Janet Chapman wanted to build a new home that included solar thermal radiant floor heating, solar hot water and straw bale construction – not something the average home builder in the Kansas City area has done before.
She was thrilled to find Greg Rothers at Rothers Design/Build . Greg had experience with straw bale construction and had previously partnered with The Energy Savings Store on solar projects.
Together, we built radiant-heated floors using solar energy and a solar hot water system. The water piped through the concrete floors is heated by 4 Heliodyne solar panel collectors mounted on the south wall of a detached garage. The pre-heated water is stored in two tanks. Janet also uses it for normal domestic hot water purposes.
“We appreciate Greg partnering with us early in the process,” says Bob Solger, Proprietor of The Energy Savings Store (TESS). “Many clients considering building a green home often come to us first and Greg is one of the builders we recommend because of our collaborative relationship.”
Jim Kostucik, with Redstone Homes, is another builder assisted by TESS when a client was interested in using thin-film solar panels on a metal roof in Stillwell, KS. “Involving us early in the design process can avoid problems and delays later on,” says Bob. “Our engineering team and experience can help builders wade through the enormous amount of information about wind turbines (windmills) and solar panels.”
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We’re pleased to host Dan Chiras, director of The Evergreen Institute, The Center for Renewable Energy, for a workshop at our solar and wind showroom in Lenexa (15209 W. 99th, Lenexa, KS).
Dan will be conducting the 
“Solar Power Makes Cents Now !” workshop on April 1, 2010 from 6:30 to 9:00.
Solar power costs have dropped over 50% in the past year. Prices of photovoltaic modules have fallen dramatically over the last 12 months. Missouri has a generous rebate program that started in January 2010. These factors, combined with a 30% Federal Tax Credits have slashed costs by over 50%.
In this talk, Dan Chiras, Ph.D., will discuss the highly favorable economics of solar energy. Dan will discuss the basics of solar energy – how solar modules work, the types of systems, and common misunderstandings. He will also discuss how much it will cost to install a photovoltaic system on your home or business, taking into account numerous incentives now available in Kansas City that are making solar such a great investment! Dan will also present other inexpensive and innovative ideas that can help you reduce the initial size and cost of your PV system.
Dan is author of numerous books on renewable energy, including Power from the Sun, Power from the Wind, and The Homeowner’s Guide to Renewable Energy.
Come by early and tour the showroom, see different types of solar panels, wind turbines and more.
Drinks and appetizers provided.
Sponsoring organizations include ShowMeSolar ; Hathmore Technologies; and Heartland Renewable Energy Society.
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Who says affordable homes can’t use renewable energy? Ann Brandau-Murguia, Argentine Neighborhood Development Association, and Bob Solger, The Energy Savings Store, prove that solar can work for all types of homes.
This picture shows them standing in front of one of four new energy efficient homes in the Argentine area of Kansas City, Kansas. Solger’s Lenexa, KS, based wind energy and solar power company installed solar hot water units, Solatubes for natural light, SolarSheats for space heating, and solar attic fans on each home. Other energy saving features include improved insulation, vapor barriers, and spray foam around the homes’ rims.
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A Kansas City area couple are the first in the state to take advantage of the new KCP&L solar rebates and federal financial incentives. The Energy Savings Store employees Ryan Gardner and Susan Brown were pleased to be a part of this exciting solar installation.
Solar became the solution for Ray and Kathy Baisch after seeing their electric rates increase by over 30% in the last three years. Located in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, the Baisch’s had been considering a solar-powered electric system for years. The couple got serious about making the investment when they learned that KCP&L was offering a new solar rebate. The new rebate was a result of Proposition C that Missourians overwhelmingly passed in 2008 (read more here). The $2/watt rebate covers about 25% of the price of a solar system. Combining this incentive with the 30% Federal tax credit – and nearly half of the cost is covered.
After meeting with a Renewable Energy Consultant at The Energy Savings Store, the couple decided to purchase a 4.14 KW system. The solar system will offset nearly 90% of their energy usage. The system was placed in service the first week of January. “The Baisch’s may be the first rebate recipients in the state,” said Roland Maliwat, Manager of Sustainability at KCP&L. “We supported Prop C and are very happy to see it result in solar installations for our customers.”
Net Metering
Not only are Ray and Kathy excited about being the first KCP&L customers to receive the rebate, they are also eagerly awaiting the possibility of watching their electric meter spin backwards when their system is producing more than they need. In addition to the rebate the utility company will allow the couple to net meter. With net metering the Baisch’s will be able to accumulate credits for months that their system produces more than they need. When they have months that they use more electricity than their system produces they will be able to use the accumulated credits from the prior month.
Over the course of the year the Baisch’s will end up paying very little on their electric bills. They are looking forward to a day in the near future where the energy savings will have paid for the cost of the system - after that Ray and Kathy can expect decades of free electricity.
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Wednesday, Dec 16th, 2009 by RyanG
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Residential Solar PV
I’ve been selling solar energy systems for a number of years and have learned a thing or two about helping people select the solar panels that are right for them. I love being back in Kansas City and hope you’ll come in to see some of the solar equipment on display and ask some questions.
Making a solar photovoltaic (PV) system purchase can be intimidating to say the least. There are many things to consider – correct placement, all the technology and innovative solutions available, among them. I’m going to try and shed some light on the process for you. It may help you to see some of what I’m talking about in our showroom.
We carry traditional solar panels as well as the solar PV laminates (which are somewhat less efficient) and the more upscale solar roof tiles. While there are some similarities, there’s a wide a variety of differences in panels, and they are suited to fit particular situations.
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We were more than a little pleased when Proposition C – the Clean Energy Initiative – passed last year. The Energy Savings Store and Susan Brown had been actively working to get this legislation passed for years. It is such good news for all of us!
We are going to see the first ever utility rebates for solar photovoltaic (PV) installations on Missouri homes and businesses starting January 1st, 2010.
These new rebates, in combination with the federal tax credit, can reduce the cost of a system by over 50%. Instead of a 20 year payback, many Missourians can now see a 10 year payoff of their initial investment using conservative assumptions! Wow.
It’s not always an easy process to identify what rebates and credits you might be eligible for, and then wade through the paperwork needed to file for them. Rest assured that we want our clients to every financial incentive possible. Our staff have become experts on this and we’ll walk you through every step of the process.
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Solar Array at the Faultless Starch/Bon Ami Headquarters in Kansas City
When the historic Sewall Paint Building in the West Bottoms of Kansas City they had a couple of objectives. “We wanted to focus on sustainability and incorporate as much of the character of the original building as possible in the new design”, says Scott Brown, General Counsel. The original heart pine timbers were used as stair treads, paneling and furniture. Bike racks and showers encourage employees to bike to work and the new windows are energy efficient.
“We wanted to really make a statement by using solar energy, but didn’t know if we had the budget”, says Brown. “The Energy Savings Store not only designed and installed our 2 kilowatt grid-tied solar array, but assisted us in capturing all possible incentives. The solar may even be eligible for historic tax credits.” Along with providing a small portion of their electrical power needs, the new solar array is also a focal point for companywide sustainability efforts.
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Carla Klein represents The Energy Savings Store in D.C. for Clean Energy Jobs Legislation
The Energy Savings Store joined hundreds of business leaders from across the nation in Washington D.C. to take the message to our leaders that the time is now to act on clean energy legislation. “We traveled to the nation’s capitol to urge our leaders to pass comprehensive energy and climate legislation that will create millions of new jobs, make our country more energy independent and protect the environment for future generations,” said Carla Klein, Marketing and Policy Coordinator for The Energy Savings Store.
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Since 2003, we’ve been serving you from an office in St. Louis and our home based offices in KC – lean and mean! We are so excited to finally open our new warehouse and solar and wind showroom on the KC side of the state! You can stop by and visit, see solar panels, wind turbines and more. Take a look at some of the pictures from our grand opening….
Our Showroom Ribbon Cutting!
The moment finally arrives – Bob (Co-Owner) is cutting the ribbon with the gigantic scissors (thanks to the Lenexa Chamber). From left is Ryan (Director of Sales), Shane (Renewable Energy Technician), Susan (VP of Sales and Marketing in white) and Jeff (Operations Manager in blue).
To the right of Susan is Janet Baker, Executive Director of the U.S. Green Building Council of Kansas City and Ron Worley, Kansas State Representative.
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Thursday, Sep 3rd, 2009 by Steve O'Rourke
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Bob Solger (center) talks to Dr. Dale Chapman, Dr. Sue Czerwinski and Mike Morgan in front of newly–installed solar PV system.
Just a short distance from the majestic limestone bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River is the main campus of Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey, Illinois. While the lush green grounds of the campus are obvious, a progressive shift to green the rest of the campus is underway. The college is a founding member of the Illinois Community College Sustainability Network, and is committed to providing cutting edge, innovative green job training programs to area residents.
Dr. Dale Chapman, president of the college, has embarked upon a mission to transform the campus into a model for sustainability, and has empowered a team of people to develop and implement a plan to reduce their carbon footprint, become more energy independent, and creatively embrace the 3 R’s: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. The most recent step in their well-developed plan was to work with The Energy Savings Store to design a grid-tied solar PV system on the roof of the Advanced Technology (Trimpe) Building to harness the clean, renewable energy of the sun.
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