Is Your Site Suitable for Solar Panels?

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Solar energy is increasing in popularity, especially with the potential for rebates and tax incentives. The federal government is offering a 30 percent tax credit this year for installing solar systems. Each state has its own legislation to encourage the development of solar and other options. Be sure to check any requirements before installing a solar system.

To evaluate whether solar panels will be suitable for your location, there are some critical factors to consider. In the U.S., we have enough direct and scattered sunlight to support photovoltaic, or PV modules, and produce electricity using solar resources. But the amount of electricity that can be created depends upon the amount of energy from the sun that reaches these solar units. Obviously, in the southwestern region of the U.S., where the sun’s rays are strongest, solar energy systems will be most efficient.

When thinking about the purchase of solar panels, the first issue to determine is whether you’ll be able to create enough solar energy to make your system economical and efficient. Perhaps not all of your solar electricity can be generated through photovoltaics, but you’ll want to be able to create enough power to make this system worthwhile. Perform an analysis, or have a qualified contractor do one for you to be certain that your location is appropriate for a solar system.

There are a number of factors to consider, including the angle of the solar arrays and the surrounding landscaping. The most effective positioning for panels in the U.S. and Canada is facing south, but they can be positioned up to 45 degrees east or west of true south and still be effective.

Most people choose to mount the arrays flat on the roof, and that means further considerations, such as the angle and condition of the roof, the position the roof faces, any landscaping (including trees) that might block sunlight, and weather conditions that could have a bearing on electricity production.

If using your roof isn’t feasible, there are still other options, including placing the system on the ground or a platform. Panels can be fixed on a “tracking” mount that follows the sun. The best tilt for your modules is an angle equal to your latitude.

So even if your property isn’t optimal for a roof mount, solar arrays might still prove an attractive option to the local utility.  As long as there is enough sunlight, the possibility of more creative panel placement exists.  And as the technology continues to improve and costs decrease, and the government creates incentives toinstall solar, this will become an attractive alternative.

The Solar America Initiative

The Solar America Initiative (SAI) accelerates the development of photovoltaic (also known as PV or solar electricity) technologies with the goal of making solar electricity from PV cost competitive with conventional grid electricity by 2015. SAI works through partnerships between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and industry, universities, federal, state, and local government, and non-governmental agencies to achieve the goal of lower-cost solar energy.

The mission of the Solar America Initiative is to help lower the cost of solar electricity so that it is cost-competitive across all U.S. market sectors by 2015. The Solar America Initiative ensures domestic production of solar technologies. Decentralized energy supplies such as photovoltaics (PV), diversifies the nation’s electricity portfolio, enhances grid reliability, and reduces the impact of a failure of the U.S. centralized electricity infrastructure. The Solar America Initiative also brings significant environmental gains and reduced water consumption by avoiding fossil fuel, nuclear, and natural gas generation.

By 2015, photovoltaics will:

• Provide 5-10 gigawatts of new electric capacity (enough to power 1-2 million homes) to the U.S. grid

• Avoid 10 million metric tons per year of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions

• Employ 30,000 new workers in the PV industry.

Goals

The primary goal of the Solar America Initiative is to ensure that solar energy technologies will play a growing role in U.S. energy supplies and the U.S. economy by making the technology cost-competitive in the near future.

Secondary goals are to achieve market competitiveness for the following technologies:

• Photovoltaics (PV) by 2015 through government partnerships with industry, universities, national laboratories, states, and other public entities

• Concentrating solar power systems by 2020 through ongoing and new research and development (R&D) activities.

Objectives

Current objectives include the following:

• Fill the industry R&D pipeline for next-generation, low-cost, scaleable products

• Establish a framework for university involvement in the Solar America Initiative

• Calibrate the National Renewable Energy Laboratory research portfolio and role for the future

• Ramp up testing and evaluation for development and qualification

• Catalyze the collaboration on industry-wide issues such as codes and standards

• Expand U.S. policy and regulatory measures.

Approach

The Solar America Initiative is a two-pronged approach emphasizing the following activities:

• (R&D) Research and Development in material sciences and solar manufacturing processes
• Market transformation to remove barriers to the acceptance of new solar technologies in the marketplace.

Solar America Initiative partners include:

• The solar industry

• National laboratories

• Universities

• Federal, state, and city governments

• Non-governmental agencies

• Solar advocacy groups

National laboratories of the U.S Department of Energy (DOE) continue to provide needed R&D.They will serve in key technical roles in areas such as measurements and characterization, reliability R&D, and systems integration.

The Solar America Initiative’s approach represents a fundamental shift in how the DOE’s Solar Energy Technologies Program does business. Previously, DOE emphasized solar energy R&D, with a goal of expanding impact through improved component performance. The Solar America Initiative emphasizes industry partnerships and alliances to accelerate market-ready photovoltaics using aggressive cost goals, down-selects, and a new focus on eliminating manufacturing, production, and non-technical marketplace barriers.

Solar Programs of the U.S. Department of Energy

The U.S. Department of Energy has a number of ongoing programs that focus on renewable energy, and in particular, solar energy. The Solar Energy Technologies Program focuses on developing cost-effective solar-energy technologies that have the greatest potential to benefit the nation and the world. Solar technologies diversify the energy supply, reduce the country’s dependence on imported fuels, improve air quality, and offset greenhouse gas emissions. A growing solar industry also stimulates our economy by creating jobs in solar manufacturing and installation.

To this end, the following subprograms are an integral component.

• The Photovoltaics subprogram aggressively funds a diverse set of PV technologies that have potential in many markets that will help solar electricity achieve grid parity.
• The Concentrating Solar Power subprogram is making CSP competitive in the intermediate power market and developing advanced technologies that will reduce system and storage costs.
• The Systems Integration subprogram is breaking down the regulatory, technical, and economic barriers to integrate solar electricity into the electric grid.
• The Market Transformation subprogram works with external partners to address non-technical issues that are barriers to the widespread adoption of solar technologies.

Basics of Energy Efficient Living

Basics of Energy Efficient Living

Book Description Whether you’re building a new house or have an existing one, “Basics of Energy Efficient Living” shares the principles behind energy efficient living. Have you ever wondered: What is R-value? How much energy could I get from my creek? Can I use alternative energy in the city? How much heat will it take to keep my house warm? How much heat will I lose if I put in a bigger window? Learn what it takes to save energy, then take the next step and collect your own. Find out how much energy you can get from water, sun, wind, and wood. Discover how much energy you need by making an energy budget specific for your house. Learn energy principles as you design a house step-by-step.

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Solar Modules

A photovoltaic module is composed of solar cells; a transparent glass or similar top cover; thin sheets of vinyl acetate to hold the top, bottom, and solar cells; a bottom layer of thin polymer to prevent water and gases seeping in; and an aluminum frame to hold all of the layers in place.

Energy performance ratings for solar modules are measured in peak watt (the maximum power of a module under laboratory conditions, which are not real world conditions), normal operating cell temperatures (a lower watt, more realistic value), and AMPM standard (measures the module performance during an entire day, and not just the hours of greatest sun).

It’s important to get the correct size photovoltaic system for your property to ensure you are able to generate enough electricity to meet your needs. This is especially critical if you plan to be off the grid, and must create all of your electricity. But it should be relatively easy to add additional panels if necessary to increase the amount of power supplied.

Decide how much of your electric bill you want to supplement with solar energy. That will determine how large a system you’ll need. Go over past electric bills to find your total electrical usage. You might find additional ways to conserve electricity, further reducing your bills.

First, consider what portion of your current electricity needs you would like your PV system to meet. For example, suppose that you would like to meet a certain percentage of your electricity needs with your PV system. You could work with your PV provider to examine past electric bills and determine the size of the PV system needed to achieve that goal. You can contact your utility company and request the total electricity usage, measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh), for your household or business over the past 12 months or consult your electric bills if you save them.