![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.hvacquick.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Screenshot-from-2024-10-01-14-17-09-1024x639.png\")
<\/figure>Propane is one of the more expensive fuels out there, since it has to be delivered by truck. The goal was to use electricity and going down that path led us to heat pumps (hey we sell them !) and we did the math on making our own electricity. Solar panels are relatively inexpensive and have an excellent ROI (return on investment).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We adopted a multi stage plan to first reduce our carbon footprint and then make sure our costs were equal to less than the “fossil approach”.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Stage 2: Install Heat Pumps<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.hvacquick.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/PXL_20221110_153325927-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nInstalling the air handlers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Note the oversized filter box.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.hvacquick.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/heat-pumps-1024x535.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nCompleted heat pumps<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It snows a lot in this part of the country, so we built snow covers.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nStage 3: Get a New Roof<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nIt makes sense to get a new roof, when you’re installing 30 year lifetime solar panels. Thank You to the folks at S.D. Carruthers<\/a> Roofing for doing a great job on the roof and adding an extra layer of high R-value polyisocyanurate insulation underneath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nStage 4: Get Solar<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.hvacquick.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Solar-Panels2-1-1024x353.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nOnce we finalized our requirements and got approval from the utility, the 120 kW of solar panels went in.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nConclusions:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.hvacquick.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Screenshot-from-2024-10-01-15-04-16.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n- CO\u2082 avoided<\/strong>\n
\n- Solar electric is about as “home grown” as it gets. Although one may argue about the embodied energy in producing the panels, there will be 20-30 years of no carbon from our warehouse operations. The box shows our first 8 months of CO\u2082 saved.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Indoor Air Quality<\/strong>\n
\n- Warehouses suffer from dust from cardboard operations. Our own filter boxes<\/a> were installed on each air handler to allow for good filtration (MERV13) and long intervals between filter changes (6 months)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Comfort<\/strong>\n
\n- Heating performance with the heat pumps has been as good as the propane furnaces.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Since we added cooling (free with heat pumps), summer comfort has been much improved.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Cost Savings<\/strong>\n
\n- Great ROI on the system.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Zero electrical costs for 6-8 months, with dramatically lower bills anticipated for winter<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Acknowledgements<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nGenie Solar<\/a>: Great job at offering options and providing guidance on incentives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n3rd Roc Solar<\/a>: Great install and responsive to any issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.hvacquick.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/PXL_20221110_153325927-scaled.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>Installing the air handlers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Note the oversized filter box.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>Completed heat pumps<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It snows a lot in this part of the country, so we built snow covers.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Stage 3: Get a New Roof<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nIt makes sense to get a new roof, when you’re installing 30 year lifetime solar panels. Thank You to the folks at S.D. Carruthers<\/a> Roofing for doing a great job on the roof and adding an extra layer of high R-value polyisocyanurate insulation underneath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nStage 4: Get Solar<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\nOnce we finalized our requirements and got approval from the utility, the 120 kW of solar panels went in.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nConclusions:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n- CO\u2082 avoided<\/strong>\n
\n- Solar electric is about as “home grown” as it gets. Although one may argue about the embodied energy in producing the panels, there will be 20-30 years of no carbon from our warehouse operations. The box shows our first 8 months of CO\u2082 saved.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Indoor Air Quality<\/strong>\n
\n- Warehouses suffer from dust from cardboard operations. Our own filter boxes<\/a> were installed on each air handler to allow for good filtration (MERV13) and long intervals between filter changes (6 months)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Comfort<\/strong>\n
\n- Heating performance with the heat pumps has been as good as the propane furnaces.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Since we added cooling (free with heat pumps), summer comfort has been much improved.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Cost Savings<\/strong>\n
\n- Great ROI on the system.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Zero electrical costs for 6-8 months, with dramatically lower bills anticipated for winter<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Acknowledgements<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nGenie Solar<\/a>: Great job at offering options and providing guidance on incentives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n3rd Roc Solar<\/a>: Great install and responsive to any issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stage 4: Get Solar<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\nOnce we finalized our requirements and got approval from the utility, the 120 kW of solar panels went in.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nConclusions:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n- CO\u2082 avoided<\/strong>\n
\n- Solar electric is about as “home grown” as it gets. Although one may argue about the embodied energy in producing the panels, there will be 20-30 years of no carbon from our warehouse operations. The box shows our first 8 months of CO\u2082 saved.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Indoor Air Quality<\/strong>\n
\n- Warehouses suffer from dust from cardboard operations. Our own filter boxes<\/a> were installed on each air handler to allow for good filtration (MERV13) and long intervals between filter changes (6 months)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Comfort<\/strong>\n
\n- Heating performance with the heat pumps has been as good as the propane furnaces.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Since we added cooling (free with heat pumps), summer comfort has been much improved.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Cost Savings<\/strong>\n
\n- Great ROI on the system.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Zero electrical costs for 6-8 months, with dramatically lower bills anticipated for winter<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Acknowledgements<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nGenie Solar<\/a>: Great job at offering options and providing guidance on incentives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n3rd Roc Solar<\/a>: Great install and responsive to any issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>Once we finalized our requirements and got approval from the utility, the 120 kW of solar panels went in.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Conclusions:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n- CO\u2082 avoided<\/strong>\n
\n- Solar electric is about as “home grown” as it gets. Although one may argue about the embodied energy in producing the panels, there will be 20-30 years of no carbon from our warehouse operations. The box shows our first 8 months of CO\u2082 saved.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Indoor Air Quality<\/strong>\n
\n- Warehouses suffer from dust from cardboard operations. Our own filter boxes<\/a> were installed on each air handler to allow for good filtration (MERV13) and long intervals between filter changes (6 months)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Comfort<\/strong>\n
\n- Heating performance with the heat pumps has been as good as the propane furnaces.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Since we added cooling (free with heat pumps), summer comfort has been much improved.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Cost Savings<\/strong>\n
\n- Great ROI on the system.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Zero electrical costs for 6-8 months, with dramatically lower bills anticipated for winter<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Acknowledgements<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nGenie Solar<\/a>: Great job at offering options and providing guidance on incentives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n3rd Roc Solar<\/a>: Great install and responsive to any issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n- \n
- CO\u2082 avoided<\/strong>\n
- \n
- Solar electric is about as “home grown” as it gets. Although one may argue about the embodied energy in producing the panels, there will be 20-30 years of no carbon from our warehouse operations. The box shows our first 8 months of CO\u2082 saved.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Indoor Air Quality<\/strong>\n
- \n
- Warehouses suffer from dust from cardboard operations. Our own filter boxes<\/a> were installed on each air handler to allow for good filtration (MERV13) and long intervals between filter changes (6 months)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Comfort<\/strong>\n
- \n
- Heating performance with the heat pumps has been as good as the propane furnaces.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Since we added cooling (free with heat pumps), summer comfort has been much improved.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Cost Savings<\/strong>\n
- \n
- Great ROI on the system.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Zero electrical costs for 6-8 months, with dramatically lower bills anticipated for winter<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Acknowledgements<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Genie Solar<\/a>: Great job at offering options and providing guidance on incentives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3rd Roc Solar<\/a>: Great install and responsive to any issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Comfort<\/strong>\n
- Warehouses suffer from dust from cardboard operations. Our own filter boxes<\/a> were installed on each air handler to allow for good filtration (MERV13) and long intervals between filter changes (6 months)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n