A workshop series was held teaching homeowners how to beat the heat with energy efficient technology while also benefitting their pocketbooks.

The Guam Energy Office, Guam Community College, and the Guam Building Code Council joined forces over the weekend to teach community members how they can help the environment while also helping their bottom line. Energy Office director Lorilee Crisostomo said, "We are trying to reach out to the homeowners to let them know what they can do to make their homes energy-efficient."

Instructors spoke about generous tax incentives available to those who invest in solar, weatherproofing and energy-efficient technology.

Adrian Atalig was one of the workshop's speakers, and is also an electronics instructor at the Guam Community College. He explained the different types of systems available, particularly grid-tied and off-grid systems, saying, "The most common here on island is called the grid-tied PV system. This system is connected to the utility service."

Grid-tied systems produce power during the day, and feed any excess power back to the utility. An off-grid system uses both solar panels and a battery backup system that can power your home both day and night. Atalig said although batteries require an additional investment, they're especially useful for remote locations with unreliable utility services, or locations that frequently suffer from natural hazards such as typhoons.

He said when comparing investing in solar panels or a new car, solar panels are the clear winner, saying, "Let's say you want to buy a car, you buy a car for $25,000-$30,000, in five years you pay off the car and the car's already old."

However once you pay off a solar system, consumers then receive electricity free of charge. "PV energy is renewable, it's renewable energy it's sustainable, the sun is out there every day," he explained. "You want to help the environment? You consider PV systems, it's the way to go."