Solar Energy Resources
Solar Power Purchase Agreements
Power-purchase agreements are contracts, under which property owners (hosts) lease power-generating systems, financed by a third party, and use electricity generated by systems onsite.
PPAs are a powerful tool in the solar developer’s arsenal, a financier helps reduce the up-front costs of installing solar on a home or building. In exchange, the property owner—host—enters into a legal contract—essentially an equipment lease—with the installer or a third party (usually an investment firm, a bank, or a community) and pays a set monthly rate for the duration of the contract. Depending on the agreement, the host leases the system from the system financier for a period of anywhere from five years to 25 years.
The advantage of the PPA is that it allows the property owner a chance to get renewable energy without paying the up-front costs associated with a PV or wind system. It offers the hosting building owner a fixed price for energy produced by the system, which is generally offered at a less expensive rate than the building owner would pay for the same amount of electricity or a rate slightly higher than current electric prices, but lower than projected future prices. Under PPAs the developer or installer generally is responsible for maintaining the system. PPAs often contain provisions allowing system hosts to buy the system outright or transfer the contract to a subsequent buyer. At the end of the contract, the host may own the system outright, agree to a contract extension, or in some instances, the financier may take the syst ... read more »
Solar Energy Explained
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Understanding wind-solar hybrid systems
If you’re interested in renewable energy, you’ve probably heard the term wind-solar hybrid before and wondered what that really meant. On the surface, its pretty straight forward; it’s a renewable energy system, generally small, designed to provide power for your home or small business. But there’s a difficult side to this technology: How do you connect two or more different types of electric current, condition, and convert it into usable, stable electricity for your home or building? And why consider a hybrid system anyhow? You want to consider a hybrid system when you’re...
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Solar Terms | Solar Glossary
If you’re thinking about installing a solar power system to cut the cost of powering your home, you might be confused by the unfamiliar (and often esoteric) jargon of the industry. Fear not. This glossary is a great starting point to getting familiarized with the language. You’ll be able to ask pertinent questions and have informed responses if you decide to talk to a professional solar installer . Here is a simple glossary of the most common terms you’ll come across on your path to cleaner energy. Photovoltaic Photovoltaics are the technology that converts solar radiation from...
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Are solar panels recycled?
Solar power modules, much like electronics, contain a variety of potentially hazardous materials, and cannot be safely disposed of in landfills. Solar panels generally function for 20-25 years, so the majority of panels manufactured are still in use. However, in years to come, their disposal could become an issue. New companies like PV Recycling are therefore looking for ways to recycle or reuse these solar modules when they have reached the end of their lifespan. The solar industry in the United States has been steadily expanding, with 320 megawatts (MW) of system equipment installed in 2008,...
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How affordable is solar thermal equipment?
Solar thermal energy is an environmentally-friendly way to provide heat for your home. Solar thermal systems can use either collection tanks that reflect solar energy into water storage tanks that provide hot tap water, or “solar walls” that warm external building surfaces, and circulate air near those surfaces to heat interior rooms. While these systems are capable of reducing electrical and gas use substantially, many people do not consider them to be viable options for clean household energy because of their cost. The cost of a complete solar thermal system with two panels usually...
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Do-it-yourself solar generator
If you’re looking to save a few dollars each month on your electricity bill, or wish to take on a project that will help the environment, you should consider constructing your own solar power generator. These generators are fairly inexpensive, about $200-$300, and you can easily find all of these parts from electronics and RV/boat supply stores, or on the Internet. First you’ll need to buy a solar panel . You’ll want one rated for at least 12 volts, but a 16-volt panel will increase the types of devices you can run. The next thing you’ll need is a 12-volt, deep cycle battery...
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Four reasons to go solar now
Now more than ever is the best time to install solar power on your home or building. As photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal technologies continue to grow, the costs associated with installing solar systems continue to drop. At the same time, the prices on your energy bill continue to go up because the prices on coal and natural-gas supplied power continue to increase. There are many other reasons to install solar now, here are just a few: 1. Incentives. Between solar incentives offered by your local government, your state, and those offered by the federal government, many home-sized PV or solar...
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How heat affects photovoltaics
There’s a complex relationship at work between photovoltaics (PV), heat and sunlight. Solar power works best when the sun’s shining (of course). But when the sun’s shining, everything gets hotter. PV semiconductors offer more resistance in extreme heat, making them less efficient when the modules should be most efficient. Thankfully, this additional resistance is small, at most, reducing efficiency by about 10 percent. But newer technologies—like thin-film PVs , which don’t rely on crystalline silicon to produce electricity—are less susceptible to heat-related...
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How long do installations take?
Considering installing a photovoltaic (PV) system on your home but are wondering how long it will take? Not long at all! Most PV systems are installed within a few days of installers starting work. It’s likely to take longer to get the installers there in the first place and to qualify for any solar rebates, credits, or incentives prior to installation of the system. If you’re planning on setting up a net metering system , it may also take the utility company a bit longer to set up a bidirectional electric meter. It’s possible to install solar on a home so quickly because modern...
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Do you live in a green state?
In this time of oil spills and global warming, polar cap melting and Prius-buying, the hottest word out there today is that environmentally friendly color: green. “Being green” refers to reducing damage to the environment and trying to help protect nature’s assets. When it comes to states though, being green takes a lot. It means having low per-capita emissions, good recycling programs, significant energy usage coming from renewable sources, and clean energy incentives or tax credits for doing things like composting or installing solar panels . While it’s debated which state...
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The Deutsches CleanTech Institut in Germany has just finished its 2011 PV Export Guide, an online book that is available for free download. Download the book here: DCTI Export Guide PV 2011 The book outlines incentive markets, opportunities and risks, and different photovoltaic technologies.
