Climate change is already having negative impacts on Hawaii, both in the state’s natural environment and its economy, and will eventually affect human health. From the loss of coral reefs to the destruction of beaches, the loss of endangered animal species, and the effect on tourism, the costs of climate change threaten to overtake the Hawaiian economy. Rises in sea level, erosion, and changes in weather patterns threaten to overwhelm the islands if nothing is done to reverse the changes in the climate or mitigate the effects. Unlike island nations that are being overtaken by water with little recourse, Hawaii has the capability to implement renewable energy resources, and already emits the least greenhouse gas of any state in the US.

Experts have already attributed the disappearance of Whale Skate Island in northwest Hawaii to rises in sea level. While the coral reefs are currently in good condition, changes in the ecosystem can quickly cause bleaching and break down the integrity of the reefs, leaving the coastline exposed to the mercy of the sea. Beach replenishment could potentially cost up to $6 billion if the sea continues to rise at the current rate, says the environmental group Next Generation Earth.

Tourism is a major economic asset in Hawaii, accounting for 18% of the gross domestic product in 2008. If beaches are submerged and environmental disasters plague the islands, then it is most likely that tourists will avoid the islands. Sea walls have already been built along Waikiki beach, which opponents say could decrease the real estate value of many exclusive properties. The rise in sea level is affecting the coastal community today, proving that the problems associated with global warming, which lawmakers have bickered about for years, are a reality. With 90% of the state’s energy demands met via imported oil, the current situation does little to prevent future blight.

Climate change issues have been addressed by many authorities. The Ocean Resources Management Plan, which makes many proposals to help local, state, and federal agencies as well as policy makers and businesses deal with the impacts of climate change, was formed in 2009. Also, the state has also added a dollar to the cost of importing each barrel of oil, the funds from which will be used to develop renewable energy sources. Renewable energy is plentiful on Hawaii, as there are many hydroelectric, wind, and geothermal power sources, not to mention solar. Incentives for installing solar systems at homes and businesses have sparked a surge in photovoltaic use. Solar power generates energy from the most renewable resource there is–the sun–making it the most viable alternative to imported oil products.

The Clean Energy Initiative was launched in 2008, with the goal for Hawaii’s economy to be 70% clean energy “within a generation”. Recognizing the issues of climate change and discussing solutions is a step in the right direction. However, to avoid dramatic and disastrous consequences to the environment, economy, and human health, real-world actions beyond policy-making and planning need to take place soon. This is the only way to alter how humans produce and consume energy, and avert catastrophic environmental changes.

Last month we took a stand on Styrofoam in Hawaii and asked for your favorite no-Stryofoam restaurants on the island. sunetric.com/nostyrofoam You responded immediately with a bunch of great no-Styrofoam locations — ones that we enjoy often too! Here’s the start of the list. Tell us more! We will update the list often and promote the restaurants on our Facebook page and in our email newsletters.

What’s Your Favorite No-Styrofoam Restaurant? Let Us Know!

This photo is of the monitor on the solar Hydrogen Fuel Cell Facility that we installed on Hickam Air Force Base two years ago:

At 26¢ a kilowatt hour (the current electric rate), Hickam have saved over $125,000. A happy customer and a perfect example of just how much solar can save!

See how much you’ll save with solar: check out our Solar Calculator. It only takes a few seconds:

Average Monthly Electrical Bill

We are honored to be among the thirty finalists considered for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation 2011 Hawaii Business Innovation Showcase, a program created by the APEC 2011 Hawaii Host Committee to exhibit local businesses while the APEC Leaders’ Week is in session in November.

As Hawaii’s Solar Authority, we are proud to be an important part of the technology and renewable energy companies selected by the committee, and are excited at this opportunity to promote sustainable technology in Hawaii and beyond.

It is an incredible honor to have the APEC meeting hosted in Hawaii and we graciously thank the Hawaii Host Committee for this opportunity to represent our islands.

More information available at Pacific Business News.

Every month, Sunetric introduces you to a member of the Sunetric family. The Sunetric commitment to top-notch service is a value shared by every member of our company, and each of our employees has something special to offer our customers and all of Hawaii. As a full-service solar integrator, our expertise spans every part of the consultation, design, and installation process.

Meet Justin, Director of Operations and Construction

Justin is our Director of Operations and Construction, overseeing our operations and construction residentially and commercially. Justin is hard at work each day managing Sunetric’s residential operations manager, commercial operations manager, design manager, and our electrical and roof installation supervisors.

Justin’s Story

Justin began his career at Sunetric in 2008 as a CAD Drafter. Initially brought into the company as a subcontractor, his value to the team was immediately apparent and he was soon hired on full-time as our CAD Tech Designer. He then was promoted to Lead Designer in Sunetric’s residential operations department and spent all of his time designing installations for homeowners. Further promotions to Design Manager and then Senior Project Manager followed, where Justin began managing larger commercial projects and the company’s Project Managers. Finally Justin was promoted to the Director of Commercial Operations and Construction, leading all residential operations and commercial operations.

Justing was born in Jackson, Michigan and raised in Sanibel Island, Florida. He studied at Westwood College in Chicago and there earned his associated degree in architectural design.

While in college, I never foresaw working in the renewable energy field. I was initially more drawn to architectural design. What drew me into the alternative energy field was my interest in the engineering that went into photovoltaic installations. Learning about photovoltaic technology has been extremely satisfying and exciting, and today, I couldn’t be happier I ended up pursuing my career in the renewable industry.

Y. Hata &. Co.

The most memorable job I was a part of and the one I am the most proud of is Y. Hata and Co.; it’s the largest roof-mounted system on Oahu and we were on a tight timeline to have the installation finished in 2010. Not only did we have the project done on time, on budget, and completed before the end of the year but we also spelled out “Y.Hata” on the company’s rooftop!

Justin also really enjoyed working on designing the curriculum for our PV training program in partnership with local nonprofit, Kupu this past year. “I think it’s important to give back to the community,” he said, “and I was excited to have the opportunity to do that while still being able to focus on my job.”

Solar, Sailing, and Beer!

Justin tells us his favorite part of working at Sunetric is the people that he gets to work with! As for solar in Hawaii, Justin is “excited and happy to be part of it. It’s the best solar market in the United States — I’m proud to lead the best solar company in Hawaii through this exciting time!”

Justin is ambitious: on the job and off:

I enjoy spending time with my wife and eight year old daughter. I also enjoy brewing craft brews, and sailing in my spare time. I would love to sail across a major ocean and I aspire to start my own brewing company one day. Professionally, I really look forward to helping Sunetric continue to grow and reach new levels of success each year — it’s a great company in an exciting industry!

Solar energy has more potential applications than any kind of renewable energy. As air and water pollution continue to be a problem from coal burning, gas, and nuclear power plants, the use of photovoltaic panels could have the biggest impact on abating pollution problems globally. Yet most of us don’t know how PV panels are manufactured.

Making conventional photovoltaic, or PV panels, has become a straightforward process, and the costs of production continue to decline. The basis for solar panels is silicone, similar to the material that circuit boards are made of. The crystalline silicone solar panels that are often seen on rooftops, roadsides, and in clustered arrays start as flat discs cut from a larger sheet. The discs are then polished and substances called dopants are added, which serve to alter electrical charges in the panel. Metal conductors are soldered to each disc and the panel is formed into a grid-like structure by aligning the conductor wires. A photovoltaic cell is formed and the assembly is covered by a layer of glass that supports the structure. Thermally conductive cement, which attaches the solar cell to a substrate in the back, is used to prevent overheating.

Newer types of panels use more advanced manufacturing processes. One breakthrough in PV panel manufacturing is amorphous silicone solar panels, which are much thinner than the standard variety. Their thickness can be measured in micrometers. Vapor deposition of silicone creates a multi-layer solar cell in a continuous manufacturing process. Individual layers absorb specific parts of the light spectrum that comes from the sun. For some amorphous solar panels, one row of solar cells can be in the shade and the rest of the panel will still collect sunlight and generate electricity. Their composition is much less delicate than that of crystalline silicone, so amorphous panels are less likely to break when being handled.

The viability of solar energy has generated competition in building more efficient, less expensive PV panels. Different designs have been developed, even for panels that do not use silicone. Conductive plastics have been developed into lenses and mirrors that rely on the laws of physics to focus sunlight onto small photovoltaic components. Solar sensitive dyes and inks have also be formulated that can act as photovoltaic elements, and even more cost effective are printing press systems that can churn out photovoltaic materials very quickly.

While solar power is limited only by the availability of sunlight, PV panels are becoming thinner and cheaper. It is possible for anyone to install them and advanced designs can even take the place of shingles and tiles. Solar materials can be used to decorate the facades of buildings, and allow for self-sufficient power generation for homes and businesses. With the flexibility and low cost of PV systems, ease of production, and government incentives becoming more commonplace for using solar energy, there is almost no excuse not to take advantage of the sun’s mighty power.

In March, we announced the Recycle Energy Scholarship with our partners Lex Brodie’s and GreenFleet Hawaii. This weekend, we were incredibly proud and excited to award our winner, Kiana Wilson, with a $1,000 scholarship check for her to employ as she begins her career to environmental technology and alternative energy.

Kiana’s scholarship application was tremendous. Even at her young age, she has an impressive list of accomplishments in the field of environmental technology and alternative energy. We trust that Kiana will use her scholarship award to better herself and help to create a better future for us all. Some excerpts from her application:

As a sophomore I successfully extracted a fair amount of ethanol from Morinda citrofolia [noni], a native Hawaiian plant, which earned my way to the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair in Reno Nevada. Using a refractometer and centrifuge, I worked with a BYU Chemistry Professor, testing how much ethanol can be extracted from this native Hawaiian plant. The International Science Fair is the world’s largest pre-college science fair, where 6 million students compete and only 1500 finalists are selected to showcase their research and analysis. I was fortunate enough to win the District Fair and be qualified to attend the International Competition. I also shared my project at a renewable energy expo hosted by the University of Hawaii and was mistook for a graduate student (when I was only 14).

After this experience I was motivated to focus on renewable energy technologies and spent two years learning about a $200 million dollar wind farm that was built next to our high school. I was one of the only videographers allowed to document the construction project and interview the construction workers. As a junior I explored another renewable energy method by doing an in-depth research project on using used oil as gasoline by converting it with a large-scale centrifuge. I attended the Kahuku Science Academy and studied Chemistry and Physics with Dr. Kevin Baize and Dr. Dale A Hammond after school for two semesters.

I have also spent months studying aquaponics. I am fascinated by the symbiotic relationship between fish and plants in aquaponics and how ancient Hawaiians were once the masters of sustainability by raising large amounts of fish in ponds and lo‘i fields.

In addition to her magnificent set of accomplishments, Kiana also spent three years on the Kahuku Debate Team, won first place nationally in a video documentary competition with her ‘Don’t Text and Drive’ entry, is part of the National Honor Society, and was instrumental in establishing the first film club at Kahuku High School. She is a leader and a dedicated and good-natured individual, and she greatly deserves this scholarship award.

Sunetric truly believes that our youth is our greatest renewable resource and that by investing in them we are investing in a better future. We are happy to present Kiana with this $1,000 scholarship this afternoon and after reading her application, trust she will use it to better herself and help to create a better future for us all. Kiana is a shining example of a student who will use this scholarship to better herself and also better the future for all of us.

Our keiki are our future, but they are also our present – our greatest renewable resource. When we invest in them now, we enrich the entire community and ensure a smarter, healthier, better future. At Sunetric, our devotion to sustainability and innovation in environmental technology extends beyond full-service solar, and the opportunity to offer this scholarship and directly assist in the education of an environmentally-minded and dedicated young person is extremely rewarding and important to us.

We are proud of Kiana and cannot wait to see just how she changes our world for the better.

Kiana with her scholarship check from Sunetric.

At the scholarship check presentation: Kiana Wilson’s father, a KSSK representative, Sunetric CEO Alex Tiller, Kiana’s mentor, and Lex Brodies President Scott Williams.

More photos here!

Solar power is beneficial for the environment. It doesn’t cause greenhouse gases to be released into the atmosphere, and no compounds become airborne that can harm humans, animals, and plants. When homeowners install solar systems, economic considerations such as return on investment come into play, as photovoltaic (PV) systems can generate more power than is used. Another economic factor that has gotten much attention is the price of real estate and, at least in California, it has been found that homes with PV systems have sold at higher prices than properties without them. This appreciation in value has significant implications on the real-estate market as home buyers and sellers consider the differences in pricing.

Various models are used to price homes. This can get a little technical, but basically hedonic pricing models assess value according what each characteristic of the home adds to the overall cost, while difference-in-difference modeling is used for homes sold for a second time with a different feature than was present during the first sale. (For example, a PV system that was installed in between the first sale and the second one.) Using these models, real estate experts found that prices were higher in California for homes with photovoltaic arrays installed. However, average price premiums for new homes with PV systems were lower than for existing houses. This could be because of variations in the cost of installing solar power in new construction and existing structures. However, home builders may also play on buyer motivation by including PV panels in the package at a lower premium.

In Hawaii, residents have a number of strong incentives for installing and utilizing solar power. They can hedge against a rise in electricity costs, and also take advantage of the return on investment such systems provide over time. An ordinance issued by the city of Honolulu, Hawaii bans adding the value of a solar system to the cost of the home. Also, properties cannot be re-assessed once they are fit with solar power, meaning your property taxes won’t go up from the solar installation and because the provision extends for 25 years, won’t go up due to normal appreciation either, a considerable savings. This, along with the offset in electricity costs, combined with inflation, can amount to a consistent monthly savings of hundreds or more for high-value properties. Combine this with the tax credits (both state and federal) for photovoltaic arrays and solar begins to seem like a real no-brainer.

Home owners still have return on investment to consider, but save even further on property taxes without the PV system added to the property value. Savings accrued by the long term investment value are still in play, but the additional savings go beyond this as well. This is a big bonus to home owners in Hawaii, since significant incentives for using solar power already exist. It is also a huge step toward being self-sufficient, as importing power has been a huge burden on the state’s economy. Now home owners can not only break even, they can see real profit by going solar.

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References:

• Berkeley Lab
• City and County of Honolulu

We live in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Our options for food here on the islands are exciting and delicious – fresh, organic, local, fulfilling, and varied by multinational culinary influence. We have ample access to renewable energy sources and recyclable materials, and know the importance of sustainability to our environment, our health, and our wallets.

So why do we continue to allow our local restaurants and eateries to serve us food in Styrofoam containers? It’s indisputably horrible for the environment, ultimately bad for us, and ugly to boot.

And still, day after day, restaurants ranging from island-wide chains to your neighborhood lunch wagon and your favorite Thai spot are almost all serving their delicious meals in these Earth-killing Styrofoam tray-boxes.

Enough is enough, and we don’t have to wait for the restaurants to agree.

What’s so bad about Styrofoam?

• It takes hundreds of years to biodegrade.
• Very few curbside or transfer station recycling programs accept styrofoam, so it goes into the trash. By volume, the amount of space used up in landfills by all plastics is between 25 and 30 percent 1.
• Polystyrene foam (the technical name for Styrofoam) is a major element of ocean debris and pollution. It is extremely toxic to marine life and a huge component of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.)
• Styrofoam that doesn’t make its way to a landfill or the ocean has an equally deleterious effect on animal life on land.
• It’s bad for our food, and bad for us! Toxic chemicals leach out of styrofoam and into the food it contains, especially in the microwave. These chemicals threaten human health and reproductive systems.
• The creation of polystyrene contributes to the destruction of the ozone layer. The National Bureau of Standards Center for Fire Research identified 57 chemical byproducts released during the combustion of polystyrene foam 2.
• Workers in polystyrene manufacturing are exposed to styrene (the building block of polystyrene), chronic exposure to which can cause a huge number of health problems 3.

What can we do about it?

We can stop buying it! And we can stop buying it right now.

Demand that the restaurants you visit use recyclable containers or don’t go to that restaurant. Follow up by encouraging the restaurant in person and on public forums like Yelp! to use recyclable packaging.

Eventually, we can outlaw it. Many cities in the US have outlawed polystyrene foam – Portland, Oregon and Orange County, California, just to name two West Coast examples, along with over a hundred others. Honolulu itself considered a ban three years ago but it went nowhere 4.

Why should restaurants in Hawaii use alternatives to Styrofoam?

Post-consumer recycled paper, bamboo, corn plastics, and a variety of other alternative materials are easily renewable and readily available. All of these products biodegrade when composted, and paper products can be recycled at most people’s doorstep where community recycling is in place. And it looks a lot better.

Now what?

Here’s the deal, Hawaii. Our blog has a large following, and we believe in supporting local business that share our values. In fact, we are happy to shamelessly promote them!

So if you know any restaurants in Hawaii that are environmentally conscious, socially responsible, and willing to do what’s right for their customers and their environment rather than what they perceive to be cheaper and easier, send us their name! We promise to follow up with our readers and let them know where to go for their next culinary experience, even if they are just in the mood for some good old loco moco 5.

We will keep an updated list on our blog, friend the restaurant on our Facebook page, and link to our list in our monthly email updates to customers and friends.

Let’s work together to find the right companies and vote with our wallets.

What’s Your Favorite No-Styrofoam Restaurant? Let Us Know!

In Hawaii, solar energy is plentiful; the sun that warms our islands provides an outstanding level of insolation and as many as 276 days a year of sunshine. Many homeowners would like to deploy solar power systems to cut or even eliminate their power bill, but the cost of installing a new solar system is significant. There’s a financial strategy known as “hedging” that makes the economic case for solar power even clearer. In effect, by investing in a solar system and effectively locking your energy cost rate, you limit or mitigate your financial exposure (and, thus, risk) of unpredictable high energy prices in the future. After all, we all know energy prices go up, not down. There is no reason to believe this will change in the near future.

Hedging is similar in concept to taking out insurance. For example, many people take out disability insurance so that if they aren’t able to work, the lost income will be covered. A “hedge” is essentially making a bet that pays off if something happens in the future. Specifically, if electricity prices continue to rise, as historically they have, a solar installation represents a source of electricity at a fixed cost. If you build a solar power station that will generate electricity at a cost of 25 cents per kilowatt hour, in the expectation that conventional electrical costs will rise past that point, you are hedging against a rise in power costs.

The reality of Hawaii’s electricity industry is that power costs are almost certain to rise going forward. Power companies are under pressure from high demand and by persistent turmoil in the Middle East. Most power on Hawaii is generated by oil turbines; when the Middle East catches a cold, Honolulu sneezes. The result is a rise in prices for electricity. This type of sector-specific inflation is not usually compensated for by increased wages and salaries, by the way – have you ever gotten a raise because your boss was concerned about how much you had to spend on ever-increasing gas prices? The trend line for fossil energy prices is very clear; the price of electricity produced by oil-fired turbines is not going to go down any time soon. (Electricity market prices are notoriously hard to summarize, but just as one example, in Maui, energy rates rose from 22.5 cents per kilowatt hour in 2005 to 36 cents in 2008.) Solar hedging allows homeowners to insure against this ever-increasing price trend by locking in electricity at an affordable rate that won’t go up. In fact, someone could argue that an array that produces more power than the home uses today, can become MORE profitable if fossil fuel prices rise, since the fixed-cost array will produce power that’s worth more and more as time goes on, and conceivably personal usage will rise as we add more electric devices to our collection of consumer goods. Clearly, purchasing a solar system today is a wise investment that typically returns 100% investment in just a few years.

Even if a homeowner is not in a position to buy a photovoltaic array, there are financing options that provide a way to take advantage of solar hedging. Solar leases allow homeowners to play the hedging game by having a third party bear the initial capital cost of the array installation. The homeowner in essence leases the array from the third party, with a locked-in rate for the electricity generated. The homeowner doesn’t own the array, but in effect they own the power that it produces. The capital cost is thus spread out over time, and even basic solar systems can generate electricity that is worth more than a typical monthly payment for a lease if power prices go high enough.

With a solar lease, the power cost is locked in over time, producing an ongoing savings in utility rates. In addition, since the lease is generally attached to a property rather than to a person, the solar lease can greatly augment the desirability (and market value) of the home or building. Purchasers will know that they are buying the right to fixed-cost power. Solar power for a home, whether purchased outright or leased from a third party, is thus a hedge against both higher power costs and a hedge in support of real estate values.

At the margin, solar energy is cheaper than almost any other form of power — the sun provides an unlimited source of energy, and, for home arrays, the power generation occurs at the same place it is consumed. However, that “at the margin” qualifier is a little misleading. Once you’ve built a power plant of any sort, whether it’s a 200-watt microsolar array or a 200 megawatt coal plant, the marginal cost of your power is the cost of your fuel plus the cost of operating the plant; once you’ve built a solar array, your marginal cost is pretty close to zero. Sunshine is free and solar panels don’t need much maintenance. But accountants and economists will tell you that marginal cost isn’t the only cost that matters. The fixed cost — that is, the amount it took to build and deploy the power plant in the first place — also has to be understood. That initial outlay needed to build and install a photovoltaic system deters many people from switching over to the most renewable form of energy available. However, the rising costs of electricity in Hawaii and the federal and state tax incentives available for solar power investors enable a positive return on investment (ROI) in just a few years.

To explain ROI, mathematical formulas and a barrage of tabulated numbers are usually presented. This is enough to make most people’s eyes roll back in their heads; hard evidence isn’t often recognized through a series of mind-boggling numbers. A simple formula for ROI is to take the gain from the investment and subtract the cost of purchasing, installing, and implementing the system. That number is then divided again by the total cost to determine the actual ROI.

The answer comes in the form of a percentage. If this number is positive, or above zero, that means the investment was a profitable one. Consider the purchase of an extremely energy-efficient air conditioning system. If the system costs $1,500 to install, but the electricity savings amount to $1,000 each year, then the rate of return over a five-year period is considerable: $5000 minus $1500 equals $3500 – over a five year period, the rate of return is 233%. If that air conditioner cost $10,000 to install, however, then over a five-year period it would show a negative rate of return — you’d have been better off with the old system. Most appliances and power systems have an expected lifespan; if your air conditioner is designed to last for 20 years, then even a $10,000 system that saves $1000 per year will show a positive ROI. If it’s expected to last less than ten years, then the ROI will be negative. Economically speaking, it’s a bad investment. Accountants refer to the period of time it takes for a new investment to pay back its original cost as the “payback” — for a $10,000 system that saves $1000 per year, the payback is ten years. For a $1500 system that does the same thing, the payback is just 18 months.

Solar power systems in Hawaii can have a total payback of around three/four years, because the electricity rates in our state are so high. For most home installers, federal and state tax policies can shorten this period even further. The Federal Business Solar Tax Credit covers 30% of what a photovoltaic system costs, through December 2016. On the other hand, the Hawaii Renewable Energy Tax Credit has no expiration date and provides a 35% credit during the tax year a PV system begins operating. This means that more than half the cost of a new solar system is refunded to the installer in the first year of operation, greatly shortening the payback period and greatly enhancing the ROI.

The use of electricity that is cheaper than that derived from imported energy resources, combined with tax credits, strengthens the case for switching to solar power. It is actually possible to turn a profit over time, even from a seemingly expensive initial investment. The positive ROI from a photovoltaic system adds an economic appeal to the system’s environmental function of providing renewable energy without releasing harmful toxins or greenhouse gases into the environment.

See how much you’ll save with solar: check out our Solar Calculator. It only takes a few seconds:

Average Monthly Electrical Bill

Last Monday in Kailua, the historic town held its sixty-third annual Independence Day parade, air show, and fireworks. The wonderful community tradition has always been a volunteer effort, and this year the Kailua Fireworks Committee aimed to raise $60,000 to guarantee the show.

In addition to donations from a number of generous local businesses, organizations, and friends of the town, Sunetric stepped up in the final hours with a $25,000 donation — the largest in the events history — to ensure that Kailua’s great tradition could continue in its full glory.

Even a bit of rain couldn’t slow us down. The fireworks started on time and dazzled onlookers for over twenty minutes. We are grateful to be part of a such a wonderful community and a great spectacle, and the sense of pride and togetherness we felt on July 4th and on every day that we live and work in Kailua is inspiring and heartwarming. Thank you, Kailua, for the opportunity to return the favor.

Video of the Coverage on KITV and KGMB

Photos from the Mahalo Rally

More Mahalo Rally photos on Facebook!

Every month, Sunetric introduces you to a member of the Sunetric family. The Sunetric commitment to top-notch service is a value shared by every member of our company, and each of our employees has something special to offer our customers and all of Hawaii. As a full-service solar integrator, our expertise spans every part of the consultation, design, and installation process.

Meet Jeff, Sunetric Commercial Electrician

As Commercial Electrician, Jeff spends most of his time ‘tying’ — or connecting — new photovoltaic installations into the state power grid. He also performs electrical installations, taking care of everything from installing the electrical wires on panels to connecting inverters to the grid. For Jeff, safety and perfect installation are his purpose:

Being safe and keeping my team and the home or business safe while I’m laying out electrical systems and making sure each part of the installation is up to code are the highest priorities for me, every day and on every job.

Jeff’s Story

Jeff was born in Hawaii and moved to Seattle, Washington after high school,where he studied electronics technology at Skagit Valley College. To obtain his journeyman’s license, Jeff completed over 10,000 hours worth of on-the-job training.

Jeff began working for Sunetric as an installer and quickly moved up to work as an electrician because of his qualifications. But his qualifications only improved from there:

Now, I’m an electrical supervisor. I just got my electrical supervisor’s license, which is equivalent to a master electrician’s license in Hawaii. Having an electrical supervisor license is the highest electrical certification you can achieve in our state. In order to apply for the certification, I had to be a practicing electrical journeyman for four years and then pass an exam.

Drawn to Renewable Energy

Jeff says he ”was drawn to forthcoming electrical fields and knew that renewable energy was the future.” Photovoltaic technology in particular piqued his interest because its widespread adoption was so new, and a very quickly emerging renewable technology.

Jeff’s first project with Sunetric was a government installation on a recreational center in Salt Lake called Halsey Terrace. When asked of which installation he is most proud, Jeff replied: “It’s hard to say which job I am most proud of because I really am lucky enough to say, I’m proud of all of my jobs!”

The most memorable project I have worked on at Sunetric was the first commercial job that didn’t have any penetrations — bolts into a roof — we really do a lot of innovative things here, but it was pretty satisfying to be a part of a finished project completely integrated into a building, without penetrations!

We asked Jeff about his favorite part of working at Sunetric:

My team is my favorite part of working at Sunetric — they work hard, enjoy their jobs, and they’re eager to learn,so being able to watch and help them grow is a great experience. Three men under me are currently training for their journeyman’s license, and helping them achieve their goal is one of the reasons I enjoy coming to work.

Pau Hana

When he’s not hard at work with Sunetric, Jeff spends as much time with his family as possible. He’s very grateful for his family — three boys aged 13, 12, and 9 and his wife Leila.

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We are proud of Jeff and are lucky to have him on our installation team. His years of expertise, leadership, and his dedication to exceeding customers’ expectations and nailing industry standards are the defining qualities of Sunetric, and what makes us Hawaii’s Solar Authority.

In early May, we introduced you to EVs (electric vehicles), ZEVs, and hybrids. And earlier this month, we talked about the importance of a properly installed EV charging station. By buying an electric car and recharging it from your own solar photovoltaic installation, you both improve the environment and save yourself a bundle. Here are a few more thoughts on the process, and some important things to take into consideration.

As already discussed, an electric vehicle (EV) represents a pretty substantial investment. The truth is, however, that if you make that investment in Hawaii without also investing in a solar array to charge it, you are effectively throwing your money away — and you’re not doing the planet much good either. The reason is simple: nearly all of Hawaii’s electrical generation comes from burning oil. Fully ninety percent of the energy produced and used (for all purposes) in Hawaii comes from burning petroleum, and more than three-fourths of our electricity comes from oil. Does it make any sense at all to buy a nice, clean, green EV – and then recharge it by hooking up to an oil turbine?

On the mainland, a lot of people are leery about going with electric vehicles because EVs do not as of yet boast the long-range cruising capability of conventionally-fueled automobiles. That objection makes a lot of sense for many drivers, particularly those out in rural areas. If you’re 80 miles from the nearest city, well, a pure EV is probably a bad decision for you, unless you enjoy pushing that vehicle (and its heavy battery pack) the last 20 miles back to your home. But Hawaii is special in this regard, as it is in so many other ways. Even on the Big Island, you’d be hard-pressed to find a 100-mile trip; on Oahu and the other islands, a typical city-to-city drive is only going to be 10 or 20 miles. If you’re just commuting into Honolulu, you can make multiple round trips on a single charge, even with the current state of EV technology. We’re just a lot more compact than most other states, and that makes EVs a lot more practical here.

In addition, our legislature is slowly but surely moving along the path towards building an EV-friendly building code and infrastructure policy. A bill currently under consideration will require mid-sized and large public parking garages to offer electric-only parking spaces with electric vehicle charging stations – meaning that you can drive to the mall, find an EV-spot, and charge up the battery while you run your errands. The current bill would put the requirement in place by summer of 2012; it’s not a sure thing that this particular bill will become law, but something akin to it will certainly be passed into law in the near future. Electric vehicles are the wave of the future, and Hawaii is an extremely practical place to deploy them.

If you do decide to take the EV/solar array plunge, you’ll save a lot of money and do the environment a world of good. However, you do need to be cautious about who installs the charging station in your home or business. A lot of electrical contractors think that EV charging stations (EVCS) are just another big appliance – check the amps, run a wire, install a fuse, and you’re done. That’s just not the case – electric vehicle charging stations are a brand-new technology and they require a great deal of special expertise to correctly and safely install. That’s not a reason not to install one – it’s just a reason to be sure that your installer is thoroughly trained and certified in the necessary techniques and procedures. Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL), a trusted name in certification of electrical devices and service providers, has created a certification program for EVCS installers. Sunetric is the ONLY UL-certified company in Hawaii for installing level 2 EVCS, and we go above and beyond to make sure that our customers have a properly installed charging station. We are also the only EVCS installer in Hawaii to have earned the equally prestigious Schneider Electric certification.

Some information obtained from http://www.eia.gov/state/state-energy-profiles.cfm?sid=HI.

As Hawaii’s solar authority, Sunetric is celebrating today — it’s the first day of summer and the longest day of the year!

The solstice holds a variety of meanings for cultures throughout the world, but what exactly is the summer solstice? It occurs twice a year — once for the northern hemisphere and once for the southern hemisphere — when the earth’ tilt is most inclined toward the sun. The word ‘solstice’ comes from the Latin sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still), and though it scientifically refers to a single moment in time, we use it to refer to the entire day.

In addition to having the most daylight of any day out of the year, the summer solstice is also when the sun is at its highest point in the sky. It happens around the same day — June 21st or 22nd — each year.

So what are you doing with the extra sunlight? If you’ve got a PV system installed, they’ll pull a little bit extra of the sun’s energy today. (And if you don’t, give us a call!) There’s a new south swell arriving — perhaps you’ll have a few extra minutes to surf after work!

Join us on Facebook and let us know what you’re up to this afternoon!