4 per watt back in 2008. Experts say this could go as low as $1 in the next couple of years.

“We’ve reached a critical inflection point in the cost of solar energy. At the end of 2010, 36 gigawatts of solar PV had been installed worldwide, with 18 GW installed last year alone, thus doubling the total amount of solar capacity installed in the history of the technology,” explained Dr. Charlie Gay, president of the Applied Materials solar division. “This tremendous growth, coupled with new technologies that are making panels more efficient and scalable, has made solar power more affordable than ever before.”

Contact Solaire Energy Systems, the leading solar electricity San Diego expert, about how you can start utilizing cost-effective and environmentally-friendly energy for your home. 1-800-847-7751

When selecting automatic balancing valves or manual balancing valves to balance a water system, some may find the difference in features between the two confusing – and the answer as to which option is the better choice unclear.  Each of these systems has benefits and drawbacks, and which is right for your project will depend on your needs.

It’s important to keep a water system in balance, meaning that the water flow throughout the entire system is in line with the exact flow rates specified for the system’s design.  Using manual balancing valves helps balance this system by utilizing manual, adjustable stems so that the system’s installer can set the valves to the perfect specifications.  With features like circular slide rules to calculate circuit flow based on pressure readout differences, other fittings designed to aid in the reading of differential pressure, and rising or nonrising stems to adjust, choosing the right settings and adjusting all valves properly is quite an acheivable task.

An automatic balancing valve, however, utilizes a moving element within the measuring orifice of the valve to read pressure differences and regulates the flow of water to a preset value.  The obvious benefit of this is that the installer does not need to perfectly calibrate each valve to the exact settings necessary to regulate flow.  While an automatic balancing valve system is generally more expensive than a manual system, the time saved and reduced pumping cost of an automatic system can – in many cases – make up for the extra cost of the parts.

Each engineer may have a preference and choose valves based on the project or a preferred method.  For more information on pipe and valve options from leading provider Flo-Pac LLC, visit www.flopacllc.com.

Making the right selection when it comes to your serious plumbing projects can be simple and straightforward with the right knowledge.  It’s important to know your circuit setter and other valve options, and while choosing the wrong valve won’t necessarily render the system useless (or dangerous), choosing the right valve can make an enormous difference in energy costs and water use.

In a pipe system, many plumbing experts are faced with the decision of which type of valve to use to gauge water flow and help keep the system under control.  A circuit setter – made famous by plumbing production giant Bell & Wesson, famous for high quality and durability – is a special type of valve used in an HVAC system that regulates the flow of hot water and cold water.  This allows for comfortable use of hot and cold water in one part of the system without disturbing the flow of water in another part – and without wasting energy.

For example, if a shower int he system is running with both hot and cold water ot produce a warm temperature and someone flushes a toilet in the system, the water temperature in the shower will shoot up.  This is because the system is redirecting cold water away from the shower and into the toilet, causing the temperature in the shower to rise.  A circuit setter regulates the hot water, allowing ti to balance with the cold water and keep the optimal shower temperature.

Here are the top three features to look for when selecting a circuit setter:

• The valve’s adjustment range.  It should turn 360 degrees if you need precision.
• Both temperature and pressure test ports.
• The ability to have positive shutdown.

Top pipe and valve provider Flo-Pac offers a range of pipes, automatic balancing valves, manual balancing valves, and more.  Visit them online for more information on their product lineup and options.

San Diego, CA – February 04, 2011

San Diego solar energy firm Solaire Energy Systems installed over 200 residential photovoltaic solar systems in 2010 – the highest sales in the company’s history. These increased sales reflect the increasing popularity of solar energy in American homes and Solaire’s unique financing options to make the switch affordable.

One of San Diego’s premier solar energy companies, Solaire installs residential and business solar energy systems, solar water heaters, solar air heaters, solar air conditioners, and solar pool heaters. The company is known in the solar energy community for carrying extremely high-quality products, a well-trained installation team, exceptional customer service, and competitive pricing. The company also offers a range of financing options that make solar energy systems affordable for the average American home or business.

Solaire offers a “same as cash” loan program with no paperwork or unsecured equity, which is distributed based on credit and income. The loan features no interest, no payments, and can be approved over the phone. It also works in conjunction with tax credits and rebates – making it a smart option for customers looking to have their solar system implemented right away with little paperwork. Another loan offered by Solaire is a low-interest unsecured loan, which aims to provide financing for solar, wind, and other alternative energy systems on a mass scale for homeowners and business owners. Customers can also use a home equity line of credit to finance their system, and as many will qualify for tax rebates and government funding, Solaire prepares tax incentive, rebate, and utility paperwork for their clients.

An active participant in the promotion of the PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) financing program, Solaire made local news last October when owner and CEO Jarrod Fisk met with Congressman Bob Filner to promote the passing of PACE legislation that had been placed on hold. The proposed solar panel San Diego program would allow municipalities to set up fixed-interest-rate loans for renewable energy systems that are to be paid back through property taxes over a 20-year period.

Though PACE financing in San Diego has not yet been implemented, Solaire continues to offer excellent financing options while seeing increasing growth in the popularity of residential solar systems. “With the financing options we now have available to our customers, solar is an affordable and excellent alternative to today’s ever rising energy costs,” says CEO Jarrod Fisk. “Our customers are able to produce their own free green energy, eliminating most – if not all – of their electric bills.”

About Solaire Energy Systems
Solaire Energy Systems is a full-service, family-owned solar contracting company with over two decades of solar experience and an “A” rating with the Better Business Bureau. Solaire is dedicated to excellent customer service, quality workmanship, and high-end products at extremely competitive prices.

As the end of January approaches, American families are starting to feel the burden of the cold weather on their homes as well as the financial burden on their energy bills.  During a particularly cold and snowy winter, it can be difficult to deal with high energy bills; however, some tricks and smart planning can save you a lot of money on your heating costs the rest of the winter.

Consider installing a timer system to raise and lower the temperature according to your sleep schedule and what times you are out of the house.  Even a difference of a few degrees can save a significant amount of energy, especially in a large house.  If you don’t have a timer system, consider turning the heat down manually before bed or when you leave for work in the morning.  Turning off the hot water system when you are gone for more than a few days can also save quite a but of money.  However, do not turn the heater off completely if you live in one of the colder parts of the country – if water pipes freeze inside the walls, they can cause more home problems than lower energy bills would solve!  Be sure that the temperature inside your home never drops below 50 degrees.

If your heating system is a water system, it may be economical to turn off radiators in rooms that are not in use.  However, do remember to close the doors to these rooms – this will prevent warm air from being wasted by flowing into these unused rooms.  Turning down the thermostats on radiators is also a smart choice when turning them off is not an option.

Choosing the right manual balancing valves or automatic balancing valves is important for regulating the water flow and temperature of your system.  High-quality balancing valves like those available from Flo-Pac will maintain equal flow of hot and cold water in the system, allowing for appropriate use of energy.  For more information on valve options and specifications, visit Flo-Pac online.

Managing and repairing our water heating systems is a task we tend to leave to plumbers – and with good reason.  Complex pipe and valve systems often leave homeowners and ambitious do-it-yourselfers scratching their heads (or worse, underwater).  Understanding how a pipe system works provides a look into the inner workings of your home’s radiator heating system and helps ensure that you know when it’s time to call a professional.

A hydronic hot-water system uses a motor to distribute hot water through pipes throughout the home.  Because water retains heat, it is used to transfer energy as well as to provide hot water from the tap.   The system can be hydronic – meaning that is uses a motor to distribute water through the pipes – or it can be gravity-based, meaning that the continuous flow of hot water upward circulates the heated water from the boiler through the pipes in your home.  The hot water in this type of heating system flows through radiators to heat the home.  Other gravity-based systems use convector radiators, which use fans to distribute the heat.

It is important for the system to be “in balance”- meaning that the flow of water through the system corresponds to the water flow rates that were engineered for that particular system.  If the system is not in balance, flow will be uneven; water will be unequally distributed throughout the pipes of the home and heat will not be evenly distributed throughout the building.

If you experience uneven heat distribution in your home, consider calling a professional to examine the system.  It’s important for the installer to select the appropriate balancing valves for the heating system.  This ensures the correct distribution of flow and equal heating throughout the home.  Automatic balancing valves can help maintain the appropriate distribution of flow by reading the pressure of the system and adjusting accordingly.  Flo-Pac pipe and valve distributors provide a high-quality line of automatic balancing valves to ensure proper pressure in your home radiator heating system.  For more information and product options, visit them online.

A Portland, Oregon gym is truly revolutionizing the energy cost of a workout – and changing the way people think about being environmentally friendly.

The Green Microgym features a series of exercise bikes rigged to use the power generated by riders to create between 200 and 600 Watts of energy per hour, depending on the speed of the rider.  Thirty percent of the gym’s power is sourced from riders, and the remaining seventy percent comes from solar energy.  The Green Microgym follows similar fitness centers in California and Hong Kong, where a new kind of alternative energy feeds the enormous energy needs of a gym.

Without the intention of stereotyping, many fitness enthusiasts are also nature lovers – and a gym where no energy is wasted is the perfect alternative to working out outside or free of electricity.  While you may not have enough exercise equipment to power your home, for Californians interested in solar San Diego‘s Solaire provide solar pool heaters, solar air heaters, solar water heaters, and other solar systems.  In San Diego solar energy saves on fossil fuel energy – and the system pays for itself over time.  With financing options and a strong customer service outlook, Solaire energy provides the best and most accessible service.

For more information on solar energy and service options, please visit Solaire online.