VI solar Depot news:
Press Release:
Xantrex Technology Inc. changes its brand name from Xantrex to Schneider
Electric in January 2010
Burnaby, BC – January 12, 2010 – Effective January 1, 2010 Xantrex
Technology Inc., a leading provider of solar inverters, rebranded as
“Schneider Electric”. Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy
management, has been the parent company of Xantrex since Schneider
Electric’s acquisition of Xantrex in September 2008. Under a single
brand, Schneider Electric offers customers a full range of energy
management solutions that help customers “make the most of their
energy™” and achieve more while using less of the common planet.
Schneider Electric’s new renewable energies business unit focuses on
providing renewable energy solutions to our customers. The renewable
energy solutions complement Schneider Electric’s integrated solutions,
which are designed to make energy safe, reliable, efficient, productive
and green from plant to plug. “This is more than just a brand name
change; this enhances our ability to provide world-class renewable
energy solutions essential to driving value for our customers,” said Ted
Campbell, president and CEO of Xantrex Technology Inc. and Sr. VP,
Renewable Energies Business of Schneider Electric. “Rebranding “Xantrex”
to “Schneider Electric” is another evolutionary step in the process of
being able to leverage our comprehensive offer portfolio as a
single-source energy management.” Xantrex’s brand transition to
Schneider Electric is part of a global companywide initiative. The
migration to one company brand under Schneider Electric will offer
customers increased access to a wider range of integrated solutions.
These solutions address 72 percent of the world’s energy consumption by
infrastructure, industrial processes, building systems and services, and
data centers/networks, as well as in residential applications.
For more information about Schneider Electric, please visit
http://www.schneider-electric.com
About Schneider Electric
As a global specialist in energy management with operations in more than
100 countries, Schneider Electric offers integrated solutions across
multiple market segments, including leadership positions in energy and
infrastructure, industrial processes, building automation, and data
centers/networks, as well as a broad presence in residential
applications. Focused on making energy safe, reliable, efficient,
productive and green, the company's 114,000 employees achieved sales of
more than $25 billion in 2008, through an active commitment to help
individuals and organizations “Make the most of their energy.”
www.schneider-electric.com
Schneider Electric is a trademark of Schneider Electric, registered in
the United States and other
countries. Make the most of their energy is a trademark of Schneider
Electric.
Going Green on St. Croix
http://www.cruzana.com/going-green-on-st-croix/
Perhaps
it’s just me, but there seems to be more going on with solar energy,
wind power, recycling and green building on St. Croix. Since electric
rates in U.S.V.I. are 3.5 times the average of rates in the
continental United States the level of interest in alternative energy
makes sense. Everywhere I look folks are moving in the green
direction. In this article I’ll discuss some of the “good things”
we’ve discovered lately.
The Big Picture - The USVI
government, lead by Governor DeJongh, is actively trying to make
positive changes to the environment through various programs. The
VIWMA has started a “Preserving Paradise Campaign” and the VI Resource
Conservation & Development Council is working hard and in fact
received a 2008 EPA Environmental Quality Award. There is also an
environmental educators network if you are interested.
Click here to read the full article and see the going green on St.
Croix website:
http://www.cruzana.com/going-green-on-st-croix/
Rebate program has been extended until Oct. 1
Local news — St. Croix
By Lynda Lohr — August 28, 2009
Usually on hiatus from August through October, the V.I. Energy
Office's rebate program has been extended until Oct. 1.
Don Buchanan of the Energy Office said a new, expanded program using
federal economic stimulus funds is slated to come on line by Oct. 1,
so if you're planning a big purchase it may pay to wait.
"It will cover more items and be more attractive to residents," he
said.
According to Buchanan, the Energy Office decided to extend the program
now so people making purchases during the transition between the old
and new programs wouldn't miss out. The rebate extension was effective
Aug. 1.
Purchase must be made from certified vendors and rebate applications
must reach the Energy Office within 30 days of the purchase to be
eligible for a rebate.
The rebate program includes 20 percent off the purchase price to a
maximum of $600 on Energy Star appliances. These are appliances rated
as energy efficient and carry the Energy Star seal. They include room
air conditioners, ceiling fans, clothes washers, and refrigerators.
Those who buy Energy Star compact fluorescent lights bulbs will get $5
off the purchase of three or more. The rebate also applies to a
four-pack. Purchasers are limited to five coupons per rebate cycle.
On St. John, the appliances must be purchased at Appliance Plus at
693-9411. On St. Thomas, shop at Expo by Appliance Plus at 775-9411
and Western Auto at 775-4400.
On St. Croix, purchase appliances at Best Furniture and Appliances at
778-6440, Carlos Warehouse at 778-6556, Gallows Bay Hardware at
773-1034, IEnergy at 719-5440, Oscar Refrigeration and Furniture at
718-1740, and Quality Electric Supply at 773-4630.
To further reduce energy consumption, invest in alternative energy.
Rebates are available on several items. Purchasers are limited to one
rebate per item per rebate cycle. They must be purchased from approved
dealers.
* Photovoltaic panels carry rebates of $3.50 per watt with a limit of
one kilowatt.
* Solar hot water heaters 81 to 120 gallons in size are eligible for a
$1,000 rebate. Those that hold 40 to 80 gallons carry a rebate of
$700, and those 39 gallons and below are eligible for a $500 rebate.
* Save 20 percent on the cost of a wind turbine generator. There is a
maximum rebate of $3,500.
* Purchase a sine wave inverter and get 15 percent off the retail
price with a maximum of $1,000. The purchase must be made in
conjunction with photovoltaic or solar panels or wind generators.
* Get 25 percent off the cost of an electric water heater timer. There
is a limit of one.
Solar Energy Federal Tax Credits
On October 3, 2008, President Bush signed into law the "Emergency
Economic Stabilization Act of 2008". Included in that bill were
several extensions, changes, and additions to Federal tax credits for
solar energy.
We are still gathering more detailed information here, but the FAQ
sheet from SEIA covers most of it. [ See the link below to view file ]
One very important thing to note is that for 2008, the tax credit for
solar electric system remains at 30%, with a $2000 cap.
However, for systems put "into service" between 2009 and 2016, the
credit remains at 30%, while the cap of $2000 is removed for
residential systems. That means that for solar electric systems put
into service between Jan 1 2009 and Dec 31 2016, you will be able to
get back 30% of the total cost of the system, with no cap for
residential systems.
What "put into service" means is basically when the system goes live,
or operational, not when it was purchased. You can purchase solar
electric systems now, but you might want to wait until Jan 1 2009 to
flip the ON switch.
From IRS Form 5695: Residential Energy Efficient Property Credit
You may be able to take a credit of 30% of your costs of qualified
solar electric property, solar water heating
property, fuel cell
property, small wind energy property, and geothermal heat pump
property. This includes labor costs properly allocable to the onsite
preparation, assembly, or original installation of the property and
for piping or wiring to interconnect such property to the home.
For more information on nationwide local and state incentives, see the
Dsireusa.org site:
Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency