Kentucky Solar Energy Society

Efficiency and Conservation First!

Be efficient.  Conserve.  Then use solar.

Get aware of your energy use     Save your power bills.  Track electricity (kWh) and gas (therms or CCUs).  Figure out your  "load profile."  Watch usage drop as you implement changes.     Cut your consumption by half, and you double the share of energy a solar system produces.      You can make your home more energy efficient a little at a time. You don't have to spend $15k for a PV system to get started.    There's low hanging fruit everywhere. Seal cracks, tape air ducts, change light bulbs, put foam gaskets around your outlets, install programmable thermostats, modify your behavior, upgrade doors and windows, and put in some insulation. It all adds up to significant savings.    If you have not yet focused on efficiency in your home, we can almost guarantee that you can cut your energy use by up to 50% very cost effectively. Maybe not tomorrow, but if you spend some time chipping away at it, you can do it.    Note that some of us have reduced our average consumption by 65% or more and still have more to do.

Beware the installer who will sell you a PV system without talking to you about conservation and / or your energy profile.

Some companies have told people, "We'll install a PV system and provide 50% of your electricity!  You'll even get a tax credit!"  The company won't even know the load profile of the customer.     In most instances, reputable installers will discuss conservation and efficiency before they sell you a solar system.  They will discuss a "load analysis" or "load profile."   You and they will get an understanding of how and where you are using electricity, and where you might save.     A 4 kW PV system costing around $13,000 or so (after incentives) makes about 400 kWh of energy per month.  It will do so for a very long time (30 years+), but you still have to be efficient and conserve.         Cut consumption.  Use solar.