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Last month, 60 Minutes aired a segment where one of the program’s anchors, Lesley Stahl, tried to make the case that clean technology and renewable energy were “dead.” In her report, Stahl makes a number of claims about the energy industry and the future of renewables that have been proven false by a number of other news organizations.

High Demand for Renewable Energy, Solar In Particular

To begin with, demand for renewable energy is at an all-time high, and continues to grow year in and year out. As  RenewableEnergyWorld.com notes, renewables, including California solar power, provided 19 percent of global energy consumption in 2011, the latest year for which such data is currently available.

In addition, it should be made clear that solar energy in particular, which was a special target in the 60 Minutes segment, has been thriving over the last decade and continues to grow at an exponential pace. The Solar Energy Industries Association reports that 2013 was a record breaking year for solar installation in the United States and 2014 promises to be even better.

Additionally, California added more solar energy in 2013 than it had in the previous 30 years combined. None of these facts sound like symptoms of an industry that is dying.

Investors Still See Value in Renewable Energy

Furthermore, the 60 Minutes report gets a number of smaller facts wrong, including its description of Vinod Khosla, a venture capitalist featured heavily in the segment. Khosla is held up as an example of an investor who lost faith in renewable energy after having plowed over a $1 billion into the industry and seeing no returns.

However, Khosla himself has published an open letter to CBS claiming that the network got the facts completely wrong: Not only has he invested nowhere near $1 billion, he has seen a solid return from his interests and will continue supporting the renewable energy sector.

Clean Tech and Renewable Energy Will Power On

It’s not known why 60 Minutes and Stahl got so many facts wrong, nor why they pushed an agenda that is firmly against the expansion of renewables. However, it’s indicative of the continued struggle that the solar industry faces to demonstrate its importance for achieving renewable energy goals.

It’s important for clean technology advocates to enumerate the benefits of solar power, which include lower pollution levels, job creation and improved finances for both households and businesses.

They say that good things come in threes, but this week six great things happened here at AMECO Solar.

To start things off, one of our recent customers emailed us about their first “solar” bill. Now that they have installed solar panels and are using solar energy, their electric bill was only $24.79 (plus a $1.76 tax). This is down from a whopping $353.00 for this same time period last year, which means they are saving more than $325.00 this month!

In addition to this positive news, we had a record breaking week for reviews. Five customers reviewed us on Solar Reviews in the past week. They gave us 5 star ratings in categories including sales process, price charged as quoted, and quality of installation.

Here is what they had to say about their solar panel installation experience with AMECO:

#1 “Our September 2013 installation went very smoothly. We had our roof replaced at the same time. The solar installation crew worked closely with the roofer. Overall it was a positive experience. Everything went along on time and as promised. I am very pleased with the result.”

#2 “I’ve had my solar system for over 5 years now. The installation went smooth, and the system is performing better than projected. I highly recommend Ameco Solar.”

#3 “We have had Ameco install the solar arrays on our home as well as our apartment building. They were on schedule for the installations and the team was very good installing and cleaning up the job sites. Both arrays are working well with our home array outputting a little more power than we were estimated. We have recommended Ameco to a friend who is also pleased with the quality of their work.”

#4 “Ameco installed my solar system 5 1/2 years ago. I was very pleased with the execution of the project then and continue to reap the benefits. I recently had a solar tune-up and was pleased to learn that the system is performing so well.”

#5 “Ameco put solar panels on our new construction 4 years ago, and they are still performing in top condition. They were extremely professional, and a pleasure to work with. I would highly recommend Ameco to anyone considering solar panels.”

You may see more reviews about AMECO Solar on our Solar Reviews profile. So far, 57 customers have reviewed us for a solid 4.91 rating out of 5.

In recent years, solar companies have advertised that a $150 electric bill qualifies you for solar panel installation. So much so that many in Southern California believe they do not qualify for a solar electric system if their bill is under $150. As it turns out, almost everyone “qualifies” for solar energy whatever the cost of your utility bill.

Breaking Point for Solar Savings

Why do the solar marketers focus so much on $150? Typically, the more money you pay for electricity, the more solar panels will be able to save you. It is at about the $150 dollar mark that the payments for investing in solar panels may be equaled by the monthly savings. Many marketers have discovered that if the monthly savings are greater than your electricity costs from day one, then the odds are better for making a sale.

By weaving the $150 limit into solar advertising, some companies are using a clever tool to weed out people with smaller electricity bills. If they were truthful, they should be saying, “If your electric bill is $150 or more, then you qualify for a solar sales presentation!”

Different Reasons for Going Solar

Everyone has a different motive for going solar and it’s not necessarily all financial. There are other reasons for installing a solar array.

Many people are concerned about what they can do to reduce their carbon footprint. Lifestyle changes (like recycling and being a conscious consumer) are an important way to make less of an impact on the earth, but it is hard to live without electricity or hot water, so solar energy is the natural choice for producing clean power.

As an example, two of our customers who own  solar panels in Long Beach were only paying about $30 a month to SCE when they decided to go solar in the early 2000’s. Since their electric bill was on the smaller side, the estimated payback wouldn’t be until the 20th year that they own the system. However, it was important for them to use clean, renewable energy to power their home instead of relying on the fossil fuels delivered by the utility company.

Another reason people install solar panels is to take control of their energy future. Historically, electricity rates have risen by about 6% every year, and there is no telling when the utility companies will decide to raise prices even higher. By producing energy with their own solar panels, homeowners and businesses won’t be victim to the price increases of electricity during the entire lifetime of the solar array (about 25-30 years).

Solar is a Better Deal than the Utility

Your energy bill is simply a continuing and never ending expense. When you go solar, you are converting an expense into an asset. For those that choose to purchase their solar system, your energy usage will be an investment instead of a monthly cost. No matter the size of your bill, if the solar system pays for itself within its lifetime (usually 25-30 years), then it’s a much better deal that can be had from any utility company.

Having an electric bill less than $150 shouldn’t stop you from considering solar panel installation. Most people with smaller bills can still take advantage of the benefits of solar energy whether financial or not.

Frequently people want to know how many solar panels they will need based on the size of their home. However, the amount of electricity you use is more important for solar electric system design than the square footage of your home. This is mainly because people’s use of electricity varies in so many different ways.

Same House, Different Energy Situations

For instance, let’s say two families live next door to each other in 2,000 square foot homes. A young man lives in Home A with his fiancé; they both work long hours and often spend evenings out with friends. As a result, they don’t use much electricity and pay about $40 a month.

In Home B, two parents live with their two teenage children. They are either running the heater or air conditioner and use electricity to filter their pool, meanwhile the teenagers are always on their iPads, opening the refrigerator or watching TV. Since more people live in the house and their lifestyle requires more energy, their electricity bills run at about $325 a month.

Importance of Electricity Usage for Solar Panel Design

Even though they live in homes that are the exact same size, the family in Home B would most likely need to invest in more solar panels to bring down their electricity usage than the couple living in Home A.  Even if the households were identical in electric consumption, one home may have better solar exposure or less shade than another, which can mean more or fewer panels.

Electricity usage is also important because most utility companies in Los Angeles and Orange County limit the size of your solar system based on the amount of energy you currently use. This number is usually determined by looking at how much electricity you have used in the last 12 months.

Just Moved or Building Your Home? Here’s How it Works

Of course, there are always some exceptions to the rule. If you have only lived in your home for a few months or want to install solar panels on a home in construction, then most utility companies let us estimate usage based on your home’s square footage.

As an example, LADWP calculates this type of average at 2 watts for every square foot. So, a 2,000 square foot home would be allowed a solar array of 4,000 watts.  Depending on the type of panel that you choose, a system of this size would be anywhere from 12-18 solar panels.  Keep in mind, this formula to estimate consumption varies depending on who provides your electricity.

Another exception is sometimes made for people who are anticipating that their electricity usage will go up. If you are planning to buy an EV (electric vehicle) or install central air, for example, we can estimate the additional usage and factor it into the solar panel design and cost. But, the utilities are sticklers! They will make us submit proof of purchase along with the solar system application.

Find out How Much Solar Panels Cost

Interested in how many solar panels you will need for your roof and energy situation? Call us at (888) 595-9570 or email gosolar@th2.e81.myftpupload.com, and have your electricity bills handy. We can typically provide a rough estimate based on your usage and a quick glance at your home on Google Earth. For those who would like a more specific price, we can schedule a solar evaluation where we meet at your home and evaluate your roof in person.