When choosing a roof and solar system the homeowner wanted a worry-free and maintenance free product and after some serious debating, finally decided that a Solar Thin Film Metal Roof was the best and only option. Some of the main concerns regarding the roof project were the close proximity to the ocean and salt water as well as the risk of high winds.

Here are some of the main criteria used to choose an Integrated Solar and Metal Roof over a Traditional Shingle and Solar array :

• Most solar panels have a life expectancy of 25 years but the average shingle roof is replaced every 20 years with even short life expentancy in shore regions
• Metal roofs and in this case Galvalume have a 40-50 year life expectancy which is 2 to 2.5 times that of shingle roofs
• The new jersey shore line can be subject to high winds and no other system offered better wind ratings than metal and solar film
• Glass solar panels tend to draw in more of the moisture and salt water air requiring constant cleaning and monitoring
• Solar thin film and metal roofing looks 10x better and adds more value to any shore home where house value is at a premium (see pictures)
• Solar thin film roofs are considered Building Integrated Photo Voltaics (BIPV) and allow for a 30% tax rebate on the entire system including areas where the metal roof is covered by the solar panels! The metal roof becomes part of the whole system!!

After some permit issues, color selection and waiting on NJ State approval, the homeowner now has the home of their dreams with a metal and solar roof that is set to pay them back in full in as little as 5 years!!

Call 888-234-2929 for your free metal and solar consultation!

To understand solar thin-film we need to understand: What exactly is solar power ?

The energy of the Sun comes from within the sun itself. Like other stars, the sun is really a big ball of gases––mostly hydrogen and helium atoms.

The hydrogen atoms in the sun’s core combine to create helium and generate energy in a process called nuclear fusion.

During nuclear fusion, the sun’s extremely high pressure and temperature cause hydrogen atoms to come apart and their nuclei (the central cores of the atoms) to fuse or combine. Four hydrogen nuclei fuse to become one helium atom. But the helium atom contains less mass compared to four hydrogen atoms that fused. Some matter is lost during nuclear fusion. The lost matter is emitted into space as radiant energy.

Simply a small part of the energy radiated by the sun into space strikes our planet, one part in two billion. Yet this amount of energy is enormous. Every day enough energy strikes the usa to supply the nation’s energy needs for one and a half years!

Where does all this energy go? (If you want it to go to your house…click here for solar thin film estimates)

About 15 percent of the sun’s energy that hits the planet earth is reflected back into space. Another 30 percent is used to evaporate water, which, lifted into the atmosphere, produces rainfall. Solar energy is also absorbed by plants, the land, and the oceans. The remaining could be used to supply our energy needs.
How we use solar energy and solar thin film today ?

Solar energy can be used in a number of different ways, of course. There are two simple kinds of solar power:

* Solar thermal energy collects the sun’s warmth through 1 of 2 means: in water or in an anti-freeze (glycol) mixture.

* Solar photovoltaic energy converts the sun’s radiation to usable electricity.

Listed below are the five most practical and popular solutions solar power can be used:

1. Small portable solar photovoltaic systems. We see these used everywhere, from calculators to solar garden products. Portable units may be used for everything from RV appliances while single panel systems are used for traffic signs and remote monitoring stations.

2. Solar pool heating. Running water in direct circulation systems through a solar collector is an extremely practical method to heat water for your pool or hot spa.

3. Thermal glycol energy to heat water. In this method (indirect circulation), glycol is heated by sunshine and the heat is then transferred to water in a warm water tank. Using this method of collecting the sun’s energy is a lot more practical now than ever. In areas as far north as Edmonton, Alberta, solar thermal to heat water is economically sound. It can pay for itself in three years or less.

4. Integrating solar photovoltaic energy into your home or office power. In numerous parts on the planet, solar photovoltaics is an economically feasible method to supplement the power of your property. In Japan, photovoltaics are competitive with other forms of power. In the USA, new incentive programs make this form of solar technology ever more viable in many states. An increasingly popular and practical way of integrating solar energy into the power of your home or business is through the usage of building integrated solar photovoltaics.

5. Large independent photovoltaic systems. For those who have enough sun power at your site, you could possibly go off grid. It’s also possible to integrate or hybridize your solar power system with wind power or other kinds of sustainable energy to stay ‘off the grid.’

How do Photovoltaic panels work ?

Silicon is mounted beneath non-reflective glass to create photovoltaic panels. These panels collect photons from the sun, converting them into DC electrical power. The power created then flows into an inverter. The inverter transforms the energy into basic voltage and AC electrical power.

Solar cells are prepared with particular materials called semiconductors such as silicon, which is presently the most generally used. When light hits the Photovoltaic cell, a specific share of it is absorbed inside the semiconductor material. This means that the energy of the absorbed light is given to the semiconductor.

The power unfastens the electrons, permitting them to run freely. Solar power cells also have one or more electric fields that act to compel electrons unfastened by light absorption to flow in a specific direction. This flow of electrons is a current, and by introducing metal links on the top and bottom of the -Photovoltaic cell, the current can be drawn to use it externally.

Solar Pro Arguments

- Heating our homes with oil or gas or using electricity from power plants running with oil and coal is a cause of climate change and climate disruption. Solar energy, on the contrary, is clean and environmentally-friendly.

- Solar hot-water heaters require little maintenance, and their initial investment can be recovered in just a relatively limited time.

- Solar hot-water heaters can work in nearly every climate, even in very cold ones. Simply choose the best system for your climate: drainback, thermosyphon, batch-ICS, etc.

- Financial incentives (USA, Canada, European states…) can help to eliminate the price of the first investment in solar technologies. The U.S. government, as an example, offers tax credits for solar systems certified by by the SRCC (Solar Rating and Certification Corporation), which amount to 30 percent of the investment (2009-2016 period).

Solar Cons Arguments

- The first investment in Solar Hot water heaters or in Solar PV Electric Systems is higher than that required by conventional electric and gas heaters systems.

- The payback period of solar PV-electric systems is high, as well as those of solar space heating or solar cooling (only the solar warm water heating payback is short or relatively short).

- Solar water heating do not support a direct combination with radiators (including baseboard ones).

- The efficiency of solar powered systems is rather influenced by sunlight resources. It’s in colder climates, where heating or electricity needs are higher, that the efficiency is smaller.

The author – Barbara Young writes on solar RV panels in her personal hobby site 12voltsolarpanels.net. Her work is focused entirely on helping people save energy using solar powered energy to reduce CO2 emissions and energy dependency.

What we didn’t fully address last time was the severity of the down-the-road consequences that this spill is generating. Now on it’s 51st day we are starting to see serious political reactions, economic implications and wildlife deaths everyday. Because this world is one big ecosystem and in many ways so is our economy (all inter-connected) let’s look at the quality of life consequences we are soon to face and what we NEED to plan to do about it.

•    According to the US government 600,000 to 1.2 million gallons a day of oil are leaking into our ocean
•    Marine scientists have already found a 100-foot-thick layer of oil 1,300 feet below the surface about 45 miles from the well site with more discoveries each day
•    The National Wildlife Federation reports that already more than 150 threatened or endangered sea turtles are dead as well as 316 sea birds with more dying everyday
•    The oil is already in the Loop Current a significant hazard to the Florida Keys, (and entire East Coast) as well as areas of the west coast of Florida, Cuba and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico

In addition, more immediate and grave threats include:
•    The risk of even more ferocious hurricanes with oil skimming off the surface and onto our mainland because crude accumulating at the surface could be raising the temperature of the surrounding water
•    The risk of disease and widespread illness as the oil passes through the food chain and reaches us due to the bioaccumulation of chemicals and toxins

NOW THAT I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION!!!! What can be done to save our planet and our economy??? One of the answers is Solar Thin Film and Metal Roofing

Although, this is not the complete answer it represents a better way of thinking based on:
•    Renewable and clean energy
•    Low lifecycle costs
•    Sustainable material usage
•    Long-term economic value

I don’t think any of these concepts are radical but they all make sense. And here’s how:

Renewable and Clean Energy

The Sun blasts Earth with enough energy in one hour-4.3 x 1020 joules – to provide all of humanity’s energy needs for a whole year! Solar thin film is made to harness that electricity, and convert it to usable energy that gets hooked up to your energy meter and sent back into the electrical grid. On average, homeowner’s offset anywhere from 30-60% of their home electrical usage for the entire year.

This fairly new solar thin film energy system has already offset 14.2 barrels of oil in its lifetime! That’s over close to 600 gallons for just one house in less than 1 year!! Extrapolated, that’s over 15,000 in it’s lifetime.

Low Life-cycle Costs

As mentioned before, metal roofing is the least expensive roof over the lifetime of the metal roof. That includes maintenance, replacement costs and energy savings. That is just one of the reason’s solar thin film loves metal roofing. The other reason is that you get a tax credit (30% with no limit) for the metal solar roof when you laminate the solar film onto the panels. These two products combined give you 50+ years of roofing and 25 years of solar output at a high level.

In addition, the efficiency and low cost to product of solar thin film will eventually combine to eliminate crystal panels all together. At that time you will just have to re-laminate new solar panels over top the metal roof when the 25 years is up.

Sustainable Materials

Solar thin film is made in America and is much less expensive to mass produce than traditional silicon photovoltaics. Thin film solar cells use a fine layer of semi-conducting material, such as silicon, copper indium gallium selenide or cadimium telluride to harvest the electricity form the sun at a fraction of the cost.

Long-term economic (and ecological) value

As mentioned metal roofing is already a more sustainable, longer lasting and a more value-adding product over time than any other roof, especially asphalt shingle. But, what about the solar aspect?

Solar installations on metal roofs have become more and more popular because of the quick payback period (3-8 years) and the long term ROI (20-30%).

Another reason for the recent increase of metal and solar installations is the ever increasing price of OIL and FUEL. When estimating solar ROI it is impossible to predict the future oil prices but with recent events such as the BP oil spill, government regulation will increase, causing supply to decrease and energy prices to increase.

At Green is Global, it’s our hope that almost every home in America can afford solar and metal roofing. Think about your Flat Screen TV, with all the benefits at the current prices, isn’t it hard to live without one? The same goes for solar including same-as-cash financing up to $45,000!

Call Global Home Improvement at 888-234-2929 or email adam@greenisglobal.net to tell us how you feel about our solar thin film, metal roofs and the world (global) views addressed in this article.

Standing Seam Metal Roofing: Metal roofs around Philadelphia are made of 20-30% recycled material and are, at the end of their life-cycle, fully recyclable. Compare this to the 13 billion pounds of shingle that end up in the landfills every year. You can also save up to 30% a year on your home cooling costs by installing a new reflective metal roof.

Integrated Solar Thin Film: Combined with a standing seam metal roof, solar thin film is extremely eco-friendly and a sound investment. You can drastically cut energy costs with a properly installed metal and solar system. In addition, they are eligible for NJ SRECs (new jersey solar renewable energy credits) that companies will buy on the open market if they can’t meet clean power guidelines. Average ROI is 6-8 years with typically a 20% return on investment over 20 years!

James Hardie Fiber Cement Siding: James Hardie fiber cement siding in PA and NJ uses only raw materials within 500 miles of manufacturing facilities, reducing transportation. In addition, the low toxicity of raw materials such as wood pulp, cement, sand, water (recycled up to 4 times), is good for the earth and your home. New ColorPlus technology ensures true color and beauty throughout your home’s siding.

Infinity Fiberglass Windows by Marvin: Fiberglass Replacement Windows Philadelphia are far more energy efficient than their wood or vinyl counterparts. They exceed all performance requirements for energy reduction in Energy Star ratings. Infinity is also Energy Star rated in all U.S. climates, something that most competitors cannot claim.

Challenger Series Triple Pane Vinyl Replacement Windows: Philadelphia and New Jersey best vinyl replacement window on the market. The Challenger far and away outperforms the competition in energy efficiency due to its triple pane construction with double krypton gas chambers. This gives the Challenger a .19 U-Factor which is well below the Energy Star minimum of a .30 U-Factor! Tax credit eligible!!

For all of you that missed our educational seminar, here are some pictures of the event and some helpful links to checkout for yourself.

• American Solar Energy Society www.ases.org
• Home Power Magazine www.homepower.com
• Interstate Renewable Energy Council www.irec.org
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory www.nrel.gov
• Solar Energy Industries Association www.seia.org
• State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency www.dsireusa.org
• Sandia National Laboratories www.sandia.gov
• Florida Solar Energy Center www.fsec.ucf.edu
• Renewable Energy Access www.renewableenergyaccess.com

For FREE ESTIMATE on Solar Metal Roofing also known as Integrated Solar Thin Film, Visit Global Home Improvement’s Solar Thin Film Estimate Page.

In addition, what better way to start off our new website with a job already in progress in DE for solar thin film metal roofing!! This job is an ideal candidate for solar thin film with a south facing front that is aesthetically pleasing. In addition, the cost of the metal roof was significantly decreased because the solar thin film technology allows for a 30% tax rebate on the metal roof not just the solar roof.

Ever wanted to know your ROI for a solar metal roof? How about the benefits of metal vs. shingle? Find out why homeowners in PA and NJ are going with solar thin film and metal and why this could be a perfect fit for your home!

Date and Time:

Thursday, April  15th – 5:30 – 7:30pm with Information on Metal Roofing, Solar Thin Film, and James Hardie Fiber Cement Siding

Stay until 8:00pm for a complimentary Dinner Reception and a Metal Roofing and Solar Q&A Session

Location:
Washington Crossing Inn

1295 Gen Washington Mem Blvd

Washington Crossing, PA 18977-1309

Enjoy an informative and entertaining night out at the enchanting Washington Crossing Inn. Exclusive Savings on metal roofing and hardie siding direct from the Manufacturer Reps. Register online or call 888-234-2929 for tickets.

The Solar Equation

For more information on net metering, AC to DC conversions, solar thin film ROI in years and dollars, as well as per watt output and amount of energy being offest, call the team at Global Home Improvement at 888-234-2929 or visit their solar thin film webpage.

The patented design of the attachment clamp and attendant round-point setscrews enables an entire installation without a single penetration through the roof’s surface!!!  This clamp allows homeowners to have the most sustainable roof system available combined with alternative power generation!!! The penetration free attachment offers lower installation costs, cooler roofs, lower energy costs, and environmentally conscious solutions for people interested in going green.

Call Global Home Inc at 888-234-2929 to find out how you can be the greenest house on the block!!!!