The Federal Tax Credits Blog

Posts Tagged ‘solar’

Question: Does $13,000 seem resonable for an electric heat pump (complete system) installation in Washington State?

We have a heat pump system in our house, but the heat pump is now leaking and so it is time to replace. We got an “off the cuff” estimate of $8,000 and thought THAT was outrageous. Then we had a reputable company come in and give us an estimate for a system that qualifies for the new tax credit, and we got an estimate of $13,000 AFTER a 10% discount from the company and the $1,500 credit? We live in Western Washington, I am just curious if anyone else has had one installed and how much it cost. The salesman told me that roughly 1/2 of the fee is for the installation. Bare in mind… we have a complete heat pump system already installed.

Thanks!

Answer: I live in WW also and work for a commercial/industrial hvac contractor here in Tacoma. If you already have one and it is time to replace.

The newer equipment has a higher Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. By law the manufacturers have to make their new equipment efficient and by doing this, we as installers have to install new copper tubing to so it will work correctly…usually older R22 systems will have smaller copper line sets.

Also there is a new refrigerant called R410A which has a different lubricating oil than the older R22 systems. This can pose a problem if the 2 oils come in contact with each other in larger quantities. This oil mixes freely with all parts inside of the equipment.

My cost of a Trane system will be approx. $3200-$4000. Double this and that is a bare minimum bid including labor. The bid may be more or less depending on how much ductwork has to be modified, electrical work to be done, if there is a new thermostat or condensate pump in the bid. Plus the labor to install, start and warranty this equipment.

Email me and I will give you a couple of good companies to go with.

Toyota to Acquire $50 Million Stake in Electric-Car Maker Tesla

May 21 (Bloomberg) — Toyota Motor Corp. will acquire a $50 million stake in California electric-car maker Tesla Motors Inc. as automakers compete to introduce less-polluting vehicles in the U.S.

Solar Attic Fan 20-watt with 25-year warranty $375.00 Natural Light 20-watt Solar Attic Fan Features: The environmentally sensible solution that can protect your home and save you money! EASY INSTALLATION – NO WIRING ? Reduces cooling load on AC units ? Operates on free solar energy ? Adjustable solar panel ? Three models available to fit all roof types ? Powder coated aircraft grade aluminum ? Best warranty in the industry 25-year warranty…

Rheem RTG-64DVN Direct Vent Indoor Series Natural Gas 6.4 GPM Tankless Water Heater $1,160.00 Next Generation Burner Technology EZ-Link Cable Available For High Demand Applications to Connect Two Tankless Units to Operate as One Manifold Up to 6 Units with an Optional MIC-6 Manifold Control Board Exclusive! Guardian OFW Overheat Film Wrap All Rheem Tankless Models Are Third-Party Efficiency Certified by GAMA Continuous Hot Water, Energy Saving and Compact, Space Saving Design Intelligent E…

USAutomtic 020340 Medium 300 Solar Charged Automatic Gate Opener Single Gate Deluxe Kit $1,055.49 The Sentry 300 Solar Charged Automatic Gate Opener Single Gate Deluxe Kit contains the first solar charged high quality commercial grade Do it Yourself gate opener. The universal mounting brackets will allow for push to open or pull to open installation easily bolt on to most existing gates. The linear actuator provides 400 lbs of thrust and has a compression rating of 1000 lbs. Open or close time…

Garmin nüvi 265W/265WT 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic $130.00 …

Aliso Electric Solar install on Aircraft Spruce building Corona, CA

Question: What has Bush done for America?

I need help completing this list.

Huge tax cuts for the super rich, 9 trillion dollar deficit, dollar worth 50% less, housing crisis, banking crisis, credit crisis, energy crisis, Iraq War costing us billions a week, inflation rising, unemployment rising, declining stock market, food crisis, rape of the environment, global warming. What else?

Answer: Spent a surplus and bankrupted the treasury.
Shattered record for biggest annual deficit in history.
Set economic record for most private bankruptcies filed in any 12-month period.
Set all-time record for biggest drop in the history of the stock market.
First president in U.S. history to enter office with a criminal record.
First year in office set the all-time record for most days on vacation by any president in U.S. history.
**************************************…
After taking the entire month of August off for vacation, presided over the worst security failure in U.S. history.
**************************************…
Set the record for most campaign fundraising trips than any other president in U.S. history.
In first two years in office over 2 million Americans lost their job.
Cut unemployment benefits for more out of work Americans than any president in U.S. history.
Appointed more convicted criminals to administration positions than any president in U.S. history.
Signed more laws and executive orders amending the Constitution than any president in U.S. history.
Presided over the biggest energy crises in U.S. history and refused to intervene when corruption was revealed.
Cut healthcare benefits for war veterans.
Dissolved more international treaties than any president in U.S. history.
Presidency is the most secretive and unaccountable of any in U.S. history.
Members of cabinet are the richest of any administration in U.S. history (the ‘poorest’ multimillionaire, Condoleezza Rice, has an Exxon oil tanker named after her).
First president in U.S. history to have all 50 states of the Union simultaneously go bankrupt.
Presided over the biggest corporate stock market fraud of any market in any country in the history of the world.
First president in U.S. history to order a U.S. attack and military occupation of a sovereign nation.
Created the largest government department bureaucracy in the history of the United States.
Set the all-time record for biggest annual budget spending increases, more than any president in U.S. history.
First president in U.S. history to have the United Nations remove the U.S. from the human rights commission.
First president in U.S. history to have the United Nations remove the U.S. from the elections monitoring board.
Withdrew from the World Court of Law.
All-time U.S. (and world) record holder for most corporate campaign donations.
Spent more money on polls and focus groups than any president in U.S. history.
First U.S. president in history to have the people of South Korea more threatened by the U.S. than their immediate neighbor, North Korea.
Changed US policy to allow convicted criminals to be awarded government contracts.
Set all-time record for number of administration appointees who violated U.S. law by not selling huge investments in corporations bidding for government contracts.
Failed to fulfill my pledge to get Osama Bin Laden ‘dead or alive.’

At least one conviction for drunk driving in Maine (Texas driving record has been erased and is not available)
AWOL from National Guard and deserted the military during a time of war.
All records of any SEC investigations into my insider trading or bankrupt companies are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public view.
All minutes of meetings for any public corporation I served on the board are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public view.
Any records or minutes from meetings I (or my VP) attended regarding public energy policy are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public review.

Great Plains Energy and KCP&L Announce Executive Leadership Changes

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—-Great Plains Energy and KCP&L, today announced the promotion of Terry Bassham to executive vice president of Utility Operations, effective July 6, 2010. Bassham will succeed John Marshall, who will retire at the end of July.

How You Can Benefit From DIY Solar Electricity

Question: Good, reliable wind generator?

I am wanting to place a wind generator on an existing tower that has a broken down wind generator on it. I need sometihng atleast 10 Kw but something bigger would be good. The tower is approximately 80 feet tall. The quality and reliability of the company is most important. Also if you know anything about federal or state refunds, rebates, or tax credits i would apprecite that information.

Answer: The Bergey mentioned by engineer… is a good one, also check out the Jacobs 31-20 it is a 20 kw system
the web site is www.windturbine.net
another site to see the Bergey system is www.bergey.com
the Jacobs does require annual oil changes and greasing and the generator is quite heavy so you will need a strong tower to support it.
If you go to www.dsireusa.org you can find incentives for your state.
The feds offer very little in rebates/incentives for individuals. I called my congressmans office and his staff did some looking in to it, they didn’t find much last year but things change from year to year so it may pay to do some checking.

FPL Group Announces First Quarter Earnings for 2010

JUNO BEACH, Fla.—-FPL Group, Inc. today reported 2010 first quarter net income on a GAAP basis of $556 million, or $1.36 per share, compared with $364 million, or $0.90 per share, in the first quarter of 2009.

Buy Wind Turbines

Question: Do you think that the house would had stayed in session for an energy bill. If the republicans had not ?

already taken a tax credit away from people that were going to use solar or wind. Instead the republicans were only interested in giving more money to the oil company”s. I would have gone on vacation too!

Answer: Republican Abuse -like a husband who beats his wife then turns around and blames her for making him angry. That is what it seems like to me. I actually have Republican friends who were into the Solar panel business -they are voting Independentt now.

Home tax credit deal expires tonight, but other offers don’t

Although midnight tonight is the deadline to sign home purchase contracts to take advantage of federal home buyer tax credits, there is still much more time left to take advantage of other federal credits on home-related purchases.They include 30 percent tax credits worth up to $1,500 for the purchase of energy-efficient products, including windows and doors, heating, ventilating and air …

Green Jobs Energy and Renewable Tax Credits and Rebates

Question: Has the price of solar power been dropping lately?

If so, what’s behind it? I seem to recall the price of panels being about $30,000 for 6000 watts. But everywhere I look now, the price is hovering around 15,000. With the 30% tax credit, that would lower the price to around $11,000 for a standard setup with Grid Tie. Almost makes it affordable. What do you think?

Answer: Combination of things.

Economies of scale: we’re increasing production very quickly (it’s now about 17GW/yr iirc, in the 1990s it was probably less than 1GW)

Other factors are new technologies using cheaper materials – eg more efficient panels requiring less silicon or thin film panels using other materials. High tech stuff always tends to decrease in price as manufacturing tech improves too; look at the prices of games consoles over 5 years or so!

We seem to have hit a temporary lull in price falls up until the current glut of silicon, but improved tech should keep reducing prices.

EDIT: An older report said that the biggest price drops were due to increased efficiency in installation etc. Recently though, the price drop has been because of a silicon glut. See sources.

Tax Incentives Could Cut Costs of Solar Power Requirements – By Nick DiMarco

Nick@MarylandReporter.comNew tax incentives for businesses that use renewable energy sources such as…

solar water heater – Home Depo – Delta Mechanical