What is XSeed Energy?
XSeed Energy will develop highly visible renewable energy projects in the Ann Arbor community, utilizing funding from community donations and grants. Proceeds from financial incentives and donations will be recycled back into an ‘Solar Bank’ to fund ongoing renewable energy installations. Our goal is to ‘seed’ community funded - and possibly community owned - power projects in Ann Arbor.
Where will the initial solar installation be located?
The first installation will be at the Michigan Theater in downtown Ann Arbor. The Michigan Theater was selected for the initial XSeed Energy installation for many reasons, including the potential for public visibility of a solar awning from the sidewalk across the street.
The goal of XSeed Energy is to educate our community about the value of renewable energy. The site that we chose for the initial installation and for future installations will serve to both benefit the community and educate our community about renewable energy.
How well does solar work in Michigan?
Ann Arbor compares well to cities implementing solar programs in other parts of the country and is sunnier than Germany, a world leader in solar energy use. Our cold weather is a benefit to the performance of solar panels - they actually work better because the cold temperatures cause an increase in the conductivity of metals. Solar energy is a good choice for higher density areas, as it can be installed either on roofs, on top of structures, as awnings, or be ground-mounted; it produces no noise, and has no moving parts.
How is the project funded?
XSeed Energy will seek grants to support our projects, but the majority of the project funds will come from donations by you and sponsorships. The more money we raise from the community, the more solar (and other renewable technologies) we can install to displace energy generated from coal! Proceeds from financial incentives and donations will be recycled back into an ‘Energy Bank’ to fund ongoing solar installations.
What economic benefit will come from this project?
Michigan-based products and installers will be given preference. We believe Michigan can be a leader in growing companies that manufacture and install renewable energy systems, and intend to use this project to catalyze the green jobs sector in Michigan.
Who will use the electricity generated by the panels?
The organization hosting the panels will most likely use the electricity. They will receive an immediate financial benefit by receiving electricity from a renewable source without bearing the upfront cost of panel installation. In addition, the price will remain steady, providing a hedge against future energy cost increases.
When will the first installation occur?
The first installation will occur in November 2010. We will be seeking initial sponsors and finalizing the location before then.
Who will own and maintain the panels?
The site host will own and be responsible for panel maintenance. One of the benefits of solar is that it requires little to no maintenance – hosts simply need to check to make sure the system is producing energy, and periodically clean the panels.
Will this project demonstrate renewables other than solar?
This project grew out of the City of Ann Arbor’s Solar America Cities project, and so our initial focus is on solar photovoltaic and solar thermal systems. We plan to explore different forms of renewable energy demonstration projects in the future.
I’d like to learn more about putting a solar energy system on my property. Where can I find out more?
First, you should make sure that you have done everything you can to increase the energy efficiency of your house or business, so you are using less energy. You can install solar photovoltaic (PV) systems to provide part or all of your average energy use.
If you’d like to install a solar energy system, now is a great time! The federal government and DTE Energy are currently offering some great financial incentives for individuals and businesses. To learn more about these, visit dsireusa.org/solar and dteenergy.com/solar.
Remind me again why it is important to our environment that we move away from using coal as an energy source?
Fine particle emissions from fossil fuel electricity generation cut short the lives of nearly 24,000 people each year, including 2,800 from lung cancer. In addition to the serious human health effects, emissions from fossil fuel electricity generation are the single largest contributor to global warming, responsible for 36% of the country's emissions of carbon dioxide. (source: Abt Associates)
