Mike Holmes Promotes Solar Energy

It's no secret that Mike Holmes loves cleaner, greener energy. He doesn't like so-called "green" energy for the sake of being green, he likes it because it makes sense, saves people money, and is renewable. Harnessing the power of the sun has been a dream of men for years, but only recently has the potential of solar energy been fully realized.

Speaking from first hand experience, there are are a lot of benefits to using solar to power your house. The biggest drawback, though, is probably the initial investment. Case in point, my grandparents had a full-electric house, one story, around 1500 square feet which they converted to full solar using 1BOG, the company that Mike Holmes is partnering with to promote solar awareness. The cost? Around $50K, pre-tax credits. However, being that their house was fully electric (no gas), and given that summers here can reach 120 degrees F on a hot day (as is expected this week), they are saving massive money on their heating and cooling costs. How much? Before solar, their average summer electric bill was around $400. Their electric bill last month was $12. Those are some savings you can sink your teeth into!

The following articles discuss Mike's campaign to promote and educate people about the benefits of using solar energy. Mike has also put up a solar energy information page on his website, which explains the ins and outs of equipping your roof for solar.


From CleanEnergyAuthority.com:

HGTV star Mike Holmes promoting solar

June 25, 2013 | Written by Amanda H. Miller

Mike Holmes, of HGTV fame, has launched a residential solar power education campaign on his Make It Right website.
“The sun provides us with more energy than we could ever use,” Holmes writes in his introduction to the Solar Power 101 post on his website. “It’s free, clean, safe and renewable. Why not harness it to power our homes?”
Holmes goes on to discuss different types of solar panels and different options for installing them, from buying panels and paying for installation outright to making use of the newer solar panel leasing model offered by a variety of companies. Solar leasing allows homeowners to install solar panels with no upfront cost and buy the electricity they generate from the third party that owns the panels on their rooftops at a fixed and predictable rate.
Holmes partnered with One Block Off The Grid for his educational campaign.
The solar company, which goes by 1BOG for short, has tried to position itself as the Expedia or Travelocity of the solar industry, offering price estimates and connections for various solar installers in a homeowner’s area.
The company welcomes the endorsement from Holmes, who hosts the remodeling show “Holmes on Homes” for HGTV.
“Mike Holmes is an exceptionally trusted source of information for all things related to homebuilding and renovation,” said Chris Stern of 1BOG’s parent company, Pure Energies Group. “We are proud to help him educate the public on the benefits of solar power.”
One Block principals said they’re excited that someone so high-profile in the world of home improvement is offering comprehensive education and outreach promoting residential solar.
Holmes explains everything from how solar panels work and connect to the grid to offset electricity costs to the technical differences between polycrystalline and monocrystalline solar panels and the advantages and disadvantaged of building-integrated solar.
“I like solar power,” Holmes said. “It saves people money, it’s clean and it’s renewable. What’s not to like? It’s a no brainer.”



From PRWeb.com:

Mike Holmes Teams Up With PURE Energies to Educate People About Solar Power
In an effort to educate people across North America about the value of solar, popular HGTV personality, Mike Holmes, will feature residential solar power education provided by Pure Energies on his website, Make It Right (makeitright.ca/solarpower).

Toronto, Ontario (PRWEB) June 21, 2013

Pure Energies Group (“Pure”) and its US subsidiary One Block Off the Grid (“1BOG”) are celebrating the longest day of the year, June 21, by announcing a new solar power educational partnership with trusted contractor, Mike Holmes, best known for his television show, Holmes on Homes, on HGTV.
Mike Holmes will feature residential solar power education on his website Make It Right (makeitright.ca/solarpower) to encourage people across North America to learn how solar power can help lower their power bills, and possibly earn them extra money while doing something positive for the environment.
Visitors to the site will be directed to 1BOG.org to learn more about whether solar is a viable option for their home. 1BOG works with each potential solar customer carefully to advise them of the best possible way to go solar, taking into account factors such as location, energy usage, size of their house, and tax incentives available in their area. Thanks to 1BOG’s unique position as a one-stop shop for solar, homeowners can explore power purchase agreements (PPAs), leasing options, custom payments and pre-paid opportunities from the nation’s top solar brands.
“Pure and 1BOG give homeowners different options,” said Mike Holmes. “And I’m talking about from some of the biggest names in solar. So you know you’re getting quality. It’s a great service and it’s free. Only pluses here.”
“Mike Holmes is an exceptionally trusted source of information for all things related to homebuilding and renovation,” said Chris Stern of 1BOG’s parent company, Pure Energies Group. “We are proud to help him educate the public on the benefits of solar power.”
“I like solar power,” added Holmes. “It saves people money, it’s clean and it’s renewable. What’s not to like? It’s a no brainer.”
For more information on solar power and its benefits visit makeitright.ca/solarpower.
About Pure Energies Group
In 2012, Solar Pure Energies acquired One Block Off the Grid and Cooler Planet, forming Pure Energies Group (“Pure”). The company is based in Toronto, Ontario, and is backed by NEA and NGEN. For more information, please visit http://www.pure-energies.com.
For information on One Block Off the Grid, please visit http://www.1bog.org, and for Cooler Planet, visit http://www.coolerplanet.com.