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What is Renewable Energy?

Derived from the sun, wind, and earth’s mass
Inexhaustible supply
Produces little or no air, water or soil pollution
Produces no greenhouse gasses
Federal tax incentive equal to 30% of the cost of equipment and installation for qualified systems
Some states and utilities also offer tax incentives, rebates, or reduced rates

Solar Water Heating Systems

Heating water for the typical household makes up 12% of the utility bill (source: DOE EERE web site: Click Here). You can save up to 90% of that amount with a solar water heater and lock in your energy price for years.

Stitt Energy Systems has been installing solar water heating systems for more than 30 years. Certified by the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC), these systems qualify for the 30% Federal tax incentive.

How it works:

There are different types of solar water heaters. Stitt Energy Systems provides flat plate collector, closed loop, active solar water heating systems with a small PV cell that powers the pump.

Flat plate collector: metal box with a glass cover (glazing), black absorber plate and tubes.
Closed loop: heat transfer fluid (antifreeze) circulates within its own set of coils and does not mix with the household water in the storage tank.
PV cell: small photovoltaic cell that converts the sun’s energy to direct current electricity to power the pump.
Active system: pump actively moves the antifreeze through the system.

When the sun shines on the PV cell and the flat plate collector, usually mounted on the roof and facing the south, a small pump moves antifreeze through the tubes in the collector where it is warmed by the sun. The antifreeze then flows into coils that wrap the water storage tank and heats the water for you to do dishes or take a bath. At night or if the sun does not shine for several days, there is a back up element so you never run out of hot water. It’s that simple!

Save up to 90% on your hot water bill
30% Federal tax credit
Guard against increasing energy prices
More environmentally friendly than gas or electric water heaters
Exceptional return on investment
Choice of 80 or 120 gallon tank

You use hot water every day, all year long.
Shouldn’t YOU have one?

YOU USE HOT WATER EVERY DAY, ALL YEAR LONG.
SHOULDN’T YOU HAVE ONE?

Solar Electric Generating System

Today’s solar electric system components are designed and tested to ensure high efficiency and long life. With no moving parts, solar electric generating systems provide a simple complete, and high-quality source of energy for your home and family.

How it works:

Photovoltaic (PV) cells are wired together to form a module and 2 or more modules usually make up the solar array.
The solar array is mounted on a roof or on a pole facing south and tiled to get
the most solar gain possible. Obviously, shaded areas should be avoided.
When sunlight hits the semiconductor material of the PV cells, electrons are freed from their atoms and flow through the material to produce electricity.
The electric current may be channeled to batteries for storage.
Or, the current is channeled to the inverter which converts the electricity from DC (direct current) to AC (alternating current) for use by household appliances, lights, and electronics.
Excess electricity can be sent back to the grid and “sold” to your utility company (net metering).

Your system can be connected to the grid (referred to as “grid-tied” or “grid
connected”) so that, if the sun is not shinning, the utility company provides electricity. Or you can be “off grid” and completely independent of the utility company.

The larger your system, that is the more the PV modules and batteries it has, the more expensive it will be. Before installing grid-tied system, you should make your home as energy efficient as it can be so that your system size will not be excessive. If you are building a new home or doing a renovation and plan to install a PV system at a later date, make your home “solar ready” by installing energy efficient appliances and heating and cooling systems and by sealing, caulking and insulating the thermal envelope. Reduce your energy demand and you’ll save all the way around!

Produce your own clean, safe, renewable energy
Offset or replace your utility bill
Eligible for 30% Federal tax credit
Keep energy dollars in the United States
Reduce environmental impact
Grid-tied with battery backup, and off-grid systems available

The larger your system, that is the more the PV modules and batteries it has, the more expensive it will be. Before installing a grid-tied system, you should make your home as energy efficient as it can be so that your system size will not be excessive. If you are building a new home, make your home "solar ready" to accommodate installation of a PV system either now or at a later date. Installing energy efficient appliances, efficient heating and cooling systems and sealing, caulking and insulating the thermal envelope are extremely important. Reduce your energy demand and you'll save all the way around.

Additional Sources of more information:
To learn more about renewable energy, visit the U.S. Department of Energy Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy web site

For details on incentives offered by the Federal government, individual states and some utilities, visit the web site Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy which is maintained by the North Carolina Solar Center and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council.

There are several web sites that will help you estimate a suitable system size for your needs. Go to http://www.findsolar.com/ and click on “Solar Tools and Calculator”. Remember, however, that there are many variables that need to be considered for each project including size, condition and orientation of your roof, other mounting location possibilities, your minimum and maximum electric requirements, start-up loads vs. running loads of various appliances (including but not limited to well and septic pumps ) local utility company requirements, neighborhood covenants or municipal regulations, and others.

South Sun Estates on the Lake

Energy planned, environmentally conscious, sustainable community in Northwest Arkansas

South Sun Estates on the Lake is an energy planned, environmentally conscious, sustainable community featuring beautiful natural views and many amenities.
Located right on Beaver Lake in Rogers, South Sun Estates on the Lake is convenient to Wal-Mart Headquarters, Tyson, JB Hunt Transport, University of Arkansas and all the amenities of Northwest Arkansas like shopping at The Promenade, events at The Embassy Suites John Q Hammons Center, Historic Downtown Rogers and more.
Beautiful, one acre lots with mature trees are available. Undeveloped areas are maintained in a park-like setting with abundant wildlife. Your custom home, built by Stitt Energy Systems, will maintain the sustainable and energy efficient standards set by the POA covenants of South Sun Estates.
South Sun Estates on the Lake features:

Services include water, electricity, cable and high-speed Internet access.
Amenities including a community swim dock with paved ATV or golf cart access. Boat slips are available.
Each lot in South Sun Estates on the Lake is platted to accommodate passive solar orientation of the home.
All homes must meet energy efficient guidelines.
3 homes in South Sun Estates on the Lake have received prestigious EnergyValue
Housing awards.
1 home in South Sun Estates on the Lake received the NAHB Green Building Award.

A STITT Home will use significantly less energy and have lower utility bills!

Using the concepts of passive solar design and good construction practices, you may save 50% or more to heat and cool your new home. You can also take it to the next level for a Near Zero Energy Home with a Photovoltaic (PV) System. PV panels generate electricity used by the home owners. Your electric meter may run backwards! PV Panels and many other passive and active solar features can make your STITT Home so resource efficient that the net electric usage approaches ZERO.

Here's our proof!

Eastern Missouri Home

The owners of this STITT Home have kept careful records of their energy use for more than 20 years. This 2,064 square foot home features two bedrooms, two baths and a large office. The passive solar design allows the warmth of the sun to enter the south-facing windows which naturally warms the home in the winter. The summer sun, which is higher in the sky, is blocked from entering the home by the wide overhangs and sun-control walkway. Household water is heated with a solar water heating system and a wood stove provides another heat source. The home is fully air conditioned.

The average monthly utility bill for this all electric home is $45.21. Their back-up water heater has operated fewer than 10 hours per year and their furnace has not even come on for the last 8 years. Their air conditioner operated 57 days per year and their annual average wood usage is less than 3 cords.

South Central Missouri Home

This south central Missouri home received an EnergyValue Housing Award in 2003. The 1,900 square foot home on one level features passive solar design, a solar water heating system and an efficient wood burning fireplace system. The home has a back-up furnace and an air conditioning system. Nestled is a rural setting, large trees provide shade and pleasant outside areas.

The electric bill for this home averaged less than $60 per month over 8 years.

Northwest Arkansas Home

Winner of a 2007 National Association of Home Builders Green Home Building Award, this two-story home with a bonus room over the garage was designed for a young active family. The abundance of south-facing glass allows the sun to warm the stained concrete floors, which helps warm the home, as well as provide lots of natural daylight. A solar water heating system, efficient wood burning fireplace system, and high efficiency heating and cooling system are also features of the home. Lots of natural shade and an operable skylight create a natural ventilation system that is especially pleasant in the spring and fall months. The site is Xeriscaped for low water use outside and the family recycles and composts waste. The home was placed on the site to disturb the soil as little as possible.

The electric bill for this active family of four, plus a dog and cat, averages less than $100 per month.

Grid-Connected Northwest Arkansas Home

This home received the 1999 EnergyValue Housing Award and the Builder of the Year Award from the National Association of Home Builders Research Center. It was designed and built to be very energy efficient and includes high performance windows and doors, a solar water heating system, an efficient wood burning fireplace system that heats the entire home, and energy and water efficient appliances. The home was built to be “solar ready” so that a photovoltaic (PV) system could be added later.

In 2006, a 3 kilowatt PV system was installed which powers the entire home at certain times of the day. Excess electricity is stored in batteries for later use or fed back to the utility company for use by other homes. Over the last 12 months, the lowest utility bill was $26 and that includes fixed charges and taxes. That is less than a tank of gasoline for many cars.

Southern Missouri Off-Grid Home

This beautiful home is completely detached from the electric and gas utility grid. The PV system generates all the electricity for the home and stores it in batteries for use when the sun does not shine. A back-up generator is activated during extended periods of cloudiness so that the home is never without power.

To achieve this Zero Utility Bill most efficiently, the home was designed to take advantage of passive solar gain through the south facing windows. Calculated eaves block the higher summer sun and prevent overheating the house. Efficient heating, cooling, and appliances use the smallest amount of electricity possible to reduce the demand for power. A beautiful home in a beautiful setting. Energy independent. Zero utility bill!

Track It! Utility Tracker

With today’s automatic bank drafts and levelized billing, you may not have a good idea of the amount of electricity or gas you actually use. Now is a great time to review the bills and monitor usage for the next 12 months. Download the PDF form to your computer. By December, you'll have a good idea of how your utilities relate to the seasons and your family's household activities.

For tracker form click here!