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The average home in the U.S. spends $2,200 on energy each year. That’s $183/month. Rather than spending this money on energy purchases, the smart approach is to invest it in greater energy efficiency. If you’re building a new home, it’s possible to reduce your energy purchases to zero with the buying power gained from that same $183. Here’s how it works. If you have a 30-year mortgage at about 4.2%, you can cover the additional payments on an increase in your loan of about $37,500 for energy saving features for your home. That’s enough to turn most home designs into zero energy homes, before incentives. Federal and state tax credits along with utility incentive...

Check out the latest episode of the Green Business Podcast Show by Eric Dye as he interviews our CEO and they discuss why EnLight.Energy decided to not just be another solar only installer, the impact of a Trump presidency on the renewable energy industry in America, our work with developing communities around the world, and why we chose a local energy franchise model.

ERIC: Today we are speaking with Julio Daniel Hernandez, CEO, and Founder of EnLight.Energy, a national company that helps home and business owners explore ways to drastically lower and eliminate their energy bills. Happy to have you back on the show Julio. How are you?

JULIO DANIEL: Doing great Eric thanks for having me.

ERI...

The falling costs of renewables has helped shift political winds around power generation

Solar energy panels for a well pump in Wilcox, Arizona. Credit: Bruce Gifford Getty Images

Bob Burns didn’t always love renewables. Shortly after he was elected to the Arizona Corporation Commission in 2012, the conservative Republican voted to kill what remained of the state’s subsidy for rooftop solar installations.

But last week Burns managed something only a few blue-state climate hawks have pulled off: He helped pass a rule calling for the state to eliminate carbon emissions from its power grid by 2050.

In doing so, Arizona becomes only the seventh state to pass a law requiring its utiliti...

I first became interested in zero energy buildings in 2003. There were several things that pulled me into the concept, and probably the most compelling aspect was the scale of the change. At the time, I was managing a municipal green building program and we were struggling to convince developers to make relatively minor incremental changes like using Low-E windows or high-efficiency furnaces. The notion of zero energy was such a radical leap forward. The other big thing that was intriguing to me, let’s face it, was that it was cool.

Zero energy as an aspiration, on-the-ground reality, and the climate solution movement intersection is at an interesting point in its history. Zero energy i...

Its big and small, Democratic and Republican cities are going green. Other states want to know how.

Energy costs are one of the highest expenses schools face today. To offset them, some Tennessee schools are installing solar arrays and geothermal heating and cooling systems. (AP)

When it comes to a particular renewable energy program in Tennessee, it doesn’t matter whether you believe in climate change or not, are a Republican or Democrat, live in a big city or small rural town. The program in question is even neutral on specific technologies, which means it’s up to you whether you install solar arrays or develop biodiesel or put in geothermal at your schools. The only thing you h...

Trump backed out of the Paris Agreement and the media had a frenzy. In an instant, voices around the globe united to rally against the apathetic message that this decision could signal. Within hours, his supporters also took to social media to express their loyal support for the verbalized America first commitment. Great social media debates ensued and of course, the Trump name was once again in every other conversation. Another brilliant communication and marketing execution by the Trump team.

You see, another title complaining about Trump's decision would not have gotten your attention and he gets that. One of the most valuable assets in today's economy is someo...