Posts Tagged ‘solar panels’

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White House Correspondent Paul Brandus Meets with SolarTown

Thursday, July 15th, 2010

At the grand Hotel Sofitel, not too far from the White House, SolarTown met with Mr. Paul Brandus, a White House correspondent with a huge interest in green issues.

Brandus is a strong advocate of renewable energy, relating a story on how he personally asked President Obama when solar panels would be installed on the White House, on three separate occasions. Although no solar modules have yet to grace the President’s residence, Brandus expressed his desire to see the 132 rooms of the White House heated by the rays of the sun and the power of the wind, calling the act a great symbolic value to the nation.

Incorporating solar and other forms of alternative energy into the lives of Americans is still a major challenge. Interest in environmental-related topics is only illustrated when major catastrophes such as the BP oil spill occurs. After the disaster dies down, the interest responds accordingly. Brandus believes that it will take awhile for solar and renewable energy to fully assimilate into everyone’s lives.

Brandus goes on further to discuss that even though Obama has a vested interest in renewable energy, the administration is already dealing with a full plate of issues and concerns. Alternative energy is not on the top of Obama’s list. With the midterm elections coming up in the fall, the recent BP oil catastrophe, as well as the economic state the country is in, Obama’s administration has more pressing matters to handle and renewable energy is just not a priority at the moment.

Conversation then turned to other topics. Although Brandus had recounted dispiriting news for the renewable world, he stressed that Obama and the administration are still advocates of green energy and are still intent on pushing it forward. With persistent time and support, renewable energy will triumph.

Mr. Brandus also distributes a daily radio feature called “West Wing Report” to more than 200 radio stations across the nation via Capitol News Connection, as well as a blog detailing coverage of the Obama administration.

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Is Solar Energy Back on the Agenda?

Friday, June 25th, 2010

“The time to embrace a clean energy future is now,” said the President during his talk on the BP oil spill earlier this month. For much of the past year, the nation’s energy policy has played second fiddle to , well, everything else, but primarily health care and most recently financial reform.  Deadlines have come and gone, and with the mid-terms elections around the corner, it is hard to see how Obama will pick a rabbit out of the hat and push the energy agenda forward.

What is clear is that as states and local governments are cutting back on their solar energy programs, just at the time when the solar industry needs this support the most. The Maryland program cut its rebate program with only a few days notice. Take a look at our SolarTown news stories to read about some of the states that are throwing their renewable energy programs to the wind in an effort to close budget gaps.

This trend is even more pronounced abroad and as we reported last week, both Spain and Germany, solar world leaders are apt to cut back on their programs. In an effort to beat the impending reduction in the German feed-in tariff, solar module supplies have been redirected from the US to Europe. We received a call earlier this week from a project manager in Europe looking for a supply of a small quantity of solar panels for a project in Central Europe. “Twenty panels. I am sure that we can find one of the discount solar panels that we carry to meet your needs,” I said. “Not twenty panels—20,000 panels,” was the response.

This swift changing of the incentives can only disrupt the growth of the industry. It is causing some absurd supply disruptions. We are also getting calls from installers throughout the country who are desperate to find a certain model solar module—the one on which they bid a project, but that is no longer available.  The supply disruptions have hit the Canadian Solar panels especially hard, but we still expect to sell Canadian Solar solar panels, particularly the CSI 225 and the CSI 240 solar modules during the summer, but then we do not know what the solar winds will bring. Many suppliers are starting to market comparable brands like the Trina Solar panels and Solon solar panels, which are available through SolarTown.  

We still think that as module costs have been decreased, installation costs have decreased, and the economic incentives are still in place, now is an opportune time to go solar. But one feels that until the economic incentives particularly at the state and local level are stabilized, that there will continue to be some discomfiture in the air. Yes, as the president said during his speech, “small businesses are making solar panels.” But we still need to assure that homeowners will be able to install those solar panels on their homes.

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Racers, Start Your Solar Engines!

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

This past weekend, my family and I went away to a camp in Pennsylvania for a retreat devoted to discussing green and environmental issues. We discussed with our kids what we can do individually to reduce our carbon imprint. I was heartened to hear that some of the other parents have similar issues with their kids not turning off the lights. But what really got the kids’ attention was a solar car race.

Ken Stadlin gives a solar demonstration

Ken Stadlin gives a solar demonstration

Ken Stadlin of Kenergy Solar in Maryland came up to talk solar and give the kids a solar run for their money.  Ken was there to press the kids to participate in the Junior Solar Sprint Car Competition organized by the US Department of Energy. This outstanding program challenges kids from all over the country to work together and build solar cars. Sounds dull—no chance! The kids love it but of course they need parents and teachers to help organize these events. And that is where Ken comes in.  Ken wants to get kids and their parents from around the region more involved in the Junior Solar Sprints.

The kids I am sure politely listened to Ken’s talk but what they really wanted to see was the solar panel that Ken brought with him. How does this thing produce electricity, they all wondered? They mobbed Ken for a feel of the solar panel that we had with us. It still didn’t quite sink in until the solar car race—now that is a demonstration of solar generated electricity. No batteries required!

Kids mob Ken Stadlin's solar panel

Kids mob Ken Stadlin's solar panel

These Junior Solar Sprints motivate kids to build a model solar car and learn not only about solar energy, but also about design considerations, aerodynamics, gear ratio, transmissions, among other engineering issues. And you thought it looked so easy. The solar panel on these solar cars is actually the easiest part of the equation.  The small solar module on the cars is the equivalent to about 2 double AA batteries. The only things that must meet the specifications are the motor and solar panel—the rest is left to the kids’ imagination and ingenuity.

We did not of course have time to have an “official” race, which is held on a racecourse of 20 meters over level terrain. We had other solar model cars that we could assemble relatively quickly. My son and I put together what we named the “Turtle”—not known for its quick pace, but it is big and methodical. Take a look at the Turtle and a photograph of a solar car that meets the NJSS standards—which basically means that the solar panel is of a standard size and the motor is standard. The Turtle has a very small solar panel but it moves in a deliberate way, almost like the Mars Rover.

The Turtle is on the left. An official solar car is on the right. See the difference?

The Turtle is on the left. An official solar car is on the right. See the difference?

We put the Turtle against two other competitors, one which was named the Cheetah—and for good reason. It was sleek and the solar panel on the Cheeta occupied almost its entire chassis. We had one other entrant for the race, a red racing car that seemed to do much better when its wheels were not in contact with the pavement.  This description should give you the proper idea that the Cheetah was unstoppable. The kids took home their newly assembled solar cars and Ken hopes that they will bring back into their homes a better understanding of solar energy and get their parents and teachers involved in the National Junior Solar Sprint.  For more information on the Junior Solar Sprint Car Competitions, go to the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory page on which you can also find the regional junior solar sprint car competition sites in your area.

Solar Car Race: Cheetah is on the left

Solar Car Race: Cheetah is on the left

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The Solar Generation

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

Buried on page 20 of our local paper was a news item “Students push solar for NCS.” The National Cathedral School may not qualify as you your average American school. (For those of you not in the know, NCS is a private school home to some of sons and daughters of the elite of the Nation’s Capital.) But what is going on at NCS may be a glimpse of what the future holds.

The article in the Northwest Current chronicles how NCS is now planning on installing 32 solar panels on a century old (read historical) building at NCS—due to the insistence and perseverance of two students at NCS, Charlotte Zimmerman and Christina Boulineaux. The two raised $20,000 and even interviewed solar contractors so that they could place these solar panels on NCS. They recognized that the future is in renewable energy, and they were not about to let the school administration avoid its responsibility to make the school an energy-friendly place. If we don’t start with renewable energy in the schools, then where should we start?

What these two women show the rest of us is that there are an increasing number of pockets of hope and excitement for the solar industry. The younger generation may not sit idly by as we waste yet another opportunity to push solar into the mainstream. They are busily equipping themselves to take on the energy burdens we left them as we developed our insatiable appetite for fossil fuels. That model is no longer sustainable and the younger generation is going to have to step up and pick up the pace for alternatives to fossil fuels.

Now 32 solar panels on one building is not going to make a big difference, but the idea behind distributed solar energy is that we will take one rooftop at a time. You add one rooftop and another and another, and soon you have enough solar energy to power an entire community. A developer in Florida is now creating a community for almost 20,000 homes that will run entirely on solar energy.  Earlier this month, legislation was introduced in the House to put solar on 10 million roofs in the next nine years. And if we cannot accomplish these relatively modest goals, then we should stand aside and let the students assume the solar mantle and push solar into the mainstream. They seem to know how to get things done.

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All Solar Panels Are Not the Same

Monday, February 22nd, 2010

Ronald Reagan was once quoted as saying that, “A tree’s a tree. How many more do you need to look at?” I recently heard an interview with a major solar installer in California who similarly asserted that if you’ve seen one solar panel, you’ve seen them all. They are all about the same. But solar panels are not the same, and you may want to read SolarTown’s article Choosing Your Solar Panels: More than Meets the Eye to find out what distinguishes one solar panel from the other. Here is a brief primer on what you should look for and why at SolarTown we believe that you as the consumer should look into solar modules yourself before you purchase your solar energy system.

You may be putting something on your roof for 25-30 years, and you probably want a sense of confidence that you have selected a solar panel that is right for you and gives you that the best value for your money. Of course you should consult with your installer, but this is a decision that you will have to live with for a long time. We are not sure that all installers will tell you what your choices are so we have summarized some of the major differences between panels. Take a look at our article on Choosing Solar Panels comparing some of the leading solar panels that you may purchase either from us or another distributor.

Appearance Matters: All Solar Panels Do Not Look the Same

Start out with something that we understand well, which is the aesthetics. Now if your home has a flat roof and the panels will not be visible from the street, then you need not worry. But all too often, we have seen some beautiful homes on which an installer has thrown something up on the roof, destroying the appearance of the home. And it is not like you can simply take the solar panels down and start over.

There are at least two factors in the aesthetics of the solar panels that you select. First, the placement of the panels should fit well into the lines of your roof. You would think that this is an easy challenge, but especially as installers are getting started in the business, they don’t seem to pay much attention to how the contours of your roof line should dictate the configuration of your solar panels. Second, the appearance of the panels themselves can differ substantially. The color of the frames will differ. 

The appearance of the solar cells will also differ. The monocrystalline panels, which are all black in appearance, can provide a solid color appearance. The polycrystalline panels, which generally are blue in appearance, are usually a blend of various shades. The monocrystalline panels are generally more efficient—and more expensive, but they may be worth the extra expense depending on your aesthetic preferences.  That is just for starters. There are many other considerations, which we outline in our learning piece, but let’s take a look at probably the most important metric in your selection: output.   

Output is King: All Solar Panels Do Not Produce the Same Output

You want your solar array to produce energy, and you would think that there would be an easy way to figure out how much energy will be produced. Think again.

External Factors:  There are the most obvious facts that will influence how much output you will generate from your solar array such as shading. If you have a 70 foot hickory tree in front of your house, don’t expect a lot of kilowatt hours to be produced in the summer time.

 Nameplate Rating Tells You Very Little: Just because the “nameplate” rating of one panel is the same as another does not mean that you will get the same output. You think that a 220 watt panel will produce 10% more than a 200 watt panel. Wrong! You will need to know a lot more about the panels, such as what the negative power rating is, and what the PTC rating is. Some states provide you with the incentives based on the expected output using PVWatts, a software tool that the National Renewable Energy Laboratory developed to permit non-experts to quickly obtain performance estimates for grid-connected PV systems.

Other states provide you with incentives based on the PTC rating. And you can use the expected output or actual output to figure out how many renewable energy credits you will earn. As an informed consumer, you will have to know this stuff. We do not want to be cavalier about this, but you are going to be making a very important decision, and all too often  which module you choose does not attract the attention and time that it deserves, considering that you will have to live with these panels for a long time to come.

SolarTown would like to steer you in the right direction. We have a solar engineer on staff who can help you make an informed decision. At the least, if you are serious about going solar, please take the time to look into these issues before you choose your solar panels.

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Solar Towns All Over America

Tuesday, December 1st, 2009

OK, the residential solar market did not exactly explode in 2009 as many had hoped in 2008 when the price of oil was approaching $150 a barrel. The world economic crisis, lack of financing, cheap oil, constrained governmental budgets all contributed to a less than lackluster year as measured by the expectations that were set in a rosier time a year earlier. Nevertheless, there are some bright spots and probably the brightest of them all is that as prices for solar panels have come down, and the landscape for economic incentives has stabilized, the solar industry has hit mainstream and more importantly, Main Street.

Cities and towns all over America are examining their carbon footprint and coming up with ideas of how to promote renewable energy in general and solar energy in particular. Solar energy is no longer the domain of some raving lunatics way off the grid. A major impediment has been financing of these solar energy systems, but creative solutions are being developed.

I like the idea of solar rooftops because it shows an individual commitment to renewable energy.  It is well and good for consumers to leave it to the utilities to utilize solar energy, but that is for all of us homeowners a bit of a copout. Yes, I admit that I am one of those without a solar panel or solar collector on my roof. We have a great southern exposure on our roof that is perfectly shaded by two 70-year old maple and hickory trees. I am convinced that I should not be deterred. There are some exciting new solar technologies that may work produce even in low light conditions.

There are those who are deterred by the aesthetics of solar photovoltaic panels on their roof. I think that the Solar Decathlon showed some dynamic designs for solar homes that would convince even the staunchest opponent.

We are now coming into the holiday season, and so of course many of you are not apt to plunk down $20,000 for some solar panels.  We understand, but wanted you to know that when you are thinking to buy a green gift for your family or friends, there are some terrific solar gifts that will brighten the holidays.  We have come up with a list of some of our favorite solar gifts to fit every budget. Take a look at them in our learning article entitled Solar Gift Ideas: Gifts that Keep on Giving. You will find some of our solar gift suggestions for charging your cell phone or laptop, or if you want to start with a solar garden, why not buy some of our solar lights. And some folks love the solar oven, which you can take camping or on a picnic. There are ways to start on your solar journey besides placing a solar array on your roof. This holiday season is a good time to start.

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The Solar Crown Goes to Germany

Friday, October 16th, 2009

Congratulations to Team Germany for winning the 2009 Solar Decathlon. With a massive 11.1 kW array, and thin film on the walls, there was no one who could match their net metering prowess. Illinois finished second; California, third, and Ontario fourth.

Make no mistake about it. Germany won based on the strength of its PV array. It finished in the top five of the other nine categories, except for communications. On net metering, it received 150—out of a total of 150 points. Germany was able to generate electricity even when it was not just cloudy but pouring rain. The Department of Energy press release announcing the winner emphasized this remarkable accomplishment: The “Team Germany’s winning ‘Cube House’ design produced a surplus of power even during three days of rain” (our emphasis). This is our photo of the winning entry, Cube House from Germany.

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Illinois kept close by scoring 137 on net metering, but its scores on architecture (its building was nondescript), market viability and communications held back its entry. And California lost big time on net metering, scoring only 100. The way that net metering was scored, if the solar home met its own needs, it scored 100, but the home could receive an additional 50 points for delivering electricity back to the grid. The California solar home met its own needs, but did not deliver back to the grid. Those 50 points cost California the solar crown.  And a solar home from our northern neighbor did exceedingly well. Ontario finished fourth. It only fell back on engineering and home entertainment.

We were all fortunate to be able to visit these solar homes on the Mall. It was a privilege to see the energy and vision of these young solar enthusiasts. They used what is available to all of us and showed us all that we can all go solar—from Puerto Rico to Ontario and British Columbia. Solar is not just for those living in Arizona and New Mexico. The technology—and financial incentives are available to all of us today.

We are already looking forward to 2011. And the next time that we see solar homes on the National Mall, we hope that one new home in Washington, DC will have a solar array of its own: the White House.

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SolarTown Greets Solar Decathlon Participants

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

SolarTown greeted some of the Solar Decathlon participants last evening at our offices in Washington, DC. In anticipation of the reception, we created a photo gallery in our offices of the 20 solar homes on the National Mall—which made a great backdrop to some of the evening’s lively discussions.

SolarTown Photo Gallery of Solar Homes in Solar Decathlon

SolarTown Photo Gallery of Solar Homes in Solar Decathlon

Even though we at SolarTown have visited the Mall throughout the competition, the reception gave us the opportunity to talk informally with some of the Solar Decathlon participants about their experiences and challenges—their triumphs and their frustrations.  

We have been especially impressed with the Alberta entry in the Solar Decathlon, because the team developed a solution that fits the particularities of the harsh environment and low sunlight in Alberta. The judges may not have agreed with us, but we thought that the architecture of the Alberta solar home outshined many of the other solar homes in the competition. 

We were pleased that a couple of members of that team came to share their views with other attendees.  Since their entry was accepted in January 2008, they have had as many as 80 people working on the house, and 20 people travelled to Washington to set up and work in the solar home. The competition is friendly but tough. Even opening a window or opening the refrigerator in their solar home uses energy and can count in the standings.

 

SolarTown's Tom Fitzgerald with Alberta Team Members

SolarTown's Tom Fitzgerald with Alberta Team Members

The members of the Alberta team shared their views and perspective on the Solar Decathlon. They answered some of our questions, why, for example only existing technology is employed in their solar home. They explained that if they used new technology, they would have to obtain all of the UL approvals before being deployed in the home. Hence, there is a premium on using what is currently available.
 
Because this is a decathlon, ten individual competitions, every team has had to do a balancing act—what to emphasize in their individual solar homes: go for the biggest solar array with the most expensive and efficient solar panels, or go for marketability, or go for clean lines for the architectural component of the competition. And what you see is 20 different excellent solutions in homes that are displayed on the Mall. 
 
 
Team Alberta's Entry in Solar Decathlon

Team Alberta's Entry in Solar Decathlon

The participants also were able to compare notes on government incentives to promote solar. The Alberta team members  reported that the utility in Alberta intends to put a solar panel on every roof in the province—that makes the various incremental approaches that we take in the States look quaint by comparison. The Alberta solar home travels from Washington DC to the Olympics in Vancouver in 2010, and then back to Alberta.  The Alberta team and the teams from the 19 other solar homes competing on the Mall have substantially contributed to the understanding and use of solar energy. The Decathlon results will be announced on Friday, but all twenty Solar Decathlon teams are winners for having competed.

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National Solar Tour: Early Adopters of Solar Energy Show Off Their PV

Monday, October 5th, 2009

We hope that you had a chance to participate in the National Solar Tour over the weekend. Communities throughout the United States showcased their solar homes, mVictorian Home with Solar Panelsostly those with PV panels or solar thermal collectors. It was quite an opportunity to see some of the solar homes and talk with the homeowners who have embarked on their own solar journeys. My son and I had an opportunity to see many of the homes in the Washington, DC and Baltimore metropolitan areas.Rooftop view of solar array

 

 

 

 

 

Our hosts were gracious as they showed off their solar panels and collectors. To the uninitiated, if you’ve seen one solar panel array, you have seen them all. As the solar home tour showed, there are as many different applications as there are roofs. And for every house, there is a different shading pattern that has to be considered. One brand of solar panel does not fit all applications.

We were fortunate to be able to see a large breadth of applications. We saw some solar small solar arrays, as few as six panels (a 1kW array), all the way up to 36 panels (over 7 kW array). One homeowner proudly showed his array with a tracking system and another was pleased to show how the new mini-inverters attached to her solar panels work.

We live in the city and city installations can be particularly challenging as roof access can be limited. And if you are on a solar home tour, you aren’t going to see the solar panels from the street. One homeowner allowed us to climb up a ladder to get on his roof and see his 9 panel array.

We were able to see some particularly challenging roofs such as this Victorian house and also went out to the Washington suburbs to see some larger homes with large arrays of solar panels. One major advantage of living in this area is that the countryside is not far away. We were able to visit a farmhouse built in 1868. With so much property, the owner-architect placed his two arrays beyond the barns. His two dogs seeCountryhome with Solar Arraymed eager to prevent what has happened in California to some wineries that have lost their solar panels to thieves.

Solar home with large array

 

 

 

 

 

Almost all of the homeowners with whom we met were recent adopters of solar energy, spurred by their desire to reduce to carbon imprint, and not unimportantly, by the spate of significant economic incentives. One of the homeowners turned on her new solar PV system just three weeks ago. Many of the homeowners were particularly keen to make the economic case for solar panel, bringing out charts and graphs showing substantial savings or quick payback periods. Of course, there were a couple of hardcore alternative energy enthusiasts, but for most, the government incentives tipped the balance in favor of going solar.

Some of the homeowners did not minimize the frustrations in being the first —first on their block or first in their neighborhood, and first to deal with the arcane net metering procedures set up by the local utility. But no worse for the wear, these homeowners are early adopters of solar technology. We are at the beginning of a wave of using renewable energy, and now can only hope that a solar home tour for the next generation will seem as quaint as going over to the neighbor’s to watch their new television.

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Solar Has a Long Way to Go in North Carolina

Tuesday, August 25th, 2009

I just returned from a holiday to North Carolina, barely missing the wrath of Hurricane Bill. My family and I stayed for a week on the Outer Banks—known for its sun and sand in the summer. The Outer Banks boasts good conditions for solar energy, direct sunlight with virtually no obstructions. The solar radiation, also known as insolation, is similar to that in Florida and parts of Texas. So where are all of the solar panels and solar water heating systems? There was barely a trace of any solar energy, except for a few solar lights scattered along the driveways of an occasional house. Despite the apparent good conditions, solar has certainly not made it to North Carolina.

The only exception to this virtual black-out on solar panels was at the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills. Almost like a museum piece on display, the Memorial has a 1 kW array, which provides some of the electricity for the well air-conditioned halls of the museum.

Solar array at the Wright Brothers National Memorial

Solar array at the Wright Brothers National Memorial

Wilbur and Orville Wright launched the first controlled powered flight on this spot on December 17, 1903. The Memorial was a vivid reminder of how quickly technology can advance given the will and determination—and sometimes the exigencies of war. Within 12 years of the first flight, pilots were flying their planes at more than 100 miles an hour powered by engines of more than 250 horsepower. Within 40 years, jet aircraft that could fly up to 600 mph were flying. And within 63 years, Apollo 11 landed on the moon. Technology is only limited by man’s imagination and determination.

What does this all mean for the solar industry? With renewable technologies in vogue, governments have now started to provide the support and financial resources to build the solar industry. We will not recognize the solar industry in 10 years from now. New technologies currently being incubated will lead the drive to go solar. We do not know whether crystalline technologies will continue to lead the solar industry, or whether thin film will gain a stronger marketshare, or whether a new technology will become dominant. But we do know that solar panels will become more efficient and may work even in the shade. You will not be surprised to see solar panels from Florida to Idaho, and you will see solar panels even on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

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