Michigan’s Largest Earth Day
Michigan’s Largest Earth Day event is being planned for April 23-25. The MI Earth Day Fest will welcome to downtown Rochester an anticipated audience of 100,000 people from around Michigan, eager to learn about green and healthy living. Businesses and organizations are invited to participate and gain the benefits of exposure, recognition, sales, community service, networking and association with this high-profile, family-friendly event’s Earth Day message. For information about sponsoring, exhibiting, presenting or volunteering, visit www.miearthday.com or contact Steve Rogge at steve@trigreen.biz or 248-535-9390.
P & B Finishers, Inc. is a Certified Green Professional
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8th Annual Renewable Energy Conference
8th Annual Renewable Energy Conference will be held on Saturday, March 20 at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute. The conference is ideal for homeowners, renewable energy enthusiasts, and students who wish to learn something new and meet other individuals that are interested in promoting and using renewable and alternative energy technologies. This year’s keynote speaker, Pat Murphy, will present Beyond Sustainability – Surviving the Oil Depletion and Climate Change with Community Solutions’ Plan C. Attendees can choose from a variety of break-out sessions including Renewable Energy in Your Home, Food Security and Local Foods in Michigan, Peak Oil and the Future of Transportation, and Financing your Renewable Energy System. www.cedarcreekinstitute.org
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Energy Tax Credits Still Available
HOME ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT TAX CREDITS
Consumers who purchase and install specific products, such as energy-efficient windows, insulation, doors, roofs, and heating and cooling equipment in existing homes can receive a tax credit for 30% of the cost, up to $1,500, for improvements “placed in service” starting January 1, 2009, through December 31, 2010. See EnergyStar.gov’s Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency for a complete summary of energy efficiency tax credits available to consumers.
RESIDENTIAL RENEWABLE ENERGY TAX CREDITS
Consumers who install solar energy systems (including solar water heating and solar electric systems), small wind systems, geothermal heat pumps and residential fuel cell and microturbine systems can receive a 30% tax credit for systems placed in service before December 31, 2016; the previous tax credit cap no longer applies.
For more information on Energy Tax Credits contact P & B Finishers or Phone (586) 254-7969
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President Obama Proposes Home Energy Retrofit Program for Job Creation
Filed under: Energy, Home Remodeling, Uncategorized
From the EERE Network News
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President Barack Obama proposed a new rebate program on Tuesday to reward homeowners for making their homes more energy efficient, while also proposing additional federal investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy. As part of a speech about jobs and the economy at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., the president noted that home energy retrofits create jobs, save money for families, and reduce the pollution that threatens our environment. President Obama also called for aid to small businesses and new investments in infrastructure. Most of the president’s proposals will require congressional approval.
President Obama’s job plan calls for an expansion of select American Recovery and Reinvestment Act initiatives that promote energy efficiency and clean energy jobs. The president noted that one-third of the Recovery Act is intended for investments “to put Americans to work doing the work that America needs done,” such as doubling the U.S. capacity for producing power from renewable energy. But most of those initiatives are oversubscribed, causing many strong ideas to go unfunded. With that in mind, the Obama Administration is supporting the expansion of programs for which additional federal dollars will leverage private investment and create jobs quickly, such as investments in industrial energy efficiency, as well as new or extended tax incentives for investing in U.S. manufacturing facilities for renewable energy technologies. See the White House press release and a transcript of the president’s remarks.
This newsletter is funded by DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and is also available on the EERE Web site. If you have questions or comments about this newsletter, please contact the editor, Kevin Eber.
Update your subscriptions, modify your password or e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your e-mail address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact support@govdelivery.com.
This service is provided to you at no charge by DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE). Visit the Web site at http://www.eere.energy.gov.
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FTC Proposes New Output-Based Labels for Light Bulbs
The days of referring to a compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) as being “equivalent to a 60-watt light bulb” may soon be over, as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has proposed new labels for light bulbs that are based on light output rather than energy consumption. The marketplace has been changing quickly with the emergence of newer, more energy-efficient technologies—such as CFLs and light-emitting diode (LED) products—as traditional incandescent bulbs are phased out. The proposed labels provide consumers with information to help them choose among different bulb types.
The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) seeks public comments on new labels that emphasize lumens, not watts, as the measure of bulb brightness. This information, along with estimated energy cost information, would appear on the front of the light bulb package. The back of the package would display a “Lighting Facts” label modeled after the “Nutrition Facts” label for food packages. The Lighting Facts label would provide information about brightness, energy cost, the bulb’s expected life, color temperature (for example, whether the bulb provides “warm” or “cool” light), as well as wattage. The label also would require disclosures for bulbs containing mercury. The bulb’s output in lumens—and a mercury disclosure for bulbs that contain mercury—would also have to be placed on the bulb itself. The NOPR was published in the Federal Register on November 10, and comments are due by December 28.
The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 requires the FTC to consider the effectiveness of current bulb labeling requirements and explore alternative labeling approaches. As the first step, the FTC issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking last year, seeking comments on existing labeling requirements and possible labeling alternatives, and then held a public roundtable to gather more information. See the FTC press release, and the Federal Register Notice (PDF 663 KB), which includes samples of the proposed labels. Download Adobe Reader.
From the weekly newsletter from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). The EERE Network News is also available on the Web at: www.eere.energy.gov/news/enn.cfm
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Committee Reviewing Michigan’s Energy Code
Michigan Bureau of Construction Codes has reassembled an ad-hoc committee to review the State’s residential and commercial energy codes. The ad-hoc committee is made up of stakeholders throughout the state involved with building construction and energy efficiency. The committee will be making recommendations regarding the commercial energy code meeting the 2007 ASHRAE 90.1 standard, and the residential energy code meeting the 2009 IECC standard. A timeline for the ad-hoc committee’s recommendations has not been set, but it is expected that their review work will continue through the Fall of 09’. The residential energy code, 2003 Michigan Uniform Energy Code, was implemented in October of 08’ following a Circuit Court Judge’s ruling in favor of the State.
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Green Fair in Ann Arbor June 12
Ninth Annual Mayor’s Green Fair will be held in downtown Ann Arbor on Friday, June 12 from 6pm-9pm. With streets closed for this free event, all are welcome to learn about clean energy, green commuting, and biking. Live music and special youth activities will also be featured.
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PROFESSIONAL REMODELERS KEY TO EARNING ENERGY-EFFICIENCY TAX CREDITS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Building Industry Association of Southeast Michigan
Professional Remodelers
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WASHINGTON, date –Homeowners now can claim up to $1,500 in expanded energy-efficiency tax credits for remodeling their principal residence to reduce energy consumption. Available until the end of 2010, the revamped Existing Home Retrofit (25C) Tax Credit helps consumers save two ways: on their costs and on their utility bills.
“Remodelers can help find the best methods of saving energy in your home with an assessment, like a home energy audit,” explained NAHB Remodelers Chairman Greg Miedema, CGR, CGB, CAPS, CGP, a remodeler from Tucson, Ariz. “Tightening the house to reduce air leakage by adding insulation, fixing ducts, and installing a more efficient heating and air conditioning system can help save on energy bills today while also reducing next year’s tax bill.”
The expanded federal tax credit refunds 30 percent of the product replacement cost up to a total of $1,500. It can be used not only for HVAC systems, insulation and water heaters but also for windows and doors and insulation as long as the new products meet IRS qualifications. In some cases, installation costs may also be used to claim the tax credit.
Home energy audits can cost as little as $500, which remodelers say is an expense that pays for itself—and more—with savings from efficiency upgrades. And homeowners may be able to combine federal tax credits with local and regional incentives to maximize savings.
Here’s one example: Insulation improvements may be one of the easiest and most affordable ways to save on energy costs. Upgrading inefficient insulation (from R-19 to R-38) in the attic of a two-story, 2,000-square-foot Chicago home might cost around $1,000, but the tax credit brings that down to $700. Add that to Chicago’s MidAmerican Energy residential energy efficiency rebate program, which can return up to $600 spent on insulation or other energy-efficiency upgrades, and the cost drops to $100 – meaning a two-year payback period for the $51 estimated annual utility savings for this project.
Inspecting the ductwork, caulking and heating and cooling systems for possible upgrades or enhancements also help to provide additional energy savings, Miedema said.
Homeowners also can use the tax credit for heating and cooling components. For example, upgrading a standard 10-year-old air conditioner to today’s federal minimum 13-SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) model may cost about $5,500 in Phoenix, but does not qualify for the tax credit. Spending as little as $2,000 more for a higher-efficiency air-conditioner (such as 16-SEER) earns the homeowner the $1,500 energy-efficiency federal tax credit. Plus, the local power company provides a rebate starting at $425. With the tax credit and utility rebate, the cost difference can be paid back in a couple of years, while the homeowner may enjoy utility bills savings for years to come.
With the credit, tankless water heaters are comparable in cost to traditional gas water heaters, but last as long as 20 years and are 30 percent more efficient, according to Eugene Lamana, residential business manager at Rinnai, a manufacturer of tankless water heaters and other gas appliances based in Peachtree City, Ga. Savings depend on local energy prices, but home owners may also save with less frequent replacements. When the credit is included, homeowners can save $100 per year on their water heating expenses, he added. “These are just some examples of how the energy-efficiency tax credit helps consumers save money in making home improvements and cutting down utility bills,” said Miedema. “Homeowners should contact a professional remodeler near them for advice on installing tax credit-qualified improvements in their home.”
Homeowners can use an energy-savings simulation from the NAHB Research Center at http://energysim.toolbase.org to determine likely costs of upgrades and savings. Information on rebates from utility companies and other state and local government incentives is available at www.dsireusa.org.
In addition to expanding the 25C tax credit, the Wind, Solar, Geothermal and Fuel Cell (25D) Tax Credit for renewable energy products now provides larger incentives for installing geothermal heat pumps, solar panels, solar water heaters, small wind energy systems and fuel cells. Although the upfront costs are high for these products, the tax credit is 30 percent and there is no cap on their cost through 2016. Taxpayers can claim the credits on IRS Form 5695.
For more information about the tax credit, visit www.nahb.org/efficiencytaxcredit.
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For more information about remodeling, visit www.nahb.org/remodel.
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ABOUT NAHB REMODELERS: NAHB Remodelers is America’s home for professional remodelers, representing more than 20,000 remodeling industry members of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Founded in 1982, the organization provides information, education and designation programs to improve the business and construction expertise of its members and to enhance the professional image of the industry. Its membership incorporates 145 local councils in 43 states. Learn more about remodeling at www.nahb.org/remodel.
ABOUT NAHB: The National Association of Home Builders is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing more than 200,000 members involved in home building, remodeling, multifamily construction, property management, subcontracting, design, housing finance, building product manufacturing and other aspects of residential and light commercial construction. Known as “the voice of the housing industry,” NAHB is affiliated with more than 800 state and local home builders associations around the country. NAHB’s builder members will construct about 80 percent of the new housing units for 2009.
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Solar Energy Grew at a Record Pace in 2008
Solar energy deployment increased at a record pace in the United States and throughout the world in 2008, according to new industry reports. Last week, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) released its “2008 U.S. Solar Industry Year in Review,” which found that U.S. solar energy capacity increased by 17% last year, reaching the equivalent of 8,775 megawatts (MW). The SEIA report tallies all types of solar energy, and last year the United States installed 342 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) electric power, 139 thermal megawatts (MWTh) of solar water heating, 762 MWTh of pool heating, and 21 MWTh of solar space heating and cooling.
The growth rate was highest for grid-connected PV electric systems, which increased by 58% to a total of 792 MW. California dominated this category, installing 178.6 MW of grid-tied PV, but the largest PV system, at 10 MW, was built in Boulder City, Nevada. Meanwhile, domestic PV manufacturing capacity increased by 65%, and preliminary estimates peg the total U.S. PV manufacturing capacity at 685 MW per year as of the end of 2008. See the SEIA press release and the full report (PDF 2.6 MB). Download Adobe Reader.
SEIA estimates that 342 MW of PV were installed throughout the United States in 2008, and although Solarbuzz LLC reached a higher number of 360 MW for its annual PV industry report, that growth rate is still dwarfed by the world’s fastest-growing PV markets, namely, Spain and Germany. According to Solarbuzz, Spain added 2,460 MW of solar PV power in 2008, while Germany added 1,860 MW of PV power, leaving the United States in a distant third place. Solarbuzz estimates the global market growth at 5,950 MW in 2008. World PV production reached 6,850 MW per year in 2008, a significant jump up from the capacity of 3,440 MW per year for 2007. Contributing to that rapid growth, the production of thin-film solar modules more than doubled, reaching 890 MW per year by the end of 2008. See the Solarbuzz press release.
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