Paul Risberg knows there is no time like the present. He wants anyone who is building a home or considering the purchase of a new heating system or water heater to know it too.

Thanks to a Federal tax credit, making energy conscious purchases this year could net you some tidy savings on your tax bill come next April. It’s also a great way to cut your energy costs while conserving precious natural resources and reducing your dependence on nonrenewable sources such as oil, coal and natural gas.

Some people may call it double or even triple dipping; Risberg calls it smart.

As the founder of Charlottesville’s Altenergy Incorporated, Risberg has devoted his career to helping consumers save money—and the planet. He thinks the tax credit is a great way to do just that.Red, white and green

During 2007, individuals can make energy conscious purchases that will

help them cut their energy bills and their tax bill at the same time. The law, enacted in February 2006, makes a credit available to homeowners who add qualified solar panels, solar thermal equipment or a fuel-cell power plant to their homes.

Taxpayers are allowed one credit equal to 30 percent of the qualified invest-ment in a solar panel, up to a maximum credit of $2,000, and another equivalent credit for investing in a solar water-heat-ing system.* That’s up to $4,000 back from Uncle Sam come next spring.

But if you’re going to score the credit, you’d better act fast as these items must be placed in service before January 1, 2008.What is solar thermal?

In layman’s terms, solar thermal systems gather heat from the sun and move it into water that is circulated through the house.

Fire and WaterGoing solar can save money— and the planet

From The Pros | EcoSmart

96% Men Ages 25-54

Average Household Income of $60,000+Upwardly Mobile

Would your business like to attract this type of client?

Contact our sales department to receive more information on the power of sports radio advertising on ESPN 840 for your business.

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Call 434-964-2001, option 5 and ask to speak with Cheryl, Marcia, Jennifer, Doug or Carl regarding your home financing needs.

FREE APPRAISAL*

Save up to

*We’ll reimburse your property Appraisal Fee up to $400 at closing on your new purchase or refinanced, 15-year or greater term, first mortgage with UVACCU. Mortgage must be closed between June 1 – December 31, 2007 to be eligible for offer. No cash paid to the borrower. Only one offer per mortgage application. Offer cannot be combined with any other mortgage offer. Credit is subject to approval. Acceptable credit and property standards apply. Coupon must be presented with your application.

C Because when it comes to important decisions, it’s all about trust.

$400

Paul Risberg of AltEnergy Incorporated

Continued 45 >>

42 July/August 2007 | Charlottesville House & Home

“Since hot water is usually in demand and accounts for as much as 30 percent of a family’s energy con-sumption, we like the fit,” Risberg said. By utilizing technologies like thermal radiant heat, hot water can also be used to heat your home’s rooms. Because the heat radiates from the floor, the heat rises evenly throughout the room, fill-ing those cold spots that often develop with other heating systems. As a bonus, the floor is nice and toasty, even on the coldest of days. Show me the money

As green as the environmental impact such systems offer, Risberg feels it’s the bottom-line impact that has his customers seeing—and saving—green. Some Altenergy systems can pay for themselves in as little as 7.5 years. With an expected operational life of 20 years, that nets the consumer 13.5 years of relatively free energy.

“The system is really robust,” Ris-berg said, “people never know they have it in place.”

A backup unit ensures that “you have hot water when you turn on the tap, even if the sun doesn’t shine for a couple of days,” he said. Maintenance is minimal and, for the most part, limited to changing the unit’s fluids once every five years.

Risberg claims such systems also add value to the homes in which they are installed. “The increased value of a home with a modern solar thermal system is almost equal to the cost of the system,” he said. “If you talk to a Realtor, they’ll tell you one of these systems a $6,000 to $8,000 premium on resale. That’s the typical cost of having one installed.

“If you look at it purely from a return-on-investment basis, over the 20-year life of the system you’re going to see a very solid return,” he said. “It’s not only environmentally sound, but, in the long run, it’s economically sound.

*No part of either system can be used

to heat a pool or hot tub.

FOXCHASE LANDING

DAVID G. MITCHELL434-566-8299David@Southern-Classic.com

FORREST ROTGIN MITCHILL434-566-8210Forrest@Southern-Classic.com

www.Southern-Classic.comEqual Housing Opportunity

14 LOTS with a variety of views including water, mountain and pastoral. Bring your plans or choose from custom plans designed by Southern Classic.

Green File: AltEnergy IncorporatedEstablished in 2005 by Paul Risberg, Charlottesville’s Altenergy Incorporated designs, builds

and installs practical solar energy solutions that help area homeowners harvest energy from the

sun instead of the planet. From roof-mounted solar hot-water systems to windmill, rooftop solar

electric and flex fuel generation, Risberg’s company focuses on solar thermal systems because

he feels they offer the best payback options.

“Sure, there are lots of good reasons to put in a system that doesn’t pay for itself,” Risberg said

of the purely ecological reasons behind going green. “You consume less power, as a result less

carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere, and you’re promoting further research and

development of solar energy technology. Those are all good reasons, but the reason I do solar

thermal is that we can make an economical model that really works.

“We find solutions that not only have a positive impact on the environment but a positive

economic impact on the lives of the people who invest in these systems,” he said. “My

company is totally focused on showing people how to invest money to reduce their reliance

on traditional energy production, reduce emissions and still save money.”

Risberg’s company also builds photovoltaic electricity systems (PV) and performs energy audits

on existing structures.

For information on solar options or

AltEnergy, contact Paul Risberg at

(434) 882-0908 or visit the company’s web

site at www.altenergyincorporated.com.

>> Continued from 42

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