Now Foodlink can not only help our communities foodshelf, but they can now be sustainable and power their rolling mobile truck with solar power from the sun!!

Our thanks to Foodlink for making this wonderful sustainable energy project possible!

Foodlink Truck Rochester New York

Renewable Rochester in the news on YNN

What was once considered technology of the future is increasingly a part of the present. Solar panels are everywhere today helping light up signs in town parks and reducing energy costs at area businesses.

Shawn Lessord realized these panels would become a big part of many future homebuilders’ plans, and that is why he teamed up with Viola Homes two years ago and started Renewable Rochester.

They design and install solar panel systems that fit on your roof or are installed in your yard.

“I’ve been in the renewable energy business for about 15 years,” Lessord said. “And I’ve seen the market grow over the years from a few installations to many, many, many systems in one year.”

Lessord says they’re installing those systems in area businesses, vineyards and increasingly in private homes.

They start with an assessment of your home, then determine how many panels you might need. Power from those panels go through a conduit and into your electric box. These inventors monitor everything.

Lessord says Renewable Rochester employs three installers and two people in the office, two who were just recently hired this year as the company continues to grow. He said they’ve seen a 15 percent increase in business from last year as more and more businesses and homeowners start seeing the savings.

“It reduces your electric bill so you can be a sustainable home that uses much less electricity than it used to,” Lessord added. “Many of the electric bills for many of our homeowners is only $20.”

Lessord says these solar panels work throughout the year, even through and under Rochester’s snowy winters.

They can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000.

“You can get federal tax credits, 30 percent. A state tax credit, 20 percent. There’s also a NYSERDA where they offer a cash incentive to do these,” Lessord said.” A $20,000 system could end up costing you $5,000 when all is said and done.”

Lessord expects prices will continue to come down and more businesses spring up as the technology gets better and better.

“Energy companies, HVAC companies, companies who never were into solar industry are starting to do solar so that tells me there’s definitely an interest and a demand there and I see Renewable Rochester as one of those companies,” Lessord said.” We want to see this happen in Rochester.”

This garage has two solar electric systems on it. Both are premier Sunpower systems. One is a standard inverter option, while the other is an ACPV option and uses AC solar panels.

In this solar application; the garage is back-feeding power to the home. The solar will charge these homeowners Chevy Electric Volt and provide all the electric for the garage before sending it to their home for use. If there is leftover electric it will get sent back to the utility grid for credits.

Victor NY Solar Home

This Victor New York home features a new solar electric system featuring the new SunPower SPR-225ACPV solar panels. This Victor New York homeowner has also has complimented their home with a 10Kw Bergey wind turbine, and they even drive an electric Chevy Volt!!

Our thanks to this homeowner, NYSERDA, Town of East Bloomfield, RGE, and their utility for making this project possible.

Webster home with solar panels and electric car

Webster New York couple Dan and Sandy Hollands go green with not only solar panels, but an electric car. The solar panels provide power to their home, while they no longer pay for gas at the pumps!

Electric cars and solar panels are a new concept in the Rochester New York area. This home is the first of it’s kind to use SunPower solar panels, and a General Electric charging station in our area. This home is expected to save over $500/year in electric costs from the utility and that power will be used to power their electric car!!

A Webster couple is using the sun to not only power part of their home, but also their electric car. 

For as long as he can remember, Dan Hollands has wanted an electric car. He was finally able to fulfill that wish when ford started selling the electric Focus in our area last June.

“I was the first one that called up and said put me on your list for the electric car,” says Hollands.

The retired electric engineer knew it would save him money. But he didn’t realize just how much he’d enjoy it until he got behind the wheel. “We love it. Once you drive an electric car, you will never want to go back to a gas powered car. The quietness, the acceleration, the way it handles, there i just no comparison,” says Hollands.

The car plugs into a station in his garage. He gets about 75 miles to the charge. He figured what he was paying for electricity would be about the same as paying a dollar a gallon for gas. Which got him thinking….”it wasn’t part of the original plan but our house is perfectly situated for solar panels and over the last few years I said gee wouldn’t it be neat to have a solar panel.0″

While electric cars like these have been gaining in popularity the idea of pairing it with solar panels is a relatively new concept. Shawn Lessord of Renewable Rochester installed 12 panels on the Hollands roof.

“Over the years I have seen how solar panels can reduce people’s electric bills down to nothing. Now with the combination of cars being in the mix it’s a pretty exciting thing,” says Lessord.

A new way to save money and the environment at the same time.

Webster New York Electric Car

View the Going Green report on NEWS8 Rochester here http://rochesterhomepage.net/fulltext/?nxd_id=365672

Our thanks to the Town of Webster, NYSERDA, SunPower, RGE and this homeowner for making this project possible!!

IREC SOLAR TRENDS 2012

 Read more at Solar Market Trends 2011 Report

Renewable Rochester project cover photo of Penguin Bay Vineyard solar project!!

PV capacity for installations doubled in 2011 compared to 2010

Source: IREC Press Release
August 15, 2012 

August 15, 2012.  Latham, NY – Despite some high-profile negative news stories about solar in 2011, solar markets are booming in the United States, says Larry Sherwood, President of Sherwood Associates, and author of the 2011 Solar Market Trends Report from the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, Inc.   Falling photovoltaic prices, strong consumer demand, and financial incentives from the federal government, states and utilities meant that twice as much photovoltaic solar was installed in 2011, as was installed in 2010.

This annual report compiles and analyzes public data on U.S. solar installations by technology, state and market sector for 2011.   It covers solar technologies that produce electricity, including photovoltaics (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP).

“More than 1.8 GW_DC of photovoltaic installations were completed in 2011 at 64,000 sites,” said Sherwood.  “More utility-scale systems, and an increase in the average system size accounted for this dramatic growth.”

By the end of 2011, there was twice as much PV capacity in larger utility and non-residential solar systems than there had been when the year began. Growth of the total installed capacity of utility and non-residential systems was dramatic, growing by 145% and 132% respectively, compared with 2010. State renewable portfolio requirements are an important reason for the large growth in the utility sector.

In contrast, residential installations grew by 24% on a capacity basis, a much slower, while still healthy, rate.

“IREC’s highly anticipated annual report points to continued growth in grid-connected PV, along with the continuation of the trend of higher growth rates for larger installations,” says Jane Weissman, IREC’s Executive Director.

Solar is continuing to be a more diversified resource in the U.S.  While California remains the largest U.S. market, with about 29% of the U.S. capacity installed in 2011, the amount of PV capacity installed in Arizona, California, Hawaii, New Jersey, New Mexico and New York in 2011 was at least double the capacity installed in each state in 2010.

“In fact, California’s number this year represents a significant drop in market share from the 68% recorded five years ago, in 2006,” said Sherwood.

Many large solar projects began construction in 2011 in order to take advantage of the 1603 Treasury Grant Program. Most of these installations, both distributed and utility-sector projects, will be completed in 2012 through 2016.

“Since projects that begin construction in 2012 will no longer have the cash grant option,” said Sherwood,  “developers will need to find entities, such as banks and insurance companies, with tax bills large enough to take advantage of remaining tax credits.”

This year, Sherwood included three ‘Top 10’ lists:

• The Annual Top 10 ranks states by the amount of grid-connected PV capacity installed in 2011;
• The Cumulative Top 10 ranks states by the cumulative amount of grid-connected PV capacity installed through 2011; and
• The Per Capita Top 10 ranks states by the amount of PV capacity per capita they had installed cumulatively through 2011.

Leading the pack for both installations in 2011 and cumulative installations are California, New Jersey, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Pennsylvania.  On a per capita basis, Hawaii and Nevada join these top-tier states.

Prices for PV installations fell in 2011, and all indicators point to a continued decline in 2012. Lower PV prices raise the potential for installations in states without state or local incentives. The number of states with strong solar markets is increasing, although Sherwood predicts installations in 2012 will continue to be concentrated in states with strong solar policies.

Over the near term, the prospect for growth in solar installations is bright. Early indicators point to continued market growth in 2012 due to the federal solar investment tax credit (ITC), state renewable portfolio standards, and completion of installations begun by the end of 2011 in order to participate in the 1603 Treasury Grant Program. Companies have announced plans for many large solar electric projects, including both PV and CSP projects.  Some of these projects are under construction and will come on-line between 2012 and 2016.

“Reductions in PV module prices, continuation of the federal investment tax credit and strong state Renewable Portfolio Standards will help drive market growth,” said Sherwood.

Download the Full Report

This Ontario New York Home  has gone solar and in a big way. Take a solar electric system, and put it together with a battery based grid connected system and you have a system that gives this homeowner backup when the utility power goes out!!

Not only does this system provide power to the utility and they are helping reduce the utilities demand on hot summer days, but they have the added security of knowing that if the power should go out, that they will have backup power for many days!

Ontario New York Home with Solar

This Ontario New York Home with Solar uses the latest Outback Power System. It can be used with many types of solar panels and is flexible and can be combined with various types of backup power from generators, wind, hydro, and more!

These systems are fully automatic, and provide years and decades of solar power. There is nothing that needs to be done if the grid goes down and you still have power when your neighbors don’t. Let the power of the sun provide your battery backup and renewable energy power!

Our thanks to the Town of Ontario, NYSERDA, RGE, and this homeowner for making this project possible!

Brighton New York Solar Panels

This 5.52Kw solar PV system uses the latest SunPower solar panels which are all black and have no grid lines. SunPower solar panels are backed by a 25 year USA company and have the most powerful solar panels available at this time.

This system will be able to be monitored on the web the homeowner will be able to view their production and other environmental calculations with the SunPower monitoring system.

If you are looking to find a way to reduce your electric bills, be environmentally sustainable, and lock in your electric costs for the next 40 years, then make the choice to go solar!!!

Our thanks to the Town of Brighton, RGE, NYSERDA and this homeowner for making this project possible.

Solar Equipment

Mars Exploration Science Rover (New)

Mars land rover

This Greece New York Solar Panel Installation is using the latest Sunpower Solar systems and will provide a large portion of this homeowners electric needs. This 4Kw system is our most common system that we install and will provide most power for the average home in the Rochester New York area.

Greece New York Solar Panel Installation

This 4Kw PV system will increase this homeowners home value by thousands of dollars and make the resale value much better. This system is a commitment to sustainable renewable power generation and many homeowners are now installing solar panels like this Greece New York couple.

Solar panels on Greece New York homes are getting more popular every year!!  Shawn Lessord Senior Project Manager for Renewable Rochester says, “I remember the first solar PV system being installed in Greece New York back many years ago, now this is common practice with many homeowners installing solar panels.”

You can monitor this homes performance by going to this link: GREECE NEW YORK SOLAR HOME

Our thanks to this homeowner, The Town of Greece, RGE, NYSERDA and the inspection agencies involved that made this project possible.

 LOCAL 41 IBEW CONTRACTOR

City of Buffalo Solar PV System

This solar electric installation in City of Buffalo is using the latest in SunPower solar electric modules the SPR-240ACPV. These modules make it possible to generate effective power in a shaded area as each module is independent of each other!

You can also monitor this City of Buffalo solar electric system here!!

 As you may know Buffalo New York is one of the cloudiest cities in the United States, however with new advancements in technology these solar electric systems have proven to be a reliable and powerful tool to reduce your electric bill, save you money, help the environment, and reduce your carbon footprint.

This City of Buffalo Solar PV System will produce enough energy to greatly reduce this customers electric bill and send excess power back to the electric grid for other homeowners in the area to use. This is a renewable energy power that will help the electric grid to reduce peak demand.

Our thanks to the City of Buffalo, Local 41 IBEW , NYSERDA, and National Grid for making this project possible.