SOLAR ELECTRIC
PV effect, the solar energy knocks electrons loose from their atoms, allowing the electrons to
flow through the material, producing electricity.
With help from the sun, PV systems are able to produce and endless supply of clean,
non-polluting energy which is completely safe for our environment. One great thing about PV is
that it can be sized and installed to fit almost anywhere, allowing everyone to harness the
power of the sun. PV systems are easy to attractively integrate at homes and businesses alike
and have very low maintenance.
BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR SOLAR ELECTRIC
Most important and required is a 180 degree, due south exposure to the sun. The panels
typically have to be at a tilt of 30 to 50 degrees, depending on different issues but mostly for
performance. Hot water panels need to be as close as possible to the existing hot water
system, but PV can be much further away, remembering the farther between your house and
the panel the more copper wire you need to purchase and more power transmission loss to
deal with. Within a couple hundred feet is preferred to tie into a sub panel at your location.
HEATING YOUR HOME WITH SOLAR ENERGY
You can heat your home with solar energy, but it may not be 100% in Michigan without a large
array working to store its heat in the form of a thermal mass (either in a larger water tank or
heated earth under the house slab). Those homes can be built but retrofits are difficult and
costly. You can tie into existing radiant heating using a boiler type set-up, or some other heating
system which we can supplement. Large solar arrays for heating generally are a
alternative/supplement to an existing or main system you're trying to reduce its demands on.
Plus large hot water arrays do like to have a job in the summer, like heating a pool and or a hot
tub!
ROOF RE-ENFORCEMENT
Typically, homeowners do not need to re-enforce their roofs. We will look at the roof's condition
and if we feel it is over weighted and not able to handle the system we will not put it on your roof
but recommend an alternative location. Most standard 24" OC roof trusses can handle PV
without a problem, but hot water panels do need to go on a solid roof. Rarely do we reinforce a
roof, mostly we just relocate the panels instead.
SOLAR PANEL LOCATION
Many people ask us if the panels have to be on the roof. NO! We can locate them anywhere we
can see the southern sun. The reason roofs are so good is their constant exposure maximizing
your outputs and keeping them away and up high away danger. Better winter performance with
lower sun angles is also a plus.
Locations other than roofs may include a wall, poles, and the back side of buildings. As long as
we can see the sun to the south we can install a system.
MAINTENANCE TO OUR SOLAR PANELS
With PV, maintenance is never needed. There are no moving parts and nothing to wear out.
Safe, clean, no bi-product emitted energy...what a concept!
BATTERIES & GRID-TIED SYSTEMS
Batteries are not required for PV systems, unless you want to have back-up power when the
power grid is down. Modern PV systems are tied into your home's existing power system, and
can feed any extra power back out into the grid system. If the grid goes down, the inverter
automatically shuts down to protect utility workers.
If you choose to install a battery system, you can still stay connected to the power grid, but have
a reliable power source when the grid is off. The battery back-up system also automatically
stops serving power to the grid in the case of a shutdown to protect utility workers.
flow through the material, producing electricity.
With help from the sun, PV systems are able to produce and endless supply of clean,
non-polluting energy which is completely safe for our environment. One great thing about PV is
that it can be sized and installed to fit almost anywhere, allowing everyone to harness the
power of the sun. PV systems are easy to attractively integrate at homes and businesses alike
and have very low maintenance.
BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR SOLAR ELECTRIC
Most important and required is a 180 degree, due south exposure to the sun. The panels
typically have to be at a tilt of 30 to 50 degrees, depending on different issues but mostly for
performance. Hot water panels need to be as close as possible to the existing hot water
system, but PV can be much further away, remembering the farther between your house and
the panel the more copper wire you need to purchase and more power transmission loss to
deal with. Within a couple hundred feet is preferred to tie into a sub panel at your location.
HEATING YOUR HOME WITH SOLAR ENERGY
You can heat your home with solar energy, but it may not be 100% in Michigan without a large
array working to store its heat in the form of a thermal mass (either in a larger water tank or
heated earth under the house slab). Those homes can be built but retrofits are difficult and
costly. You can tie into existing radiant heating using a boiler type set-up, or some other heating
system which we can supplement. Large solar arrays for heating generally are a
alternative/supplement to an existing or main system you're trying to reduce its demands on.
Plus large hot water arrays do like to have a job in the summer, like heating a pool and or a hot
tub!
ROOF RE-ENFORCEMENT
Typically, homeowners do not need to re-enforce their roofs. We will look at the roof's condition
and if we feel it is over weighted and not able to handle the system we will not put it on your roof
but recommend an alternative location. Most standard 24" OC roof trusses can handle PV
without a problem, but hot water panels do need to go on a solid roof. Rarely do we reinforce a
roof, mostly we just relocate the panels instead.
SOLAR PANEL LOCATION
Many people ask us if the panels have to be on the roof. NO! We can locate them anywhere we
can see the southern sun. The reason roofs are so good is their constant exposure maximizing
your outputs and keeping them away and up high away danger. Better winter performance with
lower sun angles is also a plus.
Locations other than roofs may include a wall, poles, and the back side of buildings. As long as
we can see the sun to the south we can install a system.
MAINTENANCE TO OUR SOLAR PANELS
With PV, maintenance is never needed. There are no moving parts and nothing to wear out.
Safe, clean, no bi-product emitted energy...what a concept!
BATTERIES & GRID-TIED SYSTEMS
Batteries are not required for PV systems, unless you want to have back-up power when the
power grid is down. Modern PV systems are tied into your home's existing power system, and
can feed any extra power back out into the grid system. If the grid goes down, the inverter
automatically shuts down to protect utility workers.
If you choose to install a battery system, you can still stay connected to the power grid, but have
a reliable power source when the grid is off. The battery back-up system also automatically
stops serving power to the grid in the case of a shutdown to protect utility workers.
| DID YOU KNOW??? |
Photovoltaics or PV
mounted on extremely light aluminum
voltage ready for use in a battery storage
panels, strung together forming D/C
capacity or a renewable energy system.
voltage ready for use in a battery storage
capacity or a renewable energy system.
Midwest Solar Energy
We get 15~20% less solar energy annually
then Jacksonville Florida, in fact in many
months the same amount. Most of the
Midwest receives between three and a half
to four hours of peak sun energy daily on
average annually basis.
Yes the panels work in overcast, they will
produce 20-30% of their normal
performance. Many people use solar as
their only source of power right here in
Michigan, it works and works well. Having
said that, we do find solar hot water being
more efficient (90% vs 20%) then PV, but it
still makes sense to look at PV because of
its 50+ years of NO MAINTENANCE power!
If you want to live off grid, a PV array and
wind machine works best here in Michigan,
it's one or the other every day.
How Much Power Solar Energy
Can Make
When we look at Michigan and its four
hours of daily insolation, we need to make
as much as we can in that four hours we
have. So having said that it's a question of
how many panels will it take to make X
amount of power. Let's consider a 2000
watt system, or as the renewable energy
world calls it a 2K system and a 4K
(4000watt) system. Two things we will
assume: exposure to the southern sun and
a fixed array (trackers have increased
performance). Annually speaking a 2K
array will give 180-240KWH of power every
month in one year, a 4K array about
360-480KWH a month. It's simple; more
panels, more voltage, more KWH made. It
all depends on how much you want to
make.
mounted on extremely light aluminum
voltage ready for use in a battery storage
panels, strung together forming D/C
capacity or a renewable energy system.
voltage ready for use in a battery storage
capacity or a renewable energy system.
Midwest Solar Energy
We get 15~20% less solar energy annually
then Jacksonville Florida, in fact in many
months the same amount. Most of the
Midwest receives between three and a half
to four hours of peak sun energy daily on
average annually basis.
Yes the panels work in overcast, they will
produce 20-30% of their normal
performance. Many people use solar as
their only source of power right here in
Michigan, it works and works well. Having
said that, we do find solar hot water being
more efficient (90% vs 20%) then PV, but it
still makes sense to look at PV because of
its 50+ years of NO MAINTENANCE power!
If you want to live off grid, a PV array and
wind machine works best here in Michigan,
it's one or the other every day.
How Much Power Solar Energy
Can Make
When we look at Michigan and its four
hours of daily insolation, we need to make
as much as we can in that four hours we
have. So having said that it's a question of
how many panels will it take to make X
amount of power. Let's consider a 2000
watt system, or as the renewable energy
world calls it a 2K system and a 4K
(4000watt) system. Two things we will
assume: exposure to the southern sun and
a fixed array (trackers have increased
performance). Annually speaking a 2K
array will give 180-240KWH of power every
month in one year, a 4K array about
360-480KWH a month. It's simple; more
panels, more voltage, more KWH made. It
all depends on how much you want to
make.
| PRICING |
PV costs between $7 and $10 per watt
installed. Battery systems cost a little more.
The larger the system, the lower the costs
per watt. For example, a 1K system costs
around $14 per watt, and a 4K system costs
around $9 per watt. There are many other
factors that determine overall cost per watt
installed.
installed. Battery systems cost a little more.
The larger the system, the lower the costs
per watt. For example, a 1K system costs
around $14 per watt, and a 4K system costs
around $9 per watt. There are many other
factors that determine overall cost per watt
installed.
| INCENTIVES |
Incentives for Homeowners
The government offers a 30% tax credit on
the total the cost of an installed solar
system, with NO LIMIT. Example scenario:
$25,000 system yields a $7,500 tax credit.
The amount comes off any tax liability you
have at the end of the tax year. There is
also an Illinois rebate of 30% capped at
$10,000.
Incentives for Business Owners
The government offers a 30% tax credit for
business owners who install a solar system,
with no limit. Example scenario: $50,000
system purchase - $15,000 tax credit =
$35,000 final cost. There is also an Illinois
rebate of 30% capped at $10,000.
The government offers a 30% tax credit on
the total the cost of an installed solar
system, with NO LIMIT. Example scenario:
$25,000 system yields a $7,500 tax credit.
The amount comes off any tax liability you
have at the end of the tax year. There is
also an Illinois rebate of 30% capped at
$10,000.
Incentives for Business Owners
The government offers a 30% tax credit for
business owners who install a solar system,
with no limit. Example scenario: $50,000
system purchase - $15,000 tax credit =
$35,000 final cost. There is also an Illinois
rebate of 30% capped at $10,000.
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