More on Solar Energy in Self-Storage

In the last few weeks, I’ve seen a lot of press about solar energy. In the USA Weekend newspaper, there was an article featuring Ed Begley Jr., a huge green activist. The article briefly highlighted his new book, Ed Begley Jr.’s Guide to Sustainable Living, and offered tips for homeowners looking to live “off the grid.”

MSNBC.com also had a feature on solar power: 7 Ways to Generate and Save Energy at Home. The article states between 80 and 85 percent of at-home renewable energy generation systems installed today are solar panels. Solar water heaters are also becoming popular. That’s great news!

While both of these articles focused on homeowners, the commercial sector is also jumping on the solar bandwagon. This year, ISS has posted several news pieces about self-storage facilities and companies installing solar panels. Here’s a sampling of recent news posts:
 
New Jersey's Premier Self Storage Adds Solar Panels 
Access Self Storage Opens N.J. Facility 
Eco-Minded Thornwood Self Storage Celebrates Opening 
Baja Construction Introduces Solar Support System 
 
If you’re interested in adding solar power to your facility, plan on attending the Inside Self-Storage World Expo in Las Vegas, March 1-3. We’ll have a special two-part seminar led by Baja Construction and iParkSolar outlining the process, tax incentives and financing opportunities. The presenters will even break down expenses, and show the potential revenue stream. 

Read more about this seminar and others related to green practices on the Inside Self-Storage World Expo website.
 
Finally, if you're planning to install solar—or have already—share your story with our readers. Why solar? What kind of incentives did you find? Any drawbacks or things others should be aware of? Share your thoughts by posting a comment below or head over to Self-Storage Talk and join a discussion.