By Peter Bacque | TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Published: October 31, 2010

John Roberts uses solar electrical and thermal hot-water systems at his home on Chamberlayne Avenue.

Richmond, Va. — In a world where worries about energy are common, John Roberts has more than enough electricity for his needs.

“I’m currently generating more than double what I use in a year,” he says.

Roberts can do that because he’s installed a 2-kilowatt solar electric system on his house on Richmond’s North Side.

The photovoltaic system, which makes electricity from sunlight, cost Roberts $13,400, but he received a $3,500 federal tax credit and a $2,700 state renewable energy rebate that together reduced his expenditure to $7,200.

“And I did all the work myself” under the direction of a licensed electrical contractor, Roberts said.

Roberts uses only 1,400 kilowatt-hours of electricity for an entire year. “Most people use much more electricity than I do,” he said. “I do heat with gas and I do have a gas stove, and I don’t use much air conditioning.”

But the sun’s energy powers homes that consume much more electricity than Roberts’ does.

Tim Dolan’s Newport News house uses almost 10,000 kilowatt-hours a year, he said.

The 8.1-kilowatt solar electric system Dolan uses cost $55,000. That was offset by a $16,100 federal tax credit and $14,000 from the state’s renewable energy rebate program he received, bringing his price down to $24,900.

“Even on an overcast day . . . it’s still making more than I’m using,” Dolan said.

Solar power can be used to generate electricity through photovoltaic cells or to produce hot water, and Virginia has sunshine for those uses. The state estimates solar energy could produce 11,000-13,000 megawatts in Virginia.

But 2-kilowatt systems are what Blue Crump’s company, Urban Grid Solar Inc. of Richmond, typically installs, Crump said, at a cost of about $15,000.

Though solar technologies are too costly for widespread use in wholesale power applications, the U.S. Energy Department’s Energy Information Administration said, government and utility incentives for renewable energy encourage small-scale solar-electric generation, which is expected to grow rapidly over the next 25 years.

Residential solar photovoltaic and hot-water systems are eligible for a federal tax credit of 30 percent of the system’s total cost, with no upper limit.

Interest in Virginia’s solarand wind-power rebate program far outran the money available, and the state has stopped taking applications. The federal economic stimulus program gave Virginia $15 million to provide rebates of $2,000 per kilowatt, up to 10 kilowatts, for solar electric systems, and $1,000 per kilowatt-equivalent for solar thermal systems.

Home electricity generators can also sell credits for the energy that their systems generate.

Solar renewable energy credits — RECs — represent the clean energy benefits of 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity from a sun-powered system. Utility companies buy the credits to meet the state’s renewable energy goals.

RECs are selling for about $300 apiece now. “That produces a positive cash flow,” Crump said.

For example, Dolan will earn about $3,000 this year from the sale of his renewable energy credits, he said.

“The value of the RECs is going to grow,” Crump said, particularly as industry comes under pressure to produce more clean power.

. . .

Payback times for solar installations vary depending on the cost of the system and the home’s location, experts said, running from as few as nine years up to 18.

“With the power we make, the RECs and government incentives, my payback is nine to 10 years, assuming no inflation,” said Hugh Joyce, president of James River Air Conditioning Co. Inc. in Richmond.

Joyce installed a 2.5-kilowatt solar system — with panels that track the sun — on his energy-efficient home at 9214 Hungary Spring Road in Henrico County. Meanwhile, the cost for solar electric energy is coming down.

“Systems are now selling for between $4,500 and $8,500 per kilowatt installed,” Joyce said. “They’re becoming more and more competitive. There’s a little bit of a glut in the market . . . right now.”

Simpler and less expensive, solar thermal systems are especially cost effective for heating water.

With the federal tax credit and the state rebate, “it’s not difficult to get a five to seven year return, which is a pretty good investment in saving energy and saving money,” said Al Christopher, director of the state Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy’s Energy Division.

Virginia has seen installed solar generating capacity soar from essentially zero in 1999 to 2.47 megawatts by September of this year, according to the State Corporation Commission.

“We have seen a dramatic increase in the number of customers who have requested net metering to accommodate alternative generation,” said Dominion Virginia Power spokesman Jim Norvelle.

“Just three years ago — 2007 — we only connected 21 customers,” Norvelle said. “In 2010 . . . we have connected 209, with two months to go.”

So far, however, solar energy makes up only a small part of the state’s total electric production. For instance, Virginia power companies and electric cooperatives have more then 23,400 megawatts of generating capacity in the state.

Of Dominion Virginia Power’s 2.4 million customers, located largely in the more densely populated parts of the eastern two-thirds of the state, 355 residential customers are using solar generation, with an average system size of 5.4 kilowatts.

Solar system owners can take advantage of Virginia’s net-metering laws to sell excess power generation back to the owner’s electric utility.

Net metering allows customers generating power from a renewable resource like solar energy to interconnect with the electrical grid. Their solar energy output offsets electricity purchases from Dominion, and customer is billed monthly only for the net energy consumed.

“My last month’s electric bill was $23,” said Donny Talley, who installed a 2-kilowatt photovoltaic system to power his Chesterfield County home. “On a good day, you can actually watch my meter count down.

“Some days,” Talley said, “it’s pretty nice to sit there with a cup of coffee and watch that puppy work.”

By Vicki Terwilliger (staff writer vicki-t@citizenstandard.com)
Published: October 31, 2010

Some Schuylkill County homeowners are giving their neighbors something to talk about.

As a partner and installer with Control Alt Energy, Auburn, Andy Wollyung said he’s seen inquiries about solar and alternative energy sources soar among local residents. Often, referral is by word-of-mouth.

“We’re still seeing a growing number of people interested. It’s the talk of the town. People say, ‘I’ve seen this installed,’ and it strikes a big interest in a lot of people’s eyes,” Wollyung said.

Two Barry Township families have had their alternative electricity systems in place and say they’re happy with the investments and savings. Ted and Marie Reinoehl and Mike and Karen Wasilus, all of the Ashland area, shared details about their experiences.

The state’s decision to remove the rate caps on what electric companies can charge is what prompted Mike Wasilus to start looking into alternative energy.

“I was looking to get ahead of the rate cap removal. I contacted Control Alt Energy and things took off from there. We started with the solar/thermal water heat, then the wind turbine and finally the solar panels.”

“Also, the federal and state tax credit and rebate programs played a major role in our decision-making. Without those programs, the projects would not have been good business decisions,” Wasilus said.

Their home is heated and cooled by a heat pump and is entirely electric.

The ground-mounted solar/thermal water heater, a Sunda brand system, was installed in September 2008. It immediately cut 15 to 20 percent from their electric usage, they said.

The Skystream Wind Turbine made by Southwest Windpower was installed in March 2009.

“It has had less of an impact on our electricity savings. I’d say about 10 percent savings,” Wasilus said.

Sharp brand solar photovoltaic PV panels were installed on the rooftop with a Fronius inverter in October 2009.

“They are awesome and have had the biggest impact on our electricity savings. They easily cut 30 to 40 percent from our electric usage. For comparison’s sake, the solar panels have been installed six months less than the wind turbine, yet the solar panels have already surpassed the amount of electricity generated by the wind turbine by 75 percent.”

“Knowing what I know now, I would double the capacity of the solar panel system and bypass putting up the wind turbine,” he said.

Wasilus said he doesn’t regret installing the wind turbine, it just may take a bit longer to recoup his initial investment.

The initial investment cost for all systems, he said, was offset by the federal tax credits offered, at about 30 percent. The solar-panel cost was also offset by the state’s Sunshine program that offered about a 30 percent rebate on the installed cost of the system.

“The payback period is a tough question to answer, because the tax credits and rebates are constantly changing. For me, both solar projects will have a much faster payback than the wind project. I’m looking at about eight years on the payback for the solar projects and probably at least 12 years on the wind project. As far as savings, I would say as a percentage, I’m saving about 60 percent off my electricity bill with these projects. Obviously, for someone who has other forms of heating or cooling, the saving percentage would be much greater,” Wasilus said.

The kilowatt hours generated by the PV panels in almost a year were 4,100 KWH, Wasilus said, and the wind turbine generated 2,100 KWH in a year and a half.

The Reinoehls, meanwhile, had their solar array panels installed in October 2009 by Maximus Solar, Sacramento. There are 33 panels on the south-facing roof of their 3,200-square-foot home.

“We were trying to look into the future,” Ted Reinoehl said. “We figured electric rates would go up and deregulation was happening, and we were getting closer to retirement and were looking for ways to save money down the road.”

Their home is also an electric-run house. They initially installed a geothermal system, with tubing running beneath their yard, when the home was built 19 years ago.

Over the past 11 months, Reinoehl said they’ve saved about $1,200 in electricity costs.

On average, if the sun is out, the solar panels generate about 40 KWH per day, according to Ted Reinoehl. In checking his records, their panels did generate less kilowatts during the winter and more in the spring and summer months. By comparison, there was 397 KWH generated in the month of November, 64 KWH in December, 400 KWH in January and 1,200 KWH in March.

“I’m so glad we did this, and there were incentives to do so.” Marie Reinoehl said. With five adults living in the home, the system provides the electricity needed to heat and cool the home and for daily usage.

“One of the biggest holdbacks is the initial costs, which can make it prohibitive,” said Ted Reinoehl. “I feel confident within a five-year period of time, it’s paid for.”

Posted by admin2 • September 25, 2010

EarthTalk®
From the Editors of E/The Environmental Magazine

Dear EarthTalk: Is it now feasible to provide all of a home’s energy needs—including air conditioning—with solar power alone? If so, why hasn’t solar caught on more, particularly in U.S. “Sun Belt” states from southern California east to Florida? – Tim Douglas, Burlington, VT

It has been possible for years if not decades to provide all of a home’s energy needs with solar power. The technology is here and is only getting more efficient and less obtrusive every day. The only real stumbling block is cost: Solar systems capable of meeting all of an average U.S. home’s energy needs start at around $25,000. Given how inexpensive the grid-based power we now get all across the country remains—and, bear in mind that many utilities are working more and more renewable energy sources, like wind power, into their mix—going solar alone just doesn’t pencil out economically for most people.

Of course, many of us are starting to think beyond our individual bottom lines when it comes to energy usage as global warming nips at our heels. The federal and many state governments feel likewise and have set up generous rebates and incentives to encourage homeowners (and businesses) to embrace alternative renewable energy sources (including solar but also, wind, geothermal, biomass and even tidal power, among other choices). The federal government offers up a 30 percent personal tax credit (with no ceiling) on the cost of photovoltaic or other solar installations. To find a list of what’s available from states, check out the free listings at the website of the Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE).

(continued below)

In the nation’s top solar market, California, residents can cash in on some serious state-funded rebates as well. Thanks to the California Solar Initiative (CSI), a $3.2 billion solar rebate program funded by electric ratepayers, Golden State homeowners can get as much as a third or more off the cost to install a residential solar system. CSI’s website, Go Solar California, provides links to several online calculators that take into account home size and location as well as state and federal incentives to help you do the figuring.

In Arizona, homeowners can get 25 percent back (capped at $1,000 per residence) from the state on the cost of installing photovoltaic panels or other solar harvesters. Some Arizona utilities offer incentives, too. In Texas, homeowners who install solar panels can get a tax credit (capped at $2,000) for 30 percent of the cost of a system. Utilities in the Lone Star State also offer incentives for those who generate their own solar power, and some will buy the power back from customers via a program called “net-metering.”

Meanwhile, the state of Florida offers a huge $4/watt rebate (capped at a whopping $20,000 for homeowners and $100,000 for businesses) for purchasers of solar photovoltaic systems there. But the website SolarPowerRocks.com reports that funding is running out and the program could end any day. Like Texas, Florida offers solar customers the ability to sell excess power back to the grid.

Even with such rebates, and the fact that solar energy is essentially free once the equipment to harness it is installed, the costs of converting an existing home to solar power is tough to swallow for most people, given that the cost to instead connect to the existing grid is zero. But if you’re building a new home, incorporating a solar system from the get-go is simply a matter of choosing solar over something else.

Photo: Student Design and Experiential Learning Center, courtesy Flickr

SEND YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTIONS TO: EarthTalk®, c/o E – The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; earthtalk@emagazine.com. E is a nonprofit publication. Subscribe: www.emagazine.com/subscribe; Request a Free Trial Issue: www.emagazine.com/trial.

leaves_commons

Artificial Leaves

Mimicking the way planets harness energy from the sun, scientists at North Carolina State University have developed an adaptable, water-based solar cell. The leaves will provide free renewable energy pulled from radiant solar light.

Nowadays we’ve just about seen it all, from Doug Band and his work with the IRRI (International Rice Research Institute) on modified rice seeds to Todd Reichert and his Snowbird. But a large majority of new research and development in the field of technology has gone into solar/green energy.

One of the biggest issues with solar energy is the fact that it lack’s the capacity to generate enough power for large communities. Despite the recent discovery of PETE (Photon Enhanced Thermionic Emission), there will certainly continue to be a strong demand for personal solar power, similar to that of panels used to heat swimming pools.

Scientists around the world are still pursuing new methods to harness the power of the sun and turn it into electricity. In this pursuit, researchers at North Carolina State University may have found another solution. Lead author on the study and Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at NC, Dr. Orlin Velev created artificial leaves with the thought of using solar cells to imitate nature more narrowly.

He successfully infused water-based gel with light sensitive molecules, and paired that with electrodes coated by materials (graphite or carbon nanotubes) to create these leaves. In doing so, the sun’s rays excite the molecules, yielding electricity. In nature, plant molecules are excited by the sun, which then starts the process of photosynthesis. And just to throw in a bonus, the gel permits the usage of actual chlorophyll to create the same reaction.

But the process has yet to be perfected, and therefore cannot provide actual sustainability. Dr. Velev claims that he’ll need to discover a way to mimic the self-regenerating mechanisms found in plans, and change the water-based gel to improve overall efficiency. He also goes on to state that they’re a long way from making this all practical.

Without practicality, these artificial leaves won’t be able to compete and survive in this time. But the idea is brilliant – “…this concept of biologically inspired “soft” devices for generating electricity may in the future provide an alternative for the present-day solid-state technologies.” – Dr. Orlin Velev

Contributor – Jack Lundee

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By Theresa Curry • Contributor • July 25, 2010

Several hours into the second big snowfall in February, Chris Bolgiano went to the basement of her Fulks Run home and saw a digital clock blinking, the way they do when the power goes out.

“That’s the only way we knew that no electricity was coming into our house,” Bolgiano said. The other clocks, the lights, the computers and the kitchen appliances were continuing to provide the Bolgianos with the same level of utility and comfort as they did before the storm piled 18 inches of snow on top of the foot already blanketing their rural community.

It was a landmark of sorts for the couple: Chris, a nature writer and retired JMU librarian, and Ralph, a retired biologist, had installed additional solar panels a few months before. That allowed full power for their daily needs while keeping a system of sealed lead batteries charged. The batteries kicked in as soon as the electricity failed.

“We were without electricity for 36 hours, but we’d only used 25 percent of the battery backup,” Chris said. “And we were living life as usual. If we had been more conservative from the start, I’m sure we could have used much less.”

Meanwhile, Glenn Mingo was keeping an eye on the snow on the solar panels at his home between Spring Hill and Parnassus. Mingo normally fills his power needs from the panels on the roof of his ranch-style home.

“I’m retired, and I think of this as a way of prepaying my energy bills,” he said of his investment. “They’ll go up and my income won’t.”

Mingo and the Bogianos aren’t just in it for the longterm cost savings. They’re committed to lessening the environmental impact of their lives and they like the idea of being independent for security and other reasons.

There are growing numbers of homeowners like them, said Watt Bradshaw, whose 32-year-old Blue Ridge Energy Company specializes in building alternative energy sources such as solar, wood turbine, geothermal and small wind.

“In other countries, (people who install alternate energy sources) get enormous incentives for what they’ve done,” he said. Bradshaw said while total energy independence might not be possible, everyone can take some steps toward reducing energy costs.

If you’re thinking of moving in that direction, some guidelines from Bradshaw, Bolgiano and Mingo

Reduce your consumption

Over the course of about 10 years, Mingo installed compact fluorescent and LED bulbs in his most used lights, increased the insulation in his attic, and made storm windows to reduce heat and cooling loss.

((continued below)

“As I needed to replace appliances, I chose those that were more energy efficient and completely got rid of my garbage disposal,” he said.

To make dishwashing more efficient, he installed a foot-operated turn-on for his sink. He put in a root cellar for winter storage and buys apples and other good keepers in bulk as winter approaches.

The Bolgianos have used similar strategies since the construction of their 1,900-square-foot home 25 years ago. They heat with wood and don’t use a dishwasher or clothes dryer. By paying careful attention to the siting and construction of their basement, greenhouse and decks, they take advantage of natural light and heat in the winter and shade in the summer. Like Mingo, they have appropriate storage that’s naturally cool. The greenhouse allows them to have a salad garden all year, reducing both trips to the grocery and the need for refrigeration.

Contributing to the grid

“Going off the grid” was once a slogan of the energy-independence movement, but most people choose to stay connected, even though the power companies don’t offer much of a reward to their small contributors.

“In some countries, everyone who generates excess electricity and feeds it into the system is well-rewarded,” Bradshaw said. “It’s a tremendous mistake to put it all in the hands of the power companies with their 30 percent administrative markup.”

Mingo said he uses the conventional grid as a kind of storage system. “I contribute my excess power in the spring, fall and summer, and draw it out in the winter, kind of like a bank.” Bolgiano said her power company, Shenandoah Valley Electric Co-op, hasn’t quite figured out the bookkeeping aspects of the transactions.

“I have to really study my bill to see where they’ve credited me and how much over my consumption I’ve given them,” she said. She said the sealed lead batteries that allow her to store energy are expensive and not likely to become widely used for energy storage.

Bolgiano likes the idea of an eventual network of energy-contributing homeowners for security reasons. If the power supply isn’t all centered in one place, she reasons, a natural disaster or hostile attack is less likely to cause widespread devastation.

“I think it’s part of the American character,” she said, “to want to be independent and also to contribute to the common good.”

Start with a solar hot water

The most practical advice anyone can give about producing power is to install a solar hot water heating system, says Bradshaw.

(continued below)

“People actually use more hot water in the summer because of more laundry and showers, and that’s when you can get 100 percent of it from solar panels,” he said.

In its simplest form, solar panels pre-heat the water in a special tank before it flows into the regular hot water heater, which then adjusts its temperature for laundry and bathing.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 1.5 million homeowners have installed solar hot water heaters, with a nearly 100 percent satisfaction rate. With hot water comprising 13 to 25 percent of household energy use, it’s a step that can be cost-effective, especially with state and federal rebates, and if you’re able to do some of the work yourself, as Mingo did.

“Plan to save the initial cost in three to five years,”

Could it be that Solar cells have gotten cheaper than 40 cents per watt if your a DIY guy?  Or is that because they are ‘seconds’ with a lot of downsides that outweigh the advantages of just buying completed units?  eBay pioneer seller, Fred480V, says the cells in his 1kW are not seconds but are the best available from Schott Solar.

by Sterling D. Allan
Pure Energy Systems News
Copyright © 2010

Fred480V's kilowatt of cells, wire, fluxpen, solder for $375.

Last Sunday I got an email from “James James” with subject line: “ Sterling, Do you realize how cheap solar cells have become?”

He wrote:

The story goes something like this – a guy in China wanted to save the world with cheap solar cells, and it looks like he has succeeded in doing it. End of story.

Take a look at this ebay auction. This is buy it now, and with shipping included the cost per watt is below 40 cents. This is not unusual, I have been following these prices for months and have already constructed a panel – for about 80 cents a watt (you pay more with smaller quantities).

Here’s the user Fred480V‘s list if items for sale.  He has a great eBay rating with a satisfaction index of 98.4% and feedback score of 4262 (pertains to number of items sold within a period of time) .

Then on Tuesday James added:

This is interesting indeed. I cannot find the original article about the Chinese guy. [...] I was blown away by the sudden low prices of solar cells.  A synopsis of the article is as such:

He had a dream of curing the energy problem with his solar cells, and early on he installed over a megawatt of them on his corporate headquarters. At that time it took him a month to make that many. Soon it took only a week. Then a day, now before noon, and soon to be within an hour.

That is all I remember, and I can’t find the original article; but the proof is out there, solar is getting mind-blowingly cheap! I have been watching the trend, and within ONE MONTH the price dropped by ten cents a watt, from about .51 to .3975. This could totally change the energy scene and could easily irrelevate not only other forms of alternative energy, but ALL other forms of energy.

With efficiencies now reaching 17 percent, many things are becoming possible and I can see a day where solar cells will simply be installed in the power line corridors that already exist, for essentially zero environmental impact power. There is easily enough ground already set aside for power line corridors to provide space for far more solar panels than we would need to power everything.

When you add this success to the newly discovered liquid metal batteries, I can see a day where you pull your motor home up to your house, plug in to your shingles, and power up before leaving on a 1500 mile electric powered trip without a recharge. It could be done, yes yes indeed.

This new development has caused me to back off all my projects, because I feel that they will end up being dinosaurs anyway. The first may end up being the best and I wish the Chinese guy unbridled success.

Doesn’t Really Save When Everything is Factored

Meanwhile, I had passed James’ original email by a few associates for comment.  This one by Jim Dunn, who knows the industry well, throws a heavy splash of cold water on the excitement that James expressed.

Sterling – This as always alluring until one goes thru the effort of trying to build a solar panel themselves, and trying to get any rebates or insurance on the panel, once installed.

Although buying solar cells for $.45-.50 per watt seems like a good price, there are many other costs involved, including lamination materials, backers, glass, and framing, and many hours of labor (typically over 20 hours per 60 cell panel). The added materials could easily add another $50-85 per panel, plus $160 for labor (@$8 per hour). The resulting 200W panel might end up costing about $300-350, which is competitive with factory built panels, but not equivalent in lifetime use, or net cost after rebates, in most states.

Also, these cells are not ‘prime’ grade, and may not all be matched for uniform output. The final net panel output will be based on the weakest cell in the lot, as they are all wired in series, so the final panel output may be closer to 175-180W, vs. 230W.

When you are done, the total investment with labor and ‘materials chasing’ costs will likely be well over $1.50/W, probably close to $2/W with labor, but the drawbacks may far outweigh the small savings, since homebuilt panels will not qualify for most state rebates, or REC programs, unless they are CEC and IEC listed, and are UL certified. In addition, if one’s house ever caught on fire, their insurance would probably be void, if the panels may have contributed to the cause of the fire.

The biggest drawback, however, will be product life, as most homebuilt panels are unlikely to last 30 years, the typical life of factory made panels, (which are guaranteed for 25 years !)

I would not recommend this approach for more than a few panels, unless someone was out of work and needed to keep busy, and was not going to mount the panels on their home, and did not want to receive any state, federal, or utility rebates. A good Science Fair or classroom project.

New Energy Congress member, Richard P. George, Ph.D., who is a solar expert, dittoed what Jim said:

Jim just wrote pretty much what I was going to write. BTW – most major cell vendors are selling their cells for ~$140 per Wp so these cells are almost certainly rejects, probably from a second-tier cell maker.

Emergency Preparedness

Still, I can’t help but think that there is a niche for those with the skills to source good materials and put them together in an economical way, that they could make a living for themselves building and installing such systems.  Maybe the emergency preparedness arena would be a good market, since in a world-fall-apart scenario, people won’t be worried about whether or not the panels look good or if they will get federal incentives or even if they will meet code, because all of that will be irrelevant.  They’ll just want something that will work, and that they can afford.  Even the 25 vs. 30-year warranty becomes moot when you’re just trying to survive from day to day for who knows how long.

Response from Fred480V

I sent the ebay user, Fred480V, a message through eBay, and within 10 minutes he phoned me.  He was the one of the first to start selling solar panels on eBay, and has perfected the trade.  From what I could tell from our conversation, he’s the man when it comes to affordable pricing, quality of products and customer service.  At the rate of shipping and receiving he’s at now, he’s sitting on more than a million dollars worth of inventory.

Here is some of what he said:

These cells [for the 1kW system] are from from Schott Solar and are not seconds.  In the process of manufacturing for panels, the cells come out in sets of 19 strung together.  If there are problems with any one of those 19, then that row is rejected from the manufacturing line, but the other cells are still great.  They ship these to us.  We’ve got a contract with Schott Solar.  We get them all.  They are the best stuff made.

We’ve sold millions of these cells.  At one point I had a building full of them.  I have 900 kilos that just came in from German this week.  We have more solar cells than probably even some manufacturers have in the U.S.  At some point, the prices of those solar cells are going go way up, for sure.

If you want to spend a lot for solar cells, then you can.

I have five guys that work for me, and we’re always behind.

Just last week we got 1.5 truckloads with 1000 Evergreen Solar 210 Watt panels, brand new.  They retail for $700.  There are some guys selling them on eBay for $450.  I’m now selling them for $350.

I think (not positive, heard rumors) that most states will give you rebates if you build your own panels.

They’re not easy to handle.  Not easy to assemble.  But we do this for the common man.  I’m just a common man.  We sell more solar cells to the common man than anyone else in the world.

We have lots of stuff we don’t list on eBay: solar glass, wires, lead boxes, eva, laminator, Kevlar.  Had to stop listing.  I got overwhelmed.  Have five buildings.  One is just for cardboard for preparing the packing.

We have a flame-hardened solar cell cutting machine to take broken cells and cut them into smaller sizes.  1×4, 2×4, 3×4, 2×2, 5×6, 3×6, etc.

The stuff that’s just junk gets sent to India [where they are good at recycling that kind of stuff into useful things].

I’m a licensed electrician in Chicago since 1978, and have been through three electrical schools.

He said he’d send me a 1 kW system tomorrow so I can see it for myself (no charge).  He said he liked this article and how it presents both sides objectively and links to his ebay account.

I’m looking forward to getting it and plan to install it in our Safe Haven Villages intentional community project.  He’ll go down in my history book as the first free energy device supplier to come through on providing a working free energy device for my use.  Four others have promised, and I look forward to those materializing eventually as well.  No, Solar is not exotic free energy, but I do like this “common man” thing he talks about.  It’s definitely in keeping with the maverick spirit that is so typical in the world of exotic free energy.  So in a spirit of full disclosure, you now know that I’ve been given a $375 one-kilowatt solar system for free because of this story.

Major kudos to Fred480V.

Get one of his systems while the price is so low.  He said several times that the price will most likely be going back up pretty soon.

By: Pam Sohn

Staff Photo by Allison Kwesell/Chattanooga Times Free Press – Bashar Al Gorges, 18, is making a solar panel for his senior project at at East Ridge High School. Bashar has put about ten hours of work into his projects which will supply the school with about 65 -70 watts of power when it is finished.

If an East Ridge High School class can build a reasonably priced solar panel in the classroom, why shouldn’t anyone?

They should, says East Ridge High School environmental science, biology and French teacher Davis Mounger.

With some reading and talking to shop colleagues, he said he made a project plan.

“There’s not a whole lot of variation (in how solar panels are made). It’s a frame. It’s cells. Wire in, wire out,” he said. “We just had to sit down and figure out what’s the best design we could come up with, with the tools that we have. We don’t have mass production tools. And the main thing was getting each panel sealed up to be watertight, and getting out maximum wattage.”

The first panel, though cumbersome to make over about 16 hours by a small class in the spring, exceeded the teacher’s expectation.

The second, built last week as a senior project by Iraqi student Bashar Al Gorges, is an improved design and went much faster.

“I already knew how to solder,” Mr. Gorges said. “I learned how to use the (other) tools.”

Each panel the class has made will, with sunlight, produce about 70 watts of power, Mr. Mounger said.

That doesn’t seem like much — one incandescent light bulb. But Mr. Mounger said a smarter use would be a bank of LED lights. A 3-watt LED is equivalent in output to a 45-watt incandescent light.

“One thing I’m trying to teach these kids is that nothing is free. If you want to be more efficient in your production of power and consumption of power, you have to think things through. You have to understand where your power is coming from and how you’re going to use it,” he said.

Tami Freedman, a member of the Cherokee Sierra executive committee, said Mr. Mounger’s project with East Ridge students should show the public that solar energy is not just for the rich. On Monday, the Sierra Club is hosting a meeting for Mr. Mounger to tell the public how it can be done and what lessons he has learned with the two projects.

“Now anyone — yes, anyone — can make a small solar panel to power their homes with solar energy and save money on electrical bills,” she said in a promotion for the talk.

Most commercial solar panels cost about $400. The panels built by East Ridge students and Mr. Mounger cost under $150.

The solar cells — photodiodes —are the expensive part, and the school was able to purchase them wholesale, the teacher said. Photodiodes are semiconducters capable of converting light into either current or voltage.

The school’s first panel will power some of the outdoor monitoring for Mr. Monger’s science projects at the school, he said. The second likely will power some LED lights in the electrical 1 classroom.

Does he a foresee a time when a class or classes of students could fill a school rooftop with panels?

“It would be nice,” Mr. Monger said. “It’s certainly doable; we just have to get that grant (for materials).”

August 2, 9:15 PMAlbuquerque Science ExaminerAaron Cowan

A new solar energy capture technology is able to generate electricity from light and heat at the same time, producing double the efficiency of existing solar panels, according to new reports on August 2, 2010. Current solar panels, called photovoltaic cells, become less efficient as heat increases, whereas this new technique becomes more efficient as it gets hotter.

This new technique uses a principle called photon enhanced thermionic emissions or PETE, in which solar energy is concentrated on a semiconductor receiver coated with cesium metal. While normal photovoltaic materials would have problems performing even at 100 degrees Celsius, PETE operates all the way up to 800 degrees C, which are the types of temperatures usually attained by a parabolic dish or trough solar concentrator.

Solid-state thermoelectric generators which are semiconductors that produce electricity directly from heat have been in use for some time. However, they do not produce electricity from visible light and are usually limited to somewhere between 5 and 10% efficiency. Furthermore, thermoelectric generators often require extremely high temperatures to generate electricity at all.

Devices based upon PETE would be able to generate substantial amounts of electricity even at 200 C.

Sandia National Laboratories, in Albuquerque, New Mexico has done considerable work with solar thermal concentration via parabolic reflectors, and heat pipes at their National Solar Thermal Test Facility, and as devices based upon PETE are refined, it is likely they will be tested at locations such as this.

After all, the solar energy in a 100 square mile area of the US could provide all of its electricity needs. Therefore, if technologies like PETE can boost efficiency, solar may finally be able to become cost competitive with fossil fuel based energy resources.

Wind turbines collect kinetic energy from the wind and convert it to electricity that is compatible with the electrical system of a home or business.

Cascade Renewable Energy has distributed and marketed the SWIFT Wind Turbine in North America for residential, community and commercial customers since 2008. According to Jessica Lehti, senior sales and marketing manager, “The cut-in speed of the SWIFT product is 8 mph, and it is rated as 1.0 kW at 11 m/s, which is the industry standard for rating a turbine. The cut-in speed indicates the point at which the turbine begins generating electricity. SWIFT Wind Turbines are grid-tied, so once the product is installed, power will always come from their wind generated electricity first, and the rest of the power they may need will come from the user’s regular utility source.”

Lehti said that unique aspects of the SWIFT include: a quiet design suitable for urban, suburban and rural areas; flexible mounting options – they are structure and pole mountable; an outer diffuser ring that reduces noise created from the wind traveling along the blades, which increases efficiency and reduces vibration; dual fins that direct the turbine 360 degrees, keep the turbine positioned into the wind and provide over-speed protection; a grid-connected unit that offers efficient and autonomous operation without the use of battery storage; and a renewable source of on-site energy.

“Specifically, SWIFT Wind Turbines offer a small, quiet, structure-mountable option for residential home owners and commercial businesses with limited land resources. SWIFT does not require large amounts of acreage for installation because it can be mounted directly to a building. The small design – the rotor is seven feet in diameter – allows users to install multiple units for additional energy savings, and our product also provides an opportunity for LEED credits for green building,” Lehti noted.

Wind Turbine Industries Corp. (WTIC) manufactures the Jacobs 31-20. Chad Palmer, marketing manager, explained that the Jacobs “is a 20 kW system, rated at 26 mph. The height options offered for this product range from 80 to 140 feet and the Jacobs is available with a freestanding lattice or monopole tower. Our system’s unique design has been field-tested for well over one quarter century and it has proven to be one of the most effective and reliable small wind systems available to date.”

WTIC has manufactured the Jacobs 31-20 at their location in Minnesota since 1986. “We sell approximately 70 to 100 units annually, with room for growth. Our system tends to be most appropriate for rural applications, both commercial and residential. One of the greatest challenges in serving these groups involves the inconsistent zoning regulations among them, but we’ve been able to navigate those challenges quite well,” Palmer said.

Qua Le is vice president of sales and business development at Xzeres Wind Corp. Members of the firm design, develop, manufacture, sell and support small wind power systems. “Our products include 2.5 kW and 10 kW systems. Each system includes a wind turbine, power electronics, towers and ancillary components for complete installation. Our products feature a highly-efficient design with few moving parts for easy installation, and reduced service and maintenance costs.

“The superior performance of our products is validated by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Xzeres products are reliable – over 100 systems have been deployed in North America and carry a 10 year warranty. The durability turbine system provides 20+ years life. We offer a proven track record and the lowest cost of ownership, compared to similar products in the market today,” Le reported. He expects to sell over 80 wind power systems this year and 300 systems in 2011. “We plan to take advantage of federal, state and local incentives, American utility rebate programs and feed-in-tariff incentive programs across the globe.”

He noted that despite strong market potential – due to incentives and robust utility policies – local permitting challenges have throttled market potential. However, several key states have recently worked together in enacting legislation to streamline the permitting process at the state level. This process may aid in a significant increase in sales within these markets.

Le claimed that for the last decade, the industry has been largely self-regulated, but at the end of 2009, a technical standard was finalized and a Small Wind Certification Council is now able to certify equipment for compliance to the technical standard. “Many in the industry see certification as a strong sign of the industry’s maturity and as a building block for lasting growth. In fact, the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners will also begin the process of certifying small wind turbine installation professionals in the fall of 2010,” said Le.

According to Le, “Electricity prices across all sectors have risen by 6 percent since 2006 and this trend will continue. High prices of traditional electricity make alternative energy sources more competitive on an incremental-cost basis, particularly when factoring in renewable energy’s other financial and intangible benefits.”