by micah jasuta, texas solar energy society energy... · by micah jasuta, texas solar energy...

Solar 101By Micah Jasuta, Texas Solar Energy Society

Bluebonnet Solar TourSept. 9, 2017

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Agenda

• Solar ABC’s

• What Are You Buying?

• Solar and Electric Utilities

• Incentives

• How to Shop & Choose an Installer

Solar ABC’s

• Solar Photovoltaics (PV)

– The photovoltaic effect was first discovered by Alexandre Edmond Becquerel in 1839

– The first practical silicon solar cell was invented by Bell Labs in 1954

– In a single hour, the amount of power from the sun that strikes the Earth is more than the entire world consumes in a year.

http://www.renewable-living.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/solar-power-energy-cartoon-funny1.jpg

Solar ABC’s

https://dmohankumar.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/solar-cell-1.jpg?w=549

Solar ABC’sMonocrystalline Silicon

Polycrystalline Siliconhttps://static.solarmarket.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/mono-crystaline-cell.jpg

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Solar ABC’s

• Power vs. Energy

– Power is instantaneous (kW)

– Energy takes time (kWh)

• Your electric company bills you in kWh

http://www.think-energy.net/KW_KWH_water_example.jpg

Rate of flow = Power

Water in the bucket = Energy

http://energyeducation.ca/wiki/images/thumb/2/23/Power_vs_energy.jpg/300px-Power_vs_energy.jpg

Solar ABC’s• Power vs. Energy

– Power is instantaneous (kW)

• Your solar system has a power rating in kW

– Energy takes time (kWh)

• Your electric company bills you in kWh

• Your solar system generates kWh over time

• A hair dryer using 1 kW for 2 hours will consume 2 kWh

https://www.e-education.psu.edu/egee401/sites/www.e-education.psu.edu.egee401/files/image/lesson01/powerVsEnergy.jpg

Solar ABC’s• Solar Modules (Solar Panels)

– 2 general physical sizes

• 60-cell (65” x 39”) & 72-cell (78” x 39”)

– The power rating (in Watts) is determined at Standard Testing Conditions (STC) in a laboratory

– Efficiencies vary. 60-cell may be 240 W –365 W in the same footprint

– (10) x 300 W Modules = 3,000 W system = 3 kW system

– Actual Power varies throughout the day and year https://i.pinimg.com/564x/94/69/c8/9469c81345af25f581fd9f32315401d7.jpg

Solar ABC’s• Orientation

– Azimuth and Tilt

– Solar’s output changes as the sun moves

https://www.e-education.psu.edu/eme810/sites/www.e-education.psu.edu.eme810/files/images/Lesson_02/Orientation3.png

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Solar ABC’s

• Orientation (azimuth and tilt)

– Azimuth’s closest to South (180 degrees) are optimal.

– Tilt equal to the location’s Latitude is optimal.

– www.pvwatts.nrel.gov

Solar ABC’s


– Non-optimal orientations still function.

– Flat array produces 91% of optimal orientation

Solar ABC’s


– Non-optimal orientations still function.

– 0 degree azimuth (due North) at 30 degree tilt produces 65% of optimal orientation

What Are You Buying?

• Grid tied vs. off grid

• What happens

– At night

– During an outage

http://news.energysage.com/solar-panels-work/


• Roof Attachments

• Racking

• Solar Modules (Panels)

• Inverter(s)

• Conduit

• Switchgear

• Roof Attachments + Racking


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• Inverter(s)

– String inverters

– Microinverters

– DC Optimizers

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• Conduit

– Protects wiring

– All wires not underneath the solar panels will need to be in conduit



• Switchgear and Metering PV Meter

Main Electrical Panel

“Net” Meter

Conduit

from PV

arrayInverter

(String

inverter)

DC

Disconnect

AC

Disconnect

Conduit

to/from

the Grid

Solar and Electric Utilities

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Red = Home’s ConsumptionGreen = Solar Production

Solar is self-consumed

Solar is exported to the grid

• Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative

– Bills on delivered energy

• You’re only charged for the energy they send to you

– Credits you for received energy

• Until August 2018, you get 0.0632732/kWh for what you send back to the grid

Solar and Electric Utilities

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Incentives

• Federal

– Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC)

• 30% of your solar installation costs

• Dollar for dollar

• Reduces the amount you would otherwise pay in income taxes

• 2020: 26%

• 2021: 22%

• 2022+: 0%

$21,000 * 30% = $6,300$21,000 - $6,300 = $14,700

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Incentives

• Federal

– Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC)

• You will need to have tax liability in order to take advantage of this tax credit

• Equipment and labor are eligible

• Consult a tax professional

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http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2016-07-20-1469053229-4258017-UNCLESAMWANTSYOU.jpg

How to Shop & Choose a Solar Installer

Understand how solar worksKnow your utility’s solar policies Know what incentives are available to youo Ask friends/family, ask your utility company, and

use review sites to find reputable solar installerso Get at least 3 solar proposals/bidso Compare your proposals apples-to-appleso Read your contract before signing it!o Make sure your solar installer is a licensed

Electrical Contractor with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR)


o Ask friends/family, ask your utility company, and use review sites to find reputable solar installers

• Better Business Bureau

• Yelp

• Solarreviews.com

• Angie’s List


o Get at least 3 solar proposals/bids

• Don’t succumb to high-pressure sales

• Ask questions

• Negotiate

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http://www.nasrs.net/edhs/application/files/3514/7180/9912/MATH-ON-CHALKBOARD.jpg

• Compare your proposals apples-to-apples

– System Price

• Price per Watt ($/W)


System 1:

9 kW for $27,000

$3.00/W

System 2:

6.5 kW for $20,150

$3.10/W

System 3:

4.25 kW for $16,150

$3.80/W


– Production Estimates

• Kilowatt-hour per kilowatt (kWh per kW)

• Use PVWatts – www.pvwatts.nrel.gov


System 1:9 kW & 10,350 kWh/year

1,150 kWh/kW

System 2:6.5 kW & 9,100 kWh/year

1,400 kWh/kW

System 3:4.25 kW & 7,438 kWh/year

1,750 kWh/kW


– Utility Rate Escalator (Utility Inflation Rate)

• Assumption that utility rates will increase by a certain percentage each year

• Higher utility rates mean that solar energy will offset greater and greater values, so the financial models look more favorable

• Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative’s rates may increase 3% over 5 years, or 0.6% per year


• Read your contract before signing it!

– 3 day right to cancel

– Timeline

– Subcontractors

– Verbal promises should be included

– Arbitration


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• Make sure your solar installer is a licensed Electrical Contractor with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR)

– https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/LicenseSearch/

– Must be licensed to perform or offer to perform electrical work

– Be very careful with 3rd party sales companies

– All ads, websites, proposals, contracts, business cards should include the contractor’s TECL #


https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/LicenseSearch/

Thank You!

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by micah jasuta, texas solar energy society energy... · by micah jasuta, texas solar energy...

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