Alternative Energies:

Solar, Wind and Gas-Propane at Hale Building and Designs

Leading the way to the future, today!
We manage four basic Programs or Divisions:

1. Advanced Biological Wastewater Treatment and Sewage 

2. High Purity Distilled Water, Water Recovery and Treatments

3. Alternative Energies, Solar, Propane and Electric Energy Generation

4. Custom Designed Traditional to Modern Pacific Islander Buildings

The Energy Policy Act of 2005

What the Energy Bill Means to You

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT), signed by President Bush on August 8, 2005, offers consumers and businesses federal tax credits beginning in January 2006 for purchasing fuel-efficient hybrid-electric vehicles and energy-efficient appliances and products. Most of these tax credits remain in effect through 2007. Buying and driving a fuel-efficient vehicle and purchasing and installing energy-efficient appliances and products provide many benefits such as better gas mileage – meaning lower gasoline costs, fewer emissions, lower energy bills, increased indoor comfort, and reduced air pollution. Some consumers will also be eligible for utility or state rebates, as well as state tax incentives for energy-efficient homes, vehicles and equipment.  Each state’s energy office web site may have more information on specific state tax information.

About Tax Credits

A tax credit is generally more valuable than an equivalent tax deduction because a tax credit reduces tax dollar-for-dollar, while a deduction only removes a percentage of the tax that is owed.  Beginning in tax year 2006, consumers will be able to itemize purchases on their federal income tax form, which will lower the total amount of  tax they owe the government.

Home Energy Efficiency Improvement Tax Credits

Consumers who purchase and install specific products, such as energy-efficient windows, insulation, doors, roofs, and heating and cooling equipment in the home can receive a tax credit of up to $500 beginning in January 2006. The EPACT also provides a credit equal to 30% of qualifying expenditures for purchase for qualified photovoltaic property and for solar water heating property used exclusively for purposes other than heating swimming pools and hot tubs.   The credit shall not exceed $2000. Improvements must be installed in or on the taxpayer’s principal residence in the United States.  Home improvement tax credits apply for improvement made between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2007.

Buildings

Credit for business installation of qualified fuel cells, stationary microturbine power plants, and solar equipment.   This provides a 30% tax credit for the purchase price for installing qualified fuel cell power plants for businesses, a 10% credit for qualifying stationary microturbine power plants and a 30% credit for qualifying solar energy equipment.  This is effective January 1, 2006 through December 31, 2007. Business credit of energy-efficient new homes. This provides tax credits to eligible contractors for the construction of a qualified new energy-efficient home.  Credit applies to manufactured homes meeting Energy Star criteria and other homes, saving 50% of the energy compared to the EPACT standard.  This is effective January 1, 2006 through December 31, 2007.

Energy-Efficient Commercial Building Deduction.   

This provision allows a tax deduction for energy-efficient commercial buildings that reduce annual energy and power consumption by 50% compared to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) 2001 standard.  The deduction would equal the cost of energy-efficient property installed during construction, with a maximum deduction of $1.80 per square foot of the building. Additionally, a partial deduction of 60 cents per square foot would be provided for building subsystems.

Hawai'i State Brief Summaries of Solar Rebates for Solar Water Heater, Solar Roofs, Solar Heating, Solar Wind and Energy, Solar Thermal and Photovoltaic (includes NET METERING)

NET METERING

Hawaii's original net-metering law was enacted in 2001 and expanded in 2004 by HB 2048, which increased the eligible capacity limit of net-metered systems from 10 kilowatts (kW) to 50 kW. In 2005 the law was further amended by HB 606, which removed a provision that would have allowed utilities to impose additional requirements on net-metered systems, and by SB 1003, which allows the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to increase certain limits outlined in the law and provides for the carryover of net excess generation (NEG) to the customer's next bill. 

Net metering is available to residential and "small commercial" customers (including government entities) with solar, wind, biomass or hydroelectric systems. Utilities currently offer net metering on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible customers until total net-metered capacity equals 0.5% of each utility's peak demand. However, SB 1003 (2005) allows the PUC to raise the aggregated net-metering limit. The PUC is also authorized to increase the 50-kW limit for individual systems. 

A customer whose system produces more electricity than the customer consumes during the month may carry forward NEG in the form of a kilowatt-hour (kWh) credit that is applied to the next month's bill. Excess credits can be carried over for a maximum of 12 months. At the end of the 12-month reconciliation period, NEG credits will be granted to the utility without customer compensation -- unless the customer enters into a purchase agreement with the utility. 

Hawaii adopted uniform interconnection standards as part of its net-metering law. Eligible systems must meet national standards developed by IEEE and UL, and must be installed in accordance with the requirements of the National Electrical Code (NEC) and local codes. Utilities may not require owners to install additional controls, perform or pay for additional tests, or purchase additional liability insurance. 

REBATES: SOLAR WATER HEATER

As part of the Energy $olutions programs, Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) and its subsidiaries, Maui Electric Company (MECO) and Hawaii Electric Light Company (HELCO), provide one-time rebates to qualifying customers who install solar water heaters. The program, which began in June 1996, has supported the installation of more than 30,000 home solar water heaters in Hawaii. 

The Residential Energy $olutions program for solar water heater rebate offers $1,000 for retrofits or systems installed on new construcion in the service territory of HECO, MECO or HELCO. The Commercial Energy $olutions rebate for solar water heater is offered as a custom incentive on a case-by-case basis to HECO, MECO and HELCO customers. Commercial customers receive $125 per deferred kilowatt (kW) that is coincident with peak electric demands, plus $0.05 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for retrofits and $0.06 per kWh for new construction, based on estimated annual energy savings calculated at time of installation. 

SOLAR LOANS

The Honolulu Solar Roofs Loan Program is made possible through a partnership between Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) and The City and County of Honolulu. The program offers low-interest loans (0% or 2%) to income-qualified homeowners on the Island of Oahu for the installation of solar water heating systems through the City's Rehabilitation Loan Program. The contract occurs between the City and County of Honolulu, who provides the funding, and the customer with HECO facilitating the installation of the solar hot water heaters. 

The low-interest loans are available for single-family homes, condominiums, and coops. The maximum loan is $80,000 for each dwelling unit for owner-occupied properties up to 4 dwelling units not to exceed $125,000 per property. For all other properties, the maximum loan amount is determined by a formula. Most solar hot water heater installations cost approximately $4,000 to $5,000. Loans will be secured by a promissory note and a mortgage on the property. 

KAUAI

Through a partnership with Kauai Community Federal Credit Union (KCFCU) and Kauai County Housing Agency (KCHA), the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) provides qualifying members with interest-free loans for solar water heating systems. KCHA, through funding from the Community Development Block Grant Program, and KCFCU provide funding for the loans. KIUC pays the interest, markets the program and verifies that systems will meet Energy Wise program standards for sizing and installation. 

Participants pay the loan back to the lender with 60 monthly payments (no down payment is required). KIUC pays the interest on the loan directly to the lender for the customer. Participating members also make their monthly payments directly to the lender. There is no maximum loan amount, however commercial systems are not eligible.

MAUI

In September 2002, Maui Electric Company (MECO) and the County of Maui teamed up to launch the Maui Solar Roofs Initiative to increase the use of renewable energy in Maui County. The County has designated a total of $450,000 to date for a revolving fund for interest free loans for the installation of solar water heating. MECO administers the loan program, and offers a $1,000 rebate for installations through its approved solar contractors. 

Resident homeowners are eligible, and must provide a down payment equal to 35% of the system cost after MECO’s rebate. Loan payments are based on expected monthly savings. As payments replenish the fund, more applicants can be served. Half of the funds have been designated for households with incomes at or below 100% of median.

HAWAII ENERGY TAX CREDITS

Originally enacted in 1990, the Hawaii Energy Tax Credits allow individuals or corporations to claim an income tax credit of 20% of the cost of equipment and installation of a wind system and 35% of the cost of equipment and installation of a solar thermal or photovoltaic system. 

As a result of SB 855 in 2003, the tax credits were revised and extended to the end of 2007. SB 3162 of 2004, allowed for a credit that exceeds the taxpayer's income tax liability to be carried forward to subsequent years until exhausted. Finally, HB 2957, enacted in June 2006, removed the credit's sunset date, increased the maximum credit for some applications, and eliminated the provision that required new federal tax credits to be deducted from the actual cost before calculating the state tax credit. 

Solar Electric or Photovoltaic Systems A Short Discussion of the Differences 

A photovoltaic (PV) or solar cell is the basic building block of a PV (or solar electric) system. An individual PV cell is usually quite small, typically producing about 1 or 2 watts of power. To boost the power output of PV cells, we connect them together to form larger units called modules. Modules, in turn, can be connected to form even larger units called arrays, which can be interconnected to produce more power, and so on. In this way, we can build PV systems able to meet almost any electric power need, whether small or large. PV systems can be classified into two general categories: flat-plate systems or concentrator systems. By themselves, modules or arrays do not represent an entire PV system. We also need structures to put them on that point them toward the sun, and components that take the direct-current electricity produced by modules and "condition" that electricity, usually by converting it to alternate-current  electricity. We might also want to store some electricity, usually in batteries, for later use.  All these items are referred to as the "balance of system" (BOS) components. Combining modules with the BOS components creates an entire PV system. This system is usually everything we need to meet a particular energy demand, such as powering a water pump, or the appliances and lights in a home, or, if the PV system is large enough, all the electrical requirements of a whole community. The basic photovoltaic or solar cell typically produces only a small amount of power. To produce more power, cells can be interconnected to form modules, which can in turn be connected into arrays to produce yet more power. Because of this modularity, PV systems can be designed to meet any electrical requirement, no matter how large or how small.

Solar collectors are the key component of active solar-heating systems. Solar collectors gather the sun's energy, transform its radiation into heat, then transfer that heat to water, solar fluid, or air. The solar thermal energy can be used in solar water-heating systems, solar pool heaters, and solar space-heating systems. There are several types of solar collectors:

* Flat-plate collectors

* Evacuated-tube collectors

* Integral collector-storage systems

Residential and commercial building applications that require temperatures below 200°F typically use flat-plate collectors, whereas those requiring temperatures higher than 200°F use evacuated-tube collectors.

Flat-plate collectors

Flat-plate collectors are the most common solar collector for solar water-heating systems in homes and solar space heating. A typical flat-plate collector is an insulated metal box with a glass or plastic cover (called the glazing) and a dark-colored absorber plate. These collectors heat liquid or air at temperatures less than 180°F. Graphic of the components that make up a Flat-plate collector. The 

lower layer contains insulation, followed by an absorber plate and the flow tubes. The top layer is the glazing. The components are encased in a glazing frame. There is an inlet and a outlet connection at either end. Flat-plate collectors are used for residential water heating and hydronic space-heating installations. Liquid flat-plate collectors heat liquid as it flows through tubes in or adjacent to the absorber plate. The simplest liquid systems use potable household water, which is heated as it passes directly through the collector and then flows to the house. Solar pool heating also uses liquid flat-plate collector technology, but the collectors are typically unglazed as in figure below. Unglazed solar collectors typically used for swimming pool heating. Air flat-plate collectors are used primarily for solar space heating. The absorber plates in air collectors can be metal sheets, layers of screen, or non-metallic materials. The air flows past the absorber by using natural convection or a fan. Because air conducts heat much less readily than liquid does, less heat is transferred from an air collector's absorber than from a liquid collector's absorber, and air collectors are typically less efficient than liquid collectors. Graphic of the components of an air flat-plate collector. Cool air goes in one end, through the duct, into the insulation and absorbers and out the other end as warm air. Air flat-plate collectors are used for space heating.

Evacuated-tube collectors

Evacuated-tube collectors can achieve extremely high temperatures (170°F to 350°F), making them more appropriate for cooling applications and commercial and industrial application. However, evacuated-tube collectors are more expensive than flat-plate collectors, with unit area costs about twice that of flat-plate collectors. Evacuated-tube collectors are efficient at high temperatures. The collectors are usually made of parallel rows of transparent glass tubes. Each tube contains a glass outer tube and metal absorber tube attached to a fin. The fin is covered with a coating that absorbs solar energy well, but which inhibits radiative heat loss. Air is removed, or evacuated, from the space between the two glass tubes to form a vacuum, which eliminates conductive and convective heat loss. A new evacuated-tube design is available from the Chinese manufacturers.  The "dewar" design features a vacuum contained between two concentric glass tubes, with the absorber selective coating on the inside tube. Water is typically allowed to thermosyphon down and back out the inner cavity to transfer the heat to the storage tank. There are no glass-to-metal seals. This type of evacuated tube has the potential to become cost-competitive with flat plates.

Integral collector-storage systems

Integral collector-storage systems, also known as ICS or "batch" systems, are made of one or more black tanks or tubes in an insulated glazed box. Cold water first passes through the solar collector, which preheats the water, and then continues to the conventional backup water heater. ICS systems are simple, reliable solar water heaters. However, they should be installed only in climates with mild freezing because the collector itself or the outdoor pipes could freeze in severely cold weather. Some recent work indicates that the problem with freezing pipes can be overcome in some cases by using freeze-tolerant piping in conjunction with a freeze-protection method.

PROPANE GAS HOT WATER (ON-DEMAND) HEATERS

Propane Gas Tank Less Water Heater with Pilot Ignition

1. Our Smallest Heaters' Features:

    * Delivers up to 4.3 gallons per minute

    * Standing pilot

    * 12-year warranty on heat exchanger – 2 years on parts

    * Provides ENDLESS supply of hot water

    * Saves up to 50% off utility costs

    * Compact and lightweight

    * Can simply hang on the wall

    * Modulating gas valve to control temperature

    * Pressure relief valve included

    * CSA approved

Generating Energy with Wind a Short Discussion 

GE Wind Energy's 3.6 megawatt wind turbine is one of the largest prototypes ever erected. Larger wind turbines are more efficient and cost effective.

Early in the twentieth century, windmills were commonly used across the Great Plains to pump water and to generate electricity.

How Wind Turbines Work

 Wind is a form of solar energy. Winds are caused by the uneven heating of the atmosphere by the sun, the irregularities of the earth's surface, and rotation of the earth. Wind flow patterns are modified by the earth's terrain, bodies of water, and vegetation. Humans use this wind flow, or motion energy, for many purposes: sailing, flying a kite, and even generating electricity. The terms wind energy or wind power describe the process by which the wind is used to generate mechanical power or electricity. Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy in the wind into mechanical power. This mechanical power can be used for specific tasks (such as grinding grain or pumping water) or a generator can convert this mechanical power into electricity.

So how do wind turbines make electricity? Simply stated, a wind turbine works the opposite of a fan. Instead of using electricity to make wind, like a fan, wind turbines use wind to make electricity. The wind turns the blades, which spin a shaft, which connects to a generator and makes electricity.

Types of Wind Turbines

 Modern wind turbines fall into two basic groups: the horizontal-axis variety, as shown in the photo, and the vertical-axis design, like the eggbeater-style Darrieus model, named after its French inventor. Horizontal-axis wind turbines typically either have two or three blades. These three-bladed wind turbines are operated "upwind," with the blades facing into the wind.

Photo of a large, three-bladed wind turbine. GE Wind Energy's 3.6 megawatt wind turbine is one of the largest prototypes ever erected. Larger wind turbines are more efficient and cost effective.

Sizes of Wind Turbines

 Utility-scale turbines range in size from 100 kilowatts to as large as several megawatts. Larger turbines are grouped together into wind farms, which provide bulk power to the electrical grid. Single small turbines, below 100 kilowatts, are used for homes, telecommunications dishes, or water pumping. Small turbines are sometimes used in connection with diesel generators, batteries, and photovoltaic systems. These systems are called hybrid wind systems and are typically used in remote, off-grid locations, where a connection to the utility grid is not available. Wind energy offers many advantages, which explains why it's the fastest-growing energy source in the world. Research efforts are aimed at addressing the challenges to greater use of wind energy.

Advantages

 Wind energy is fueled by the wind, so it's a clean fuel source. Wind energy doesn't pollute the air like power plants that rely on combustion of fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas. Wind turbines don't produce atmospheric emissions that cause acid rain or greenhouse gasses. Wind energy is a domestic source of energy, produced in the United States. The nation's wind supply is abundant. Wind energy relies on the renewable power of the wind, which can't be used up. Wind is actually a form of solar energy; winds are caused by the heating of the atmosphere by the sun, the rotation of the earth, and the earth's surface irregularities. Wind energy is one of the lowest-priced renewable energy technologies available today, costing between 4 and 6 cents per kilowatt-hour, depending upon the wind resource and project financing of the particular project. Wind turbines can be built on farms or ranches, thus benefiting the economy in rural areas, where most of the best wind sites are found. Farmers and ranchers can continue to work the land because the wind turbines use only a fraction of the land. Wind power plant owners make rent payments to the farmer or rancher for the use of the land.

LEADING THE WAY TO THE FUTURE TODAY HALE BUILDING AND DESIGNS