Going solar can be a costly investment, but it doesn’t have to be. Solar system leasing and PPA’s are making solar more accessible than ever, with little to no money down and reasonable monthly payment plans. But what are you getting yourself into?

Typical residential solar leases range from 10 to 20 years. A solar energy company will install and own the panels, and the homeowner will have a monthly payment plan. When your lease is over, there are a few options. The lease can be renewed for a new amount of time, buy out the system for a fair market value, or ask to have your system removed by the leasing company. It is smart to get a quote on the specific buy-out value before leasing the system.  If the value is vague, the leasing company can name any price they want at that point and generally do not benefit the homeowner. If you move before your lease is over, the lease can be transferred to the new owner, which is great since solar power increases the value of your home.

Another option for low entry rates for solar is a Power Purchase Agreement. A Power Purchase Agreement, or PPA, is a long-term contract to buy power from a specific energy provider, often equal to or less than market rates. A PPA allows you to pay only for the energy the system generates.  In addition to all installation and set-up, some companies offering PPA’s provide maintenance and upkeep of the system. PPA’s usually last from 10 to 20 years. The PPA’s electricity rate schedule is determined at the beginning of the agreement and while terms vary from one PPA to another, the upfront cost is usually reduced for the consumer. The PPA terms also include an annual escalation rate, which determines increases to solar-generated energy costs over the term of the agreement. Customers pay only for the solar electricity generated at the site.

So, leasing does not require you to pay for any power your solar panels generate, as a PPA does. Both PPA and leasing usually have the option to purchase later. Neither will qualify for tax benefits, rebates, or Renewable Energy Credits. PPA’s usually have a set electrical rate that is flat, but may increase over time, whereas leasing requires you pay a lease payment plus any extra power you need to buy from the electric company.

You can discuss different financing options with a solar installer in your area. Click here to get connected to a local solar professional.

Start (or Continue) Recycling

For every trash can of waste you put outside for the trash collector, about 70 trash cans of waste are used in order to create that trash. To reduce the amount of waste you produce, buy products in returnable and recyclable containers and recycle as much as you can. The energy saved from recycling a single aluminum can operate a television for three hours! If your community doesn’t provide containers for recycling, designate a bin in your garage for recyclables to make it easy for you and your family to recycle things like the newspaper and aluminum cans.

Give Up Plastic and Paper Bags

Do you opt for paper or plastic when at the grocery store? Neither is a good choice. Twelve million barrels of oil were used to make the 88.5 billion plastic bags consumed in the United States last year. And it takes four times more energy to make paper bags.

The best choice is reusable shopping bags made of cotton, nylon or durable, mesh-like plastic. Put a few reusable shopping bags in your car so you have them handy on your next shopping trip.

Stop Buying Bottled Water

Did you know that it takes 26 bottles of water to produce the plastic container for a one-liter bottle of water, and that doing so pollutes 25 liters of groundwater? Don’t leave a trail of plastic water bottles in your wake! Stop buying bottled water. Use reusable water bottles instead made from materials like stainless steel or aluminum that are not likely to degrade over time.

Stop Receiving Unwanted Catalogs

Each year, 19 billion catalogs are mailed to American consumers. All those catalogs require more than 53 million trees and 56 billion gallons of wastewater to produce—and many of us don’t even know how we got on so many mailing lists! So grab that stack of catalogs piling up on your coffee table and clear out the clutter. Visit CatalogChoice.org to put a stop to unwanted catalogs. Within 10 weeks, your mailbox will be empty of unwanted catalogs. A less cluttered mailbox means less pollution, less waste and less of the pollution.

Happy New Year!

(Photo courtesy of green cleaners Asia)

Winter months are often an energy consumption and budget strain. On an annual basis, the average usage is about 600 kWh per month for a household. The summer average is about 500 kWh, while the winter average is over 700 kWh. The average winter bill is usually over $100.

There are things you can do to reduce your usage and make sure your bill doesn’t rise as the temperature drops. If it is possible, check your electric meter. Think about what you have on in the house and look at your meter and see how fast it is spinning. The faster it spins, the more electricity is being used at that moment.

Electric block heaters for cars and trucks can be heavy electric users. Many electric block heaters are 1,500 watt heaters and use as much electricity as fifteen 100 watt light bulbs. If you are plugging in your truck every night, you might consider a timer. Having the timer set to go off one or two hours before you have to leave in the morning is usually enough to let your vehicle start easily.

Electric hot water heaters are heavy electric users. Electric hot water heating elements can become covered with water residue. This tends to insulate the water from the heat source, forcing the heater to work harder to heat the same amount of water. Increased use of hot water for washing clothes and for personal use can certainly increase your usage. Manufacturers recommend flushing your tank annually.

Setting the temperature on your tank to 120 degrees can save you money. Often, heaters are set at 170 degrees at the factory. Remember that most 30-40 gallon tanks have two thermostats, a lower one and an upper one. They should both be set back to 120 degrees. Electric space heaters are very high users of electricity. A small heater can cost you $100 or more per month if used continuously, so don’t use them if possible.

Refrigerators and freezers are culprits of high consumption. Manufacturers recommend cleaning the cooling fins on a refrigerator or freezer annually. Additionally, if you have more than one of each and especially if they aren’t frequently used, consider reducing potential waste and donating these appliances. Your wallet will thank you.

Most of all, understand and track your usage. If a bill seems abnormally high in comparison to historical usage, call your utility company. There are many online resources and resources through utility companies that will break down electrical appliances and their usages, and offer tips on how you can locally reduce your bill.

As the holiday hustle-and-bustle begins, millions of Americans will be traveling this season. Whether you’ll be up in the air, or stuck in traffic, here are a few ways to make holiday travel more eco-friendly.

Offset Your Carbon Footprint

Terapass helps airline travelers offset their carbon footprints and many travel websites also offer carbon-offset options for a nominal fee. Credits can be purchased according to the number of people traveling. Two non-profit groups, CarbonFund.org and Sustainable Travel International, help travelers pick tax-deductible carbon offsets for all kinds of travel. If you’re flying this holiday season, try to book a direct flight. Direct flights use less gas–plus, they’re easier on the passenger. If possible, pack a carryon bag in order to avoid the carbon and financial cost of a checked suitcase.

Cars

If you’re going on a holiday road trip, take your car for some regularly scheduled maintenance. Oil changes and properly inflated tires can go a long way towards increasing fuel efficiency by 40%, according to the Department of Energy. If you’re driving to your holiday destination, see about carpooling to reduce carbon emissions.

Trains

Train travel is one of the greenest ways to travel. Train travel generates less carbon dioxide than either cars or planes and is relatively inexpensive.

Pack Carefully

If you’re traveling by car, train, or plane, be mindful of what goes into your suitcase as extra luggage weight can add to your carbon footprint, and can make travel a bulky and potentially expensive experience. Wear your heaviest shoes on the plane or train, rather than packing them.

If you’re packing presents for family and friends but worry that the extra airplane weight will send your carbon footprint (and budget) off the charts, consider shipping presents beforehand in one box. The United States Postal Service lets you purchase and print shipping labels or pay for postage from the comfort of your home. USPS is also taking steps to offer more eco-friendly packaging. Recycle boxes and shipping materials for holiday gifts, shipped or not.

Have safe and happy holiday travels!

(Photo courtesy of rezhub.com)

With the holidays coming up, love it or hate it, it usually means lots of quality time spent with family and friends. If you are a greenie, you may encounter questions and conversation (interrogation) from relatives about your lifestyle, knowledge, and opinions.

Claim #1: Clean energy isn’t happening anytime soon.

Response #1: The percentage of our electricity coming from solar, wind, geothermal doubled in just the last four years, to six percent, which also means more well paying jobs.

Claim #2: Green jobs are a scam; no one really has those.

Response #2: More than 2.7 million Americans are employed in the clean energy industry today. Further, solar employers expect to grow by 17.2 percent over the next 12 months, representing an addition of 20,000 new jobs for Americans.

Three states each have more clean tech workers than all the coal-mining workers in the U.S. (136k). New wind farms and solar installations are popping up every day, and that means more jobs. Three states each have more clean tech workers than all the coal mining workers in the U.S. (136k).

Claim #3: Putting solar on a home is super expensive.

Response #3: With solar panel leasing options and financing through solar installers, the process can be very easy and affordable. Not to mention the sweet federal, state, and local incentives through utility companies. Many solar installers offer free site visits to give a free estimate.

Claim #4: I live in a non-sunny area. Solar doesn’t work where I live.

Response #4: Solar does work in cloudy conditions. On a cloudy day, a system will still produce at least half of what it does on a sunny day. Many countries with vast cloud coverage embrace solar, and are world leaders in solar like Germany and China.

Claim #5: Installing solar panels will increase my property tax; like I need to pay more taxes.

Response #5:  In California and many other states, solar installations are property-tax exempt. From an investment perspective, this means installing solar panels will increase the resale value of your home, without costing you an extra penny in property taxes.

Claim #6: I don’t see what’s wrong with “clean” coal.

Response #6: Why burn the limited supply of dirty coal instead of investing in clean, infinite energy like solar and wind? We should keep the planet clean and sustainable for generations to come. Our addiction to fossil fuels like oil should be broken, and instead, keep investing in clean energy that boosts our economy and creates jobs.

Good luck, spread the solar word, and happy holidays!

Bounce Your Way to Work

We’ll start from the ground up, with the perhaps most fun form of transportation: a trampoline road. Estonian architecture studio, Salto, has built an inventive solution to the boredom of the morning commute—a 51 meter (170 foot-long) trampoline, that can be used to bounce to your destination.

The trampoline, dubbed Fast Track, has been built and installed at arts festival Archstoyanie, and has been a hit since it was opened at the end of November in the Nikola-Lenivets forest, in southwest Russia. The creation is made of black rubber, and is more sensitive to its forest environment than a road.

EVs

Electric vehicles have many environmentally-friendly benefits compared to their conventional car counterparts. They are energy efficient—they convert about 59–62% of the electrical energy from the grid to power at the wheels. Conventional gasoline vehicles only convert about 17–21% of the energy stored in gasoline to power at the wheels. EVs also emit no tailpipe pollutants, although the power plant producing the electricity may emit them. Electricity from nuclear-, hydro-, solar-, or wind-powered plants causes no air pollutants. EVs provide quiet, smooth operation and stronger acceleration and require less maintenance than gasoline vehicles. Many parking garages and shopping centers in metropolitan areas offer free “fueling” stations for EVs, sometimes powered by solar.  Some examples of EV’s are: the Tesla ModelS, Ford Focus Electric, Nissan Leaf, Honda Fit EV, Chevy Volt, and Mini E, among others.

Flying Green

The first nonstop solar powered flight around the world is being planned for 2015. The plane is called Solar Impulse, and was designed by Bertrand Piccard, who was the first person to travel around the world nonstop in a balloon in 1999.

The Solar Impulse has the capability to fly overnight, thanks to its energy-efficient battery system and its light spartan build. The plane weighs less than an SUV, and powered by 12,000 solar cells covering its very long wings. Because of its build and battery technology, it’s able to fly nonstop through the dark night skies, potentially staying airborne indefinitely, storing power during the day and using some of it at night. The Solar Impulse has about $100 million of investment over the course of about 10 years. Drawbacks—storms are particularly dangerous for it, being so light; and because of its highly efficient use of energy, and the cockpit has no climate control due to its high efficient use of energy.

Sailing the Seas

For 585 days, Swiss adventurer Raphael Domjan circumnavigated the globe on a boat propelled by nothing but sun beams.

The boat, called Turanor, is named after a word meaning “power of the sun” in JRR Tolkein’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. It is as heavy as a whale and 30 meters long, and has enough photovoltaic panels to cover two tennis courts.

After eight years of fundraising, 64,000 hours of construction, and 19 months at sea, the Turanor made history on May 6 this year, when it cruised into Port Hercules, Monaco, completing the first ever round-the-world journey by a solar-powered vessel.

From the coast of Miami to the shores of Mumbai, Domjan and his four-man crew visited 28 countries on a voyage designed to showcase the practical applications of solar energy.

Solar Train

A two-mile-long Belgian rail tunnel, built to shelter trains from falling trees, also doubles as a solar project. The high-speed line running from Paris to Amsterdam passes Antwerp and a nearby ancient forest. To avoid the need to fell protected trees, a long tunnel was built over the line which has now been topped with 16,000 solar panels. The electricity produced is equivalent to that needed to power all the trains in Belgium for one day per year, and will also help power Antwerp station.

Additionally, the new Blackfriars station in London, which spans over the River Thames, hosts the largest single collection of solar panels in the UK. The roof of the new station has 4,400 panels and a capacity of 1MW, enough to provide 50% of the station’s electricity.

Tesla Model S was named Motor Trend Magazine’s 2013 Car of the Year, the first time a non-gasoline powered vehicle received the honor. Even though the Model S was the fastest American car tested, Americans are still warming to the idea of driving an electric car.

The Model S beat finalists including luxury and family cars, such as the Ford C-Max Hybrid, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, BMW 3 Series, Lexus GS, Porche 911, Porche Boxster, and Subaru BRZ, according to the magazine. Motor Trend’s panel of 11 judges voted unanimously for the Tesla Model S after testing 25 contenders in a closed-course environment. Motor Trend tested acceleration, brakes, handling, noise, suspension tuning, among other factors.

Edward Loh, editor-in-chief of Motor Trend, said the car was “truly a game changer”. Tesla calls the Model S the “world’s first premium electric sedan,” and is priced at $49,900 to $97,900, based on battery options and upgrades. The Tesla S has three battery choices-40 kWh, 60 kWh, and 85 kWh. Travelling at 55 mph, the kWh figures can be translated to the stated range capabilities of 160, 230, and 300 miles, respectively, according to the manufacturer’s website. The firm plans to make 20,000 of the cars next year.

Despite the increasing options of electric and hybrid cars, President Obama’s hope of having one million electric cars on the road by 2015 seems to be a daunting goal. Through September, electric vehicle sales since 2011 yielded fewer than 50,000 cars, or 5 percent of the goal, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

In his re-election acceptance speech, the president reiterated that he planned to work with Congress in “freeing ourselves from foreign oil.”

In October, Nissan sold just 1,579 all electric Leaf vehicles, compared with 984 Leafs in September. Meanwhile, sales of the hybrid Chevrolet Volt jumped nearly two-fold to 2,961, the highest in one month but still a very small number compared with Toyota’s hybrid Prius, which sells an average of over 70,000 cars a month.

Despite a $7,500 tax credit to electric car buyers, higher price tags and battery range seem to cause hesitation from some buyers.

Tesla Motors was co-founded in 2003 by Elon Musk and is based in Palo Alto, California. The company first made headlines when it created the first all-electric sports car, the Tesla Roadster. It was the first production automobile to feature lithium-ion battery cells, and the first to have a range of over 200 miles per change. Musk’s primary goal was to mass market EV’s, starting with a premium sports car aimed at early adopters and then moving into more mainstream vehicles, including sedans and affordable compacts. Elon Musk also provided the initial concept and funding for Solar City, the largest solar installer and energy efficiency auditor in the country. He remains the largest shareholder and chairman of the board. The underlying motivation for funding both SolarCity and Tesla, Musk claims, is to help combat global warming. Musk announced this year that SolarCity and Tesla Motors are collaborating to use electric vehicle batteries to smooth the impact of rooftop solar on the power grid. Tesla is working with SolarCity on a clean energy storage solution that would combine Tesla’s lithium-ion batteries with SolarCity’s rooftop solar arrays.

Stage one of the Tesla-SolarCity clean energy storage program began in 2010, with $1.8 million in funding from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to launch a research program. Now, stage two seeks to commercialize the program, which aims to provide rebates to customers using self-generated energy systems.

(Photo courtesy of Tesla Motors)

As temperatures continue to drop, electric bills usually go up during the chilly months. A few simple changes can help you go green (and save some green) this winter.

Drafts

One small crack or crevasse can be a large drain on energy. Inspect your home for drafts by lighting an incense stick next to doorways and windows and watch the smoke, or walk around with a damp hand to feel for air flow. Use weather stripping or caulk to seal leaks on doors, windows and exterior walls. Install electric outlet and switch sealers, foam pads that are placed behind faceplates, to prevent drafts from exterior walls. Most heat loss occurs through windows, so hang curtains and drapes. During the day, make the most of natural sunlight by opening window treatments in rooms that receive direct sunlight. Close them at night to retain heat. Also consider installing double-paned windows, which are huge energy savers.

Turn Down the Thermostat

Set your thermostat to 65 degrees, or lower when you plan to be out for several hours. Another option is to purchase a programmable thermostat that automatically sets the temperature according to your schedule. Save more energy by timing the thermostat for your actual wake and arrival times, instead of before your waking and arrival times. For most efficient energy use, remember to change furnace filters regularly, at least every three months. Use an extra blanket on your bed, or invest in a thick, winter comforter (eco-friendly, of course). Electric blankets can end up being very costly to operate during the winter months, so stick with layering to save money and energy. Ceiling fans can actually help heat houses. Setting them clockwise, at a slow speed, helps push down warmer air that pools at the ceiling and re-circulates it to the living area. If you don’t already own ceiling fans, consider installing some.

Lower the Water Temperature

One of the largest energy guzzlers is heating water. Turn down your water heater temperature to 120 degrees, which provides comfortable hot water for most people. Consider an insulating jacket to improve the efficiency of your water heater. Reduce heat loss by placing pipe insulation or taped strips of fiberglass insulation around your water pipes. You’ll also conserve water because you won’t wait as long for it to run hot. Wash your clothes in cold water or at the coolest temperature possible. The kilowatt usage and cost per load for a hot-water wash are, respectively, 4.5 kWh and 68 cents, while a cold-water wash uses just 0.3 kWh and costs just 4 cents per load. This small modification could save you nearly $250 per year, while significantly decreasing unnecessary carbon emissions. Furthermore, when using a dishwasher, skip the heated dry cycle and let the dishes air dry. This goes for clothes as well; skip the electric dryer, or use it to fluff up clothes then air dry.

Choose a Live Christmas (or “Holiday”) Tree

While it may seem counterintuitive, most artificial trees (and garlands and wreaths) are made of non-biodegradable plastic and end up in landfills. Most are shipped from China, adding fuel to their carbon footprint. The most eco-friendly tree is one from at a local farm which uses less fuel for shipping, and many plant another tree to sell in a few years. Look for an organic grower. Plan ahead for tree disposal after your holiday festivities are over. See if your town collects and mulches trees or has a site where you can drop off the tree for “treecycling”. Another option is to buy a living tree and plant it in your yard after the holidays.

Use Your Fireplace Wisely

If you own a fireplace, avoid artificial logs that contain paraffin, a petroleum-based byproduct with suspicious emissions quality. If you’re not using real wood, use logs made of recycled material. Close the fireplace damper when you don’t have a fire going to prevent warm air from escaping through the chimney. Just be sure to open it when you use the fireplace.

Solar Power through the Holidays

Use solar powered holiday lights on your home and trees. There are many options for eco-friendly, solar powered lights and decorations. Additionally, use a portable electronic solar charger, not only for cell phones, but for small holiday decorations like trains, holiday decorative houses, and the like. If you want to be the most eco-friendly house on the block, instead of putting up sleighs, reindeer, or lights on your roof, have a solar PV system installed. Many installers offer affordable financing or even a leasing option, which can significantly cut up-front costs. This system won’t just cut winter electrical usage and costs, but year round, for many years to come. If you’re looking for a gift for generations to enjoy, look into solar energy.

(Photo Courtesy of http://alyssaackerman.blogspot.com)

With millions still left without electricity a week after Hurricane Sandy hit the Northeastern United States, many are left wondering how this aftermath could have been alleviated in some way. Solar is a relatively safe form of energy, a feature that may be overlooked in a state of crisis such as superstorm Sandy that disabled New York City’s power grid this week.

Unlike fossil fuel plants, solar plants require no combustible fuels to generate electricity and there is no danger that they will leak radiation like a nuclear power plant. Unlike the nuclear and fossil fuel infrastructure, the Northeast’s wind and solar farms evoked little public anxiety this week when Hurricane Sandy hit. Safety officials kept a careful eye on the nuclear power plants and three were shut down in New Jersey and New York.

Solar does not need additional energy inputs to produce electricity or cool a reactor, said John Kourtoff, president and CEO of Toronto-based Trillium Power Wind. There is no need for natural gas, oil or coal to be excavated, transported and applied to the system. Additionally, they mimic nature in design, so they tend to be more resilient and withstand natural disasters better, he said. “Renewables at their core are simple bio-mimicry based on nature. This simple and closed aspect makes them successful when storms and natural disasters happen, whether hurricanes, earthquakes, or tsunamis,” Kourtoff said. Wind and solar farms mimic a natural cell-like structure, so they are less likely than conventional power plants to succumb to a cascading failure.

Solar farms keep running even if there is damage to one panel since the system runs on a cellular-like model. The simplicity offers practical benefits. “In terms of renewable energy, it can certainly help the grid come back quickly from weather situations like Hurricane Sandy,” said Carol Murphy, executive director, Alliance for Clean Energy New York. “It can take nuclear plants a week or more to come back online. Wind and solar, like other generators, do shut down during extreme weather conditions, but they can be back up and produce power quickly.”

Based on early assessments, renewable energy facilities seemed to fare well during Hurricane Sandy. ISO New England said it received no reports of any damage to wind or solar facilities from the storm. Iberdrola Renewables, which owns wind farms in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Pennsylvania, reported few problems. Long Island suffered some of the most severe destruction, wiping out service to most of the Long Island Power Authority’s 1.1 million customers. But the island’s 32-MW Long Island Solar Farm appears to have come through fairly well.

Residentially speaking, solar manufacturers design their systems to withstand 120 mile-per-hour winds or higher. Most damage in high-wind weather is actually caused by the impact of flying objects. Damage can very well occur when large debris hit solar panels at high wind speeds, as with any other part of the roof or home. That’s where manufacturer’s warranties and homeowner’s insurance come into play.

A common misconception about most solar electric systems is that the system makes you energy independent. Most solar electrical systems are grid-tied and connected to the power lines, meaning if there is a power outage, the home unfortunately will still lose power. The home’s solar power feeding out to those lines would cause live wires if downed and potentially electrocute workers repairing those lines if not shut down. The only way for true solar energy independence would be a battery back-up system installed in addition to the solar PV system. These systems are rarely installed because they are expensive; customers don’t receive the same high financial incentives when they are off-grid.

I’m sure you have heard about the unique benefits commercial businesses receive by going solar. As a reader, have you ever wondered which businesses have made the commitment to a solar installation?

One real-life example might be closer than you think. In fact, the next time you visit your local grocery store, you can find them on the shelf in the all-natural and organic section. With over 200 personal care products in more than 19 different countries, Kiss My Face is now more natural than ever. They proudly went solar and drastically reduced their overhead costs as well as their carbon footprint.

Kiss My Face, headquartered in the Hudson Valley, became greener than ever with the installation of a solar system in December 2009. As of July 2012, the system has produced over 178,921 watts. The installation was sized to cover 61% of the building’s electrical usage, but ended up producing approximately 110% annually, saving the company more money than expected.

Recently, Hudson Solar sat down with CEO, Steve Byckiewicz, and Project Manager, Naomi Aubain, to see why Kiss My Face made the change to solar.

An instrumental part of Kiss My Face going solar was Aubain, who is a huge proponent of solar power.  Aubain became aware of solar after a contractor mentioned the idea during a planned warehouse relocation. Soon after, she approached the owners of Kiss My Face with the idea to go solar and they were just as enthusiastic.  It took the company one year from concept to commitment.

“Going solar just seemed like a great thing we could do for the environment, and also leading by example and setting new industry standards, there was really no downside to it. Once we had the financials in place it seemed like the right thing to do and we were happy to do it,” said Aubain.

Kiss My Face not only talks the talk with its 100% all- natural and organic ingredients, but walks the walk by turning to renewable energy to power their headquarters.

“It was no surprise that Kiss My Face was an early adopter of solar”, said Byckiewicz. “Going solar was easy because of the values we have as a company. It’s only natural to be reflected in our company and it’s what our customers think we should be doing. Going solar fits very well into the deep set of values this company has and shares with its customers.”

Byckiewicz highly recommends solar to all businesses because of the financial attractiveness. “It just makes sense,” he stated.

The new trend for businesses to go solar is not only because of what they “give back” environmentally, but for what they “get back” financially.  Solar electric projects can be one of the sturdiest financial investments any business can make for three reasons. First, solar has an attractive return on investment by maximizing the net present value of a business, improving the internal rate of return and frequently providing a rapid payback period. Second, a business receives benefits in the form of government incentives for going solar such as a 30% federal tax credit, state rebates and added tax savings though depreciation. Third, a business can eliminate their cost volatility by going solar since the cost of electricity has increased annually by more than 5% for the last 40 years.

Besides the financial rewards, what company today isn’t trying to be more sustainable and portray that image to the public? Customers now care more about companies being ecofriendly than ever before. Solar can differentiate businesses, both financially and environmentally. Going green gives businesses a competitive advantage in the marketplace and shows their consumers they are environmentally responsible, and care about the people and communities they serve. Solar also gives every company who installs a system a patriotic image by promoting America’s energy independence and helping to reduce our country’s dependence on foreign oil.

Hudson Solar, the author of this article, is a New York-owned, family business that prides itself on offering the best quality and service, backed by years of experience.  For more information, please call (866) 452-7652 or visit us at www.HudsonSolar.com.