My church just completed a comparison study of the costs and benefits of installing WIND vs SOLAR at our facility. For us, WIND won out big because we are in a windy area and don’t have neighbors right next door. Our 10 K Wind Turbine will cost about 25% more than a solar installation, but will generate about twice as much electricity. And we live in an area where our kilowatt costs are very high, so the payback on our investment will be faster.If you’re in a low-wind area (avg below 12 mph), then wind is not an option you want to explore. Talk to your local energy office to see if you’re in a good area wind, and if your SITE is a good site for wind.
We looked into SOLAR and learned some interesting things you might want to be aware of.
1. You gotta have the panel’s angled properly to achieve maximum efficiency. Not any roof will do. Max wattage is only generated during peak sunshine (about 4 to 5 hours a day), and if your panels are not correctly positioned, then you may never achieve what the panels are capable of.
2. Damage to solar panels by hail is not covered by the warranty. Make sure you have insurance, or high impact rated panels.
3. “Net Metering” is the way to go. Batteries are too expensive. Net-metering is taking the power generated by your wind or solar installation and routing it back INTO the utility power grid via a second meter. Your original meter tells you how much you consumed, the second “net” meter tells you have much you generated. Subtract the second from the first, and that’s what you pay the utility company for. (If you generate more than you consume, you get to ‘bank’ the surplus towards your next bill). Contact your local utility for details.
How to save 10% to 15% on your electric bill NOW….
1. Turn off the church copier at its surge protector switch when you leave the building. Many copiers simply ‘power down’ but not completely off, and consume a surprising amt of power while resting.
They now sell surge protectors which TURN THEMSELVES OFF after so many hours of non use. Do some research.
2. Turn off church computers overnight. They suck “phantom power” just idling.3. Install LED light tubes in place of flourescent tubes. They are more expensive but last forever and only use a fraction of the wattage.
4. Install TIMER switches in certain classrooms and areas where you always seem to have lights left on. They have them at the local hardware for $15 and they work just like an egg timer. For large circuits you may need to buy industrial strength timers. Put inexpensive motion-sensors in areas where people tend not to go, but lights tend to get left on.
5. Turn down the church water heater. Odds are you don’t need it real hot.
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Create an Incentive to Save Energy by “doing good” with your savings…
When we install our wind turbine, the savings we will generate will not go back into the general fund. Rather, we will REDIRECT the money we had been paying the utility company INTO 3 new mission funds.
In this way, we are creating an awareness of the BENEFITS of going green at church, and using it to remind everyone that “good stewardship of energy resources can do good works.”
“Turn off a light for the mission fund.”