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Solar
/Energy Systems
Always Dreaming!
As a child, in
Sacramento CA., during Summer Vacation, I would awake very early in the morning
to watch KQED, out of San Francisco, while the signal lasted, once the Bay
Area fog
burned off the signal would fade away.
Early one
morning, in 1956 , I watched a program about Solar Electric Modules envisioned for
future use by space exploration. I was hooked, such an elegant concept, to make
electricity directly from freely available sunshine!
Finally in the
early 1980's, necessity forced the future into our lives, our "way" out back
home needed electricity and the Line Extension prices were shocking.
So began the quest, to learn and incorporate Solar Electricity into our
everyday reality.
I will share some of what I have learned in this
Solar Energy Primer:
When we first started there was
a very narrow dirt trail to follow, very little information was readily
available and few products to choose from, we searched and experimented.
A battery connected directly to small solar panels that powered 12VDC
lights, with a 12VDC 9 inch television and a 12VDC automotive radio for
entertainment, but it was exciting! There was a steep learning and use
curve to joyfully master, we learned a lot and did a little!
But soon improved products,
which eventually became the staple elements in the practical use of Solar
Energy, started to become available. But now things are very
different, there is a well paved road to follow. Now it is time to
learn a little a do a lot!
Energy Audit:
The Energy Audit is the starting
point, Job Number One!
It is
broadly believed that the best chance to save the Planet from Global
Warming is through Conservation of energy. With your car, in
your home and business.
An Energy Audit of your home will point
out the Appliances and Equipment that consume excessive energy, by
today's standards. Contact your
local Utility
company, some
provide this service free or for a fee. Or contact this
Solar Energy Professional or
to access resources. Or...Use
the Web to
do this yourself!
If your
appliances are already up to date, gather up one years bills or ask
your utility for an annual report and contact me.
Here to help!
Energy Conservation:
After your energy
audit, energy conservation is the next step!
Upgrading will save many multiples in Solar Electric Module expense.
It sounds expensive but it is deceptive, what a difference it will make in Zeroing out your Carbon emissions. Upgrading your Heating
and Air Conditioning, Refrigeration, Washer and Dryer, and other
appliances.
Upgrade your Electronics: TV - Use just one smaller LCD TV
monitor. Computers? - Two Laptops use a fraction of the energy
one Desktop PC. With Surround Sound and DVD player, look at the
labels and select the most efficient replacement you can find.
Adding Switched
surge protectors, and using them, will kill your phantom loads, attach
all of your appliances and electronics devices in all your rooms, and
use them.
Use battery powered Wall and alarm clocks, they save a lot and won't
go down in power outages.
Use
EnergyStar
appliances, at minimum, there are new appliance that go well beyond
these standards available.
Contact
us
if you want more information
beyond Energy Star.
Remember,
when it comes to energy It is much easier and less costly to reduce
demand through higher efficiency equipment than to generate the power
necessary to run out-of-date energy guzzlers.
Solar Site Survey:
Once you have trimmed your
consumption down!
Your Solar Energy
Professional visits your home, business or building site to provide a
Solar Site Survey, using real world experience and sophisticated
technology to determine the solar energy potential of that site.
This data will be used to construct charts and lists that will provide
an accurate idea of availability of sunshine, with consideration of
local historical weather conditions, solarization and other factors
such the placement of the array, or arrays, relative to trees, other
structures and or geographical formations.
The
organized data will used to provide necessary documentation to your
state tax agency and your utility company to determine the
availability of Tax Rebates, Utility rebates, and Federal Tax Credits,
as they apply in each state and locality.
The Solar
Site Survey data, in conjunction with energy use records, also will be
crucial in determining optimal system sizing, design, planning and
placement.
Armed with
Solar Site Survey information one can then get down to the business of
making final implementation decisions.
System Design & Sizing:
System design can be
simplified and the cost better contained with the use of one of our
Solar Sun Sets, provided are a broad range of pre-designed systems
Sized
to provide for the energy needs of nearly any residence, site, and
usage for Grid-Tied, Grid-Tied with battery back-up, and Off -Grid
systems.
We also
custom design systems to meet more specific or demanding requirements.
For
Commercial installations we can provide System Design for any size, or
usage, any combination of solar and wind plus energy storage solutions
that are superior.
Site Placement:
Site
Placement is critical to the
highest energy production possible for
any given location. At times the Rooftop is not the ideal location
for solar
modules to receive
the maximum access to strongest and longest duration
Sunshine,
particularly in the Winter.
For
appearances or when the Roof is not
ideally situated the Solar Modules can be mounted on Ground Mounted Racks,
Trackers,
Shaded Patio Covers, or on Purpose Built Platforms.
With both
Grid-Tied and Off-Grid Solar Electric Systems, modern equipment
allow
much higher Solar Arrays DC Voltage levels, allowing greater
freedom
with array placement.
Today's On-Site
Analysis equipment allows consideration of tree trimming
options in
determining ideal placement and production of your Solar Energy
System.
You are welcome to
Contact Wm. Boune
to schedule an On-Site Solar Survey in Sonoma County, CA. or if you need
a Dealer referral in your area.
Here to help
Planning:
When planning your system,
logistical considerations occur, you must order equipment with ample
time for delivery, different components will come from different
manufacturers and some directly from the supplier's stock. When
building an Off-Grid System you must allow extra ample time for the
delivery of Batteries, some of the best are made to order so they are
prime upon receipt, you may need a 4- 8 week lead time, dependant upon
the supplier.
Installation:
Great care must be taken
while performing a Solar Electric installation, no mistakes can be
made, switches, panels, circuit breakers, cabling, conduits, meters,
equipment, and service panels must be installed properly, and
efficiently, with no grounding, contact or polarity issues. With
roof-top installations the mounting hardware must be installed without
causing future leaks, it is best if one can install new roofing at the
time of installation.
Installation
Is best done by a Solar Energy Professional
(Dealer/Installer) or by a State Licensed Electrician. The
owner should research local permit requirements and the time lag involved
in receiving them. If you have a good deal of experience with
household electrical circuits, switches and electrical codes, you might
handle a self installation with a bit more self education.
Components
Grid-Tied System:
1. Solar
Electric Modules & Mounts
- With Mounting Hardware, the Modules are placed either upon the
building Roof, attached to Ground Mounted Racks, integrated with Shade
Structures, or on Purpose Built Platforms.
2. Utility
Interactive Inverter
-
This device is positioned near the Main Utility Service Panel as is
feasible, The Interactive Inverter conditions and makes compatible
the energy from the Solar Electric Modules with the 110V - 220V
AC Grid supplied power and sends it to the home for use and any excess into
the Grid to be stored for use when the sun sets.
3.
Cables, Switches &
Breakers
- The cables
connect all of these
components together to convey the electricity for
your use. Wires must be sized for the capacity and lengths involved, for
the most part they run through conduits to protect from the elements and
animals.
The Solar Electric Module arrays are connected into "Strings"
which are then combined, protected by switches and circuit breakers. The
connections between each major component are switched and circuit protected.
NOTE:
Grid-Tied Systems are very cost effective, in that, they utilize the Grid
for Energy
Storage, saving a considerable sum. Most areas seldom experience
significant grid failures.
If you are in a trouble prone area, back up batteries might be considered.
Off-Grid System:
1. Solar Electric
Modules & Mounts - With Mounting Hardware,
the Modules are placed either upon the building Roof, attached to
Ground Mounted Racks, integrated with Shade Structures, or upon
Purpose Built Platforms.
2. Controller
- Unlike a grid-tied system, an
off-grid system uses a Controller. The controller conditions the
DC energy to be properly used to safely charge the DC Battery Bank,
The controller is cabinet integrated with the inverter & other components, near the batteries.
3. Battery Bank
- Batteries are a critical
component in an Off-Grid Solar Electric System, different quality,
sizes and types are available, dependant upon your specific site and
use requirements. Batteries are 6Vdc - 12Vdc and Battery Banks can range from 12V DC to 60V DC, capacity is fully scalable.
4. Inverter
- This standalone component takes the DC energy (12 - 60 volts) from the
Battery Bank and modifies it into 110Vac power, if needed another
device can transform this energy to 220V ac. The modern inverter
is highly efficient, quiet and provides tightly controlled Pure Sine
Wave electricity, Electronic Components will run cool and live long
with this energy source.
5. Cables,
Switches & Breakers
- The cables
connect all of these components together to convey the electricity for
your use. Wires must be sized for the capacity and lengths
involved, for the most part they run through conduits to protect from
the elements and animals.
The Solar Electric Module arrays are
connected into "Strings" which are then combined, protected by switches and circuit breakers. The connections between each
major system component are circuit protected and switched.
NOTE:
Off-Grid and Battery
backed-up Grid-Tied Systems are more costly and require more space,
they costs at least an additional $2 per Watt-hour or more.
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Schematics
Grid-Tied System
Grid-Tied W/Battery Back-Up
OFF-Grid System With Generator
Monitoring and Maintenance
Monitoring
is performed regularly, maintenance is seldom required. Your
equipment will be installed with metering devices which, with a little
orientation and experience, will reveal the amount of energy your system
is producing and the amount that you use.
Monitoring
is of
particular importance with Off-Grid System users, dependant upon battery
capacity, the user must either adjust your usage to production or increase
production, which in the winter, may mean an occasional generator top off.
Off-Grid Systems require a monthly battery water check and filling with
distilled water, with an occasional (3 times a year min,) check of the
specific gravity of each cell. An additional tank can be mounted
that auto-fills each cell and requires
refilling only once or twice a
year. A well installed system will require cleaning of cables and
attachments points only every 3-5 years. Most of these tasks are
easily handled by the property owner, but are offered through many dealers
or a third party provider.
Grid-Tied system monitoring is primarily for purposes of comparison, so as
to identifying any production problems that may require maintenance or
parts replacement, this type of monitoring can be done off-site, by a third party, or with your computer, to identify a production decline
trend.
The Future
What
does the future hold? Plenty of surprises, this is for sure.
Not all of them will be bad!
In the not too distant future,
sooner, when the economy recovers, energy and fuel
prices will begin a steady march upwards, so prepare today for your own
energy safe economic future.
Solar energy technology will
make a steady push into higher efficiencies and lower per watt costs, but
this is down the road 5 - 10 years or longer.
Your interest and commitment,
today, in becoming an energy prosumer (producer and consumer) of personal
Solar Energy, not just a passive consumer, will help reduce global warming
today and will put money in your pocket
for tomorrow, as your investment
encourages technology advances.
The Benefits of Solar
Energy
Your decision to
install solar energy has far reaching effects, well beyond the energy
and dollar savings you will enjoy over the next 25 years.
Install Solar Electric Modules
and reduce 3,300 lbs CO2 per year, using the clean PG&E
example.
Assumptions:
Typical residential system is 3-5 kW
18% capacity factor
Operating 8,760 hours per year at the PG&E emissions rate (electric):
0.524 lbs CO2 per kWh.
In California, extensive use of
PV power will offset the need to build new natural gas–powered “peaker”
electricity plants, that start up when demand peaks during summer
daylight hours.
Be a good example for others,
your children and future generations, by being an early adopter.
Use long term savings
to benefit yourself, your family, community, the
underprivileged, the
world.
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Added Advantages
1. Huge Savings:
+Upon recovery of the initial investment, the energy from the sun is
practically FREE.
+The payback period for your investment can be very short depending on
how much electricity you use.
+Rebates and tax credits from the government will reduce your cost.
+If you produce more energy than you use, your utility can buy it from
you, as credit on your account! This is known as Net Metering,
when at work they pay you more than you are charged at night, when home.
+It will save you money on your utility bill if any remains.
+Solar energy requires only sunshine as fuel.
+Supply and demand do not effect the price of sunshine and therefore not
subjected to the ever-increasing price of gasoline and electricity.
+Your savings are immediate and continue for many years to come.
+The use of solar energy indirectly reduces health costs, due to less
pollution.
2. Environmentally Friendly:
+Solar Energy is clean, renewable (unlike gas, oil and coal) and
sustainable, protect our environment.
+No air pollution, no carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide or
mercury into the atmosphere like all traditional forms of electrical
generations.
+Solar Energy does not contribute to global warming, acid rain or smog.
+You actively contributes to the decrease of harmful green house gas
emissions.
+Solar energy is generated everywhere it is needed.
+Solar Energy does not contribute to the cost and problems of the
recovery and transportation of fuel or the storage of radioactive waste.
3. Reduce or
Eliminate Energy Dependence:
+Solar Energy will offset or eliminate utility-supplied energy
consumption. It reduces your electricity bill, with the right equipment
will also end power outages.
+Solar Energy can operate entirely independent, Off-the-grid, in remote
location, practically and cheaper than a line extension. So, by
comparison your energy is free from day one..
+Solar Energy reduces our dependence on foreign and/or centralized
sources of energy, price effected by natural disasters or international
events.
+Solar Energy supports local job and wealth creation, fuelling local
sustainable economies.
4. Sun Supplied Fuel for
Transportation:
+With the upcoming
plug-in-Hybrid cars and a large enough system you could wipe out nearly
all of your electric and gasoline expenses.
5. Reliability and Low
Maintenance:
+Solar Energy systems are nearly maintenance free and will last for
decades.
+Once installed, there are no recurring costs.
+Nearly silent with have few moving parts (small fans), no offensive
smells and no fuel required.
+More solar modules can be added, these are easily scaleable.
Disadvantages:
+initial cost of owning your solar energy system, due to the high cost
of the materials used.
+The cost of solar energy may appear high compared to non-renewable
utility-supplied electricity, on a per watt basis, but if you calculate
the long term the savings are apparent.
As resource depletion sets in,
energy prices will spike and solar energy becomes more that competitive.
+Solar panels require quite a large area, but they can be in the yard or
on a shade structure.
+Access to sunshine is critical, but we can be creative.
+Clouds and pollution can reduce sunlight
+No sunshine at night and no grid connection. A battery backup system and or a grid connection
is the solution.
Energy & Gov. Incentive
Links
Learn
www.dsireusa.org
how net metering allows you to save money.
Learn The
Environmental Resource Agency
Clean Energy Website.
Council 4 Energy Efficient
Economy - Consumer
Guide to Home Energy Savings.
U.S. Dept. of Energy -
Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy -
Energy Savers.
FTC Appliance Energy Data
- Click images for current appliance energy use data.
Saving Electricity
an ad sponsored site with a lot of thought on the subject.
PUD publication -
Typical Appliance Energy Use and Cost
- PDF file.
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and Services
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