The Solar Drop @ GoGreenSolar.com

UPDATE: Chinese Evading Solar Tariffs!

2012-05-24T13:48:00.001-07:00

A recent decision to impose substantial anti-dumping tariffs on Chinese solar cell manufacturers shook the solar world. The intention of these duties is to prevent unfair "dumping" of Chinese solar products in the US market, which hurts American manufacturers. Those in opposition to these tariffs feel that they have created anxiety within trade relations and threaten to stifle the growth of this global industry.

So what have these tariffs actually done thus far? In the aftermath of a preliminary decision by the Department of Commerce to tax Chinese-made solar cells, many are wondering what exactly has changed.

As anticipated, Chinese companies found a loophole, allowing them to keep solar panels at low prices in the US market. The tariffs are surely an inconvenience to many Chinese manufacturers, who must now produce solar panels with cells that were manufactured outside of China.

If you recall, these tariffs were only placed on solar cells that are manufactured in China. Because these tariffs to not include the completed panels, it has left an opportunity open for Chinese companies to work around the anti-dumping duties.

Many Chinese firms have been leveraging relationships with manufacturers of solar cells in Taiwan, Vietnam, South Korea, and other countries.

For this reason, some American manufacturers are pushing to extend these duties to Chinese-made solar modules. Accordingly, critics speculate that if this were to happen, Chinese companies would work through Taiwan-based firms to produce the actual solar modules. It seems that no matter how the US tries to maintain control, Chinese companies discover new means of evading tariffs. By branching out into nearby counties, Chinese solar manufacturers are able to circumvent the law.

Shen Danyang, of China's Ministry of Commerce, described the US Department of Commerce's new tariffs as "trade protectionism."

Tensions remain high around this issue. Retaliatory measures could be taken against the US, bringing about a trade-war. This could include the Chinese government placing duties on US silicon imports to China, further exacerbating trade relations and making matters worse for the global solar market. European companies may be pushing for similar actions against Chinese-based solar firms. There is still much to unfold in this trade saga.

Having an vested interest in these issues, we'll keep an eye on this and let you know about any further developments. Fortunately, pricing has not been fluctuating much, which means our prices have not increased. Just as operations in China are relatively normal, it's business as usual at GoGreenSolar.com.

What are your opinions on this matter? Tell us what you think!

BREAKING NEWS: US Department of Commerce Imposes Tariffs on Chinese Solar

2012-05-17T17:30:00.002-07:00

U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) announced their preliminary decision to impose anti-dumping tariffs of 31 percent and higher on Chinese solar manufacturers. The final decision will be made later in the year.

Back in March, the Department of Commerce had issued 2.9% to 4.7% anti-subsidy tariffs on solar imports from China after the World Trade Organization declared that illegal subsidies had been provided to China's solar industry by the Chinese government.

Following a complaint made by SolarWorld and the Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing (CASM) that Chinese companies had "dumped" solar products below fair market value, the DOC began their investigation. This Thursday, the preliminary ruling was announced, imposing new anti-dumping duties on exported Chinese solar cells, whether or not they are assembled in modules. These tariffs are added onto the existing anti-subsidy duties Chinese manufacturers have already been paying.

Over half of the solar panels in the U.S. market are Chinese. To remain profitable, the Chinese will have to raise prices to some extent. Many speculate that the Chinese manufacturers will produce solar cells in Taiwan and Mexico to work around these new tariffs. Tariffs on non-exporting producers in China are now as high as 250 percent, preventing current Chinese exporters from operating through other companies.

Needless to say, this has taken the solar industry by storm.

Proponents of these anti-dumping duties argue that they are necessary to ensure that US manufacturers can continue to compete in the global market. They argue that Chinese pricing was unjust and it was wiping out American manufacturing jobs, citing the highly-publicized bankruptcy of Solyndra.

Conversely, the critics of the new anti-dumping tariffs contend that this will impede growth of the solar industry. They point out that this decision will not only create tension with China, but it will also increase the cost of solar energy, making it less competitive with fossil fuel-based energy sources. During such a critical point of growth in the solar industry, many are questioning the Department of Commerce's preliminary decision.

What do you think about these new tariffs on Chinese solar panels?

LA Solar Incentive Program and Feed-in Tariff Program

2012-05-11T13:35:00.000-07:00

For those of you who may not know, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has developed a Solar Incentive Program (SIP) to support solar energy in Los Angeles. This Solar Incentive Program can help you with the cost of installing a new solar system. The Solar Feed-in Tariff Program, which allows owners of large-scale on-grid solar systems to sell back unused energy, is currently in the works.

This Solar Incentive Program was created to help meet the aim of Senate Bill 1, which is essentially an extension of the California Solar Initiative (CSI) and the Energy Commission's New Solar Homes Partnership (NSHP). Basically, the goal of this program is to promote solar for LADWP customers to help California reach its energy goals. By providing a financial incentive to homeowners who install on-grid photovoltaic systems, LADWP hopes to encourage homeowners to invest in solar energy.

LADWP customers who have photovoltaic systems installed can receive a lump sum payment upfront based on the anticipated performance of their new system. To calculate an estimate of the Expected Performance Based Buydown (EPBB), LADWP's website has an online calculator. This provides an idea of the energy production, annual kWh, CEC-AC rating, Design Factor, CSI rating, and incentive amount. With this information, LADWP is able to figure out how much money to pay the customer upfront.

There are benefits that go beyond this one-time payment. According to the LADWP website:

"Customers who qualify and complete an installation are provided with a 'net meter'. When a customer’s solar system produces more energy than they use, the excess energy is calculated as a credit on their bill, and their meter will run backwards."

This means that when an LADWP customer's solar system is producing excess energy, it goes back into the grid. The meter runs backwards and LADWP is then able to credit their customers with energy towards their electricity bill.

Conversely, LADWP is presently developing another system to promote the use of solar technology through the Solar Feed-in Tariff Program, also known as the CLEAN LA Program. Though Solar Incentive Program customers are not qualified for the CLEAN LA Program, this particular program is designed primarily for larger-scale commercial use.

Through this Feed-in Tariff system, customers who produce 30kW and higher, can enter a contract to sell 100% of the energy produced at their facility to LADWP at a fixed rate for up to twenty years.

Here's a brief run-down of how the preliminary stages function:

application process: To qualify for this program, applicants must go through a six-week application process. Applicants provide the base price for the energy, proof of site control, and complete facility and one-line diagrams. They must also provide a 24 hour by 12 months expected energy profile, provide necessary documentation, and pay an application fee depending on the scale of their project. For small systems, of 30kW-150kW, the application fee is $500. For large-scale projects between for 151kW and 999kW, the application fee is $1,000.

interconnection process: After the prospective seller has completed the application process, they enter an interconnection agreement, which includes an interconnection study fee of $750 for small projects or $1500 for large projects.

moving forward with agreements: Applicants then submit a development deposit of $50 per kW, a 10% interconnection cost deposit, insurance forms, and LA city business compliance forms. This is when the applicant signs the standard offer PPA. LADWP then sets the fixed rate contract that matches the price that was previously offered by the applicant. Both the interconnection agreement and the standard offer PPA are executed at this point.

Moving forward, it is now the seller's responsibility to acquire the requisite permits and follow through with construction of their project.

monthly payments: Once the project is completed, a reliable revenue meter is provided, with which LADWP can calculate the monthly payments for the seller. The seller receives an invoice of the energy monthly payments from LADWP based on the amount of energy sent through the revenue meter. These payments are based on the sum of Facility Energy collected by the hour, which is determined by multiplying each hour by the base price of the energy and the time-of-delivery. This means that sellers will receive more money for energy produced during peak hours of the day.

It is important to note that a separate metering system is installed to account for the energy used at the seller's facility. The power needed to run the facility is taken from the grid itself, rather than from the power that is produced on-site because 100% is sold to LADWP.

It is the seller's responsibility to maintain their own facility according to the contract and provide LADWP with an inspection report every two years.

One thing that's great about both the Solar Incentive Program and the Feed-in Tariff is that they promote the development of clean, local energy.

Whether you're thinking about installing a solar system for your home to take advantage of the SIP or you are planning a large-scale operation for the Feed-in Tariff Program, we are here to help you.

If you have any questions, feel free to give us a call at (866) 798-4435.

If you're living in Los Angeles and you're thinking about getting started with solar energy, be sure to go to GoGreenSolar.com.

Free Energy Classes by Southern California Edison

2012-04-30T16:14:00.000-07:00

Did you know that every time you pay your electricity bill in California, Edison uses some of that money to provide the public with educational workshops? These classes are a unique opportunity for everyone to learn how to save money, energy, and the planet.

We recently attended a class about plug-in electric vehicle chargers at Southern California Edison in Irwindale, California. When we first arrived, we sipped on coffee and walked around the interactive lighting display, which has an assortment of lamps for commercial and residential use.

Prior to the class itself, we went on the “Smart Energy Experience” tour, which is essentially a tour through a model home designed to demonstrate how Edison plans to help consumers actively monitor their energy consumption in real-time. Our tour guide also explained how energy saving incentive programs can work for Edison customers.

The futuristic “smart” electric meters and appliances will make it easier than ever to monitor and successfully reduce energy usage. Our tour guide talked about the appliances and fixtures that the model home featured.

Our tour guide went over all the changes the average household can make to create a more eco-friendly, cost-effective lifestyle. This model home had recycled glass countertops, bamboo floors, and a washer-dryer combo that communicates electronically to pre-set dry cycles. Our tour guide also explained how energy saving incentive programs work.

Implementing natural light in the home is a powerful way to save energy. Check out this solar light pipe that utilizes natural light in the home!

Edison offers a wide range of introductory and specialized classes that range from from LED lighting, to heating and refrigeration. Be sure to sign up for a few of these free workshops and learn how you can save energy. Don't forget to take the "Smart Energy Experience" tour before your class!

Reading by Sunlight in the Dark?

2012-04-24T11:50:00.001-07:00

Catch up on some reading with the new Solar-Powered Lighted Cover for Kindle 4 or Kindle Touch.

SolarFocus has recently developed this all-in-one unit to transform your Kindle into a lean, mean, energy-efficient reading machine. The SolarKindleLighted Cover works as a classy protective cover, charger, and reading light in one device.

The SolarKindleLighted Cover is sleek, stylish, and sturdy. Your Kindle fits snugly into this case, as if it were part of the case itself. Once you slip your Kindle into the SolarKindleLighted Cover, an LED light will blink red to let you know your Kindle is charging.

Built into the SolarKindleLighted Cover is a high performance triple junction amorphous silicon solar panel, which is lightweight, flexible, and less than a millimeter in thickness. This solar panel is also very efficient- one hour of charging with the SolarKindleLighted Cover in direct sunlight is almost three days worth of reading time on your Kindle.

The SolarKindleLighted Cover is equipped with a 1500mA lithium reserve battery so you can charge your Kindle any time or place. An hour spent charging your Kindle from this reserve battery provides you with ten days of use!

Whether you charge the reserve battery through a USB port on your computer or leave it by your window to absorb sunlight, the SolarKindleLighted Cover’s LED indicator blinks green to let you know that the reserve battery is charging.

You can also check how much battery this lithium battery is currently holding by pressing the power button:

- If your battery level is below 40 percent, the LED indicator displays a red light.

- When the LED indicator shows up orange, you know that the battery is at 40-80 percent.

- A solid green light on the LED indicator lets you know that the battery is fully charged.

The reserve battery that is used to charge your Kindle also powers the retractable LED lamp. This is important because the LED lamp does not use power from the Kindle itself. This LED lamp produces 800 lux at the center and illuminates the entire screen, making it possible for you to read clearly in the dark.

Gogreensolar.com now offers this remarkable solar-powered case for both the Kindle 4 and the Kindle Touch.

The SolarKindle Lighted Cover could make for an awesome Mother's Day gift!

Bill Clinton Promotes Solar Energy at Solar Power International 2012

2012-04-20T12:30:00.000-07:00

Bringing in more than 21,000 professionals from countries all over the planet, Solar Power International is the known to be the solar conference to attend in the solar industry today. This event, which will be held on September 12 in Orlando, Florida, offers a series of workshops, exhibits, and networking opportunities for renewable energy enthusiasts and experts everywhere. Solar Power International will feature over 1,200 companies on an expansive trade show floor, making for an exciting networking event. Manufacturers, distributers, contractors, engineers, investors, and policy-makers are just some of the professionals who will be in Orlando come September. This eclectic group of solar aficionados will be amassed at the Orange County Convention Center for this massive business-to-business event.

Put on by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), all the proceeds of Solar Power International go towards advancement of U.S. solar markets through education and market-building initiatives.

And there is no doubt that U.S. solar markets are already growing rapidly. According to Scott Sklar, the United States has witnessed the start of more than 100 new renewable energy and energy efficiency manufacturing plants in the last 36 months alone. With technological advancements and declining costs every year, solar energy markets are expected to continue to grow. This year’s Solar Power International will kick off with a keynote address from a man whose vision taps into this bright future of solar energy.

Bill Clinton, the 42^nd president of the United States, will be giving the keynote speech at this solar convention. Clinton is the most recognized speaker Solar Power International has had and will surely garner much publicity for the event. Not only is Clinton well known, but he also has the ability to articulate his understanding of our planet’s current state and what the direction we need to move in to solve our energy problems at home and abroad.

In the last decade, Clinton has devoted his valuable time and resources to promoting the use of clean energy such as solar. Solar energy has also been an integral part of Clinton’s efforts to help Haitians recover in the aftermath of the earthquake that devastated Haiti in 2010. President Clinton has long been forthright in his criticisms of those who deny the causal relationship between human behavior and global climate change. Clinton has been and will continue to be a powerful advocate for industries in renewable energy.

Julia Hamm, CEO of SEPA, expressed the shared excitement about Clinton’s participation in Solar Power International 2012:

“President Clinton’s global perspective and stature are sure to motivate and inspire our exhibitors and attendees. We are honored to present the former President as our keynote speaker and believe that his understanding of the need to explore alternative energy will be a message that resonates with all.”

If you live in Florida or you’re planning to visit this September, be sure to check out Solar Power International 2012 and listen to Clinton’s keynote speech.

motion-activated led Security Light by RAB

2012-04-01T19:43:00.001-07:00

Presenting the RAB LED LFLOOD 18W with STL360, a motion-activated security light for your home or office.

Ideal to complete your home security system, the RAB LStealth works as a deterrent against crime. This security light is perfect to protect your garage, back yard, side yard, barn, or any area that needs security lighting on a regular basis. The RAB LStealth is also convenient to have at your front porch for those times you spend outside in the evenings.

The RAB LStealth’s finish is offered in your choice of bronze or white to match style of your home or office building.

One thing that sets this security sensor apart from the rest is the range of motion that it detects. The RAB LStealth tracks movement not only in front, but in a full 180 degrees that extends sixty feet. On top of that, the RAB LStealth’s sensor also picks up any motion underneath it in 360 degrees. There is no sneaking past the RAB LStealth!

Upon activation of this high-powered sensor, the RAB Stealth’s LED light extends a brilliant fan of over 1600 Lumens, covering an area that would normally require two standard floodlights to produce. This LED light comes in color temperatures of 3000k, 4000k, or 5000k to match your personal taste. By using this LED technology, you will also be conserving energy. This highly efficacious security light consumes only 18 Watts, helping you chip away at the cost of your monthly electric bill.

To save even more energy, the RAB LStealth also comes with an evening timer mode. This allows you to set your RAB LStealth to work for a designated amount of time in the evening.

Forgotten are the days of constantly replacing incandescent lamps for your security lights. This LED is packed with an impressive lifespan of 50,000 hours. The RAB LStealth is sturdy and built to withstand intense weather conditions; its minimum working temperature is -40 degrees Celsius! The manufacturers of this dependable product stand behind the RAB LStealth with a ten-year warranty. The RAB LStealth provides exceptional performance for commercial or residential use.

Where can you use the RAB LED LFLOOD 18W with STL360?

Fresh-Squeezed Solar Energy: JOOS Orange

2012-03-29T15:00:00.000-07:00

Introducing the JOOS Orange, the best portable solar charger on the market today.

The JOOS Orange allows you to get out and experience all that the world has to offer without worrying about the low battery warning on your phone. Utilize the power of the sun to stay connected to the people you love. Explore the world you live in without worrying about where you’ll find an outlet to charge your iPhone.

After it’s had a chance to soak up an hour’s worth of rays through it’s solar voltaic cell, the JOOS Orange’s 20-watt hour lithium-ion polymer battery has enough charge for you to talk on your iPhone for two hours. You can also charge the JOOS Orange by connecting it to the USB port on your laptop. A fully charged JOOS Orange stores enough power to completely charge an iPhone four times!

Not only can the JOOS Orange charge your mobile phone, but it can also charge an iPad, GPS system, video camera, Kindle, iPod and more. It’s convenient for traveling, camping, and emergency situations like power outages or natural disasters.

One of the main benefits of the JOOS Orange is its virtually indestructible construction. Given that your new JOOS Orange will spend a significant amount of time under the open sky, it has to be prepared for any weather. The JOOS Orange’s dense exterior is entirely waterproof and resistant to heavy abuse. It’s powerful enough to charge even when the sky is cloudy and overcast. To prevent theft, the JOOS Orange is designed with a hole for a security cable to fit through. A pair of sturdy retractable legs can be adjusted to position the angle of the JOOS Orange for maximum exposure to the sun.

The JOOS Orange is easy to use. All you have to do is connect the item you want to charge and let it go to work. Two LED lights blink, showing you when your JOOS Orange is getting enough sun and how much power it’s currently holding.

JOOS users can also download myJOOS, a free application that allows you to monitor the power of your JOOS Orange in real time.

The JOOS Orange gives you incredible mobility for less than two hundred bucks. The JOOS Orange is getting the attention of traveling business people, campers, and technophiles everywhere.

How do you think you could use this in your life?

Check it out.

Enphase M215, meet the 3rd generation of solar micro inverters

2011-05-21T22:05:00.001-07:00

The solar micro inverter from Enphase Energy has come along way since their first generation M175 micro inverter released back in 2008. The Enphase M175 was considered the first commercially successful micro inverter followed by a successor, the Enphase M190 which was introduced in 2009.

Since Enphase Energy began selling the M175 to date they have shipped more than 500,000 micro inverters making their product one of the most highly sought after solar inverter by customers.

Say hello to the third generation of the solar micro inverter by Enphase Energy, pictured above the Enphase M215 will be released in early June 2011 and will be a game changer in solar inverter market by not only delivering better performance and simplified installation but is now backed by a 25 year limited warranty!

One of the key improvements with the new Enphase M215 micro inverter is its innovative cabling system, which offers the benefits of a 12AWG trunk cable which bumps up the number of micro inverters that can be on a single branch circuit up to 17. The Enphase M190 can only support 15 micro inverters per branch circuit.

The Enphase M215 is rated at 215 AC Watts which will allow the new inverter to be compatible with high power output 60 cell solar panels such as 250 watt and 260 watt rated solar panels.

Mechanically, the Enphase M215 offers faster mounting through its single-bolt design, unlike its predecessors the Enphase M190 and M175 required two bolts to fasten each micro inverter to the rail.

check out the video below, what do you think about the new Enphase M215 micro inverter by Enphase Energy? Will micro inverters phase out central string inverters and be the new standard in the solar industry? what do you think?

installing solar panels on a spanish s-tile roof

2010-12-22T10:23:00.000-08:00

Installing solar panels on Spanish S-Tile or Curved Tile can be one of the most difficult roof tops to install solar panels onto. These types of tiles are very popular in California and the west coast in general and have a tendency to be very delicate. Many professionals compare getting around on a Spanish S-Tile roof to walking on egg shells because many curved roof tiles will break when you walk on them incorrectly.

After you get around the challenges of properly walking on a curved tile roof to minimize tile damage, it's imperative to have a roof flashing system designed specifically for this typf of roof style. We recommend the Quick Mount PV Curved Tile Flashing with Mounts Check out the video below of how the Quick Mount PV Curved Tile Flashing System in 8 easy steps will help you install solar panels minimizing the risk of developing a leaky roof in the future.

What do you think about Quick Mount PV Curved Tile Flashing with Mounts?

Samsung now offering solar panels

2010-10-06T14:27:00.000-07:00

Samsung is now in the solar panel business, introducing the Samsung LPC Line of Solar Panels with 15% efficiency that narrows gap against premium solar panels on the market such as SANYO and SunPower.

Samsung Electronics, a global leader in consumer electronics, semiconductor and display technologies, has been developing its solar cell production capabilities for several years and recently entered the marketplace. It has taken its manufacturing expertise in semiconductors and developed its own line of highly efficient monocrystalline solar cells and panels.

The first Samsung solar module offered is the LPC241SM, It stands out in today’s marketplace with its 15% module level efficiency, higher than any other product in its class.

Samsung solar panels set a new benchmark for price/performance and narrows the performance gap against premium priced panels. The Samsung name brand and superior PTC power density of the LPC241SM provides a higher value to end-users.

The quality of Samsung modules is evidenced by a world class peak power tolerance rating of -0%/+2%, guaranteeing full performance.

which solar power system would you install?

2010-08-15T14:43:00.000-07:00

Similar to a computer which is made up of not only the processor but a keyboard, mouse, RAM, memory, monitor, speakers..etc, there's a lot more to solar power than just the solar panels. An ordinary solar power system includes solar panels plus mounting hardware, inverters, wires, clips, clamps, standoffs, L-Feet, grounding lugs, connectors, wire management, disconnects combiner boxes and many nuts & bolts not the mention the tools required to get the system installed.

For someone installing a solar power system for the first time, it's an overwhelming process of figuring out all the parts required to make up the entire system. Many times even experienced installers make several trips to the hardware store for missing parts.

Why does installing a solar power system have to be like putting together a complicated jig saw puzzle? thanks to the developments in the solar industry, installing a solar power system does not have to be as difficult with the Andalay Solar Panels by Westinghouse Solar.

The system by Westinghouse Solar requires the least amount of parts, labor and tools to install compared to any other solar power system on the market. The Andalay Solar system is made up of black Suntech 175 watt solar panels with Enphase M190 Micro Inverters attached directly to the frame of the solar panel. The frame of the Andalay Solar Panels act as the rails and attach directly to the roof with the simple mounting hardware supplied with the system.

This is the type of innovation and efficiencies we need to take solar power to the masses, it needs to be more user friendly. Westinghouse Solar is leading the industry in terms of offering a complete solar power solution that any contractor or savvy do it yourselfer can install with ease.

Would you rather install an ordinary solar power system or Westinghouse Solar? What do you think of Andalay Solar by Westinghouse?

attaching solar panels to a metal roof

2010-07-11T22:18:00.000-07:00

The electrical side of installing a solar electric system is a pretty straight forward process although when it comes to the mechanical aspect of attaching solar panels there can be a lot of variances based on the type of roof.

One of our customers was involved with a new home construction project that had a standing seam metal roof. He called us and asked us to design and provide him with a complete solar electric system that would attach to the metal roof.

The 4.1 kilowatt grid tie solar electric system consisted of 18 Canadian Solar CS6P 230 watt solar panels with an Enphase M190 Micro-inverter behind each solar panel converting the DC power generated by the solar panels into grid compliant AC power.

Attaching the solar panels to the metal roof was easy by combining the UniRac SolarMount Rails with S-5-U Clamps made by S-5!. S-5! clamps attach to the seam of a metal roofing by the tightening of two “bullet-nosed” stainless steel setscrews against the seam material.

The round point setscrews compress the seam material against the opposite wall of the clamp. The clamps will “dimple” the seam material, but will not penetrate it. Threaded holes in the clamp enable the easy attachment of the UniRac SolarMount Rails to the clamps.

The customer was able to attach the solar panels to the metal roof by taking advantage of the S-5! clamps. The picture above shows the installed solar panels, what do you think of the outcome of his project?

clean solar panels produce more power

2010-05-09T09:57:00.000-07:00

Dirty solar panels before PowerBoost

Every major solar panel manufacturer recommends solar electric system owners to wash their solar panels as needed to harvest maximum power. Soiling is a term used to describe particle build up on solar panels which includes dust, dirt, bird poop and other debris that solar panels encounter in the outdoors.

Research conducted by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) suggests that solar panel power output can decrease up to 10% from the accumulation of dirt. Efficiencies of solar panels can drop up to 20% in areas where bird poop, air pollution or dust from farming operations are common.

Cleaning your solar panels is easy!

Since solar electric systems are solid state technology, meaning there are no moving parts in the system, the only maintenance that's required is cleaning the solar panels. You can simply use soap and water to clean your solar panels although many people prefer PowerBoost, a biodegradable solar panel cleaning solution that connects to any garden hose and provides added benefits that household soap does not offer.

With PowerBoost you'll be cleaning your solar panels less frequently through out the year since it adds a protective layer on the solar panels that prevents the future accumulation of debris.

Rinse first, then soap

Cleaning solar panels is like washing your car, you have to first rinse the solar panels using a garden hose with a pressure nozzle. The objective would be to loosen up the debris before you apply PowerBoost. After your rinse with water flip the switch on the PowerBoost and the special formulated PowerBoost cleaning solution will be sprayed onto the solar array.

Let PowerBoost do it's magic

After PowerBoost solar panel cleaning solution has been applied to the solar panels, let the solution sit on the solar panels for a few minutes. For best results I would recommend putting some elbow grease into the job by using a brush with a long handle to scrub down the solar panels before rinsing off the PowerBoost cleaning solution.

So fresh, so clean

By the end of the process your solar panels should look this clean. There should be no particle build up left on the solar panels, maximum sunlight will now be able to penetrate into the solar cells thus providing you maximum energy harvest yields. Now we have our solar panels installed on a ground mounted system which makes it easier to clean our solar panels. Many times solar panels are installed on top of roofs which can make it a little more challenging to clean.

What do you think about the maintenance related with a solar electric system?

Solar Cabana on The Price is Right

2010-05-04T14:23:00.000-07:00

We got our 15 seconds of fame on National TV on Earth Day 2010 last month. Our Solar Cabana was given away as a prize on the longest running TV game show in history The Price is Right produced by CBS. check out the video!

The unique aspect of the Solar Cabana is it offers an affordable method for homeowners and businesses to get started with solar power without a huge upfront investment typically associated with rooftop solar.

Additionally, in many cases the roof is not the best place to install solar panels due to shading, improper orientation or age of roof. The Solar Cabana provides customers a solution to take solar panels "off the roof" while providing an elegant structure that not only holds the solar panels but provides shade and comfort for people.

With the Solar Cabana as an alternative option in the marketplace, solar panels don't have to be "those ugly things on the roof" anymore. The Solar Cabana works by connecting to your electrical service panel, when your building is consuming less energy than being produced by the Solar Cabana, you're electric meter will spin backwards, thus offsetting your highest cost of electricity you buy from the utility company.

Each solar panel on the Solar Cabana has an Enphase Micro-Inverter behind it that converts the DC power generated by the solar panels into clean, grid compliant AC power. The conduit runs alongside one of the four support legs of the Solar Cabana and connects inside the electrical service panel via a 2 pole, 15 amp ganged breaker. The Solar Cabana is compatible with either a 240VAC or 208VAC electric service. Since the Solar Cabana is a grid interactive solar electric system, it doesn't require batteries to store the energy.

What do you think about the Solar Cabana? Would you install one of these in your backyard?

Interviewed by SolarDave

2010-02-21T11:00:00.000-08:00

We're working on a unique solar panel project called, Battle of the Solar Panel Brands. A solar panel competition that makes various solar panel brands compete head to head against each other to determine which solar panel will generate the most kWh (kilowatt-hours) in our local area.

A few weeks ago, our project caught the attention of SolarDave, a respectable solar blogger. SolarDave thought it would be interesting to his audience to have a conversation with me about the process of installing solar panels on his very first podcast. The purpose of SolarDave's blog is to take people along for the ride as he is doing lots of research since hes going to install solar panels on his own home in Colorado. I feel there is a lack of information out there for people considering solar panels for their own lifestyles and SolarDave is doing a great job sharing information on his blog with written, video and audio content.

SolarDave's podcast covers the following topics:

comparison test with different panels with solar production data collection.
Problems with the permitting process.
overcoming challenges of digging and trenching
installing Enphase micro-inverters

Make sure to check out SolarDave's blog, download the podcast or follow him on twitter hes a great resource for information about solar energy.

Skip CFLs and go right to LED

2010-01-31T13:12:00.000-08:00

My friend Ed Haemmerle of NJ Renewable Energy made this cool video that compares LEDs to Incandescent light bulbs in different places in his home. What I like about the video is that it's a really good visual example of what you can do with LED light bulbs in your home. In addition the video breaks down the return on investment from switching to LED light bulbs, a common question most customers have before purchasing LED light bulbs. What do you think about Ed's comparison? Do you think people should skip CFLs and go right to LED light bulbs?

permit for solar panels in west covina

2010-01-01T09:06:00.000-08:00

I find it quite ironic that the City of West Covina has the Sun in their city seal because there is one thing I can guarantee you, West Covina does not support solar energy. I learned this the hard way through the miserable process of working with City Hall to obtain a permit to install solar panels in my backyard. I was born and raised in West Covina and had a great experience the 26 years I have lived in this city, although that changed in a heartbeat when I began working with the city on our project, the battle of the solar panel brands.

All I wanted to do was install a few solar panels, using UL listed parts and a very popular pre-engineered ground mount called GroundTrac made by ProSolar that has been permitted all over the US. When I first started the project I thought obtaining the permit would be a breeze since we've helped many of our customers secure permits for their projects. Plus, I had Dennis Epp of Heritage Solar wet stamp the plan set.

Dennis is a well respected electrical engineer, C-10 contractor, and NABCEP Certified Solar Installer and his company is a top solar contractor in Southern California. Going into the project I figured the City of West Covina would be appreciative of a homegrown citizen putting together such an important project that would help solar energy move forward, but boy I was wrong.

I was confident our plan set was in good order before submitting it, because I googled "West Covina photovoltaic permit" and found a document on westcovina.org titled, Basic Information Required for Photovoltaic Plan Check Submittal.

I submitted the three copies of the plan set on December 8th and was instantly approved by the planning department. When I got the Plans to Building and Engineering, that's where things started to get rocky.

They wanted a fee to "check my plan" and if I wanted an expedited check I would have to pay an even higher fee. I paid $166.50 for the "expedited plan check" which guaranteed me a response on my project within 7 working days, in our case that would be December 21st, since the city does not work on Friday. On the 6th the working day, I stopped in unexpectedly to check on the status of my project and they told me the plan checker had not even looked at our plans yet, at that point I could smell the trouble ahead of me.

One of the plan sets we submitted went to the West Covina Fire Department. They called me on December 15th and told me they approved the plans, although I would have to pay them $200 to receive it and submit it back to Building & Engineering.

On December 22nd at 9:46a, the 8th working day, a day late I get a call from Building & Engineering department informing me to come pickup my plans. When I received the plans I noticed the plan checker had made over 30 correction requests, now if they were reasonable requests I would have not been so aggravated, but in our case the majority of the requests he made were already in the plan set!

Also the plan checkers requests were made in sloppy handwriting, which made it even more time consuming to decipher the silly requests. At that point, putting the facts together, I realized that the plan checker had rushed through our plans because he procrastinated till the 7th working day to check our plans, how frustrating! Contacting the plan checker or meeting with him face to face was nearly impossible since he was always "in the field" or not working and he never replied to any of my emails. He did call me once to discuss the validity of his requests and the conversation was very defensive versus collaborating with me to get our plans approved.

To make a long story short, after going back and forth with the Building and Engineering for 6 working days, they issued me the permit on December 30th and charged me another $457 for obtaining the Building and Electrical permit. The entire process took a strenuous 12 working days. We're not launching a rocket to the moon! I'm just trying to install a few solar panels, this project should have taken no more than a couple hours to approve and should have been done over the counter with minimal fees!

To go solar City of West Covina charged me:

"Expedited" Plan Check Fee - $166.50
Fire Department Fee - $200.00
Acquiring the Permit - $457.90
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Total $824.50

Shame on you City of West Covina for putting me through 12 days of non-sense and extorting $824.50 from me for doing the RIGHT thing. Encouraging the adoption of solar power is critical to lift our economy out of the recession because our industry creates green jobs and wouldn't you agree that energy is a huge problem for the entire world?

Solar Power is such an important element to both social and economic progress and through this project I've realized that the primary road blocks lies within our own communities. It was extremely annoying to see other people acquire permits to install gas water heaters or even upgrade their electric service to pull more AMPS with ease, especially when those activities are much more dangerous than installing solar panels. Unfortunately, what that means is the process will be much easier if you want to increase your energy consumption, but if you want to be producer and contribute to the grid, then you'll have to pay a lot and jump through hoops.

What's next? We'll after the city comes to inspect all the digging we have done, then we can proceed to build out the solar array. I have a meeting with Congresswomen Dr. Judy Chu, to share my horror story of going solar in the 32nd congressional district and on January 19th, I will be speaking at the West Covina City Council meeting to inform them they're in clear violation of California Civil Code 714, also known as the California Solar Rights Act of 1978, a little known law that is lightly enforced but prevents any city within California to make the process of going solar unreasonably difficult or expensive.

I hope by sharing this experience I can make the process of going solar easier for the next person. Mahatma Gandhi once said, "Be the change you want to see in the world" and I intend to do that by enforcing the California Solar Rights Act of 1978 on any city that is making the process of going solar unreasonable for anyone.

Battle of the Solar Panel Brands

2009-12-09T09:10:00.000-08:00

Have you ever hear of Battle of the Bands? It's contest in which many bands, usually rock bands but often from a range of different styles, compete for the title of "best band". The winner is determined by judges, the response of the audience, or a combination. The winning band usually receives a prize in addition to bragging rights.

These days there many solar panels flooding the marketplace that it's becoming more difficult for consumers to make informed decisions, most customers just can't tell the difference. Why not take different brands of solar panels and make them compete head to head in my backyard? So I called up my friend Dennis Epp, President & CEO of Heritage Solar, a leading solar contractor in Southern California and teamed up to bring to you The Battle of the Solar Panel Brands.

Even though solar panels look very similar to each other, not all are created equal. Each make/model of solar panels have their unique characteristics which allow them to produce more or less power in different environments. By adding Enphase Micro Inverters to each solar panel and connecting the system to the internet, we will be able to share live production data with you through our website 365 days a year.

But before we can get to the competition we have to build the stage. I got a big backyard with limited shading, therefore we have plently room to install a ProSolar GroundTrac mounting structure to secure the solar panels in a 30 degree pitch facing true south (192 degrees in our case)

We'll be installing the following six solar panels to kick off the competition off:

#1 - Sanyo HIP-215NKHA5
#2 - REC REC215AE-US
#3 - Sharp ND-U230C1
#4 - Canadian Solar CS6P-230
#5 - SolarWorld SW 230
#6 - Solon P220/6+/01 230Wp

Our goal is to get the solar array up and running before January 1st, so we may begin collecting solar panel production data from the first day of the new year. We're still waiting for the City of West Covina to approve our permit to build GoGreenSolar Labs and hopefully the weather will cooperate with us the rest of this month so we can finish this project as soon as possible. Stay tuned!

install unisolar pvl laminate on a metal roof

2009-12-02T09:12:00.000-08:00

I've had a couple people ask me how to install Uni-Solar's flexible thin film laminate PVL product line on a metal roof. The unique part of Uni-Solar PVL product is it can be bonded directly to a metal roof between the ridges. Traditional solar panels would need racking and mounting components that are not required with a uni-solar PVL installation, therefore installing the laminate reduces balance of system costs. Also these thin film laminates are extremely durable since they are not made of glass like traditional solar panels.

I think the uni-solar product line works well when you have a lot of surface area to work with, aesthetics is a major concern in the project, or have a shady/cloudy project since thin film solar panels perform better than crystalline solar panels in those conditions. The video below is a good overview of how these unique thin film solar panels can be installed on a metal roof. What do you think about the uni-solar PVL thin film flexible solar panels?

energy needed to cook our turkeys

2009-11-26T14:39:00.000-08:00

As Americans across the nation flip on their ovens to cook their Thanksgiving turkeys, I'm sitting here thinking the nation's electric grid is going to take a big hit today to supply the energy required to power this historic day.

So how much power is it really going to take to cook our Thanksgiving meals? Has attempted to estimate how many kilowatt-hours (kWh) will it require to cook our country's beloved turkeys? I think not! I feel like doing some math today, so let's get to the bottom of this ever so important question.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 45 million turkeys are cooked and eaten in the U.S. for Thanksgiving. American per capita consumption of turkeys has soared from 8.3 pounds in 1975 to17.5 pounds in 2007.

Most of the ovens in America are electric, according to Mr. Electricity's, How much electricity does my stuff use? the average oven uses 4,400 continuous watts when cranked up all the way, which is$5 typically required to cook a Turkey throughly. It takes approximately 4 hours to roast a 17lb turkey in the oven.

4,400 watts (oven) * 4 hours (time to cook) = 17,600 watt hours

17,600 watt hours / 1,000 watts = 17.6 kWh per turkey

45,000,000 (number of turkeys cooked) * 17.6kWh = 792,000,000 kWh

Since most people can't relate to 792,000,000 kWhs, let me quantify kWh to $. The average nationwide cost per kWh is 12 cents. Therefore it will cost $2.11 in electricity costs per turkey roasted today.

45,000,000 (number of turkeys cooked) * $2.11 (electricity cost) = $94,950,000

So I guess the Turkey suppliers aren't the only ones making a lot of money on Thanksgiving but the companies providing you electricity to cook your turkey are making close to 100 million dollars today!

792M kWh is a lot of energy, in fact I went to NationMaster to check up how much electricity is produced on an annual basis from all sources for each country around the world and I realized that 56 countries generate less than 792M kWh on annual basis! I hope that makes a good comparison of how much electricity is consumed to celebrate Thanksgiving by roasting turkeys in the oven.

I got a couple suggestions of how you can offset your dependence on the electric grid next Thanksgiving by going solar without breaking your pocketbook.

Global Sun Oven - Solar Cooker

When pointed in the optimal direction the can boil, steam, roast or bake food at cooking temperatures of 360° F / 182° C, making it ideal for cooking the majority of foods, including most turkeys. The Sun Oven takes advantage of the solar thermal energy produced by the sun to cook the food inside, no electricity is needed to run this oven.

GoGreen 1.4 kW Solar Cabana

The Solar Cabana is a unique method of generating solar power off the roof while enjoying the shade the cabana provides. This 8 panel cabana produces 1,480 watts per hour which will generate enough electricity to offset cooking your turkey in the oven every Thanksgiving in addition to reducing your annual electric bill for over 25 years.

The best part of the grid connected Solar Cabana is that it's the only complete solar electric system that allows you to get started with green energy under $10,000. The Solar Cabana may qualify for rebates and federal tax credits depending on your utility and taxable income.

Happy Thanksgiving from your friends at GoGreenSolar.com

solar technology trends at #solpwr09

2009-11-07T14:56:00.000-08:00

With over 26,000 thousand people attending Solar Power International 2009 at the Anaheim Convention Center on the last week of October, the conference broke attendance records. The massive exhibition hall featured 929 solar companies throughout the entire solar industry supply chain. This year show was so large in scale, it was way too easy to get lost between the aisles of exhibitors. My objective of being at Solar Power International 2009 was not to visit every booth, but to scout out cutting edge solar photovoltaic technology. Here's what I think was cool at the show this year:

Solar Micro-Inverters:

The new Enphase D380 "TwinPack" Micro-inverter offers double the power at half the labor. The new D series product line focuses on the needs of a commercial installation in which it's much too cumbersome to install an Enphase M190 unit behind each solar panel. The Enphase D380 is called a "TwinPack" because it has two Micro-inverters within one housing.

The benefits include, reducing installation costs through the two in one design, Reduced balance of system costs and installation time are realized through a 50 percent reduction in the number parts, 33 percent fewer connections and junction boxes, the Enphase D380 also reduces installation time by an innovative cabling system.

Soon Enphase Energy is not going to be the only one offering a solar micro-inverter. DirectGrid, a company based in New York is developing it's own version of a micro-inverter that will initially only work combined with thin film solar panels and also have the option to add on smart grid compatibility. Direct Grid Technologies is a new player in the solar micro-inverter space but is a subsidiary of Island Technology which is in the business of the design, manufacture and support of utility power grid monitoring & distribution systems.

The picture of the mirco-inverter above shows the Direct Grid Technologies DGA-S300, which has an AC output of 300 watts 120/240 volts 50/60 hz. The DGA-S300 has a nominal DC input range of 12-170 volts, which is a wide range to accommodate many types of thin film solar panels.

AC Solar Panels:

Solar Panels that come off the manufacturing line with micro-inverters integrated are going to be the next trend in photovoltaic technology. As solar micro-inverter technology continues to improve and shrink in size, this could be the game changing technology that can make solar much simpler and more cost effective to install. Enphase had an interesting AC module for display that had a prototype inverter built into directly into the solar panel!

Solar Power Industries has partnered up with veteran solar inverter manufacturer, ExelTech to offer their own version of a AC solar panel. ExcelTech has been testing micro solar grid tie inverters for years and has an inverter design that has been field tested that is nearly ready for market! I think there are going to be a few companies releasing AC solar panels into the marketplace sooner than most people think. ExcelTech is supplying the micro-inverters to solar panel companies that integrate them into a solar panel, there are NO exposed DC cables. Unlike a typical solar panel in which you would see a junction box, an AC Solar panel has a mirco-inverter in place of a junction box.

LED Lights:

Every solar conference I've attended this year I'm starting to seeing more LED lights being offered. Finally the relationship between the LED lighting and solar energy industry is starting to develop. This year I saw both LED Streetlights and LED lights for residential and commercial buildings being displayed at select trade show booths. We need more people in the solar industry to help customers reduce consumption and then produce clean energy, LED Lighting is a critical product that can help us "reduce then produce"

Solar Panels:

Aesthetics is a major roadblock for mainstream homeowners to go solar. Not everyone enjoys seeing blue solar panels with silver frames and white back sheets on top of their roofs especially if the proper orientation requires the solar panels to be installed on roof facing the street. Say bye-bye to old school blue solar panels, blue is the new black.

Many of the major solar panel manufacturers are now offering solar panels with a black frame, solar cells and back sheet to give them a more low profile, sleek look that mainstream homeowners prefer over blue solar panels. The sleek solar panel pictured above is the SOLON Black 230W monocrystalline solar panel with a module efficiency of 14%. SOLON is major solar player in the European market, that is now aggressively offering solar panels in the U.S.

Solar is no longer flat, says Solyndra a manufacturer of tubular solar panels for the commercial flat rooftop market. The company unique solar panel product fits only with low slope commercial rooftops. Since the Solyndra solar panels capture light from 360 degrees, their product is capable of converting direct, diffused and reflected sunlight into electricity which enables Solyndra solar panels to generate more electricity per rooftop on an annual basis than a conventional solar panel installation.

Central String Inverters:

One of the downsides of owning a central string inverter is that every solar panel tied to the inverter will not be able to take advantage of MPPT (maximum power point tracking), which enables solar panels to harvest the most electricity as possible. Power optimizer solutions like the SolarMagic by National Semiconductor and SunMizer from Xandex allow photovoltaic system owners to increase solar power system output by assisting strings that are losing power due to mismatch, soling and shading issues.

SolarEdge has taken it a step further to combine central string inverters with power optimizers all in one offering at the same cost of buying a traditional central string inverter. The unique offering SolarEdge brings to the table is allowing each solar panel connected to its inverter to achieve MPPT since their product includes power optimizers. Central solar inverter, with module level MPPT at the same cost of traditional grid tie inverters, makes this company's value proposition very unique.

Balance Of Systems:

ZepSolar is innovating big time in the residential solar panel mounting. The rail free solar panel mounting system reduces both the number of parts and installation time significantly, thus making the process more efficient and cost effective for people who want to install solar on residential rooftops. Instead of using rails that traditional solar panels mount onto, ZepSolar directly connects the frame of "ZepSolar compatible" solar panels right onto the the roof.

Reducing parts means reducing labor and cost which not only benefits installers but homeowners too. Efficiencies throughout the entire solar value chain is the key to taking solar power mainstream and ZepSolar is a great example of new trends in solar panel mounting that increase efficiencies, wouldn't you agree?

I'm sure I didn't capture it all, did you see anything cutting edge at Solar Power International 2009 that I missed?

a smarter solar panel

2009-10-17T19:52:00.000-07:00

Traditional solar panels are extremely sensitive to even the smallest amount of shade and mismatch. Typically solar panels must be properly matched and balanced in a string although tenKsolar has developed a new breed of "smart" solar panels that's not only improving photovoltaic performance and but making them easier to install. Based on their propriety RAIS (redundant array of integrating solar) technology the smarter solar panel has no single point of failure. Most traditional solar panels have a number of single points of failures which include a spot of shade, a short, or physical damage to in one place will dramatically drop the energy output of the whole panel.

tenKsolar's solar panels designed with RIAS technology are completely redundant, meaning they're not bothered by a little shade and if part of the panel should somehow be damaged, the rest of it operates as it should, no single point failure! That's why the folks over at tenKsolar call their product smarter than the average solar panel.

Also there are a couple features that increase the ease of installation. First the tenKsolar panels are universal and self balancing therefore mixing these solar panels into an array of other model solar panels will not result in mismatch.

The tenKsolar product increases saftey because of it's low voltage output and their unique ability to not generate any power until they're connected to a load. Traditional solar panels always put out power when the sun shines on them. This makes tenKsolar panels far safer and easier to work with during installation.

What do you think about tenKsolar panels?

rail-free solar panel mounting

2009-10-04T14:53:00.000-07:00

Traditionally, solar panels are a tedious process to install because the process of installing solar panels on a residential rooftop involves the rails to be cut, spliced together and the metal frame of the solar panels and rails themselves have to be grounded according to code. Currently the process is quite primitive and can be time consuming even though the two most popular solar panel mounting companies, UniRac and ProSolar are offering new products to reduce parts and installation time, the companies fail to remove the rails.

ZepSolar, a startup solar panel mounting manufacturer will be introducing a new way to mount solar panels to your home's roof without rails at the upcoming Solar Power International trade show in Anaheim.

The rail-free, auto-grounding drop-in solar panel mounting system is an ultra efficient method of attaching solar panels to your roof that according to the company installs 6 times faster than conventional systems and greatly reduces material waste while enhancing the structural integrity and aesthetics of solar panels.

Prices of solar panels have been dropping like a rock, since there is an oversupply of solar panels in the market. Although other system components such as inverters and racking systems have not dropped in prices as fast as solar panels. ZepSolar claims that by removing cumbersome rails out process of installing solar panels can save up to $1,000 per kilowatt installed. What do you think about ZepSolar's innovative approach to simplifying solar panel installation?

solar panels + grid alternatives = fun

2009-09-20T21:04:00.000-07:00

I had a great weekend volunteering for GRID Alternatives to install solar panels for a low income family in Lynwood, CA. For those of you who don't know GRID Alternatives, they're a non-profit who's on a mission to empower communities in need by providing renewable energy and energy efficiency services, equipment and training.

Since 2001, GRID Alternatives has been working to bring the power of solar electricity and energy efficiency to low-income homeowners, and to provide community members with training and hands-on experience with renewable energy technologies. GRID Alternatives believes making energy choices that are good for the environment can go hand-in-hand with improving the lives of those living in low-income communities.

It took Anna and Alan, experienced Grid Alternatives staff and the team of volunteers two full days at to complete the installation of the 1.4 kW solar electric system which consisted of 7 Canadian Solar 200 watt (CS6PE) solar panels, a PVPowered 2000 watt (PVP2000) grid tie inverter and Pro Solar mounting hardware.

The most difficult part of installing the solar panels over the detached garage was working on the concrete s-tile roof. These are very delicate type of roof tiles, walking on them without breaking them is impossible, it's like walking on egg shells. It took us extra time to replace all the roofing s-tile shingles that were damaged in the process. The hot Southern California climate did not spare us over the weekend, during the afternoon the s-tiles shingles became extremely hot making it even more difficult and uncomfortable to get the mounting hardware installed.

Before the 6 inch standoffs were installed and sealed with silicon, the fast jacks needed to be attached to the rafters of the detached garage. Also each penetrations needed flashing to ensure they are water tight. Locating the rafters in a building and making sure you're drilling into them is a challenging part of installing solar panels.

Once the standoffs were in place the roof team was ready for the rails which were assembled on the ground. We had to cut the Pro Solar Rails to size and have them prepared for the roof team to secure to the stand offs. There are many components involved with putting the rails together, which could be confusing if you don't have all your parts organized.

After the rails were passed on from the ground to the roof, they were immediately attached to the standoffs. Once we got the rails secured to the standoffs, it was time to get the solar panels mounted on top of the rails.

It was easier to get the solar panels mounted to the rails because we had a lot of workspace since we installed scaffolding before we started the project. Standing on the scaffolding helped us maneuver the solar panels to the approximate location to clamp it down to the rails.

Pretty soon we had most of the solar panels in place, as we installed each row of solar panels we had to make sure the we connected them in series and ran the grounding wire along the rails.

Before we installed the last solar panel, we wired up the junction box. This is the connection point from the solar array on top of the roof to the inverter in the garage.

Down in the garage, we installed the grid tie inverter and a separate DC and AC disconnects, which are the components on the left and rite side of the inverter. Even though the PVPowered inverter had an integrated DC/AC disconnect, code required separate external disconnects since the inverter was mounted in the garage. It was time consuming task to wire up the external disconnects but was worth it because it improved the saftey of the overall system. This picture was taken with the inverter and disconnects opened up so we can wire them up.

Since a grid tie system has to be connected to the service, we had to run the cables to the service side of the breaker box and add a 15 amp breaker to the bus bar, Alan took care of the utility side interconnection.

Once we flipped on the inverter, it took the grid tie inverter 5 minutes to boot up and like magic we were generating clean power! Even at 4pm the meter was still spinning backwards which was a good sign newly installed system working properly. The homeowners were very excited to see their meter spins backwards, it was a great feeling for all of us.

It was a pleasure spending the weekend with GRID Alternatives to install solar panels for a family that really needs them. I personally thought the experience was very rewarding. It was great interacting with the other volunteers and GRID Alternatives staff since we all share a common value, the love for solar power. Obviously there was much more to the installation then what you see here, check out the rest of the pictures on our community. GRID Alternatives is a not for profit company, if you like the work they do, don't forget to support them by visiting their website by clicking to logo below.