How Solar Leases Mask High Prices
16 hours ago
What's the deal with Enphase?
The Enphase Micro-inverter has built some serious buzz in the solar power industry since it solves many of the issues with using a central inverter. By adding an inverter behind every solar panel, the DC electricity generated by the solar panels is directly converted to low voltage AC at the solar panel level which increases the safety of the system. Also having an inverter behind solar panel makes the system more reliable because if one inverter fails, the entire system does not go down.
The major downfall with central inverters is that they are wired in strings, and the performance of the entire string of solar panels is equal to it's weakest solar panel, therefore if part of a solar panel is shaded the entire string will lose its ability to perform at it's maximum ability. The advantage of having a micro inverter behind every solar panel is that each panel has the power of MPPT (maximum power point tracking) reducing the performance losses related to shading.
I'd say the two major issues with the Enphase Micro Inverters today is how long will the inverters last when they are on top of hot roofs? Especially here in Southern California, during the summer temperatures under a solar panel have been measured to exceed 13o degrees. Will the electronics in the Enphase Micro Inverter be able to last 15 years?
Also, Enphase is having a supply and demand issue, according to the company one of their parts suppliers dropped the ball which has caused a drop in their production output. Many customers have been trying to purchase Enphase Micro Inverters although we have to turn them away because the product is on backorder with long lead times. What do you think about all the buzz around the Enphase Micro-Inverter? Do you think the concept of Micro-Inverters is a valid one?
SMA Sunny Portal goes mobile
Customers are getting used to monitoring the performance of their solar electric system with SMA inverters and a webbox on their computer screens. But how about those people who live the on the go lifestyle that want to keep up to date of how much electricity their solar panels are producing? If you have a SMA SunnyBoy Inverter with a webbox, your inverter's data is uploaded to the SunnyPortal via the Internet. Recently, SMA launched their "mobile friendly" version of the SunnyPortal that you can access from your cell phone's web browser.
I think this is great offering that SMA brings to their table because it increases the customer experience of owning a solar electric system by being connected to the system anytime the owner wishes. Also people are more willing to talk about their system to others if they can bring the data with them and show other customers. Would you check on your solar panels from your cell phone?
Suntech's pluto tech breaks multicrystalline record
Recently the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Germany verified that the Chinese Solar Manufacturer, Suntech broke a world record for commerical grade multicrystalline solar cells. Suntech's Pluto technology clocked in at an efficiency of 15.6% in laboratory conditions. The previous record for commerical grade multicrystalline solar cells was set 15 years ago by Sandia National Labs.
According to Suntech, the Pluto technology is the primary driver behind the solar cell's great performance and can be applied to both mono and polycrystalline solar cells. The company has already began shipping solar panels that feature Pluto technology as more solar panel manufacturers compete to have the most highly efficient solar panel on the market.
What do you think about Suntech solar panels? Do you think Pluto technology will perform highly in real world conditions?
Carter's solar panels at the Smithsonian
Back in 1979 the Jimmy Carter Administration created the "Solar America" initiative, aimed to help Americans go solar, the White House itself was retrofitted with solar panels that heat water. Fast forward to 1986, Reagan removed the perfectly working solar panels, I wonder why? In 1991 the solar panels once used to heat the water at the White House were sold to Unity College which used them to provide hot water to their college cafeteria until 2005, the point in which the solar hot water system reached its lifetime.
Recently the The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History purchased the solar panel and have put them up for display. President Carter installing solar panels at the White House in 1979 serves as great symbolism of how the Carter Administration wanted to shape the energy future. What happened? Why did we go off track until today?
energy efficiency is the ticket to success
According to a recent report released by McKinsey & Company, a consulting company energy efficiency can save the U.S. $600 billion by the year 2020. Also the report states our country can reach half our target towards lowering carbon emissions through energy efficiency. The report called, "Unlocking Energy Efficiency in the U.S. Economy" stresses not only the environmental benefits but highlights the economic benefits investing in energy efficiency.
Even though energy efficiency is one of our largest sources of energy, it has been ignored in public policy, why? Today many new products are being released to decrease energy usage in homes and businesses. For example LED Light Bulbs are becoming more affordable and are a great way to create "negawatts" in our energy supply. How do you invest in energy efficiency?
SMA offers greater support for 100 amp services
SMA is taking customer feedback and making proactive changes in their product line to serve customers even better. Recently the company modified their Sunyboy SB4000US inverter to be compatible with 100amp residential electric services. The current output on the SB4000US grid tie inverter has been reduced to 16 amps to comply with the NEC (national electric code) to provide more flexibility to installers to work on a 100 amp service.
Most homes in the U.S. have at least a 200amp service, although many older homes are stuck with a 100 amp service which can be costly and time consuming to upgrade. Having a 100 amp service can create a barrier to install a solar array between 3 or 4 kilowatts. With the modifications made by SMA to the SB4000US grid tie inverter, customers on a 100 amp service now have greater options on the size of solar array they can install using a SMA inverters.
The modified SB4000US inverters compatible with 100 amp services have to be special ordered since they are modified when the order has been placed.
economic recovery act of 2009 helps you buy solar
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 passed earlier this year resulted in historic events for the solar power industry. But I noticed that many people out there are still not aware of the benefits. Today I want to highlight the key benefits this legislation has brought to people and organizations who choose to invest in solar panels.
- tax paying corporations now qualify for a 30% federal tax grant in lieu of a tax credit. A "tax grant" works similar to a rebate in which the U.S. Treasury Department will send a corporation 30% cash payment based off the final cost of the system. This is a limited time offer, only solar electric systems which commence installation before the end of 2010 will qualify.
- 50% bonus depreciation has been extended for corporations who install solar panels by the end of 2009
- $2,000 tax credit cap has been eliminated for solar hot water systems, now solar thermal panels can qualify for the full 30% tax credit.
grounding your solar electric system
According to the National Electric Code (NEC), all solar panel systems need to be grounded to code. At a minimum the NEC requires that all systems must have equipment-grounding conductors that connect the metal surfaces of the solar panels to a ground rod. typically grounding systems include the following items:
- code compliant ground lugs screwed into each aluminum rail that touches the solar panel
- grounding rod driven into the earth near the solar panels
- stranded copper wire or solid wire connected to the ground lugs and then to the ground rod.
phoenix testing green street lighting
Phoenix has recently created it's first "green light district" in downtown, the city is testing new high efficiency LED streetlights that use fraction of the energy compared to standard incandescent streetlights. Streetlights are a major drain to our nation's electric grid by replacing old lighting technology with state of the art LED streetlights, cities can reduce their energy bills and their carbon footprint at the same time.
The pilot program put together by the city of Phoenix is testing different brands of LED streetlights along North Third St between Garfield and McKinley. The goal of the test is to determine the highest quality LED streetlights on the market to eventually convert the entire city of LED street lighting. LED streetlights can make a big difference, wouldn't you agree?
Suntech to lead solar panel production
Suntech is a Chinese based solar panel producer that is now on track this year to overtake Q-Cells as top solar panel manufacturer in the world. Recently prices for solar panels have been dropping since there is an overcapacity in the supply of solar panels. It's a buyers market solar panels because companies like Suntech are keeping the industry well stocked, therefore giving buyers leverage of price. A couple years ago demand was exceeding the supply of solar panels which is never good for the buyer.
The solar panel in the picture above is the Suntech "Black Label" which is a low profile 175 watt solar panel that appeals to buyers who are seeking improved aesthetics. Suntech has an extensive product mix including standard crystalline solar panels and even Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) such as solar shingles and windows that can produce electricity.
bob villa learns about photovoltaics
I found this video of Bob Villa learning about how solar power works and since many of you out there on there on the Internet are looking for a simple way to under stand how a solar electric system works, this is a simple to understand video of how you can offset your electric bills with solar power.
The payback on solar electric systems are becoming more attractive to homeowners since rebates and tax credits are available combined with the falling prices of solar panels while electric rates on continue to inflate.
I'm glad Bob Villa made this video since he's built such a great personal brand in the construction industry, this is the type of coverage that is needed to bring solar panels to every roof across America, what do you think?
solarfun increases solar panel efficiency
SolarFun Power Holding Company is a publicly traded solar panel manufacturer, listed on NASDAQ as ticker symbol SOLF. The company today announced they have increased the efficiency of their solar panels by 5% using their second generation solar cells. The second generation solar cells by SolarFun are called SF2, they're full monocrystalline squares which take advantage of the entire surface area of their solar panels resulting in a higher power output.
The company's R&D department is dedicated to seek methods for increasing solar cell and panel efficiencies while reducing degradation. What do you think about SolarFun solar panels?
save money with a solar attic fan
Today, I want to talk about a product that gets very little attention but can save you a lot of money on your summer cooling costs each year. We can all agree that the air conditioner the biggest energy hog on your electric service, when you flip your air conditioner on your electric meter starts spinning forward really quickly and your bill starts to rack up. What if you cut the number of hours your air conditioner runs everyday, how much money would that save you?
That's exactly what a solar attic fan does, it forces the hot air out of your attic, therefore cooling your living space below which requires the air conditioner to kick on less everyday the solar attic fan is running. Many people can't afford the upfront investment of purchasing a grid tie solar electric system that can offset a majority of your electric bill so I tell many consumers to start with a solar attic fan. It's more cost effective to first figure out whats to become more energy efficient and then produce clean energy. what do you think?
sanyo's personal solar panel
Sanyo is known for high efficiency solar panels that go on top of homes and businesses. But recently the company has released a over the shelf product in Japan called the Eneloop Portable Solar Generator. The personal solar panel is geared towards people on the go who need to recharge mobile devices. These type of small products are a great way to introduce people to what solar power can do on a larger scale.
Do you think we will see more portable solar power generators come onto the market? The Eneloop looks very sleek, I wonder how many watts the solar panel is, does anyone out there have more information about this product?
we got solarmagic
Have you heard of SolarMagic by National Semiconductor? The "power optimizer" is a new type of device that is gaining popularity in the solar photovoltaic market. Solar panels wired in strings on a central inverter are only as good as their weakest link. For example, if part of a solar panel was shaded due to a chimney, the entire string would lose its ability to harvest the maximum power. With SolarMagic you can "assist" a string for each solar panel to reach it's MPPT (maximum power point tracking) in which you will harvest the most electricity possible.
SolarMagic can also prevent power loss from panel-to-panel mismatch, different panel orientations and tilts, or different string lengths. Mismatches on a string of solar panels are the culprits of power loss and installers minimize mismatches by reducing the size of the solar array to avoid shade, accepting a lower energy output per square foot, or adds extra solar panels in a different part of the solar array, all options either cost money, depreciate efficiency, and lose aesthetic appeal for the system owner. SolarMagic units are used on conjunction of a blocking Diode. You need one SolarMagic unit per solar panel on the string that you want to "assist". What do you think about SolarMagic?
apollo solar developing smart grid tie inverter
Apollo Solar has been awarded a contract from the Department of Energy to develop a "smart grid tie solar inverter" The goal of the program is to allow solar photovoltaic systems to be more integrated to smart energy systems for homes and businesses. Compared to a standard grid tie solar inverters the new smart solar grid tie inverter that Apollo Solar is developing today focuses on intelligent system controls which improves the power quality and reliability, increases integration with the existing U.S. electrical grid. The objective of the smart grid tie inverter is to give the solar electric system owner the ability to plan and control the use of power.
As the "smart grid" continues to be deployed across the US, it's about time solar grid tie solar inverter companies have started to think about electrical power more than the contribution from the solar panels. What do you think about "smart grid tie solar inverters" that enable consumers to control their power usage?