Adair Solar

Solar panels hard at work in rural Tibet.

When communities come together to support one another, that’s powerful stuff. When you add solar power into the mix, the sky is the limit. Such is the case with the group of New Mexico students who joined up with Conscious Journeys and decided to hop over to Tibet to install solar panels at a medical clinic there, where there’s no doubt the power generated will go to the greatest good for all.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, “A team of students from San Juan College (New Mexico) are planning a photovoltaic (PV) installation at a medical clinic in the town of Sihurong, located on the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau.” The Chronicle continues, “The PV installation will provide electricity for lights and necessary equipment in the clinic. The students, along with solar engineer Mike Sullivan and SJU assistant professor of English Chris Strouthopoulos, will spend several weeks in the area. The students will learn about solar design and engineering in addition to undertaking cultural activities like staying with locals, visiting monasteries, and trekking in the mountains.”

Typically when you think of solar panel installations, your mind produces images of residential areas and perhaps business buildings equipped with rooftop solar panel installations put there to provide energy to those fortunate enough to live where solar energy is affordable. You may have to retrain your brain, because this is the third solar energy story we’ve blogged about this year that involves third-world regions receiving solar energy in some way. There were the schools powered by Evans Wadongo in Kenya, then the homes in South Africa that generated clean water through homemade rooftop solar cleaning mechanisms, and now this. All made possible by the sun, though this little array in Tibet is the first “professional grade” solar install we’ve written about in such instances!

But the inspiration shouldn’t be left on the page, nor should it end with the college students who brought the panels to Tibet. The “solar bug” needs to catch on more in America, and it’s our hope at Adair Solar Company in Mesa that a story like this one will inspire someone in the US who thinks that solar panels are not affordable to rethink their stance and call their local solar panel company.

If you’re ready to take that plunge and you are beginning to understand that solar energy is NOW, not later, give us a call. We’ll have an educated and experienced solar technician come out and discuss your solar options with you. From solar water heaters in Phoenix to ways to stop wasting energy like radiant barrier insulation, Adair Solar has solutions for you and your home.

(480) 827-1162 Make your FREE appointment today!

Rooftop solar panels under the Phoenix sky!

Even in 2012, and even in the sunniest desert in the United States, solar energy is still largely unknown, certainly in terms of how popular it should be by now. While rooftop solar panel installations are growing in numbers across the Valley of the Sun, still, by and large, the concept of solar energy seems to be perceived by many as a “futuristic” idea that hasn’t necessarily arrived yet.

But those in the know can tell you, solar energy use in Phoenix is very much alive and well! And now more than ever, the solar tax credits and rebates available for installing rooftop solar panels and other solar equipment in Arizona are offering smokin’ hot deals. So why do people still run and hide when they are asked to consider solar energy for their homes? Simple–they don’t know any better!

And it’s exactly because people in Phoenix don’t know about solar energy and how it can dramatically lower their cost of living that we offer FREE in-home consultations with our educated and highly experienced solar installers and technicians. They can tell you after reviewing your details and checking out the specs of your home which solar tax credits and rebates you will qualify for, and which solar equipment will best suit your needs.

At the end of the day, the idea is to create savings while also enhancing the value of your house–but another main objective is for you to be able to aptly cool your home during the Arizona summer–without going broke!

So if you’re ready to learn more about how solar energy in Phoenix works, and you’re ready to have a professional debunk the myths surrounding the cost of solar energy and the true price of a solar installation in Phoenix, give us a call! (480) 827-1162.

It’s time to increase the value of your home with a solar installation. It’s time to start saving money. It’s time to go solar. Adair Solar Company in Mesa is here for you!

Solar dye: On a solar panel coming soon...

A new press release from Science Daily explains the positive potential of new and upcoming lightweight dyes that will hopefully be perfected soon enough to take the place of many of the old types of photovoltaic solar panels we still see in use today. While many solar installers in Phoenix and beyond pride themselves on using the most modern and up to date technology available in solar panels, the truth is that what’s available for many installers to use for consumers, while relatively cutting edge, simply isn’t on par with newer discoveries like dyes that can make use of solar energy, and solar panel “stickers” such as those we have blogged about in the past.

Modern advances in solar panels shouldn’t shake consumer confidence though. Think about other technologies, such as computers. Why, you can barely get a PC or a Mac out of the store and into the car without a better, newer model showing up in the display area of Best Buy before you leave the parking lot!

Science Daily tells us, “Solar power is an essential part of the green energy mix, but adoption has been limited in many parts of the world where government subsidies and financial incentives have not been in place. However, as part of a sustainable approach to electricity generation, it offers a clear view of a future in which domestic supply relies less and less on grid power systems or else provides a localised grid for remote places, particularly in sunny climes. Photovoltaic solar cells based on poly-crystalline silicon are the most commonly used devices, having first been used as space satellite technology back in the 1950s and 1960s.”

The reason consumers and homeowners who have already installed solar panels in Phoenix should not be downtrodden in light of this news is because it means the industry is moving and shaking–it means that the future where we shed our addiction to oil and start to use more renewable resources isn’t a fantasy anymore–it’s a real future with real innovators working on it–and it has real legs!

[[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.]]

Inspiring news comes to us today from Kuwait by way of REVE.com. According to their early May report, Kuwait is going into its second phase of implementing solar energy as a widespread–and hopefully widely used resource. REVE notes, “Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) and Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) signed here on Sunday a contract to execute the second stage of the country’s solar energy project costing KD 1.5 million.”

The cost is high, but the hope is that the savings will be higher, and that the country’s overall interest in solar energy will continue to grow and thrive. This is particularly interesting news for a small burgeoning country, but especially one that is nestled in the oil-rich region of the Middle East. The fact that nations in this region–and indeed their governments are looking to solar and wind power is an amazing show of faith in these energy sources.

But it also tells us something else. Could it be that the people of the Middle East, in places like Kuwait, Jordan, Syria, and Saudi Arabia know something about the longevity of oil that we don’t know? If they are preparing for a future sans oil, shouldn’t we be too? And even if there is no shortage of oil, the fact that these groups so near to the supply are so ready to move on tells us a great deal about where global culture is when it comes to alternative energy sources: The time is now, and everyone knows it… or do we? That’s a sharp-edged question, but one that certainly deserves a response.

Here in the US, there are no real reasons why home owners should not invest in rooftop solar panels for their homes, but the enthusiasm and zest for solar energy should be like a fever that Americans can’t help but catch. So why is it not taking hold here like it has in Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, and even now parts of Africa and the oil-laden Middle East?

Food for thought, but it’s about time Americans begin to take solar energy seriously. It’s not alternative if it’s the only thing left–and really, how far away are we from that reality?

[[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.]]

The more we read about the current state of the solar industry across the planet, the more we unfortunately read about how many solar panel manufacturers and solar installation companies everywhere are lowering the bar in terms of quality.

The good news is that this means in many ways that solar energy has arrived–it’s getting more popular, and therefore cheaper. But what we at Adair Solar Company in Mesa DON’T want to see happen is the quality of a solar installation suffer just so that local small and medium-sized businesses can save a buck or two here and there.

The whole premise of solar energy and a solar panel installation in Phoenix is to be greener, more responsible, and to take better care of planet earth while we treat ourselves to savings. However, the idea has never been to remove what’s good for the planet and just maintain what’s good for consumers. If we start to do things that way, then we will have missed the entire point of going solar in the first place.

Solar panels, Echo PV, any type of photovoltaic cells, and even solar water heaters in Phoenix should not ever be made using materials that unnecessarily harm the planet. The whole point of this exercise is to create sustainability–which oils, plastics, nonrenewable resources and materials that don’t lend themselves to being repurposed or recycled later just don’t have.

That’s what at Adair Solar Company in Phoenix, we pride ourselves on carrying industry leading equipment and the best technicians in the business to get the job done right–for your needs, and to meet the goals that true green had in mind in the first place.

Go solar, and do it right! Call Adair for a free in-home consultation for your solar system today. (480) 827-1162.

Instead of this, install solar panels

Last week was Earth Day, and it’s always nice to see how everyone gets together on this green occasion to support one another in all our earth conscious goals. But it sure seems like everything goes back to “normal” the very next day. It’s not practical to hold hands and hug trees all day everyday, we understand that–but would it be too much to ask for all of us to invest in our own greening up–just a little bit?

Arizonans don’t have many excuses when it comes to getting Earthy. With all kinds of solar rebates and solar tax credits, it’s more affordable than ever to consider rooftop solar panels in Phoenix for your home. In fact, with the cost now at a record low for our area, even long term renters have incentive to think about a solar panel installation in Phoenix. The overall investment is minute, especially when compared to what it cost in the 1990s and before.

If you’re real about getting green and staying there, then you know by now that the most authentic way to do it (with the highest returns) is to use local businesses and local resources. This alone reduces your carbon footprint. So by using a local solar company in Mesa or Phoenix, by adding up your thousands of dollars in savings with solar tax credits and rebates from both the state and federal governments, and then tacking on the monthly savings in utilities, the question moves from one about Earth friendliness to family and budget friendliness. In short, unless you don’t like the planet or saving money, installing solar panels in Phoenix is probably a good choice for you!

So make everyday Earth Day if you live in Arizona and happen to be blessed by so much sun. It’s good for everyone and everything involved. What do you have to lose? We recently blogged that the majority of Americans have massively overestimated the cost of solar panels because they’ve been misinformed. If you don’t know, ask us! Adair Solar Company in Mesa is here to help you with all your solar needs! For a free in-home consultation, dial (480) 827-1162.

A hot little idea!

According to a recent article in the Annapolis Capital, recycling and garbage is getting a much needed makeover in one of the area’s most heavily littered areas. According to Pamela Woods, “Solar-powered compactors have been installed at Lawyers Mall in downtown Annapolis. The tens of thousands of visitors to the popular gathering spot now have an option for getting rid of their soda cans, water bottles and trash.”

The cost of the compactors does seem at least somewhat prohibitive at first, coming in at just over $8000. But when you consider that parks workers will be able to focus on other duties that can make the area more lucrative and productive rather than emptying the trash cans all day, it begins to make sense. In addition, the amount of supplies used (trash bags, gloves, etc.) will go down, and the amount of space saved in land fills will also lower the overall cost of simply throwing stuff away. This doesn’t even include the money saved by setting aside recycling, which to date has never been done in a publicly owned area in Annapolis. So this “solar first” will hopefully save tons of money and tons of space (literally) over the life of the compactors.

We at Adair Solar Company in Mesa strongly support Annapolis in their adventures with the solar powered compactors, and hope their success will eventually lead to the same kind of technology popping up here in the Valley of the Sun before too long.

We hope that Arizonans will be inspired to get clean and green when they see what is going on to better the environment in other cities across the US. More solar water heaters in Phoenix and other solar installations across the state of Arizona will help to make this possible! Here’s to greening up our great country!

[[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.]] 

Among this week’s good news in solar energy is the hefty mention of the General Motors plant in Toledo, Ohio going solar. The solar panels that have been installed on the car maker’s Ohio plant location are known to work well in any type of weather conditions and in flat territory, making them a great choice for this local.

The decision to go solar at all was brought on by a local energy company who approached the plant manager for the green light. According to manager Joe Choate, the local company offered innovative ideas for solar energy use that he and other thinkers at GM had not yet considered, which is why they chose that local company, called Solscient, to do the work on the plant.

According to the Columbus Dispatch article which ran in early April, “The spread, which goes online this week, is the first part of a three-phase, 1.8-megawatt project that will feed renewable power back into GM’s plant for at least the next 20 years.”

Now that’s impressive! The array (previously referred to as “the spread”) is approximately 80,000 square feet, all located right there on the rooftop of the Toledo GM plant. As Joe Choate and others with GM explained, they had known they wanted to go solar for a long, long time, they just weren’t sure who to reach out to for help, how to get the job done, or which way would be the most cost effective over time. After having the help of Solscient, they are living the solar dream–which reminds us to tell all the local solar energy companies across the country: You never know which large enterprise like GM could need your help until you ask! If you have a heavy hitter like this in your backyard, you could very easily be their Solscient! And the thing is, you won’t know until you ask that they are lost and looking for solutions that only someone who works in the solar industry can give them. So let’s band together to make solar energy as much a part of the American corporate landscape as cash and company picnics!

[[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.]]

Investing in your home can really warm you up!

Every year in the months before we get our tax returns back, we all daydream of what we will do with the extra money. New furniture? A family vacation? How about a new TV? Instead of the typical daydreams, this year we invite you to invest a small sum of money into adding rooftop solar panels to your Phoenix area home. It won’t cost much, and there are federal and state tax credits and solar rebates that will make it even more inexpensive for you.

Depending on your income and your home, you can qualify for a given amount of tax credit for solar energy–that means that next year when it comes time to file your taxes again, you will have another little something to add to the deductions pile that will help increase the amount of money you get back from either the state or on the federal level, or both!

Federal and state solar tax credits and solar rebates are also good for solar water heaters in Phoenix and the surrounding area, and can also help with the cost of Echo PV installations as well as other solar-based installations and equipment.

If you want the total package on your home in Phoenix (in other words, the rooftop solar panels in addition to the solar water heater, as well as a/c maintenance and radiant barrier insulation) you will get even more money back and may even qualify for more subsidies from the government that can help make your solar installation in Phoenix that much more affordable.

Have questions about how it all works? Get yourself a free in-home consultation with an Adair Solar Company technician who can give you all the details and explain to you in the comfort of your home exactly which rebates and tax credits you are eligible for. Simple dial (480) 827-1162 today for details or to make an appointment!

Old Glory gets a solar facelift!

With all kinds of recent tussles about solar energy in this country, it is reasonable to suspect that solar energy and other forms of renewable energy just don’t have that many proponents, but plenty of opponents in the United States. Well, if you supposed that as many people did, you would be wrong—and that’s great news!

At Adair Solar Company in Mesa, we believe the most patriotic thing you can do is want to preserve your country, and care for it for future generations. According to a recent article by Nancy Hiler, most Americans would agree with this sentiment:

“Most Americans, whatever their political stance, believe it is important for the United States to develop and use solar energy—9  of out 10, in fact, according to a national survey reported recently by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).  A whopping 89 percent think so. The survey, called the 2011 Schott Solar Barometer, was conducted by independent polling firm Kelton Research. Support for solar is strong across political lines, the survey found, with 80 percent of Republicans,  90 percent of Independents and 94 percent of Democrats agreeing it is important for the U.S. to develop and use solar.”

In addition to being what most Americans think is the right thing to do for the country and the environment, it’s also the right thing to do for their homes and their cost of living too. It lowers the cost of living significantly, especially in a locale like Phoenix, and especially in the summer time. But that’s not all. An investment in solar energy and renewable resources is an investment in America’s job futures also. So if you truly support this country as only a red-blooded American can, then you too support solar energy. And if you do, then why not let solar energy support you?

If you are ready to make the solar move, let a representative from Adair Solar Company in Mesa, AZ come talk to you about the choices you have in solar installations. From rooftop solar panels and solar water heaters to Echo PV, you have a wide variety of choices—and you also have access to solar tax credits and rebates that will dramatically reduce the cost of your solar installation in Phoenix too! Call us today at (480) 827-1162.