Frequently Asked Questions About Solar Energy
Going Green Does Not Have To Be Painful
The Number One Frequently Asked Question is:
Are there rebates or incentives for alternative energy products?
Yes - See http://dsireusa.org for more info.
Here are additional questions and answers.
Solar Hot Water vs. Solar Photovoltaic, which has the fastest payback?
No question about it, Solar Hot Water has the quickest payback when making the move to solar. Tried and true flat plate collector systems have demonstrated their reliability for over 30 years. Some customers see paybacks in as little as 4 years.
How do solar panels produce electricity?
The photovoltaic effect produces a flow of electrons. Electrons are excited by particles of light and find the attached electrical circuit the easiest path to travel from one side of the solar cell to the other.
This excitation of electrons causes an electron flow. The solar cell takes these electrons and directs them to flow in a path or an electrical circuit. Photovoltaic is the process of solar electric cells converting sunlight directly into DC power.
What are the first steps to going solar?
Step #1
If you are serious about using solar you need to walk around your house and look at ways to conserve and be the most efficient.
Look at your lights. Use all compact fluorescent lights (CFL), or LED lighting, which are still bright but save substantial power. For example, a CFL light that equals a 75 watt incandescent bulb uses only 20 watts.
Look at your appliances. Every appliance, from the refrigerator,
dishwasher, to the washer, should be Energy Star rated
products. This simply means that they are designed to
conserve power and natural resources. The government sets
a standard and all Energy Star products have to exceed
this standard to carry the Energy Star label.
Step #2
Once you have conserved, dig out your utility bill. You want to find out the average amount of power you use each month. You will need to determine daily, monthly, and annual kWh (Kilowatt hours).
Step #3
Compare this information to your power generation goal, your roof size and your budget. Now you are ready to plan your system.
Is Energy Efficiency the same as Energy Conservation?
Energy efficiency is a far cry from old energy conservation images. It's not turning down the thermostat and sacrificing comfort. Energy efficiency means getting the most from every energy unit by using state of the art technologies to provide daily needs - comfortable homes, profitable businesses, convenient transportation. It is the single most immediate, cost effective way to reduce energy use and pollution.
Can I sell power back to, or get power credits from, the public utility?
Until uniform codes have been adopted by all utilities, it is best that you first check with your utility. Each utility has different interconnection standards that have to be met. All charge interconnection fees and city / county permits have to be issued. Some utilities charge additional "facility" or "recoupment" fees that can be monthly recurring charges while others do not. The unfortunate thing about these different interconnection requirements is that modern inverters have all of the safety equipment built into them as standard components. So some of the equipment a utility company may ask you to add is already inside the inverter.
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