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SUPER INSULATED HOUSES
Super insulated building is a method of energy-efficient construction that can be adapted to any house design: Colonial, Victorian, Contemporary, etc. All super insulated houses share 3 important elements that are incorporated into the design:

• They are constructed to be air tight.
• Compared to conventional houses, they have a higher level of insulation.
• They have a ventilation system to control air quality.

Conserving energy, super insulated homes save roughly 75% of heating and cooling costs. They typically cost 5-7% more than conventional construction.

Passive solar techniques fall into 3 categories:

• Direct Gain – Solar radiation directly penetrates and is stored in the living space. Southern roof overhang provides shade in summer and lets in more sun in winter.
• Indirect Gain – A thermal storage material collects, stores, and distributes solar radiation.
• Isolated Gain – Solar radiation is collected in an area, (e.g. sunspace), that can be selectively closed off or opened to the rest of the house.

When the initial design expense and purchase of passive solar features such as additional glazing, added thermal mass, and larger roof overhangs are factored with lower annual energy bills, the savings are impressive over the life of the building. Further savings are evident when passive solar is combined with super insulated construction.

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ACTIVE SOLAR

SOLAR ELECTRICITY – GRID TIED

Solar cells located in panels mounted on a south facing roof absorb sunlight and convert it into electricity. The solar panels use a grid tied inverter to connect directly to the local power utility grid.
Surplus solar power is fed to the grid and then electricity is drawn back when there is not enough sun. Essentially, the homeowner is producing and selling electricity to the utility company, receiving a credit on the monthly electric bill.

A typical 2 Kilowatt system can cut electric bills by roughly $600/year. In addition, emissions will be reduced by 2800 pounds of carbon dioxide per year, 8.6 pounds of sulfur dioxide per year, and 6.4 pounds of nitrates per year.

SOLAR HOT WATER

Solar hot water starts with collectors placed on a south facing roof. Antifreeze in the collectors heats up. When the antifreeze gets hotter than water in the tank, a pump comes on and moves the antifreeze to a heat exchanger to heat the
domestic water. The collector, tank and pump station are designed to meet the particular needs of each household.

Each 30-tube solar collector can save up to $500/year worth of electricity with a 10-12 year payback. In addition, each 30-tube collector saves 1770 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions, 4 pounds of sulfur emissions, and 5.4 pounds of nitric emissions each year (compared to electricity).

FEDERAL TAX CREDITS

MAINE SOLAR REBATES

1. EligibilityOwners and tenants of residential or commercial properties located within Maine who are Maine residents are entitled to rebates for qualified solar energy systems installed on those properties. To qualify for a rebate, solar energy systems must be connected to the electrical grid and installed after July 1, 2005 in accordance with 35-A M.R.S.A.@ 3211-B.
2. Rebate Amounts
   1. Solar Thermal Water Systems. Solar thermal systems designed to heat water and installed by a Qualified Thermal Water System Installer will qualify for a rebate of 25% of the installed system cost or $1,250, whichever is less.
   2. Solar Thermal Air Systems. Solar thermal systems designed to heat air will qualify for a rebate of 25% of the system cost or $1,250, whichever is less.