Passage Two
Installing solar panels on the roof of your home is a big project ?but it pays off in more ways than one. There's the obvious environmental benefit, but for many homeowners, the joy comes with a dollar sign attached.
An average, 5-kilowatt system will cost about $15,000 to $20,000, depending on where you live in the US. So it pays to find out if your state offers rebates(退还款) or other incentives to help lower the cost of going solar. Here is a sure bet: the federal government offers a 30% tax credit.
You can start your research with this federally funded, comprehensive database that lists all sorts of incentives and policies for renewable energy by state or contact the state agency that regulates utilities.
Some states with strong policies to promote solar energy use have created their own websites listing incentives, financing options and tips for hiring a contractor to install the solar panels. Your utility might offer a similar helpful guide.
As with any major home improvement project, finding a good contractor is crucial. A trustworthy installer will secure the necessary permits, properly connect the solar energy system to your home and the local electric grid, and apply for incentives for you. Some states ---or local utilities--- post a list of certified solar service companies. Many consumers ask friends and neighbors for recommendations. Googling works just as well.
Another big decision is how to pay for the equipment and services. You can pay for them outright, of course. A solar energy system lasts about 20 years, so paying for it upfront will be a cheaper option over time than to lease it. As an owner, you get a bonus incentive if you live in a state that allows you to sell excess solar electricity to your utility. The money you earn will show up as a credit on your bill.
Another popular option is to leave the ownership and maintenance of the solar panels to your installer and pay only for the electricity produced from the rooftop system. This arrangement is done through a power purchase agreement, which can last 15 years or more. Your solar company typically sweetens the deal by charging you a lower electric rate than your utility would. Be sure to read the contract to see how your installer sets the electric rates over time. Those rates are likely to change because the average price for solar energy systems has fallen much in the past years.
27.Which benefit is guaranteed?
Installing solar panels on the roof of your home is a big project ?but it pays off in more ways than one. There's the obvious environmental benefit, but for many homeowners, the joy comes with a dollar sign attached.
An average, 5-kilowatt system will cost about $15,000 to $20,000, depending on where you live in the US. So it pays to find out if your state offers rebates(退还款) or other incentives to help lower the cost of going solar. Here is a sure bet: the federal government offers a 30% tax credit.
You can start your research with this federally funded, comprehensive database that lists all sorts of incentives and policies for renewable energy by state or contact the state agency that regulates utilities.
Some states with strong policies to promote solar energy use have created their own websites listing incentives, financing options and tips for hiring a contractor to install the solar panels. Your utility might offer a similar helpful guide.
As with any major home improvement project, finding a good contractor is crucial. A trustworthy installer will secure the necessary permits, properly connect the solar energy system to your home and the local electric grid, and apply for incentives for you. Some states ---or local utilities--- post a list of certified solar service companies. Many consumers ask friends and neighbors for recommendations. Googling works just as well.
Another big decision is how to pay for the equipment and services. You can pay for them outright, of course. A solar energy system lasts about 20 years, so paying for it upfront will be a cheaper option over time than to lease it. As an owner, you get a bonus incentive if you live in a state that allows you to sell excess solar electricity to your utility. The money you earn will show up as a credit on your bill.
Another popular option is to leave the ownership and maintenance of the solar panels to your installer and pay only for the electricity produced from the rooftop system. This arrangement is done through a power purchase agreement, which can last 15 years or more. Your solar company typically sweetens the deal by charging you a lower electric rate than your utility would. Be sure to read the contract to see how your installer sets the electric rates over time. Those rates are likely to change because the average price for solar energy systems has fallen much in the past years.
27.Which benefit is guaranteed?
举一反三
- In this section, there is a passage with10 blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter. Please mark the corresponding letter for each item. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once. An office tower on Miller Street in Manchester is completely covered in solar panels. They are used to create some of the energy used by the insurance company inside. When the tower was first __1__ in 1962, it was covered with thin square stones. These small square stones became a problem for the building and continued to fall off the face for 40 years until a major renovation was __2__ . During this renovation the building's owners, CIS, __3__ the solar panel company, Solar century. They agreed to cover the entire building in solar panels. In 2004, the completed CIS tower became Europe's largest __4__ of vertical solar panels. A vertical solar project on such a large __5__ has never been repeated since. Covering a skyscraper with solar panels had never been done before, and the CIS tower was chosen as one of the "10 best green energy projects". For a long time after this renovation project, it was the tallest building in the United Kingdom, but it was __6__ overtaken by the Mill bank Tower. Green buildings like this aren't __7__ cost-efficient for the investor, but it does produce much less pollution than that caused by energy __8__ through fossil fuels. As solar panels get __9__ , the world is likely to see more skyscrapers covered in solar panels, collecting energy much like trees do. Imagine a world where building the tallest skyscraper wasn't a race of __10__ , but rather one to collect the most solar energy. A)cheaper B) cleaner C) collection D) competed E) constructed F) consulted G) dimension H) discovered I) eventually J) height K) necessarily L) production M) range N) scale O) undertaken
- Later in your career, if you are a manager in a company and you want move up to more responsibility, you can renew your PEP. Which part of your current PEP will change the most by the time you are 35 years old?
- For households looking to adopt solar technology, using photovoltaic panels installed on the roof is generally more cost-effective than installing a solar water heating system.
- An additional option is finding a partner to help you stay on track and find pleasure in the administration of your own financial affairs. A: Another choice is to find a partner to deal with your financial management for you , so that you can get pleasure from it. B: Another choice is to find a partner to manage your business for you, and he also can get pleasure from doing so. C: Another choice is to find a partner who can help you stay in the right direction of your own financial management and get pleasure from doing it.
- Fuel cell is more promising than solar energy and wind energy because it is free from environmental restrictions and pollution.