| We have previously written about our own | | | | search by Eligible Sector, Implementing Sector, |
| experiences where we lost out on government | | | | Incentive Type, State and Technology. |
| energy conservation grants because the vendors | | | | Did you know, for example that when I selected |
| from whom we purchased our early energy | | | | a search within the DSIRE site by the category |
| conservation related products / services did not | | | | of Technology and within it selected Solar Space |
| tell us. | | | | Heat, I was presented with at least one unique |
| What can you do to reduce the risk of this not | | | | government incentive for Solar Space Heat in |
| happening to you? | | | | what I believe was all 50 States? (too bad |
| First, go to your local governments' web sites to | | | | Canada, a colder climate, does not demonstrate |
| research before you invest your precious time | | | | the same enthusiasm for this technology in its |
| and hard earned money in your home | | | | ecoENERGY Retrofit program as financial |
| renovations. Also, talk to a local realtor who is | | | | incentives for Solar Space Heat devices are not |
| supposed to be current on such information. | | | | available for single family homes in that country - |
| Another approach is to search for web sites | | | | strange but true). |
| which provide this information for various areas | | | | And the cool thing is that the web site is that it |
| that is kept current. Yes, we have found such a | | | | remains updated weekly so it is always kept as |
| site for the USA. | | | | current as possible. For example, the Orlando |
| DISRE is the Database of State Incentives for | | | | Utility Commission recently launched two pilot solar |
| Renewables & Efficiency. It was first | | | | programs; (A) a Solar Photovoltaic (PV) program |
| established way back in 1995 to be a continuing | | | | to generate electricity, and (B) a Solar Thermal |
| effort of the North Carolina Solar Center of the | | | | program to generate heat for domestic water |
| North Carolina State University and the Interstate | | | | heating systems. And, another incentive added to |
| Renewable Energy Council (IREC), funded by the | | | | the DSIRE site in February and March 2008 is the |
| United Sates Department of Energy. | | | | Palo Alto Utilities's Solar Renewable Energy Credit |
| It is truly a treasure chest of information on | | | | Purchase Program. |
| state, local, utility and federal incentives which | | | | Remember, you need to take responsibility onto |
| promote both renewable energy and energy | | | | your own shoulders. The DSIRE web site and |
| efficiency, with separate and combined databases | | | | other sources of information are around if you |
| for each. | | | | look for them before you start your home |
| A very helpful aspect to the DISRE site is the | | | | renovation. Hopefully by reading this article you at |
| wide variety of searches that are available. There | | | | least motivated to start looking so you don't |
| is a map of the United States whereupon you can | | | | loose out on energy conservation related grants |
| simply select your State and drill down accordingly. | | | | like we did. |
| Or, there is a search feature where you can | | | | |