Looking at the future of the energy-efficient home at the 2009 Solar Decathlon

Mother Nature didn't make it easy for the teams that took part in 2009 Solar Decathlon, hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The homes designed and built by 20 college and university teams were put through the weather wringer during the final days of the event last weekend, with cold, rainy, overcast weather prevailing—not exactly ideal conditions for solar-powered homes.

The homes in the 2009 Solar Decathlon were judged on 10 characteristics, including architecture, comfort, lighting, appliances, hot water, home entertainment, and market viability, or how easy and affordable the home is to build. Readily available products used in the houses include compact fluorescent lightbulbs and LED lighting, induction cooktops, front-loading washing machines, energy-efficient windows, bamboo flooring, and low-VOC paint.

Team Germany took first prize in the fourth installment of this competition (see its home in the video above) earning 908.29 points out of a possible 1,000, followed by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Team California with 863.08 points. See the complete final standings.

With umbrella in hand and galoshes on feet, I checked out the future of the energy-efficient home. (You can avoid any inclement weather by visiting the 20 projects via a virtual tour.)

While the competition calls for uniformity in overall size—houses can be no larger than 800 square feet—the first thing I noticed was how different the houses looked from one another. With teams from throughout the U.S. as well as Canada, German, Puerto Rico, and Spain, each featured a design unique to its climate and region.

Inside Consumer Reports Test Labs: Solar water heaters update

When we published initial results from the testing of solar water heaters, we knew the analysis was a work in progress. For instance, when the October 2009 issue of Consumer Reports went to press, some data from the hottest months of the year were missing. And one of the key deciding factors in buying a solar water heater—how much money it can save you—tends to change like, well, the weather. Here's an update on our testing of the solar water heaters installed on the roof of our Yonkers, New York, headquarters:

Second panel boosts savings. When we added a second panel to the $6,000 Heliodyne 50180 system—a move that gave this model Energy Star qualification—we saw a definite jump in the percent savings from the 32 percent we reported, even during a period with unseasonably cool weather. Still, the $1,500 extra you might pay for this two-panel system could result in a longer payback period even considering whatever state tax credits you can get on top of the 30 percent federal credit. Read "Energy Tax Credits at a Glance" for more information.

A newcomer shows promise. An Eagle Sun model, $6,000 to $9,000 installed, is the newest system on the roof. While the model is rated by the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation to supply 70 percent of the energy needed to heat the water for a two- to four-person household, we won't have enough data to report on until sometime next year. Still, the expected savings from the Eagle Sun are much higher than those of the first solar-thermal systems we installed. (The photo shows Senior Lab Technician Eric Hado (left) and Senior Project Leader David Trezza installing the Eagle Sun system on our roof.)

Higher savings are achieved. Installing the Hot₂O Solar Hot Water System by Fafco, a do-it-yourself system (we recommend pro installation), cost us $2,200. But the company has updated its installation instructions. After we modified the setup, which included insulating the hot-water tank, the average savings climbed from about 29 percent to roughly 42 percent.

Performance stays consistent. We took the Rheem RS47-21BP, $5,000 to $6,200 installed, out of service to make room for the newer systems, but until the day we removed it in mid-September, its average savings remained at the roughly 32 percent we first reported. And the SunMaxx 3570 (PDF), $5,500 to $7,000, is maintaining the same 23 percent savings we saw in the system's first weeks in place; its single array of tubes is roughly equivalent to a single flat panel in terms of performance.

As we move into fall and then winter, we'll see whether evacuated-tube systems like the SunMaxx really perform better and save more money than flat-panel designs in cold weather.—Ed Perratore | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: If you're considering a solar water heater, read our recent report on alternative energy (specifics on solar water heaters are available to subscribers). The American Solar Energy Society kicked off its 14th annual National Solar Tour on October 3. To find a related event in your state, visit this page. If a solar water heater isn't for you, check out our coverage of tankless water heaters.

By the Numbers: Virgin Earth Challenge calls for innovative ways to reduce greenhouse gases

$25 million

Prize in the Virgin Earth Challenge, which will be awarded to the individual or team to come up with a commercially viable design that accomplishes or appears capable of achieving the net removal of significant volumes of man-made greenhouse gases annually for at least 10 years.

Sir Richard Branson, of the Virgin Group, and former Vice President Al Gore are two of the six judges for the competition, which was launched in February 2007. As of the end of September, 900 entries had been received. A review of entries that made the first cut will take place next February.—Kimberly Janeway | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential reading: Use less energy and save up to $1,500 on your annual utility bills. Read our reports on pellet stoves and solar water heaters and find out which compact fluorescent lightbulbs top our ratings (available to subscribers).

By the Numbers: New EPA rule aimed at lowering greenhouse-gas emissions

25,000 metric tons

Minimum amount of greenhouse gases that an industrial facility would have to emit annually to be affected by a new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rule aimed at regulating carbon emissions. The rule will require facilities producing more than 25,000 tons of greenhouse gases to obtain permits demonstrating their use of the best available technology to reduce emissions, or face penalties. The final rule was signed by EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson on September 22.

"By using the power and authority of the Clean Air Act, we can begin reducing emissions from the nation's largest greenhouse-gas-emitting facilities without placing an undue burden on the businesses that make up the vast majority of our economy," said Jackson in a September 30 speech. "This is a commonsense rule that is carefully tailored to apply to only the largest sources—those from sectors responsible for nearly 70 percent of U.S. greenhouse-gas-emissions sources."
 
About 14,000 facilities, namely power plants, refineries, and factories, would be affected. Farms, restaurants, hospitals, and other small businesses would not, according to the EPA.

The new EPA rule comes in advance of December's United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. Critics of the rule contend that it unfairly singles out big industry and that the EPA is violating the terms of the Clean Air Act by using it to regulate greenhouse gases.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: You can lower the amount of greenhouse gases you generate at home and on the road. Whether you use compact fluorescent lightbulbs or install a solar water heater (stories and ratings available to subscribers), you can cut your utility bills by $1,500 a year.

Roundup of the 2009 Clinton Global Initiative: What's coming next for energy efficiency at home

The fifth annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative resulted in 284 "commitments to action" valued at $9.4 billion. As we reported last week from the event, energy efficiency dominated much of the discussion, and if adopted, this year's commitment-to-action initiatives could eliminate 30 million metric tons of greenhouse-gas emissions a year; bring clean energy to an additional 7 million people worldwide; and engage 1.5 million new people in climate-change efforts.

"I think we can say with some certainty that this [commitment to action] model actually does work," said former President Bill Clinton during the CGI's closing ceremony. "People don't have to have the same politics, the same religion, or speak the same language to work together and to have an impact. We all have things to learn from each other. What we need is a shared mechanism to achieve common goals."

While most of the commitments were prepared in advance, some happened spontaneously, underscoring Clinton's call for collaboration. For example, CGI member Mouhsine Serrar, CEO of Prakti Design Lab, developed a commitment at the meeting to deliver efficient kitchen appliances to the people of Haiti.

Another commitment that bears closer watching came from Jack Hidary, chairman of SmartTransportation.org and the man behind the Car Allowance Rebate System, or cash for clunkers, which he unveiled at last year's CGI meeting. Hidary is now setting his sights on the country's inefficient housing stock, with a commitment to bring low-cost financing for energy-efficient retrofits. The illustration above, from the National Energy Technology Laboratory, shows energy-saving opportunities in a typical home.

The October 2009 issue of Consumer Reports details ways to make your home more efficient and cut your annual utility bill by $1,500. But upfront costs can be steep, especially if you install a pellet stove or a solar water heater.

Hidary's plan would alleviate that burden by letting you pay the costs over several years using the savings from your lower energy bills. Look for more details in our upcoming 10 Questions for . . . interview with Hidary.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Visit our new Energy Saving & Green Living guide for more advice on how to save money on heating and cooling your home.

Pellet stoves are a hot topic with consumers

As high energy prices and federal tax incentives continue to spur interest in pellet stoves, the number of online discussions about these appliances seems to be on the rise. Among the topics of interest to potential buyers and seasoned users are which pellets to buy, their proper storage and cleanup, and even possible pellet shortages during peak heating season. The Napoleon NPS40 stove, $2,350, is shown.

You'll be happy to learn that the "supply of pellets stoves and fuel is good," according to Leslie G. Wheeler, director of communications for the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association.

The HPBA advises that you keep pellets dry and not handle them more than necessary, since they can breakup into smaller pieces. Also note that wood pellets in 40-pound bags are easier to store, keep dry, and tote to a stove than loose pellets, which require some sort of large bin.

Storage area can definitely be a concern with wood pellets. "You need some space to store the pellets; I have 4 tons in my basement," says John McAloon, a project leader in the Consumer Reports Technical Division. McAloon schleps the 40-pound bags of pellets into his basement by himself, but innovative bulk-delivery systems could become a more-attractive alternative.

As for water damage, "I've had water get into one or two bags stacked near the bottom of the pallet, but it ruined only a small amount of pellets," McAloon adds.

The HPBA suggests that you burn only grades of pellet recommended by the manufacturer of the stove and clean your stove(s) at least once a week regardless of which grade of pellet you burn.

"The stove requires some cleaning, but I haven't had problems with dust, and the pellets do burn pretty efficiently. Each week, after burning 300 to 400 pounds of pellets, I might find just a few clinkers—large ash deposits,"  says McAloon.

Two manufacturers whose pellet stoves were tested four our recent report—Harman Home Heating and England's Stove Works—offer valuable safety and troubleshooting advice on their Web sites.

Share your own tips or insights about using pellet stoves, which fuels to buy, and other subjects by leaving a comment below. Our future coverage will look at these burning topics.—Gian Trotta | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential Information: The October 2009 issue of Consumer Reports includes expert advice on ways to slash your energy bills, ratings of compact fluorescent lightbulbs, and coverage of solar water heaters (stories and ratings are available to subscribers). Look for more ways to save in our new Energy Saving & Green Living guide.

Buzzword: Shale Gas

What it means. Shale is a fine-grained, sedimentary rock formed from compacted clay. Shale gas is the natural gas contained within the flakes and fragments of that rock. Geologists have long known that this country has abundant supplies of shale gas, as seen in the map (right), which shows shale-gas basins in this country. The map is from "Modern Shale Gas Development in the United States: A Primer," a paper prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Fossil Energy and National Energy Technology Laboratory.

Why the buzz? What's generating interest in shale gas is a drilling technique that enables producers to extract the previously unreachable natural gas from deep beneath the earth's crust. The two-fold approach combines horizontal drilling with water fracturing, or hydraulic fracturing or hydrofracking. After penetrating a mile or so into the shale, the drill turns sideways to establish maximum contact with the gas-bearing shale formation. A water-based liquid, called fracking fluid, is then pumped into the formation under high pressure, fracturing the rock and releasing the gas up through the well.

Thanks to the drilling innovations, today's natural-gas reserves are considered 35 percent higher than they were just two years ago. On National Public Radio, Tom Gjelten has reported this week on the Marcellus Basin, a 400-million-year-old formation that stretches from New York to West Virginia and is said to contain 500 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, or the equivalent of 80 billion barrels of oil. Overall, this country sits atop more than 2,200 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, according to a separate industry study, enough to meet current projected natural-gas demands for many decades to come.

Those vast reserves could lead to lower natural-gas prices for you. Read about the Long Island Power Authority's move to give its customers $144 million in credits, which are directly linked to the price drop for natural gas.

Natural gas burns more cleanly than coal and produces less carbon dioxide. That has some environmental groups, including the Sierra Club, calling natural gas a "bridge fuel" that would allow the U.S. to burn less coal and oil while production ramps up on solar, wind, and other renewable-energy sources.

But not all environmentalists are gung-ho for shale gas. The National Resources Defense Council, Damascus Citizens for Sustainability, Riverkeeper, and others have come out against hydraulic fracturing, contending that the chemicals involved contaminate drinking water. A U.S. Senate bill, the Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act, would overturn a 2005 law that essentially exempted fracturing fluids from the Safe Drinking Water Act and also require natural-gas companies to disclose the chemicals used in hydrofracking operations.

Read more about the issue in the Department of Energy's "DOE-Funded Primer Underscores Technology Advances, Challenges of Shale Gas Development."—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Before the start of heating season, get your heating system tuned up. And to save money on your utility bills, install a programmable thermostat, read our buyer's guides to furnaces (more details here), solar water heaters, and pellet stoves, and follow our overall experts tips for cutting your energy costs.

This is no "hair-brained" scheme: Nepalese student makes solar panel with human hair

Here's a headline that caught our eye the other day: "Teenager Invents £23 Solar Panel That Could Be Solution to Developing World's Energy Needs . . . Made From Human Hair."

The story, from the Daily Mail newspaper in England, looks at a new solar panel made by Milan Karki, an 18-year-old student from rural Nepal. The device, says the article, can produce 18 watts and costs so little to produce—around $38—since the hair replace the far pricier silicon.

“Slowly, natural resources are degrading so it is necessary to think about the future," Karki told the newspaper. "One day we will be in a great crisis regarding this fuel so it is a good thing to do today. This [solar panel] is an easy solution for the crisis we are having today. We have begun the long walk to save the planet.”

Karki's innovative solar panel reminds us of the Kenya-based inventor's solar oven that last spring won a $75,000 prize and which can boil water and bake food. It's this type of ingenuity that will help developing nations and the rest of the world find new sources of energy and also help the environment. e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

UPDATE, 9/18/09: Looks like the above story might be a hoax, according to the stories on these links:

http://features.csmonitor.com/environment/2009/09/12/a-nepalese-solar-panel-made-from-human-hair-were-not-convinced/
http://blog.nature.org/2009/09/cool-green-morning-monday-september-14/

Essential information: In the October 2009 issue of Consumer Reports, our feature on alternative energy covers pellet stoves and solar water heaters (the illustration above diagrams how a solar water works) and provides you with strategies to save hundreds on your utility bills and the latest testing results for compact fluorescent lightbulbs.

By the Numbers: China aims to take the lead in solar power

20,000 megawatts

Amount of solar power the Chinese government hopes to generate by 2020, according to "China Racing Ahead of U.S in the Drive to Go Solar," in yesterday's New York Times. The story adds that China today produces more than 25 percent of the solar modules made worldwide.

Chinese companies are aiming to become the dominant player in solar power and are backed by generous government support, according to the Times. The biggest manufacturer, Suntech Power Holdings, sells solar panels in the United States for less than the cost of materials, assembly, and shipping.

While this country is lagging behind China on the solar front, wind power is starting to grow in the U.S., as we reported last week in "By the Numbers: In the Quest for Renewable Energy, One Answer Is Blowin' in the Wind."—Kimberly Janeway | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Look for our coverage of renewable and alternative energy, including reports on solar water heaters and pellet stoves, in the October 2009 issue of Consumer Reports, online and on newsstands next week.

By the Numbers: In the quest for renewable energy, one answer is blowin' in the wind

4,000 megawatts

Amount of new wind-power generating capacity installed in the United Stated in the first six months of 2009, according to the American Wind Energy Association. That's enough to power the equivalent of up to 1.2 million homes, and an increase of 38 percent over the first two quarters of 2008.

The AWEA reports that wind power offsets an average of 54 million tons of greenhouse-gas emissions annually. What's more, this developing industry might spin off new jobs: The Union of Concerned Scientists estimates that generating renewable energy could also create nearly 300,000 new jobs.

Essential information: Check out the October 2009 issue of Consumer Reports, online and on newsstands in September, for reports on pellet stoves and solar water heaters, expert advice on saving energy at home, and ratings of compact fluorescent lightbulbs.