Chicago Solar Electric Contractor for Residential Solar PV | Chicago Solar Thermal Contractor for Residential Hot Water and Hot Water heat

Solar energy is a clean and abundant renewable energy source and the U.S. has some of the richest solar resources in the world. Today's technology allows us to capture this power in several ways giving private, public and commercial entities flexible ways to employ both the heat and light of the sun.

When considering alternative energy sources, the first step should always be reducing the amount of energy that your home or building requires. Bringing higher levels of efficiency through effective building insulation, efficient lighting, and other measures is the surest path to success with alternative energy sources. Of course, Energy360 can address all these needs to ensure that your investment in alternative energy is as efficient and productive as possible.

You can familiarize yourself with the types of solar energy systems available by reading the information we have presented below. You can also Check out the Consumer Guide to Energy and Efficiency and Renewable Energy produced by the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Office. (download PDF here)

Solar Electric (PV)

Solar Hot Water (Thermal)

Photovoltaic modules, commonly known as PV, convert solar energy into electricity using no moving parts and producing no air pollution. Once installed, there are no additional costs, and manufacturers guarantee their products for 25 years. It becomes, in essence, free electricity. Most often, homes with Solar PV use both solar energy and electricity from the local utility under an arrangement called net-metering.

During the daytime hours the electricity generated through solar energy is consumed in the building and any excess is sent back to the utility through the meter. At night, when the sun is not shining, the utility supplies all of the power. The net result at the end of the month is an electric bill representing the difference between how much energy you generated and how much you consumed.

The amount of energy that any given PV system will generate is primarily a function of latitude, orientation, and specific site characteristics such as shading from other structures. Prior to designing a solution, a survey from Energy360 Solutions will identify the suitability of solar PV for your specific location.

Solar Electric (PV)

Solar Hot Water (Thermal)

Solar Hot Water (or Solar Thermal) systems absorb the sun's energy to provide heat used in hot water or space heating systems for residential and commercial buildings. There are also very large scale implementations used to generate electricity, but these systems are not viable outside of central utility facilities. Solar Thermal uses collectors, either flat panel or evacuated tubes, which are mounted on roofing or ground rack systems to capture the warmth of the sun.

The fluid that gets heated within these collectors is then used by water heaters and space heating systems to pre-heat the water flowing into these appliances. Like most other alternative energy systems, solar thermal implementations typically supplement fossil fuel sources as opposed to replacing them outright. However they are extremely efficient with relatively short payback periods compared to PV and other non-conventional systems.

A Solar Thermal system will:

>Lower monthly utility bills

> Result in payback from energy savings within 7-10 yrs

> Provide a reliable low-maintenance technology

> Lower dependence on fossil fuels and risks associated with rising costs

> Help protect the environment

For more information on how Solar Thermal and Solar Electric PV can lower your utility bills and generate clean efficient energy for your home or business, call Energy360 Solutions today at 877-336-0669....

Customer Testmonials

Here at Emerson Lofts we are embarking on a very exciting project where we are converting the historic Emerson typewriter plant into unique multi-family lofts. This building has great natural characteristics such as volume ceilings, large front windows and clerestories on the roof. These clerestories not only bring in day lighting from the North they are at the perfect southern exposure pitch to lay solar panels on. It would almost be foolish not to include solar as an option for our Emerson Loft condo conversion project. The roof structure, angle and orientation on this adaptive reuse almost beg for a solar array to be installed. We are very excited about working jointly with Energy360 to create true netzero homes right here in Woodstock, IL.

David Plote - www.emersonlofts.com

So what are you waiting for? A solution to cold drafty rooms and high utility bills is right around the corner.

Call Energy360 Solutions today at 877-336-0669 (877-E360NOW).