HOUSE HOLDERS GUIDE TO

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HOUSE HOLDERS GUIDE TO COOL SOLAR HOUSES
BY WILLIAM HINDS MSc Alternative Energy SOLAR
GUY
SHOULD I GET A SOLAR ELECTRIC SYSTEM ? HOW MUCH
WILL SOLAR COST ? HOW WILL I BENEFIT ? WHAT
DESIGNS KEEP HOUSE COOL ? AM I USING THE RIGHT
APPLIANCES ? WHAT IS A SOLAR SUB DIVISION ?
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Solar House Definition

• Solar houses have evolved to mean houses whose
  power come totally or partially from the Sun.
  Since most of the energy used by houses is in the
  form of electricity, solar houses, typically have
  systems that produce electricity.

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I PROPOSE NOW TO CREATE A SEPARATE ALLOWANCE
CALLED THE ENERGY CONSERVATION AND RENEWABLE
ENERGY DEDUCTION OF A MAXIMUM OF 5,000.00 PER
YEAR OVER EACH OF FIVE (5) YEARS TO COVER THE
COSTS OF AN ENERGY AUDIT AND FIFTY PER CENT OF
THE COST OF RETROFITTING A RESIDENCE OR
INSTALLING A SYSTEM TO PRODUCE ELECTRICITY FROM A
SOURCE OTHER THAN FOSSIL FUELS. THIS APPLIES ALSO
TO BUSINESSES WHETHER INCORPORATED OR
UNINCORPORATED.

• FINANCIAL STATEMENT
• AND
• BUDGETARY PROPOSALS 2008
• PRESENTED BY HON. DAVID THOMPSON PRIME MINISTER
  AND MINISTER OF FINANCE

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SECTION 1SOLAR HOUSES

• WHAT IS A SOLAR HOUSE?
• WHY SOLAR?
• SOLAR ELECTRIC VS SOLAR WATER HEATERS
• WHAT WILL THEY RUN?
• WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IT RAINS ?
• HURRICANE IMPACT?
• HOW LONG CAN IT RUN ?
• ARE THEY AS RELIABLE?
• DO I NEED TO KNOW ?
• WHAT WILL IT COST?
• ESTIMATE YOUR SYSTEM COST FROM YOU ELECTRIC BILL
  ?
• DO I NEED A SPECIAL WIRING FOR MY HOUSE?
• IS IT SAFE?
• HOW LONG WILL IT LAST?
• IS IT EASIER TO ADD TO NEW HOUSE OR OLD?

• WHAT ARE THE STEPS?
• CAN I FIND THEM IN NEW ?
• FINDING AN EXPERT
• COST ESTIMATE
• HOW MUCH CAN I AFFORD?
• HOW WILL IT HELP MY COUNTRY?
• BUYING COMPONENTS
• REPAIRS AND PARTS
• WHERE DO I FIND A SUPPLIER?
• HOW MANY SOLAR PANELS DO I NEED?
• WILL I GET GOVERNMENT SUPPORT?
• WHAT ABOUT SOLAR WATER HEATERS?
• CAN I GET A SOLAR FOUNTAIN?
• CAN I MAKE MY LAWNMOWER SOLAR?
• DO SOLAR REFRIGERATORS AIR CONDITIONERS EXIST?
• WHAT ABOUT SOLAR CARS?
• WHAT OTHER SOLAR GADGETS AND GIZMOS ARE THEY?
•  

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Barriers to solar house development

• Few established vendors of solar house systems in
  Barbados.
• Few locally qualified solar system designers.
• Commercial banks do not have sufficient knowledge
  of the financial viability of solar electric
  systems.
• Until recently the savings made from using solar
  electricity, when balanced against the high
  installation costs, has led to long payback
  times. This is unfavourable when compared to the
  payback time for a solar water heaters (two to
  three years).

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Reducing price of Solar Electricity
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ASSUMPTIONS

• The basic assumptions, used in both scenarios,
  are as follows -
• All the Solar electricity is either used by the
  householder or sold to the grid.
• The PV system saves at the retail cost of
  electricity (currently around Bds 0.6 / kWh).
• The Cost of PV panels is at the current global
  price of US 4/Watt3. .
• The system is amortized over a 25 year period
  with a replacement of a key component every 12
  years (inverter).
• Energy cost escalation and inflation rate are 3
  and 2.5 respectively.

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Senario1Basic System -no fiscal incentives

• This scenario presents cost of Bds 31,600 for
  the 2 kWp system with an interest rate of 10
  for 60 debt financing. This gives a simple
  payback of 21.5 years and negative net present
  value of Bds (8,730).

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Scenario 2 Fiscal Incentives

• This scenario also presents cost of Bds 31,600
  for the 2 kWp system. An existing income tax
  deduction of Bds 5,000 for each of five years,
  over which the system installation has been
  spread, is applied. This works out to be a
  9,000 reduction in the costs of the system. The
  interest rate is reduced to 4.5 to reflect the
  rates offered to the BLP for fossil fuel
  generation (this could be offered though
  International financing).

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Scenario 2 Fiscal Incentives

• This gives a simple payback of 12 years and
• positive net present value of Bds 7,302.
• The electricity production cost calculated is at
  an advantageous Bds 0.43/kWh which is less
  than the current retail value (Bds 0.6/kWh).
• The financial Internal Rate of Return (IRR) is
  21.8
•  

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WHAT WE NEED- SUPPLY SIDE

• Training .
• System Certification
• Financing for Solar Electric System
  Entrepreneurs
• Government purchase of PV systems
• Model business plan for Solar PV Companies
• Market assessment
• Review of technology and price trends
• Complete Business plan (Income/Balance Sheet,
  component costs, suppliers, sales volumes, risk
  analysis etc) for a start up business.
•  

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INCREASE DEMAND

• Awareness programmes .These would include-
• i. Brochures on solar home system, listings of
  financial agencies and government fiscal
  incentives.
• Ii.Nation/Advocate adds, TV and radio programmes
  discussing the benefits
• iv. Public lectures and town hall meeting.
• iii. Website
•  
• b. Identifying opportunities for Banks to source
  low interest funds for on-lending to solar house
  customers.
•  
• c. Reducing transaction cost to banks by
• i. Development of draft legal documents for solar
  house loans.
• ii. Preparation of draft PV system installer
  contract
• iii. Support the efforts of educational
  institutions to train

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INCREASE DEMAND

• Identifying opportunities for Banks to source low
  interest funds for on-lending to solar house
  customers. 
• c. Reducing transaction cost to banks by
• i. Development of draft legal documents for solar
  house loans.
• ii. Preparation of draft PV system installer
  contract
• iii. Support the efforts of educational
  institutions to train

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SECTION 2 ENERGY EFFICIENT HOUSE DESIGN

• WHY DO I FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE
• HOW CAN I MAKE MY HOUSE COOLER?
• WHAT ROOF COLOR SHOULD I USE?
• WHAT COLOR SHOULD I PAINT MY WALLS?
• HOW DOES CERAMIC COATINGS HELP?
• HOW DOES ROOF INSULATION KEEP MY HOUSE COOL?
• WHAT IS A RADIANT BARRIER?
• WHAT DO I LOOSE BY NOT HAVING A CEILING?
• WHAT IS A SOLAR ATTIC EXHAUST FAN?
• HOW DO CLAY OR PLASTIC ROOFS?
• SHOULD I INSULATE VERTICAL WALLS?
• HOW DOES A WINDOW OVERHANG HELP?
• WHAT IS AN WHOLE HOUSE FAN?
• WHAT IS CROSS FLOW VENTILATION?
• WHY IS MY CEILING FAN NOT REALLY HELPING?
• WHY ARE HOUSES WITH THICK WALLS COOLER?

• WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF TREES?
• WHY DO FLORESCENT LIGHTS KEEP US COOL?
• DOES BUILDING ORIENTATION MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE?
• HOW DO INDOOR POOLS, PONDS, FOUNTAINS AND MIST
  HELP?
• WHAT ARE EVAPORATIVE COOLERS?
• WHAT IS A SOLAR FAN?
• WHY ARE BASEMENT ROOMS COOLER?
• OPEN LANDSCAPES
• CAN SOME HOMES ACTUALLY HAVE COOLING PONDS/POOLS
  ON FLAT CONCRETE ROOFS?
• IS IT COOLER ON THE COAST?
• HOW DOES THE SIZE OF MY PATIO HELP?
• ARE ROOFS WITH STEEPER SLOPES BETTER?
• DO MY WINDOWS OPEN WIDE ENOUGH
• HOW DO FIXED WOODEN LOUVERS HELP?
• HOW DO I DRESS TO STAY COOL?
• WHY DO AIR-CONDITIONED ROOMS HAVE TO BE AIR
  TIGHT?
• HOW DO LAMINATED WINDOWS HELP?
•  

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• SECTION 3
• APPLIANCE ENERGY USE

• SECTION 4
• SOLAR SUBDIVISION

• WHAT IS AN ENERGY AUDIT?
• WHAT LIGHTS SHOULD I USE?
• SOLAR COOKING
• HOW CAN I COOK WITH LESS ENERGY?
• REFRIGERATOR ENERGY SAVING
• WHAT IS AN APPLIANCE WATT METER?
• WATER SAVING DEVICES
• SOLAR CONSCIOUSNESS

• WHICH AREAS ARE BEST FOR SOLAR DEVELOPMENT ?
• SOLAR CONVONENT ?
• WHAT ARE SOLAR EASEMENTS ?
• HOUSE ORIENTATION ?
• OTHER SOLAR REQUIREMENTS ?
• ENERGY EFFICIENT REQUIREMENTS ?
• SOLAR VEHILCES ?
• GREEN DEVELOPMENT