District of Columbia Policy Makes Going Solar Easy For Homeowners

Congress Extends Solar Incentives Through 2018

October 1st 2018

Power companies are fighting an uphill battle they are sure to lose and they’re blaming customers who are taking advantage of massive government savings programs. Specifically, they are blaming District of Columbia State Rebates that incentivize homeowners to use clean energy by reducing solar power projects to $0 installations.

Until now, solar panels were less about saving money and more about environmental protection. In order to get more people to switch to clean solar energy the federal and state governments are highly incentivizing homeowners who live in specific zip codes to go solar with $1000’s of dollars in rebates and incentives that can cover 100% of the costs associated with a new solar panel installation.

When homeowners visit Energybillcruncher to see if they qualify, many are shocked to learn that solar panels can be installed on their home with no upfront costs after rebates and solar incentives. You can find out which solar incentives are offered in your area by using your zip code. You can even use this tool to help calculate your savings by entering your utility provider and your average power bill. In many cases, customers are saving up to 50% on the cost of powering their home each year.

Check My Zip Code »

How Do Solar Programs Work?

Solar panels are much cheaper today than they were 10 years ago, which means millions of homeowners that could not previously afford to do so are switching to solar. District of Columbia Homeowners that qualify for this new program no longer have to buy solar panels. With rebates being as high as they are, homeowners are able to drastically reduce their power bill without dealing with the upfront costs of installing solar panels. Before, solar companies would lose money if they were to rent or lease solar panels; now, one of the nation’s largest solar power providers now claims to be signing up a new solar panel customer every 5 minutes because of these incentivized programs.

Quick Summary: In the past it used to take up to 10 years to recoup your solar investment – now, with 2018 Solar programs, homeowners can use Solar Incentives to offset the cost of their solar installation and start saving money immediately. Click here to see if you qualify >>

How Do I Find Out If My Home Is Eligible?

Click on your state below to check for solar incentives in your region. Once your home is approved, you will have an opportunity to compare the best savings offers in your area.

Act Now & Start Saving Money Immediately

Visit Energybillcruncher and type in your location info to see if your home is eligible for solar. The best part about determining your potential savings is that there is absolutely no obligation to do anything until you realize the savings that are on their way to you. We are experiencing some of the highest rebate, tax credits, and other incentives we have seen in years and many of them will expire this year. In some installations customers are saving up to $14,000 on the setup of a whole-home solar panel system. What would you do with an extra $14,000 in your pocket AND lower power bills?

Share Tweet Forward +1 Share Energy efficiency for all: Affordable energy efficient solutions for low income households.   This article was written by Fanyu Lin, Chief Executive Officer of Fluxus LLC, and Michael Gallagher, Technology & Business Innovation Executive Advisor of Fluxus LLC Publish Date: September 28, 2018 Getting to 1000 Solutions: More Info Article Link: Solar Impulse Foundation News At present, rising material costs, land availability, a shortage of skilled workers and general construction industry inefficiencies impede both investment and innovation in affordable energy efficient solutions for the underserved and underperforming low income housing market. At Fluxus LLC, an impact enterprise committed to bringing aesthetic energy-efficient building designs coupled with prefabrication in highly automated modern factories to low-income housing sector, we capitalize on the counter-intuitive relationship between housing cost and energy efficiency, believing that lower cost homes tend to be far less energy efficient than higher cost ones. The low income housing sector is huge, if we could address this performance gap by reconstructing the low income housing value chain, it would have a tremendous environmental impact at a significant scale. It is through scale that the net zero energy use and zero emission demonstration homes that we see today will become affordable for the masses. Facts ~40% of all energy use and emissions come from buildings, ~20% from residences. Since the world’s median annual income is ~$10,000, the maximum housing cost is ~$3,000/yr. for half the world. (~$40,000 for home ownership). There are approximately 1.5 billion households in the world. About 26% are considered “low income”. Higher cost renewable energy technologies such as solar and wind are exceptionally difficult for low income families. Today’s building standards are much more energy efficient. But 70% of all homes were built before 1970 (to much lower standards). Low income families typically live in older, less efficient homes. Typically these older homes are more than 50% less efficient than new homes. The underserved and underperforming low income housing market If the place where you live was built before 1980, chances are your energy use is about 50% higher than new one built today. Imagine the challenges faced by low income families. Many live in the oldest and least energy efficient buildings in the world. They lack the financial resources to make energy efficiency investments. Their utility bills represent a much larger percentage of their household budget. The trend toward urbanization has contributed to a worldwide shortage of affordable inner city housing. This in turn leads to much higher rental costs. Low income households in the US and across the world consume a lot of energy and emit a lot of greenhouse gasses. Most families live in inner-city, multi-family units that are the oldest and most inefficient housing stock nationally. In colder climates, 43% of all public housing have heating units that are over 20 years old. Many use electrical resistance heat which is inexpensive to install but highly inefficient. (1) The environmental impact is surprisingly large. In New York City for example, multifamily residences account for 23% of all the city’s GHG emissions. This figure is 50% higher that all emissions attributed to all vehicles. Buildings constructed before 1980 account for more than 70% of these emissions (2). On a global scale, assuming that residential buildings account for 13% of our global energy consumption (3) and that at least 30% of all households are classified as low income (4), we can deduce that the global low income housing market represents somewhere around 4% of our total energy consumption, approximately 16 quads (quadrillion BTU’s). Therefore, simply bringing this sector to current performance standards has the potential to reduce global energy consumption by about 4 quads. Corresponding emissions reduction potential would be amount to approximately 300 million metric tons of CO2. Creative solutions to reduce the costs and environmental footprint of low income housing Retrofits The pros and cons of deep energy retrofits of existing building stock are well documented. Many innovative solutions and incentives have been developed through government sponsored programs such as Build America in the U.S. (5), the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive in the EU (6), and others. Unfortunately, adoptions rates of new solutions have been very slow for the low income housing market. Complexity and the lack of viable economic drivers are formidable headwinds to meaningful progress. New Construction The new construction low income housing market is an obvious place where progress can be made in a meaningful way. In a May 2018 report, the National Low income Housing Coalition estimates a shortage of 7.1 million affordable and available rental homes for needy families (7). At Fluxus LLC, we have concluded that a new approach is necessary to address this urgent need. At present, rising material costs, land availability, a shortage of skilled workers and general construction industry inefficiencies impede both investment and innovation. We believe however that the overall cost of construction and ownership can be significantly reduced without sacrificing quality by stepping back and reconstructing the low income housing value chain. Our goal is to build new, aesthetic and energy efficient residences at a price point that is affordable for most low income families. In the U.S. according to HUD statistics, this equates to an average monthly cost for a four person household at approximately $986 per month. It’s a formidable challenge that requires good design, innovative materials and modern construction practices. We leverage the efficiencies gained by moving construction from current site assembled processes to an industrialized setting. While prefabrication isn’t a new concept, enabling technologies such as building controls, robotics and digitization can now be inexpensively integrated into the building process with reliable quality and high performance. Building envelopes are designed and manufactured using high efficiency, low carbon footprint insulation materials. FluxHouse buildings are constructed using only nine standardized prefabricated panels. The panels can be arranged to create a variety of aesthetic, spacious floor plans to abundantly leverage natural lighting, maximize living space and optimize energy efficiency. Because the number of components are dramatically reduced, manufacture is optimized for the factory environment. The panels themselves use high efficiency continuous insulation which exceed current performance standards. Quick connection features simplify installations processes at the construction site. FluxHouse designs can also optionally leverage advances in renewable energy and energy storage technologies by integrating them into the manufacturing process. With many countries reaching grid parity sometime between 2020 and 2030, there is additional potential to reduce the cost of ownership and further reduce GHG emissions. Coupled with intelligent urban planning, we are not far off from envisioning net zero communities within large metropolitan settings. Summary Global urbanization trends have resulted in an urgent need for innovation in the low income housing market. We believe that the cost and energy efficiency of low income housing can be dramatically improved through innovative design, industrialization of construction processes and in interdisciplinary collaboration. Successful implementation will have a very significant, favorable impact on our environment. References http://nlihc.org/article/national-consumer-law-center-urges-hud-strengthen-its-energy-efficiency- record http://energyefficiencyforall.org/sites/default/files/ DBLC_Recognizing_the_Benefits_of_Efficiency_Part_B_1.10%20%281%29.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20170727110053/https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/ieo/pdf/ 0484(2016).pdf https://www.prb.org/us-working-poor-families/https://www.energy.gov/eere/buildings/residential-buildings-integration https://ec.europa.eu/energy/en/topics/energy-efficiency/buildings http://nlihc.org/press/releases/9493 Contributing authors Michael Gallagher, Technology & Business Innovation Executive Advisor Fanyu Lin, Chief Executive Officer Harry Stendhal, Chief Visionary Officer The views expressed are from the author, and don’t necessarily reflect those of the Solar Impulse Foundation. Guest posts are articles written by our Members, Partners, key industry leaders or experts about clean technology trends and innovations that are interesting for the Solar Impulse Foundation ecosystem. Related News:  Fluxus LLC joins World Alliance for Efficient Solutions launched by Solar Impulse Foundation About Solar Impulse Foundation Bridging the gap between ecology and economy – One of the first to envision ecology through the lens of profitability, Bertrand Piccard has always advocated that protection of the environment would become a reality only if it was perceived as economically viable and requiring no financial or behavioural sacrifices. He actively speaks out against the absurdity of old and polluting devices and systems, and promotes the benefits of new existing efficient technologies and solutions to motivate governments and industries to take action. A way to prove that solving climate change – rather than an expensive problem – is a fantastic market opportunity. About World Alliance for Efficient Solutions The World Alliance for Efficient Solutions, established by the Solar Impulse Foundation, brings together the main actors involved in developing, financing or promoting products, services, processes and technologies that protect the environment in a profitable way. To this end, we will assess the solutions submitted by our Members, with the help of independent technical and financial Experts, and select 1000 of the most promising ones. They will be labelled as Efficient Solutions and presented to governments, businesses and institutions at COP 24 to encourage them to adopt more ambitious environmental targets and energy policies. About Fluxus LLC Fluxus LLC was founded in 2013 to develop the FluxSystem, a prefabricated building technology platform that provides an efficient way to deliver sustainable and affordable housing with intelligent manufacturing and industrialized method of construction to build in communities across the economic spectrum.   Read More NEWS

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WEEC  - linkedin notes

Charter of principles

Considering that:

• the initiative to have periodic World Environmental Education Congresses has been taken since the First WEEC was held in Espinho (Portugal), in 2003;
• the Second WEEC held in Rio (Brazil) and the Third WEEC held in Turin (Italy), successfully concluded the “constituent phase”, paving the way for the establishment of an International Network of Environmental Educators;
• the Fourth WEEC, held in Durban (South Africa) inaugurated the second phase of biennial WEECs, counting on a calendar of regular events to be convened every two years;
• in terms of the level of participation, and the cultural and scientific quality of its contribution, the WEEC has proved to be an important instrument for the progress of environmental education worldwide;
• the proposal to establish a Permanent Secretariat, based in Turin (Italy), was advanced at the First Congress, with the aim of guaranteeing the continuity of the events, the handover from one congress to another, and the ongoing exchange of reflections, information and proposals;
• it is important to facilitate mutual cooperation and exchange among those who are committed to reflecting on the link between the environment and education, considered in its formal and informal components (teaching, training, communication and theory).
• there is a need to establish an international network of researchers and practitioners in environmental education as a way to promote active, informed and responsible citizenship, as a condition for a more peaceful, fair and ecological human society, to guarantee an equitable access to natural resources, and a harmonious relationship among human beings, other living beings and the planet;

The signatories of the present Memorandum endorse the following points:

• The preamble is the very basis of the present memorandum.
• The memorandum defines the principles, inspirations and general objectives of the international network of environmental educators.
• The regulation to be followed for organizing biennial congresses, as well as for developing specific actions, will be detailed in separate memorandum and implementation plans.

Finally, the signatories of the present memorandum are also committed to:

• Cooperating to strengthen the WEEC process in order to guarantee the effectiveness of the congresses and their results, the quality of debate, and broad participation, especially of youths and of researchers and professionals from economically disadvantaged countries, in a spirit of respect for gender, racial, social, religious, political and cultural differences.
• Facilitating the dissemination of information, documents, proposals and results of scientific research.
• Contributing ideas, proposals, and information to the activities of the WEEC Network, considered as a participatory instrument that is open to public as well as private institutions, grassroots associations, individual researchers and professionals, especially during the WEEC. Constantly updating the Permanent Secretariat about the progress and the results that are achieved through the network in general.
• Widening the participation in the WEEC Network, by facilitating the dissemination of information and the opportunities for exchange in each individual country or world region.
• Signing ad hoc agreements with the Permanent Secretariat and drafting detailed plans of action to implement specific activities and initiatives with the aim of strengthening the network.

Aiming Low: Wielding New Tools to Help Chinese & U.S. Cities Peak Carbon Emissions

Chinese cities, long plagued by smog from cars and coal, are now laboratories experimenting with low-carbon policies. By 2017, China had 81 city and 6 provincial low-carbon pilots that represent 40% of the country’s carbon emissions. Some cities have emerged as climate action leaders, committing to peak carbon before the national government’s 2030 deadline. On July 19th, CEF is bringing together a panel to discuss tools that could help accelerate low-carbon initiatives and other sustainability actions in Chinese cities. 

Hu Min will introduce China’s Low-carbon and Green Index for Cities (LOGIC). This index, created together with LBNL and Energy Foundation China, will track low-carbon and green development in 115 Chinese cities to inform future green development models. Roger Platt will talk about US-Green Building Council’s LEED for Cities rating system that empowers global cities and communities to assess, verify, and improve urban sustainability performance and quality of life, including low-carbon developments. Finally, a speaker from ACEEE will discuss how their city energy efficiency scorecard has spurred building, utility, and transportation policies to decrease energy use in major U.S. cities.

Speakers

Hu Min
Executive Director, Innovative Green Development Program (iGDP); Director, Low Carbon Economic Growth Program, Energy Foundation China

Roger Platt
Senior Vice President, Strategic Partnerships; U.S. Green Building Council

Moderator

Lyssa Freese
Research Assistant for the China Environment Forum

possibly interesting http://oilandgasclimateinitiative.com/investments-venture-day/ 10 oil/gas company ceos form collaboration including 20 million dollar ventire day fir corporations innovating solutions to reduce methane emissions

wchcic unesco global gepoparks do you learn from?
eg arctic

French and Icelandic Presidents witness impacts of climate change in ...

https://en.unesco.org/.../french-and-icelandic-presidents-witness-impacts-climate-chan...

Katla Global Geopark, Iceland, 16 October 2015 - French President François Hollande, together with Icelandic President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, visited the ... the Paris Climate Conference (COP21) in December this year, President Hollande will, amongst others, be emphasizing the effects of global warming in the Arctic.

Jibbeheia, UNESCO Global Geopark - Visit Norway

https://www.visitnorway.com/places-to-go/fjord.../the...global-geopark/173962/

Mar 4, 2018 - Access: From Hauge i Dalane follow the FV33 towards Nesvåg. Turn right after about 1 km,and follow the gravel road 1 km to parking Jibbeheia. Duration: 2,5 hrs. The walk up to Jibbeheia starts at a car park near a stream where beavers are active. The path goes up through coniferous trees that have been ...

Hikes in Magma UNESCO Global Geopark - Visit Norway

https://www.visitnorway.com/places-to-go/fjord.../the...global-geopark/10478/

Grade of difficulty is easy: Eigerøy lighthouse in Egersund municipality: You will see trails after Thor's hammer, visit an enormous magma chamber and visit the lighthouse. Gursli mines in Lund municipality: You will hear exciting tales from how life working in the mines was during the First World War. Difficulty of tour is ...

Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark | Drifting Apart

driftingapart.ccght.org/reykjanes-aspiring-geopark/

Reykjanes have plans to install informative signage throughout the geopark and are working on a new visitor centre. Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark will host a conference focusing on the common geological and historical heritage of the Geoparks located in the Northern Periphery and Arctic region in March 2018.

UK National Commission for UNESCO - 'Drifting Apart' which brings ...

https://www.unesco.org.uk/.../drifting-apart-which-brings-together-the-global-geopar...

'Drifting Apart' which brings together the Global Geopark Network in the Northern Peripheries and ArcticRegion launches new website. Aesha Head Papa Stour. Copyright Shetland Geotours. The EU funded Drifting Apart project, which seeks to strengthen our understanding of the interconnected geological heritage of the ...

International Partnerships - Stonehammer UNESCO Global Geopark

https://stonehammergeopark.com/community/international-partnerships/

content_international-partnerships_logo_drifting-apart The Drifting Apart project will unearth and strengthen the understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of the fascinating and interconnected geological heritage of the Northern Periphery and Arctic region, and its many links to natural, built and cultural heritage — It will ...

Rokua Geopark - Rokua Geopark

old.rokuageopark.fi/en

Finnish heritage of the ice age, Rokua UNESCO Global Geopark, is a unique combination of geology, nature and culture on the Northern hemisphere not far away from the Arctic Circle. The characteristic features of the area are the landforms shaped by the Ice Age: glacial ridges, pine and lichen-clad heaths, kettle holes ...

Rokua Geopark :: VisitOulu

www.visitoulu.fi/en/oulu-region/rokua-geopark

The Rokua Geopark is part of the Global Geopark Network, a UNESCO-supported conservation group. It comprises Rokua, Lake Oulu, and the River Oulu Valley. A geopark is a geologically ... husky safari, or enjoy a starlit sleigh ride through the winter night. Be part of the Arctic miracle at Rokua Geopark! Geopark_logo.png.

Stonehammer UNESCO Global Geopark - Home | Facebook

https://business.facebook.com/StonehammerGeopark/?fref=mentions

Stonehammer UNESCO Global Geopark, Southern New Brunswick. 2.7K likes. As North America's firstGlobal Geopark, Stonehammer Geopark is about geology, but... ... Northern Periphery and ArcticProgramme 2014-2020 and @Arctic Programme 2014-2020. 1,549 Views. UNESCO Earth Sciences & Geohazards Risk ...

GEO ExPro - UNESCO Global Geo