Barron Heating’s John Barron Busts Solar Myths – whatcomtalk.com

As the prevalence of solar energy use increasesthroughout Whatcom County and beyond, its easy to wonder: Is now really theright time to invest in solar power?

Its a good question, and the folks at Barron Heating AC Electrical &Plumbing will answer with a resounding yes.

Barron CEO John Barron says there tends to beseveral misconceptions about what investing in a solar energy system can mean.

The first misconception is specific to ouroften-wet, cloudy environment: that theres not enough sunlight here to make asolar system practical.

That would absolutely be false, Barron says.Extreme heat can actually degrade solar power production. Solar is looking forlight, not heat. Weve got a lot of days with adequate light, even in thewinter.

No matter the season in the Pacific Northwest,a southerly exposed roof with clear access to sunlight and mild temperatureswill produce plenty of power, even when accounting for minor dips in especiallycloudy, dark weather.

A second myth is an idea that a solar arraywill be massive and cover your entire roof. This, too, is not the case. John Barronhas reached net-zero with his Bellingham home with a 30-panel, 10-kW rooftop arraythat covers no more than a quarter of his overall roof. Each panel is about 3.5feet by 5 feet in size.

Merrill Bevan, Barrons director of sales andmarketing, says Solarby Barron works to help customers design the smallest solar systempossible with their unique whole home approach. By looking at how a buildinguses all forms of energyfrom heating, venting and air conditioning(HVAC) to electrical and plumbingBarron can design a solar array based on yourhomes historic energy consumption and options for maximizing energyefficiency.

An energy efficient heat pump, a heat pump waterheater, and upgrades in insulation and weatherization are all great solutionsto achieve ultimate energy efficiency. Barron can also use an energy monitoringsystem installed in your home to measure actual energy usage. These testperiods can range from an hour snapshot to a month-long whole-home energyaudit, gathering data to help interpret the specific number of panels needed.

We bring all of those things to the table sothat instead of using outdated technology that requires a larger footprint forsolar, we can help our customers create the smallest footprint possible throughmechanical and weatherization technologies to be as efficient as they can be, saysBevan.

A third myth: that investing now will result ininvesting too soon, as solar technology advances to be far more efficient.This, too, is a fallacy.

Right now, solar panel technology among allmanufacturers has gotten to about 27 points on a 30-point efficiency scale, JohnBarron says. People that invest now are not making an investment thats goingto be short-lived.

Solar arrays are also extraordinarily durable,Barron continues, saying many of the panels they install are backed by 25-yearguarantees on parts and labor.

Making the initial investment in solar can givehomeowners pause, but Bevan shares that many Barron customers take advantage ofaffordable low-interest financing for energy smart equipment including solarinstallations. For most customers monthly payments are often no more than theiroriginal electric bills prior to installationin some cases lessandonce paid off, the result of solar is a net-zero energy bill with monthlysavings or free power continuing for the life of the system.

It was a goal of John Barrons to turn Barrons Ferndale facility into a net-zero campus and he is proud to have achieved just that. Barrons system consists of a 100-kW solar array on the roof of their 35,000 square foot facility and they received a full return on their investment in just three years. Many of Barrons employees have also gone solar for their homes.

Other financial perks of going solar includethe Federal Solar Tax Credit, which has now been extended. While it was originallyslated to decrease to 22% in 2021 before expiring in 2022, the credit is now remainingat 26% for the next two years. It grants dollar-for-dollar tax decreases toboth individuals and businesses, helping make solar energy installation moreaffordable. Equal to 26% of the total cost of a Solar by Barron energy system,the credit can directly reduce your tax liability by over $5,000.

Solar by Barron is also currently offering 10% morepower to solar customers who go net-zero with energy usage. Customers get tochoose how theyd like to future proof their homewhether thats to boost theirclean energy output for future home upgrades like a heat pump or electric carcharger station, or as a joint contribution to future-proofing our community bybringing more clean energy into our grid.

Barrons certified solar designers combineenergy efficient heating and cooling solutions with power from the sun tovirtually eliminate your power bill. The overall effect of making a homesolar-powered and extremely efficient can be profound forthose who live in it, as the team often hears from their customers.

Its like they live in a different home, JohnBarron says.

Helping people improve their lives throughsolar gets to the heart of Barrons overall missionone centered around threepillars of comfort, health, and energy efficiency. John Barron says theyreproud of the work they do, and theyre not about to slow down anytime soon.

Its not just about being a business andmaking money selling solar panels, he says. We want to make a difference inwhat we do. We know what solar does for people and we know what it does for thecommunity as a whole.

For more on how solar energy can make a difference in both the world and your world, please visit http://www.solarbybarron.com.

Sponsored

View post:
Barron Heating's John Barron Busts Solar Myths - whatcomtalk.com