SunSmart: Here in St. George it is warm and sunny 99% of the time, 310 days out of the year the sun is shining. Not taking advantage of solar power would be a shame. Our city's utilities have built a large solar PV (photovoltiac) facility which lets residents purchase solar power. Switching over to solar power avoids delivery over long transmission lines and increases sustainability and energy security. One kW unit costs $5,000 and a half unit is $2,500. Purchasing these units can be claimed on your taxes. The unit lasts a minimum of 19 years. The CO2 decrease would be equivalent to driving 2.2 fewer miles AN HOUR. Home owners and companies also have the option of putting solar panels on their roofs.
St. George also has a Clean Green Program which allows residents to use more renewable energy sources for power. St. George supports solar and low impact hydropower sources. In order for citizens to use these programs it would only be $2.95 more per month. The cost would go from $.0671/kWh to $.0966/kWh.
In October 2005 St. George developed it's Net Metering Program which allows residents to reduce by harnessing energy from the wind and the sun. This reduces energy costs, doesn't produce emissions,is renewable and reliable, reduces utility peak demands, and contributes to the nations energy security.
There are also some things we can all do to help conserve energy and save money that don't require purchasing solar, wind, or water power. Set thermostats to 76-78 degrees during warm weather. If a room isn't in use, close the vent. Also, clean and replace air vent filters monthly. Compact fluorescent light bulbs use 75% less energy than normal incandescent bulbs. These are some things that many people don't know can make a big difference.
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