Learn More About Solar Energy

Welcome to Solar PV 101 & Solar Thermal 101

Solar PV and Solar Thermal have 2 distinct differences. Solar PV or Solar Photovoltaics, is the process of using the sun's energy to create electricity. Solar Thermal is the process of using the sun's energy to create warm water.

The sun is the source of all of our earths energy except for nuclear energy. Interestingly enough each minute the sun shines enough energy to power the entire earth for a year straight!

Electricity is measured using a constant of 1,000 Watts/square meter.

Going Solar

By harnessing the power of the sun, wind or water, people all over the world produce their own pollution-free reliable electricity. Technological advances, government assistance, the need for reliable power, and the growing urgency to reduce the use of fossil fuels make renewable energy systems increasingly attractive to people around the world.

Solar technology makes it possible for home and business owners to have dependable power from renewable sources. Mass production has significantly reduced the price of renewable energy systems and their components. Solar systems with battery-based backup power can ensure reliable power even when the utility grid is down.

The use of renewable sources such as wind, water and sun increases our energy self-sufficiency and fosters economic and national security. As more families, individuals and businesses generate their own renewable electricity we will reduce pollution, provide more electricity for all to use, reduce the use of fossil fuels, and make the electricity on the grid “greener”.

Deregulation has created an atmosphere of change in the United States. We are experiencing higher electricity rates and electricity shortages. Laws usually referred to as net metering allow solar-energy-system owners to feed their excess generated electricity back to the utility. The system owner receives a credit or payment for solar-generated electricity fed into the grid. In other words, you pay only for the net electricity you consume – the amount of electricity you take from the utility minus the amount you generate and feed back from your solar system.

With a solar electric system, you can provide yourself with protection from the rising prices of fuel, because your system’s fuel is the sun. Additionally, state, local and federal tax incentives and rebates make obtaining a system more economical.

Types of Power Systems

Power systems vary in design depending on what energy sources are used and what purpose they must fulfill. The next few pages have information to help you design the three basic types of renewable energy systems:

1. Grid-Tie Systems
Also called grid-interactive, grid-intertie, utility-interconnected and other such descriptive terms, grid-tie solar systems built onto your building and property that connect directly into the electric utility feed. This is possible in areas that allow net metering, whereby a solar or wind powered system turns your electric meter backwards when it is producing more power than you are using. This type of system provides no backup power when utility power fails.

2. Grid-Tie Systems with Battery Backup
A grid-tie system with battery backup feeds excess solar electricity to the grid and provides backup power when the utility grid is down. With this type of system you sacrifice some power generation efficiency in exchange for having power when there is a utility power failure. The amount of backup power you have depends on the size of the battery and electrical loads that draw on them.

3. Off-Grid Systems
This type of power system is independent of the utility grid. It can use solar modules, a wind generator, a micro-hydroelectric generator, or a combination of any or all of them to produce your electric power. Owners of this type of system often use a gas or diesel generator for backup when the power system does not meet all of the needs.

Determine What System Meets Your Needs

Use the tables and worksheets found at the following link. You will learn about your energy consumption!
Please click on the following link: HOW TO DETERMINE HOW MANY SOLAR PANELS I NEED


By filling these out, you will become familiar with the design of these systems and consult with us to pick out the exact components.

Tax Incentives

Federal

A federal “energy credit” allows businesses to take a 30% tax credit for renewable energy equipment (solar electric, solar thermal and wind powered systems). The same incentive is available for residential customers, but a cap of $2,000 applies. This credit is set to expire at the end of 2008, but it is possible that the federal government will renew the incentives in 2008 or 2009.

In addition, there is an accelerated 5-year depreciation schedule that allows businesses to write 100% of a system’s cost off their taxable income over the first five years.

State and Local

The states of California, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington and others, as well as municipalities like Austin, Texas and Bend, Oregon, offer a rebate or similar payment based on the generating capacity of the system installed. California offers performance based payments as an alternative to a rebate.

Other states offer various rebates and incentives to homeowners to lower the installed cost of a utility-connected power system. Go to www.dsireusa.org for the latest comprehensive information about incentives in your area.

Reasons to Go Solar NOW

For decades, off-grid standalone power systems – not connected to utility electric transmission lines – have generated power using solar energy for remote homes, communications facilities, telemetry, traffic control, public transportation, remote mining and drilling and scores of other applications. Now, people who live on the utility grid can economically install and obtain the benefits of solar and renewable energy systems.

Lock in your cost of electricity

The higher the percent of your total electricity needs generated by your solar system, the less affected you will be by constantly rising costs of conventionally generated electric power.

Obtain tax credits and rebates

Tax credits and rebates are available in many states to people and businesses who install solar powered products. See www.dsireusa.org for the latest rebate and tax credit information for your area.

Feed power back to the utility

In many states, you can send your home-generated power back to the utility and get credit for the power you feed into the utility grid.

Generate green power

Generate electricity with energy from the sun, wind or water, producing virtually no pollution or emissions.

Gain power independence

With the use of batteries and possibly a generator as needed, you can rely on your own generating capacity, and not on the vagaries of public utilities.

Ensure uninterrupted power

With a battery backup system, you can keep your appliances running during utility power outages.

No moving parts!

Solar electricity is the only form of energy generation that does not involve any moving part, substantially decreasing maintenance requirements and increasing reliability and long equipment life.