Paul Wolff showed us his solar panels on Tybee Island:
That’s 28 panels. They’re SolarWorlds, roughly 18% efficiency rating, and it’s a 5.525 kilowatt system.
And another thing I tell people if your roof is at all questionable… right now there’s a 30% federal tax credit on the materials for an EnergyStar roof….
28 SolarWorld panels, 5.25 kilowatts –Paul Wolff renewable energy, Paul Wolff, The Volta Collaborative (TVC), Tybee Island, Chatham County, Georgia, 17 February 2012. Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE).
Paul Wolff told us how he came to invest in solar energy:
I did the math on it ahead of time.
I had a bunch of mutual funds that hadn’t done anything in a long time.
I figured out given the
state and federal tax credits
what the payback would be,
and it came out to be about eight years.
So I just divided that out, and by selling mutual funds
and investing that money in solar panels on my roof
it’s an eleven percent return.
And in this economic climate I have nothing else
yielding anywhere near that.
So that’s a selling point.
11% return on solar panel investment —Paul Wolff
Tybee Island, Chatham County, Georgia, 17 February 2012.
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE).
The one on the right is 10 SEER (he had two);
the one on the right is a 17 SEER (the new one).
The new one has a separate dehumidifier and a two-stage
compressor.
It doesn’t have to cut on full blast every time,
which cut Paul’s energy cost for cooling by 40%.
Heat Pump —Paul Wolff, Tybee Island, Chatham County, Georgia, 17 February 2012.
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE).
Paul Wolff at his house on Tybee Island
said air practically whistles through open electrical plugs,
so stopping those up saves a lot on heat and air conditioning.
Electric outlet plugs —Paul Wolff @ Tybee Island 2012 02 17
renewable energy,
Paul Wolff, The Volta Collaborative (TVC),
Tybee Island, Chatham County, Georgia, 17 February 2012.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
Paul Wolff showed us his programmable electric meter
at his house on Tybee Island.
It shows night, day, evening hours….
That’s exclusive of the solar.
This is strictly what I’ve used off the grid.
The solar, I keep a spreadsheet.
The still picture shows Paul and Gretchen comparing notes on solar generation and
usage over time.
He writes his on a pad of paper.
She records hers on an iphone.
Either way works.
Programmable electric meter —Paul Wolff 2012 02 17
renewable energy,
Paul Wolff, The Volta Collaborative (TVC),
Tybee Island, Chatham County, Georgia, 17 February 2012.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
Weatherstripping —Paul Wolff, Tybee Island, 2012 02 17
renewable energy,
Paul Wolff, The Volta Collaborative (TVC),
Tybee Island, Chatham County, Georgia, 17 February 2012.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
Georgia Energy Trust Fund —Dr. Sidney Smith 2012 02 17
South Eastern Pathology Associates,
Selling Power, Lower Rates for Customers LLC (LRCLLC),
Richmond Hill, Bryan County, Georgia, 17 February 2012.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
We donate 1.5% of the money we make to this trust fund for the county….
Now we invest that money in Georgia bonds for the county.
And then the county only gets half of the interest
So the funds we donate for these counties will
grow forever
as a result of what we’re doing with the trust fund…
It’s invested in us, roads, airplanes, deep water, stuff like that.
Private investment in utility-scale solar plants Part 1 of 2: South Eastern Pathology Associates, Selling Power, Lower Rates for Customers LLC (LRCLLC), Richmond Hill, Bryan County, Georgia, 17 February 2012. Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
Dr. Smith said that was possible, plus he’d already been talking to some potential German investors,
If our system works as we have designed, they’d like to invest 100 million or more.
Private investment in utility-scale solar plants Part 2 of 2: South Eastern Pathology Associates, Selling Power, Lower Rates for Customers LLC (LRCLLC), Richmond Hill, Bryan County, Georgia, 17 February 2012. Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
You can help by calling your state senator about
SB 459.
Dr. Smith’s electric meters enable a commodity market
in solar power, with billing from generators to customers.
And EMCs can take 1% or so for carrying the power,
plus they can get advertising rights that could be
worth more than selling electricity!
If
SB 459 or something like it gets out of committee and into law.
Dr. Sidney Smith explained how the electric meter he’s developed
uses cellular technology to facilitate direct billing from
solar generator and customer.
Gretchen asked him what if they generate more than they use.
Dr. Smith said they wouldn’t.
I asked what if they added more panels.
He said they could, but there are trees in the back.
Enabling a commodity market in solar power: Dr. Smith’s electric meters Part 1 of 5:
South Eastern Pathology Associates,
Selling Power, Lower Rates for Customers LLC (LRCLLC),
Richmond Hill, Bryan County, Georgia, 17 February 2012.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
Dr. Smith said the best places for solar are where there is no shade
and near power poles.
Gretchen asked how do you finance?
Dr. Smith answered,
Continue reading →
Drs. Sidney Smith and Pat Godbey and their customer
cut the solar ribbon in Richmond Hill, Georgia,
17 Febuary 2012:
To commemorate the future of power in Georgia
and the future for our children.
I didn’t get the customer’s name; sorry.
You, too, could be a customer or a seller of distributed solar power
if SB 459 gets
out of committee and through the Georgia Senate and legislature
into law.
Contact your state senator today!
Cutting the solar ribbon in Richmond Hill 2012 02 17
South Eastern Pathology Associates,
Selling Power, Lower Rates for Customers LLC (LRCLLC),
Richmond Hill, Bryan County, Georgia, 17 February 2012.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
