Is your land suitable for Solar Energy? Going Green in the mountains.

Is your North Carolina mountain and Georgia land and suitable for Solar Energy? With going green being the hottest ticket, as of late, isn't it time to think about it?

The solar energy potential of a homesite becomes increasingly important as energy cost continue to rise. land on the south-facing slope of a mountain receives direct sunlight for many more hours each day than land on the north-facing slope. Houses on the south facing slopes are generally easier and less expensive to heat. They have the greatest potential for using solar energy for residential space and hot water heating. houses on the east and west facing slopes have less potential, and those on north facing slopes have minimal solar energy potential.

In addition, while trees and shrubbery can be beneficial for cooling in hot summers, tall trees on the south-facing side of a homesite can limit solar potential. The types of trees are important. Evergreens pose a year round obstacle to solar gain. But deciduous trees are without leaves in the late fall and winter, which allows for 30 to 40 percent of sunlight to get through. this enables the use of some solar applications, for space heating in particular. However the use of solar hot water and photovoltaic systems will start to be limited. For many sites particularly on heavily wooded steep slopes, the only option is to clear trees for a wide radius. This may downgrade the beauty of your site and ruin one of the reasons you chose to live in the mountains. Be sure to have a through solar site evaluation before you buy, if you have solar in mind for your house.

If your site is suitable for solar, North Carolina offers 40 percent solar tax credit, up to $1,500 for residential solar energy systems. If your site is not suitable for solar, you may also wish to check out the wind potential. Ideally, for wind, your site must provide a 500 feet radius of unobstructed landscape for a windmill that is raised about 100 feet in the air. In the mountains, some building sites enhance your home's potential for a wind energy system. In addition to this energy capability, the state of North Carolina provides a 10 percent wind energy tax credit.