Sunsmart Technologies Seeks to Bring Solar to NW Missouri

Sunsmart Technologies, a startup solar company based in Phoenix, recently expanded its operations into Kansas City, where they have put some solar panels on some roofs there. Now, they are seeking to expand into Northwest Missouri. The business moves make perfect sense seeking that Missouri is seeking to be 15% renewable by 2021. That was one of the reasons that they chose Missouri over Hawaii when deciding where to open a second office. Another consideration was the fact that KCP&L pays up to a 50% rebate to customers who put solar panels on their homes under their Custom Rebate Program. All projects by KCP&L customers must be pre-approved before work begins; customers with projects that have already started or completed are not eligible for these benefits. Approval is not guaranteed; all such projects must have a societal benefit that exceeds the cost as judged by KCP&L according to KCP&L’s website. Energy Saving measures that are part of the Standard Rebate Program are ineligible for the Custom Rebate Program.

Sunsmart was recently featured in Northland, a magazine that does features on Kansas City area businesses. They employ around 20 people and are headquartered in Gladstone, MO. They provide full service installations of photovoltaic systems to commercial and residential customers. They are located at 701 NE 76th Street in Gladstone, MO; their phone number is (816) 298-7619.

There are other benefits available as well. The USDA pays up to 25% of installation costs for solar for farms and ranches in rural areas. The federal government currently provides a 30% tax credit for solar installation costs. And utility companies are required by law in Missouri to pay $2 per watt for solar electricity installed by customers.

With both federal and state incentives for solar energy, it has created a highly competitive business environment for solar and other alternative energy companies as it provides a major growth industry. And with gas prices rising back to $4 per gallon recently, it will create even more incentive as existing firms may look to get into solar and wind.

Sunsmart is just one of many firms seeking a share of the emerging market of solar. The site Angie’s List, a site where customers can review businesses, lists 59 solar panel installers in the Kansas City area alone. The ones that establish themselves will be the ones who prove themselves knowledgeable about government programs, are able to provide quality service, and who are able to stand behind their work after the job is completed.

The Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit allows people to take up to 30% of their tax credit for solar water heaters, photovoltaics, and other solar electric technologies placed in service after 2008 with no maximum. Solar water heating property must be certified by SRCC (a solar rating corporation) or a comparable entity endorsed by Missouri. At least half the energy used to heat the dwelling’s water must be from solar. The credit expires on December 31st, 2016.

The USDA provides grants and loans for rural agricultural producers. The following is information from the USDA website. The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) provides financial assistance to agricultural producers and rural small businesses in rural America to purchase, install, and construct renewable energy systems; make energy efficiency improvements to non-residential buildings and facilities; use renewable technologies that reduce energy consumption; and participate in energy audits, renewable energy development assistance, and feasibility studies.

The REAP Renewable Energy System Grant and Loan Guarantee provides financial assistance to agriculture producers and rural small business for the specific purpose of purchasing, installing and constructing renewable energy systems.  This type of assistance may require that a business level feasibility study be completed by an independent qualified consultant as part of the application.

USDA grants can cover up to 25% of the cost of the project. USDA loans and grants combined can cover up to 75% of the cost of projects. This program is competitive, meaning that not everyone will be approved.
The Better Business Bureau advises prospective customers to do their homework before choosing a solar installer like they would any other major contractor. The BBB advises customers to determine if solar energy is right for you, consider all the costs associated with solar energy, stay informed about state and federal incentive programs, be cautious of installers that promise no out of pocket costs prior to reviewing your specific situation, be leery if an installer suggests obtaining credit for the full amount of the system, make sure your roof is in good condition to sustain a solar panel system, and understand how solar energy works. The BBB says that if one’s electric bill is less than $100 per month, there are usually other ways of saving energy that cost less.

United Electric customers can get a low-cost energy audit to help them determine how to meet their energy needs. According to their website, United Electric Cooperative will perform home energy audits for members and recommend weatherization improvements. The Cooperative will charge $100 for the audit, with the full amount refundable if the member makes recommended improvements within 6 months of the audit. United Electric Cooperative will also match up to 50% of the cost for improvements, up to a maximum of $500. Each member who schedules an audit will receive a free energy efficiency kit that includes a water heater wrap, hot water pipe wrap, CFLs, insulation kits for electrical outlets and switches, low flow shower head, caulk and weather stripping. Members can contact their Member Services Department for more information on the home energy audits.

Washington Nuclear Waste Reservation Leaking

The Hanford (WA) Nuclear Waste Reservation is leaking waste and there is no easy solution to the problem. While the government assures people that the area is still safe, it is only going to become a worse problem over time should it continue to leak waste into local rivers. The Hanford facility is similar to the Sheridan Water system in that the government is dealing with aging infrastructure. In Sheridan, the city is dealing with water infrastructure that was built around 1950 and that is now creating water main breaks. In Hanford, there is a tank that was built in 1943 and 1944 that is storing 447,000 gallons of waste that is starting to leak waste. Given Sheridan's experience with aging infrastructure, Hanford is a problem that will only get worse over time even though the government is currently assuring everyone that there is no danger.

It is the federal government's responsibility to dispose of the waste. However, unless Congress passes a budget bill, there will be massive budget cuts under sequestration rules, meaning that a festering problem that already has no easy answers will only get worse unchecked. The government was supposed to build a new facility to handle the waste; however, it is billions of dollars over budget and way behind schedule and the Department of Energy is running out of available space to move waste to safer facilities.

Defenders of nuclear power argue that the alternative is coal; however, coal is a finite resource and not a long-term energy solution. The nuclear disaster in Japan as well as the Hanford mess undermines arguments for nuclear power as a solution to American energy needs. In the meantime, wind and solar energy have the potential for growth since they are infinite resources and they are much safer to convert to energy. The challenge for the government and solar and wind companies will be to make it cheaper to produce and thus make it a viable alternative.

Editorial: Coal -- Not a Viable Long-Term Solution

Right now, our politicians are dragging our feet when it comes to creating energy independence and creating a strong economy that is not dependent on the whims of world leaders and foreign dictators. Case in point -- Chicago, where certain politicians there are dragging their feet on shutting down one of the dirtiest coal plants in the country, the Fisk & Crawford Plants. Located right in the middle of Chicago, the Fisk & Crawford plant emits so much pollution that patio furniture in the neighborhood is literally covered with soot. These plants were put in place with the promise of jobs and economic development, then the property values went down -- after all, who wants to live near a coal plant? Consequently, the only people who live near these places are people who can't afford to live anywhere else.

Mike Huckabee, who recently decided not to run for President, had a good idea which he put into action as Governor of Arkansas -- he put in a plan for preventative health, which saved taxpayers millions of dollars worth of healthcare costs. Herewith my suggestion -- focus on preventative health by phasing out dirty power sources such as coal and retrain the workers to do cleaner sources such as solar and wind. According to the University of Harvard, that would save $1 trillion in taxpayer money -- no more need for Obamacare or the need for us to purchase a private product in order to keep the IRS from assessing thousands of dollars against our taxes. The Fisk and Crawford plant alone caused 41 premature deaths and 550 visits to the emergency room for allergies such as asthma. In addition, there are 500,000 premature deaths in the US and 750,000 (at least) in China due to coal.

Now that Bin Laden is dead, we can start thinking about cutting funds for Afghanistan and how and when to get out. We can free up some funds so that we can put a wind farm or a solar plant in every town in the country -- our towns could sell the electricity to customers or to utilities and create a new source of income, as could the county. We can invest in math and science so that we can find ways of doing it cheaper so that we can reach the tipping point at which it would be cheaper to produce than conventional sources -- that would benefit our local schools. And we can put hybrid plants in every town the size of Maryville or bigger so that we can starve the Arabs before the next Bin Laden comes along. Yet certain politicians would rather be happy going the same tired old politics as usual. If we go that route, then the next 9/11 is an accident waiting to happen.

Passive Solar Greenhouses Store Heat Year-Round

Passive solar greenhouses
store sun’s heat in barrels of water
Inexpensive passive solar greenhouses heated only by sunlight falling on 55-gallon barrels of water are effective for growing plants year-round, said a University of Missouri Extension specialist.
Heat from sunlight is stored in water-filled barrels during the day and radiates at night, replacing use of fossil fuel, said Eric Lawman, an agronomy research specialist at the Bradford Research and Extension Center (BREC) near Columbia.
"Passive solar greenhouses extend the growing season and allow plant production year-round," Lawman said.
Temperatures inside an experimental passive solar greenhouse at BREC did not fall below freezing during the past two winters, Lawman said, while daytime temperatures have reached into the 80s. There is a similar greenhouse at the MU Southwest Center in Mt. Vernon.
The greenhouses measure 24 feet long, 12 feet wide and 12 feet high. The 2-1-1 ratio is important for such greenhouses to be effective.
"It allows adequate surface area for sunlight and minimal inside area to lessen heat dissipation during dark hours," Lawman said.
To capture as much sunlight as possible, the greenhouse has an east-west orientation, with a sloped south-facing wall. Geographic latitude determines the ideal slope angle; for central Missouri, the south-wall glazing should be about 45 degrees. The sloped wall consists of two layers of clear plastic spaced 6 inches apart. A small inflator fan pushes air between the sheets, creating a zone of dead air that serves as additional insulation.
The other walls contain fiberglass insulation sandwiched between metal siding on the outside and particleboard on the inside. The white, waterproof particleboard reflects heat into the barrels.
To extend the growing season, the greenhouse needs 2.5 gallons of water per square foot of glazing, Lawman said. For all-season growing, the requirement is 5 gallons per square foot. Thermostat-controlled shutters and exhaust fans remove excess heat as needed.
The greenhouse at BREC cost about $3,000 to build. "If you can build a shed, you can build one of these greenhouses," Lawman said.
Throughout winter, growers can produce cold-season crops such as lettuce, carrots and strawberries. Some plants can be started from seedlings, he said. Construction details and photographs are online at http://aes.missouri.edu/bradford/education/solar-greenhouse/solar-greenhouse.php.