Solar Energy Basics

Posted by admin on December 30, 2008

Solar energy basics consist of education, need, and planning.  Educating yourself about the different types of systems can be a daunting task, with many products to choose from, yet not enough information to help you choose.  Even if you decide to work with a solar professional, you might want to know if they are using the best solution for you, or if they are simply selling you the best solution for themselves.

What does a system consist of?

1. Solar panels
2. Mounting (Roof/Ground) or Tracker.
3. Charge Controller
4. Inverter
5. Batteries
6. Fuses
7. Wire

How much will a system cost?

That all depends on you. You could live in a 2800 sqft. home, but only have one 75 watt light bulb, or, you could have every new electronic gadget on the market and your house lit up like a Christmas tree..  It all boils down to How Much You Use!

What type of system is right for me?

Should I go “off the Grid” or should I go “Utility Backup” or “Grid intertie”?
Each offers a different level of protection and a different level of expense.
If you want to do away with the power company and be in total control of your own power, then by all means go “Off the Grid”.

What does this mean?

The term “Off Grid” refers to a system that does not need or use any power from an outside provider. It can consist of any combination of sources like:  PV, Wind generator, Hydro, or even Bio fuels. Some people have told us: “I live in the suburbs, not a small cabin in the mountains.” To be “off Grid” can be ANYWHERE! You can still have the utility company’s power line hooked up to your property, but you just don’t need to use it .

If you want protection from rolling blackouts, storms or the occasional power pole jumping out in front of a car, then you can go with a “Utility Backup System.” This type of system does not need to be big to keep lights on and the microwave going, or a computer or even a TV going.

Of course the size of this system will depend on what you want to keep running in case of a blackout. This is something YOU have to consider. What are your priorities? The more items you think you need to have running during a blackout, the more expensive your system will be.

If you want to just supplement your high energy cost, you can “Grid Intertie.”
The term “Grid Intertie” means to have a system that just feeds power back to the power company, either supplementing your power cost or better yet, getting paid from the power company. **Note** Not all power companies will let you sell back to them. You must remember: a “Grid Intertie” system offers NO backup power!