Adair Solar

Speaking for solar energy

Patrick Dempsey was the star at a recent Beverly Hills bash celebrating the power of solar energy and the amazing sustainability that solar panels can provide us all, from home owners to shop owners, and more. According to Renewable Energy World, the evening was a smashing success, and Dempsey is every bit the proponent for solar energy use we thought he was.

“The invited guests included solar professionals and solar advocates, as well as Los Angeles County school officials and representatives from Dempsey’s charities, some of which have already received solar donations through the Trina-Dempsey partnership.

’15 Minutes’ refers to the fact that 15 minutes of sunlight falling on the earth is the equivalent of the power used by the entire planet in a year.  Of course, Trina’s intent isn’t just to harness more solar power, but also Dempsey’s star power to generate increased brand awareness in the residential sector, as well as for its overall corporate image.”

While we have nothing against Beverly Hills or California in general, we’d love to see a celebrity here in Arizona promoting the use of rooftop solar panels in Phoenix for home owners and commercial spaces as well.

Renewable Energy World goes on to tell us, “a recent solar market survey shows that 66 percent of California home solar installations in 2009, 2010, and part of 2011 have been in zip codes with median annual household incomes of less than $85,000 per year. In addition, the report — partially sponsored by SunRun — also shows that 25 percent of its customers earn less than $50,000 per year, which is squarely in the middle class.”

So why not Phoenix? Let’s get on board with more rooftop solar installations in Phoenix and show America that Phoenix is the force to be reckoned with when it comes to making use of solar energy to power our lives!

It gets hot fast in Phoenix!

Every year we’re met by the same wonderful people, it seems. Each couple that decides on “finally” installing rooftop solar panels in Phoenix says the same thing: “I sure wish we would have done this back in March!” Okay, sometimes they say April or May, but you get the idea–it gets hot in Phoenix early, and often, right out of the clear blue.

So we thought we would take this opportunity in mid-February to let you know to stop waiting–go ahead and install your rooftop solar panels in Phoenix now! Not only will it start saving you money right away (even though it’s cold–63 degrees Fahrenheit!) but it will ready you for use when the summer months do come. And what else? Well, you will get to take advantage of those solar tax credits and solar rebates from both the state and federal government–we never know when either could be set to expire or change, so now is the time to make your decision about installing solar panels in Mesa and beyond.

Here in Arizona, you are welcome to use the sun’s energy all throughout the year. The best part of Arizona living is that the sun shines through each and every season of the year, making this the country’s top spot to take advantage of solar energy and harness it to power your home!

If you’re interested in having a FREE in-home consultation done on your Arizona home, just call us today at (480) 827-1162 and you can set an appointment for any time you like.

Adair Solar Company in Mesa is here to serve your solar needs no matter what the season!

How Echo PV works. Photo credit: Solar Thermal Magazine

Many of you have asked us questions about our new product offering, Echo PV in Phoenix. To learn more about how an Echo PV installation works, and what it makes use of in order to work, click here for our previous blog about Echo PV.

But in this blog, we’re going to address some of your other questions. Many of you had asked us if Echo PV could only be installed on new construction homes. While it is certainly possible to install an Echo PV during new construction, that’s absolutely not the ONLY time it can be installed on your home.

Echo PV can be installed on homes of all makes and models, from cottage style to larger McCormick Ranch style homes and more. One thing you do need to know ahead of time is that an Echo PV install is an undertaking, and is a more intensive installation process than a simple rooftop solar panel install or solar water heater installation in Phoenix.

Not every single home is a candidate for Echo PV, but we won’t be able to determine that until one of our solar technicians comes out to your home to inspect your roof and other areas of your home structure for integrity, and so on. The Echo PV installation process does require that we remove your roof, so if this is something you’ve wanted to replace anyway for better efficiency, now would be the time to get that handled too!

Call Adair Solar Company in Mesa with your questions about Echo PV or to set up your consultation. Simply dial (480) 827-1162. You’ll be glad you did!

working on a solar farm install

In the past year, we’ve noticed that stories about solar energy by way of solar farms and solar arrays are on the rise big time. So why is that? Here in Arizona, we’ve received more than a billion dollars in revenue from the Department of Energy to start making solar power more feasible for everyone from students to homeowners, and business owners to those who are just plainly tapped into the grid–renters and apartment dwellers alike.

So is this some sort of solar fad? We don’t think so. As you scan the reports and news stories about solar energy, you come to find more and more stories about its widespread use, not less and less as some opponents might have you believe. Everywhere from China and Japan to former Eastern Block Europe are creating solar farms, and they are now the norm in countries like Denmark and Sweden.

The US isn’t far behind in implementation, it’s juts some of the thinking that needs to catch up. The Garden State of New Jersey still leads the pack as the most solar energy-using state, but many others are closely tailing it, including New York, California, Nevada, New Mexico, and you guessed it, Arizona!

The best way to make good use of energy in the desert is to take advantage of the natural resource we have in the sun. What could be more effective than harnessing such power where the sun shines more than 330 days out of the year?

If you’re ready to harness the sun with rooftop solar panels in Phoenix, then we are here to help you make that happen. Adair Solar Company in Mesa has been providing solar panels and solar water heaters in Phoenix for more than three decades.

In addition, Adair offers Arizona solar tax credits and solar rebates as a certified solar equipment installer. So what are you waiting for? Let us come give you a free in-home consultation to determine what solar credits you are eligible for and get your solar installation in Phoenix started today!

[[Call today for your free in-home consultation for a solar installation from Adair Solar Company in Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Chandler, Tempe, and beyond by calling (480) 827-1162.]]

Echo PV, similar to Sydney's new solar project

We love this story out of Sydney, Australia, because it reminds us a lot of what our own Echo PV solar equipment does. In an article released by The Sydney Morning Herald, writer Ben Cubby discusses how a new solar roof project underway in Sydney will make use of the power that is typically wasted to heat both the air and the water in a residence or other structure.

Cubby tells us, “A NEW form of solar panel that warms air and water as well as generating electricity is being developed by Sydney researchers. The twist in the University of NSW project is that the solar cells are integrated into the structural fabric of a building, so rather than being attached to a roof, they are the roof.”

Much like our Phoenix solar installations that use Echo PV, the idea is to use otherwise underutilized air that moves over the home structure. By harnessing this energy, Echo PV in Phoenix–and this new technology in Australia–are able to create vast amounts of energy saving. So guess what, Adair Solar Company in Phoenix is ahead of the curve!

Cubby goes on to tell us more about the project and how it will work, adding, “The project is also looking at carving out a place for Australian manufacture of some products if possible, with several firms monitoring the progress of the research.”

We love the sound of this. Imagine the jobs we could create here in Arizona if we took a page from Sydney’s book. By creating the new technologies right here at home, and using local scientists who are the ones who know everything about how the desert and sun in Arizona work to create energy, we wouldn’t just be creating awesome energy solutions, we’d be creating jobs that Arizonans badly need!

We hope that this new technology will take hold in Sydney and continue to grow from there. Here in Phoenix, Echo PV is a relatively new technology, but one that makes a huge difference for homeowners. If a solar water heater installation in Phoenix can save you hundred per year, imagine what a system that converts unused air moving above your house could do for your utility bills!

[[Call today for your free in-home consultation for a solar installation from Adair Solar Company in Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Chandler, Tempe, and beyond by calling (480) 827-1162.]]

Now that's a green idea!

There are a lot of little things you can do to save electricity in Phoenix or anywhere else. A lot of these little things will add up and over time, save you money and also make your carbon footprint that much lighter. While it’s great to conserve electricity, going too far with this kind of effort can hamper your life. So instead of living in a black cave with the fans and all appliances turned off at all times, why don’t you try some of these simple tips instead?

1. Change every possible light bulb you can to high efficiency bulbs–you know, the kind that look like pigtails. Not all look this way–for example, outdoor lights and other smaller indoor lights (like the ones on your chandelier) won’t have that classic pigtail look, but that doesn’t mean they’re not out there. You can find them at most hardware stores.

2. Install timers on bathroom lights–when guests come over or there are kids in the house, bathroom lights seem to stay on at all times. This is a waste of energy that can be resolved quickly with the same kind of timer you see in restaurant bathrooms.

3. If you have kids, set up a reward program (like stickers for example) for remembering to turn off lights when they leave a given area or room in the house. One Scooby Doo sticker could reduce your monthly utility bill and be worth it’s weight in gold!

4. Instead of constantly fussing with the thermostat, decide as a family what the temp stays at, set it there, and leave it be. Believe it or not, changing the temperature–even if you’re changing it to a more conservative than comfortable setting–can negatively impact your electricity bill because as soon as someone else cranks it again, the a/c has to compensate for this change and work harder.

5. Get photovoltaic rooftop solar panels installed on your house in Phoenix! Now we realize this last one is a little more of a commitment than changing the bulbs in the chandelier, but it’s worth doing and doing right. If you want to learn more about how it works and how it actually is affordable for the average homeowner, give us a call for a FREE in-home consultation.

We will come to your home and explain the solar tax credits and rebates to you and you can find out exactly what you’re eligible for in a Phoenix solar panel installation. What have you got to lose? Let us save you hundreds of dollars a year on your electricity bill! (480) 827-1162

For years scientists and other solar energy experts have been trying to figure out a way to make solar panels work in the same way that plants work using photosynthesis. Until recently, it has pretty much seemed like a pipe dream. But Andreas Mershin of MIT

Could grass be the future of solar panels?

has turned the idea that it can’t be done on its head by… doing it!

Essentially, it’s possible to take grass clippings and other organic materials and marry them to a chemical mixture to create solar panels that make use of the photosynthetic properties that living plants have in nature. In this way, solar panels that are made using this technology will be able to harness the power of the sun in a whole new way that will in most instances be even more efficient than what science offers us now for rooftop solar panels in Phoenix and beyond.

Some opponents of this idea believe that while the technology is good and will probably work, most government entities won’t get behind it because of how “new fangled” the theory seems. But we feel differently. While it may not be how we bring solar energy to homes next week or even next year, it’s evidence that great thinkers are in the world of, and on the side of solar energy. Even if this technology doesn’t come into play for another decade, the fact that it ever will can make solar energy that much more sustainable, and literally, that much greener.

By showing us how this can be done, Mershin has created a whole new world of opportunity for those who live in regions where buying or using conventional solar panels just isn’t an option due to cost and availability. By painting a mixture of grass clippings and a natural chemical agent onto slats on their roofs, people residing in third world countries will one day be able to enjoy the cost-saving benefits of solar energy the way we do here in the United States. We’re all for it!

[[Call today for your free in-home consultation for a solar installation from Adair Solar Company in Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Chandler, Tempe, and beyond by calling (480) 827-1162.]]

A new campaign lead by the Solar Electric Light Fund is on firm footing now, and MarketWatch discussed today what they’re up to. For a basic understanding of what this campaign proposes to do, read the below excerpt:

“The Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF), a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit working to eliminate energy poverty through the use of solar power, today announced that it is launching ‘Energy is a Human Right,’ a campaign to provide a voice to the nearly 1.5 billion people around the world living without access to electricity and other forms of modern energy. It is also calling upon the international development community and general public to join the campaign by visiting www.EnergyIsAHumanRight.com to show their support for those living in energy poverty, and to learn how they can help provide energy access to assist in their economic, education, health and agricultural development.”

As a small local business and as a solar equipment installer in Phoenix, AZ, we support the SELF campaign. We invite and encourage Arizonans to visit the campaign’s website by clicking here.

SELF has been using solar energy across the world for more than a decade, bringing light and indeed hope to regions of the world that had neither. The story of SELF and their new human rights campaign tells the story of the power of solar energy–it’s not just a way to cheapen energy costs in places like the United States, it’s also a way to BRING any kind of energy to places it has never previously been even imagined.

We wish the Energy is a Human Right campaign all the best and will continue to track their progress and keep you posted.

[[Call today for your free in-home consultation for a solar installation from Adair Solar Company in Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Chandler, Tempe, and beyond by calling (480) 827-1162.]]

As a Phoenix solar installation company with 35 years of service under our belt, we know you have choices when it comes to choosing a solar installer in Phoenix and the surrounding area. With that said, we want you to be aware of what your choosing when you decide which solar company in Phoenix to go with. So here are a few of the services, accreditations, and accolades Adair Solar Company in Mesa offers that you need to be looking for in a solar provider that installs solar water heaters, rooftop solar panels, radiant barrier insulation, and other home efficiency equipment in Arizona.

1. Is the company you’re using to install solar equipment in Arizona certified and licensed to do so? This is important in the same way it’s important to hire a licensed contractor to build an addition to your home–if he or she is not licensed, you could be left with serious issues they can’t or won’t tend to when the dust settles or if you have issues with your installation, equipment, or service.

2. Does the company offer warranties on solar equipment in Phoenix? If so, do they have a track record of honoring those warranties? Does the warranty cover both the equipment and the installation/performance? At Adair Solar Company in Mesa, all of this is warrantied extensively–up to 12 years.

3. Does the solar equipment provider and local Phoenix solar installer you have chosen have a record with the Better Business Bureau? If so, is it good? Adair Solar is proud of its 35 years of service with a BBB rating of excellent.

4. Does the solar company in Phoenix you’re considering have the Financing Seal of Approval? Adair Solar does. This means we can assist you in finding and obtaining the solar tax credits and rebates you need to lower the cost from a Phoenix solar installation company when providing you with solar equipment as well as the service required to get it into your home.

Make sure your Phoenix solar installation company is one that you can answer “yes” to regarding each of the above questions. And remember, we’re here to help and offer FREE in-home consultations to those interested in solar water heaters, rooftop solar panels in Phoenix and much more! Just dial (480) 827-1162 to get started today!

Save $$ this summer with a solar install now!

Well, more great solar energy news for the great state of Arizona folks! In an effort to jump start even more interest in solar power for residential homeowners, Phoenix-area utilities companies APS and SRP have started to incentivize their programs to make installing solar panels in Phoenix more financially attractive.

APS now offers a 75-cent per watt rebate on most solar panel systems and rooftop solar panels in Phoenix, and SRP is currently offering $1 per watt, decreasing the overall cost of your initial install by thousands of dollars.

But don’t forget about the federal tax credits for solar installations in Arizona too–some of which offer up to 30 percent off the initial cost for solar equipment in Phoenix and beyond. Lastly, the state of Arizona currently offers a state solar tax credit of up to $1,000 for homeowners taking the leap to save energy, lower pollution, and lower the cost of living. With these kinds of solar tax rebates and credits available to you on the state, federal, and utility provider levels, the cost of your Phoenix solar install just dropped faster than a lead balloon!

If you have lived in Phoenix long enough to experience one of our lovely summers, then you’ve also had the pleasure of opening up your monthly APS or SRP statement. Just before you passed out and hit your head on the nice, hot tile floor in your house, you wondered, “Is there a better way? There must be a way to cool this house more cheaply!”

There is, and that’s exactly where Adair Solar Company in Mesa comes in. Our highly knowledgeable solar technicians will visit your home at no cost to you and let you know what your Phoenix solar installation options are. In addition, they will inform you of which solar tax credits and rebates you can successfully apply for and those on the state and federal level that you are eligible for.

It’s that easy! So while it seems wonderful and fresh outside on this late January day, think about what it will feel like on a late July day in six months. And then try not to pass out when you remember how much you paid to keep your desert home cooled last year!

Call us today to get started on your FREE in-home consultation: (480) 827-1162. Enjoy the winter while it lasts!