Solar power is one of the simplest forms of renewable home power. Photovoltaic (PV) panels have no moving parts, and need no complicated control mechanisms. Some are small and used for calculators wrist watches or radios. Other systems are larger to power, businesses , homes - and some are so large they make telecommunication lines and whole factories independent. 

Solar panels are the closest thing to a "plug and play" independent power source you'll ever find.

 A solar cell converts light to electricity. The cell is made of silicon, one of the most abundant elements on earth. Computer chips are made of this very same material.

 Contact us with any questions you might have about solar power systems. We're happy to help you build a system that works for your power needs.

Solar Electric Modules (PV or photovoltaic panels)

 Orientation of a solar array is best at true south. True south is slightly different than a magnetic reference or compass south. The more an array is situated off of true south the less the total insulation value. A quick way to determine solar south is to divide the span of time between sunrise and sunset in half. The position of the sun at the resulting time would be true solar south.

 Because of these factors the most productive hours of sunlight from are 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m and around solar noon (solar south). This is different than 12:00 noon. Before and after these times power is being produced, but at lower levels. When we size solar panels for a solar power system, we take this equivalent to full sun hours.

 Many solar sites are quite uncomplicated in terms of shading and aspect. You may already have a good idea of where the sun appears in the morning and disappears in the evening, as well as how low it swings in the winter sky. If your site is partially shaded, it may be necessary to determine exactly where the best placement of solar panels will be. If you need a more sophisticated site analysis, please contact us.

 Since solar panels charge your battery and these are both typically low voltage DC items, it's best to decide up-front what your nominal DC voltage will be. The decision of which DC voltage to use is often dictated by the distance between the various components. 

 For example, with solar panels wired at 12 volts charging a 12 volt battery it is difficult to "push" the 12 volts very far, so if the solar array is going to be more than 75 -100 feet from the batteries it would be advisable to have 24 volt nominal charging since 24 volts will push farther than 12 volts over the same wire size. 

 Rather than increase the wire size to the thickness of your thumb as in a AWG#0000 (4 ought) cable to carry the 12 volts efficiently, it's usually advisable to use 24 or 48 volts and keep the wire sizes between components much smaller. For further reference contact us.

 Solar is a great choice for everything you can think of. From ventilating greenhouses, sun-rooms and attics – over electric fencing, security lightning, water pumping or powering cottages, RV’s, boats or your entire house or business – you name it.

 Remote home applications continues to be a strong market segment in the US, North America in general and around the world.

 In Canada and North America, the largest growing subcategory in this segment is power for middle-class homes and vacation cabins. Within this sub category, typical systems include:
· minimum electricity for basic lighting and appliances
· full power systems, generally including generator-set back up
including a growing number of installations within range of potential utility grid connection.

Q. How long will a solar panel last?
A. manufacturers warranty their solar panels for 20-25 years.

Q. How much does a system cost?
A. There are too many variables to give a simple answer. System type, size and cost are directly related to the number of appliances used and the length of time they are used. The most cost-effective first step is to make an energy assessment of your appliances and replace them with newer energy-efficient ones. The more energy you conserve, the less expensive your system will be.

 Many folks whose power comes from utility lines contact us hoping that a solar power system will get them through utility outages. Solar electric systems are not practical for powering a utility connected home during outages because the average house is simply not designed with anywhere near the energy efficiency required to be a practical solar electric home. The solar modules themselves can be costly, and the weather that knocks out utility lines usually is not full of sunshine

  We not directly address the issues of backup for utility outages, since our dedicated mission is solar electric power for remote homes not connected to any utility power at all.

  We do  supply high quality, durable long life generators as well as inverter/battery systems that are excellent standby power, because this equipment works very well in both applications. A licensed commercial electrician in your area is the best source for the required transfer switch and for code-approved planning and installation of a utility-back system for your grid connected home. 

Q. Can I sell power back to the utility grid?
A. If your Utility company has a program for it. Yes! It is called Net Metering. A special meter is installed by the utility company to keep track of the power generated by the PV system as well as the power used by the home. Periodically, those amounts will be "netted" out and the homeowners will pay the utility company only for the net amount of power they used during that period. This system can be set up with or without backup capabilities. With batteries and an upgraded inverter, your home can have power even when the utility is down.

Q. Do I have to have the solar panels on my roof?
A. No. Panels can be mounted on a south-facing roof, but many people choose a ground-mount or a tracker. Trackers can be adjusted manually or automatically.

Q. Inverters? What are they and what do they do?
A. An inverter changes direct current (DC) power that is stored in your batteries into standard alternating current (AC). The true sine wave inverters produces cleaner energy than which is provided by the local utility company.

Q. Will the system work on gray, cloudy or overcast days?
A. Yes, because photovoltaic energy ( "PV" or "solar power") uses the full spectrum of light, the ultraviolet rays are still charging the system, though at a reduced rate, even when the sunlight isn't visible.

System sizing is a combination of art and science.
Before you get lost in the worksheet, sit back and
reflect on this fundamental process.

 Determine the total electrical load in watt-hours per day.
The worksheet which you can download will allow you to list every appliance, how much wattage it draws, how many hours per day it runs, and how many days per week. This gives us a daily average for the week, as some appliances, like a washing machine, may only be used occasionally. 

 It should be noted that electrical heating applications, namely space and water heating, electric ranges and clothes dryers, due to their high electrical consumption, are not appropriate loads. More appropriate energy sources should be used.

Y ou are in the best position to make lifestyle decisions: how late do you stay up at night, are you running a home business, is the house empty five days a week, does your pet iguana absolutely require his rock heater 24 hours a day? Questions we can’t answer for you. So figure out your watt-hours - and let us know what we’re shooting for.

 So if you ‘ve done this you can contact us – or you can take your systemizing a step further (It’s money you're saving) and:

1. Size the Inverter
2. Size your generating tools like Solar panels / Wind generators / Hydro turbines
3. Size the Battery Bank
4. Determine System Cost
5. Pick Yourself Off the Floor
6. Redefine Your Loads - Repeat! 

 Size your generating Tools
Your solar array is sized by dividing the load by the available sunshine. It is realistic for most systems to include a determining factor, as the solar panels won't normally be operating at their peak power point. Modern small wind generators are designed to work as a stand-alone, - or in wind/solar hybrids systems. 

 For most sites a hybrid system using a little of each power source is less expensive and more reliable year-round. So if you are living in an area with seasonally high winds, and this windy season happens to be winter, when PV power energy is limited and any boost is welcome, then a modest wind turbine might be just what you want for your system

 Size the Battery Bank This is probably the most important part of a systems design. Typical advise is to size for 3 to 5 days of autonomy - that is days without sunshine (or wind...), using 50 to 80 percent of the battery's capacity. (This is a big range!) Too big a battery, besides being prohibitively expensive, will seldom get fully recharged or charged at a sufficient rate to keep sulfation in check. Too small a battery will by cycled excessively, again leading to early death.

 Determine System Cost Add it all up. It helps to sit down while doing this (see next step).  Remember all the little parts too, including mounting racks for the panels, wiring and conduit, battery interconnects, metering, fuses, lightning protection, labor... Most systems come out to roughly CDN $15/watt, plus the installation.

 Pick Yourself Off the Floor
See above. Were you sitting down?!?

 Redefine Your Loads and Repeat!
Now you know why we keep harping about energy efficiency! The good news is that with careful planning and appliance choices, households can significantly reduce their energy consumption and keep system costs reasonable