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!

Courtesy of FedEx-Enchanted-Forest

Big companies and giant corporate complexes are starting to step forward with efforts that will benefit the planet. Oftentimes, it seems as though their intentions may primarily be part of a larger marketing campaign, but if it winds up doing something positive for the planet in the meantime, does it really matter?

Last week, FedEx announced it’s new partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation in an effort to drive a more globally aware image. The branding of “EarthSmart” for FedEx is now complete, and consumers can visit the results at www.FedEx.com/earthsmart

But most importantly, and probably most fun of all is the Enchanted Forest. It’s pretty dreamy, especially considering the only way to get there is via Facebook. But here’s where the giving back to the planet comes into play: You can actually plant a tree in the Enchanted Forest, and yes, there’s an app for that! Just log in, visit the FedEx Facebook page, (or click here) and it will take you there.

So why all this environmental hullabaloo? According to FedEx, it’s all about cleaning and greening up. Electric trucks, increased amounts of recycled shipping materials and more and more low-emission planes are all on the docket for the shipping mogul, and plans for a greener future seem sincere, well-meaning, and part of a larger picture of corporate responsibility that we at Adair Solar Company in Mesa hope will rub off on other big businesses. Wouldn’t you love to see a UPS sponsored whale preserve or a Walmart brand Spare the Air app? We can dream can’t we!?

We hope you’ll all take the time to go plant a tree in the Enchanted Forest. Here’s a video from FedEx to entice and enthrall your imagination.

Happy planting!

[[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.]]

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.]]

Do you know the real cost of solar?

A recent press release from BusinessWire has cracked the case on why so many Americans are unusually–and unnecessarily–scared of solar panels and the idea of installing anything solar on their homes. According to BusinessWire, it seems that Americans are grossly overestimating the cost of rooftop solar panels, and all kinds of other solar equipment. We’re not really sure why this is happening, but it’s probably safe to say that there are a couple of factors at work. But take a look at this statistic:

“While only 3% accurately understand that installing solar can cost less than $1,000 upfront, 4 out of 10 U.S. Adults (40%) think it requires $20,000 or more in upfront costs, grossly overestimating the true cost of installing home solar.”

WHOA! What the heck is going on out there! Here’s the real deal: Solar installations on most homes are very reasonably priced due to the falling cost of solar panels in general, across the entire industry. And to boot, solar tax credits and rebates on both the federal and state levels dramatically reduce the out of pocket cost to everyday consumers and homeowners, dropping the cost to a mere fraction of what it might have been without such government initiatives.

If you are among the three percent of people who understand the true, low cost of solar installations in Phoenix, please enlighten your friends and family. If you are still uncertain about how the cost “really is this low,” please give Adair Solar Company in Mesa a call today so one of our highly experienced solar representatives can come to your home free of charge and explain exactly how much you’d be spending for rooftop solar panels in Phoenix.

There’s nothing in this world like really understanding something from the inside out. Our fear is that so many Americans think they do understand the real cost of solar, when in fact the actual cost is light years lower than what they think most of the time.

If you’re ready for your in-home consultation, dial (480) 827-1162 to schedule your visit today. We look forward to meeting you!

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.]] 

It might sound like the set up for a stand up routine, but the title of this blog is a list of some of the top money earners in our economy right now. You may not want to use all three items at the same time (especially if you’re into Bikram yoga!) but yes indeedy–yoga, hot sauce, and solar panels are rockin’ their way at the top of the black in this super salty down economy.

Why is that? According to studies lead by IBIS World, American consumers have turned over a new leaf because of the economy itself, and because of gas prices and that’s followed by a renewed interest in other cultures and increased awareness of self-image. So people are working out more, but they want to do it in a manner that lowers stress, and this newfound love affair with Eastern philosophy is opening the gateway to try more foreign foods and get green!

We at Adair Solar Company in Mesa certainly won’t complain–we think this is all great news! Not just because solar panels are imminently more affordable in Arizona due to solar tax rebates, but also because we sure do have plenty of yoga studios here in the Valley too. But on a serious note, it’s nice to hear that people want to take better care of themselves–and that in so doing, they are also branching out into uncharted territories. Trying new food is one of the first signs of acceptance of other cultures according to many sociologists.

So here’s the ideal scenario: A yoga studio powered by solar panels in Phoenix complete with a salsa bar! Too far? Let us know your thoughts and what kind of salsa is your favorite!

[[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.]]

That's some flower!

Just when we think the solar industry can’t get anymore cutting edge, NASA chimes in with ideas of sun power right from the source to prove us wrong. We just blogged a couple short months ago about nanotechnology and microscopic solar panels, and now, here’s the latest scoop about flower-like solar arrays beaming energy from outerspace–not unlike a moment out of Stargate.

PCWorld tells us, “The idea is to use a satellite with an array of mirrors to collect energy from the Sun and send it back to Earth via a Microwave beam. It might sound like another crazy death ray beam to us, but NASA thinks that it’s realistic enough that they’ve funded the Artemis Innovation Management Solutions group to develop its Solar Power Satellite via Arbitrarily Large PHased Array (SPS-ALPHA).”

“The array will feature a modular, tulip shaped satellite equipped with thin-film mirrors to reflect sunlight into photovoltaic cells. The collected solar energy will be converted into microwaves that will then be transmitted back to a receiving station on Earth at a low frequency and intensity.

Power plants on Earth will be able to convert the Microwave energy into electricity and add it to the power grid. NASA says that each array system could create anywhere from tens to thousands of megawatts of energy.”

Did you think you’d ever hear of coming so close literally energizing right from the sun? If something like this can be done on a large scale over time, imagine the global impact–parts of the world that have never had a regular source of electricity would suddenly be able to plug in, and places where the cost of electricity is wildly prohibitive would become overnight metropolises.

We hope that while it’s still being researched and studied that the NASA solar energy program will help to raise awareness of good old regular planet earth style solar energy and create a newfound spark that will entice home owners to look into solar panels for their houses and businesses too. As a local Mesa AZ solar panel installer, we here at Adair Solar Company are always thrilled to hear about any new advances that could spring board solar to a new level in the United States.

[[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.]]

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.