Power FAQs
Please email your questions about household or commercial energy use and sustainable transportation to comments@bouldercolorado.gov.
Q: Several of my neighbors have installed "solar electric" panels on their roofs. Is this different from regular solar panels and how long would it take recoup my upfront costs? Are there tax rebates or was that just a Jimmy Carter thing?
A: Solar electric panels are solar panels that produce electricity from the sun. They are the most prevalent solar option these days and are also referred to as Solar PV (solar photovoltaic) panels. Another kind of panel that you might have seen is solar thermal. These provide energy to heat your water which eliminates the need for a hot water heater. For residential solar systems, it will generally take around 10-12 years to payback your installation costs, depending on the size of the system. However, steadily increasing energy prices would reduce this. There are numerous incentives for solar right now. Xcel Energy currently rebates half of the cost of the system and there is also a federal tax credit. Visit www.coseia.org for a list of local solar contractors who provide free quotations for cost and payback time.
Q: Is it possible to run a hot tub on solar power?
A: Yes, it is possible to run a hot tub on solar power. There are kits available at store.altenergystore.com, www.abcsolar.com/solarpool.html, and www.solarhottub.com.
Q: Besides the North Boulder Recreation Center, is the city of Boulder planning to install more solar at other government buildings, such as the County courthouse, library, Public Works, Fleet building on old Pearl, Water Treatment Plants and so on?
A: Yes. Boulder County invested in solar panels on the County courthouse. The city of Boulder will fund the installation of solar panels on the George Reynolds Branch library and at the 75th Street Wastewater Treatment facility. We are also issuing an RFP to local solar companies to determine the feasibility of solar on all city buildings.
Q: Is there a way the city of Boulder could put windmills or wind farms on some of our open space?
A: Unfortunately, Boulder is not a great site for large scale wind generation because it is not consistently windy here.
Q: I sometimes drive by wind farms where some of the windmills are spinning and others are not. This seems like lost opportunity. Is there a reason why windmills would be stopped?
A: Wind turbines require a lot of maintenance, so a stopped turbine might be due to a maintenance event. They also sometimes break due to wear and tear of the gear boxes, causing a turbine to stop spinning. Another reason is that the wind farm might be limited to the amount of energy they can provide so as a result they control the amount of energy produced, like a coal or gas plant might do.
Q: If I purchase wind power from Xcel Energy or another local retailer for the Boulder Wind Challenge, my electricity is theoretically already coming from a renewable source. Does it still make eco-sense to consider solar panels on our house?
A: Absolutely. Purchasing wind power is a way to offset the energy that you aren't able to generate on your own with solar. Using solar panels on your house ensures that you will receive clean, renewable power for as long as the panels are in operation. You are also demonstrating to your neighbors and guests how it works and can encourage others to investigate the benefits of solar power.