It's finally time to talk about photovoltaic (PV) solar power.

Why?

Look at your utility bill ... thats why!

The interesting thing before I get started with the technicals is that local utility companies (like PG&E, who provides my power) actually are happy so see these systems come online.

Huh, don't they lose money when you install a system? Well, sort of, but these systems do something even more important, so they lose some money while avioding losing even more money, so for now they appreciate them, and are very supportive in efforts to bring residential solar power systems online.

So what do these systems offer the utility companies that is so important? PEAK DEMAND ENERGY! The majority of power is consumed during peak hours (afternoons here, with air-conditioners being the major draw), and solar systems do their best exactly when the peak demand occurs. So when someone down the road needs power to run their A/C, its actually my solar system that is in a small way giving them the power they need.

How does this help the utility company? It means they now have an additional means of providing power during these peak power use period without having to develop their own additional generation plants. They can use my power, rather than build a peaker plant, or figure out how to build another dam, or nuclear plant (my gosh, do we EVER need to get back to nuclear power, as an aside!)

So, here's whats doing with PV solar power, and why I'm a happy camper.

First the numbers, my PG&E bill on average was $450/month (I have no gas where I live, so my heating is via a 100 Amp reversible heat pump, OUCH).

My solar system retailed for $108K, California rebates brought the price down to $72K, and since I asked the suplier to let me install the system myself, it brought the final cost down to $54K. Guess what? After all the numbering, and the additional cost of miscellaneous hardware required, my system cost me on average ... $450/month!

So I'm break even already. And when energy rates go up, and my bill would have gone to $500/month, instead it will stay fixed at $450/month to pay for the loan I took out to pay for the project.

So, the loan cost me $450/month for 15 years, and the system lasts for 25 years. That means for 15 years I pay what I'm already paying now, when rates go up I start to save money, and for years 16-20 I pay NOTHING for a system that is providing me with FREE power!

Read all this very carefully!!! It really is something that requires a new way of thinking, a lot like the Toyota Prius I drive (c'mon Ford, Chevy, & Dodge lets get with it). I pay what I already pay today, I save money each time rates go up in years 1-15, and I get free power for 10 years in years 16-25.

Hello new age of electrical generation, I'd like to introduce you to a very happy owner ... me!!!

OK, here's the technicals, I'm going to provide a lot of pictures, and will respond to any comments as they come in.

This is a GREAT example, because I installed both ground mounts (more work, suprisingly) and roof mounts (easier, but I really don't like this idea), so no matter what installation you are considering it should be covered here.

A little background first, my system is tied into a 400 Amp electric panel (based on how much energy it provides), and this is one of the biggest factors to resolve right away. If you have a small 100 Amp service panel, you may need to up the size of your panel just to support they system. This additional cost should be considered when calculating the total cost of the system.

I run both standard 400 Amp 240V service, as well as a 3-phase 100 Amp panel for an agricultural well (to water the orchards). I chose to tie the solar system to the residential panel, because that is where the majority of the power demand comes from.

Here's a picture of the overall electrical panel installation:

Here's a picture of the 400 Amp residential panel and bus:

Here's a picture of the electric weatherhead:

And here's a picture of the overall panel installation:

Going into more detail about the ground mount system, here is a picture of the piers (those are 12 inch tubes, dug 4 feet down into the ground!) It turns out solar panel systems don't fall down, they tend to get picked up by the wind and fly away for hundreds of yards, coming down with catastrophic results). You can also see the 1 1/2 inch galvanized steel pipes used to create the framework to mount the rail system to, along with the brackets used to mount the rail system to the pipes (very clever stuff).

Here is a view from underneath the ground mount system:

And here is a picture in detail of the way the rail system mounts to the galvanized steel pipe frame system:

Here is a picture of the roof system, it mounts to the same rail system, the only difference is that instead of using clamps to mount the rails to pipes, there are brackets that lag bolt through the roofing material directly into the rafters that the rails fasten to:

Power comes from the panels to an electrical box called a combi-box:

From the combi-box, an inverter turns the power from 12 Volts DC into 120 Volts AC:

The roof and ground systems combine the power into one electrical sub-panel:

which sends the power to a main system fuse disconnect:

which feed the power INTO my house main electric panel, so when I need power I pull it from the system instead of from PG&E. Whats interesting is that when I generate more power than I use, PG&E takes the power (which makes my meter run backwards), and they pay me the current rate for that power. SInce my system generates the majority of the power during peak use periods, I get the maximum credit for the power I generate (SWEET!!!)

Here is a picture of the overall electric solar boxes:

Note the top box is not connected yet, since the picture was taken while work was in progress.

And for the electrically curious, here are some pictures of a 400 Amp bus gutter to bring in both residential power and 3-phase power to the same location (look at the size of those copper wires, referred to as "500's", they are as round as a penny, and cost a lot more than that), a picture of a 100 Amp 3-phase panel, and the pump starter motor control box:

I hope this helps a little in understanding what I believe to be the future of electrical generation. If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me at jeff@inspect.net

It's been quite an experience getting this whole project done, but in doing it almost exclusively by myself (thank you very much Rich Araujo, you the man!) I learned a lot, and am wiling to share the information with whoever else may benefit.

If you live in California, and you do not migrate to PV solar power before the rebates go away, you are as silly as the people who did not buy a Prius who also got free carpool stickers and a substantial rebate. As an asise, my Prius has 100K miles, is still running strong, and that carpool sticker is a god send on heavy traffic days!

Lets get our act together and do whats best for this country by learning to generate our own power, instead of buying oil from regimes that hate us. It really may be one of the most direct way to support the troops if you ask me.

Speaking of the troops, props to Lance Corpopral Tyler Jackson of Tracy, CA ... welcome home brother, I know it was a rough road, but there are a lot of people who support everything you did, like me!

Also, to my new friend and client Nick Cameron (11 Bang Bang), thank you from the bottom of my heart for your service, and the opportunity to serve you and your clients. I'm honored and humbled!

Stay strong, go green, and remember we need to pass on this nation to the next generation, so its YOUR job to make sure its better than it was when you took it over.

Are you doing your part? Really, are you doing your part? Lets go, we need to do this for the future of our nation, I mean that from the bottom of my heart.

As an aside, its such a beautiful thought to consider that it is the sun that makes my trees grow, my trees absorb carbon monoxide which helps the environment, the trees also yield a cash crop (buy almonds, a can a week, thats all we ask :), and it is technology that allows me to create the eco-system that allows this all to happen for free (from my perspective).

I'm doing my part ... I CHALLENGE you to do yours!

As an engineer, I say to every other engineer who is REALLY working on solving the problems of this World, YOU ABSOLUTELY ROCK!

Go Cal Poly ... Learn By Doing!

Regards, Jeff Bond