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 Photo by Chris Harvey  Solar panels soak up sunshine to produce cheap, clean electricity that’s also free of noise and emissions.  The small solar PV system on this south Boulder home generates 100 percent of the home’s electricity. The system’s flush mounting creates a low-profile aesthetic. |
Home&Garden green builder's corner
New federal and state incentives for solar energy make this beneficial energy source more affordable for homeowners than ever before. By Blake Jones
Solar photovoltaic technology, also known as solar PV or solar electricity, has been around since the 1950s. Historically, solar PV has been used predominantly by NASA and for remote applications such as off-the-grid homes, traffic signs and telecom stations. Lately, however, solar PV has become a cost-effective way to provide power for homes and businesses in urban areas as well. Starting with Japan and Germany, and more recently in the United States, government incentive programs have kick-started the solar PV industry in an effort to diversify energy sources and encourage the industry’s expansion. Colorado recently became the 20th state in the nation to initiate solar PV incentive programs. Therefore, our state is about to undergo an exciting solar “boom” as it promotes the installation of solar electric systems on thousands of homes and businesses throughout Colorado. Solar Electricity Defined Solar photovoltaic cells convert sunlight directly into electricity via the “photovoltaic effect.” Exactly how this happens is a technological wonder, but, in a nutshell, solar PV cells generate electricity from the sun without moving parts and without producing noise or emissions. Solar PV cells are combined to make solar PV panels that can, in turn, be wired together to constitute a solar PV system. Because solar PV panels can be used like building blocks, dozens or even hundreds of solar panels can be combined to make systems of any size. This modularity also facilitates future system expansion, which is desirable in the power industry’s effort to meet our nation’s rapidly growing energy needs. Sunny Benefits Solar electricity has numerous benefits for our economy, society and environment. Solar PV systems do not produce radioactive or other types of wastes, thereby eliminating some of the worst problems associated with conventional energy generation. Because solar electricity is fueled by an abundant and renewable resource, it does not contribute to resource scarcity for future generations. As many of us know, resource scarcity is the root cause of many of the political, economic and social problems plaguing the world today. Unlike oil, of which more than 50 percent of America’s daily requirements must be imported from abroad, solar resources are abundant throughout the country and can help bolster national security by reducing our dependence on foreign fossil fuels. Finally, solar PV is extremely reliable and long-lived, and solar PV panels have effective operating lives of 30 years or more. With minimal complexity, solar panels are backed by 25-year manufacturers’ warranties. It’s no wonder NASA has relied on solar PV for decades to power satellites and space stations in the most extreme environments. In the end, solar PV technology has numerous advantages over conventional energy technologies in a wide variety of categories. Financial Incentives Following the examples of Japan, Germanyand 19 American states, Colorado is taking serious steps to support solar electricity. In November 2004, Colorado voters passed Amendment 37, a law mandating that specific percentages of electricity be produced by solar PV systems installed on homes and businesses throughout the state. To encourage customers to purchase and install solar PV systems, many utilities, such as Xcel and Aquila, will be providing cash rebates and other incentives. In addition to the state incentives, the federal government recently passed a new energy bill that provides federal tax credits for installing solar PV systems. As a result, the cost of installing a solar system on your home or business in Colorado can be reduced by as much as 60 to 70 percent. Building Blocks Installing a solar PV system for your home or business can be an easy and simple process. For buildings connected to the power grid, no changes would be required to the existing electrical system or to the occupants’ lifestyles. Solar PV panels are usually installed on the roof in a sunny location, preferably facing to the south. Next, a safety disconnect and an inverter (a component that seamlessly interfaces between the solar PV panels and the power grid) are typically installed on the building’s exterior wall beside the utility’s electric meter. Most installations require only a few days and occur entirely on the outside of the building. The solar PV system is then inspected by the local building jurisdiction and by the utility company before being connected to the utility’s power grid. After connecting to the grid, the solar PV system can begin producing electricity for the building, thus reducing the owner’s electric bill. Solar electricity immediately used by the building will offset electricity normally purchased from the utility. All solar electricity not immediately used is sold back to the utility at a retail rate, giving the customer credit by spinning the electric meter backwards. The meter may spin forwards and backwards multiple times per day, or it may simply spin forward more slowly than usual, with the end result being that the solar PV system reduces the owner’s electric bill—sometimes to near zero. Bright Future With the passage of Amendment 37, ongoing hikes in energy prices, increased anxiety over fossil-fuel resources and a growing public concern for the environment, the stars—or sun—are well-aligned for solar PV electricity to shine ever more brightly in Colorado. Blake Jones is president of Namasté Solar Electric in Boulder and a member of the Boulder Green Building Guild.
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