Anyone install PV panels?

[RalphVa]

I'm wondering who has installed PV(photo voltaic) panels or shingles on their tractor garage or house?

I'm thinking about replacing about half the shingles on the south-facing roof of my carriage house. Cost will be about $6,000 and will yield about 700 watts or so, approximately 6 amps at 120v. All I'll need is to junction the leads from the shingles, put in a DC switch, run to an inverter and connect inverter outlet to one of my electrical outlets in the attic of the carriage house. Payout is pretty miserable. Any federal or Virginia rebates on this stuff? Read about a federal rebate of 30% but only applies to the installer if you use a professional installer. I'm thinking of just having a roofer install the shingles (since I need one to replace some leaky skylights next year). Then I'd do the electric. Payout is pretty sparse. I compute only about $130 in the first year, assuming I'd get 25% of the full output due to nigh and not full sun all the time.

Ralph

 

[jerrykn]

Don't know about the rebates for sure. Many states also have rebates in addition to the feds. You should be able to work something out with an electrician.

Unless you have a constant load that the PV panels will be feeding when the sun shines you will also need a battery setup to store your power untill you use it.

Jerry

 

[RalphVa]

I plan to feed it directly back, whenever it's available. Lots of people are putting them in now without batteries. If you put in a lot of wattage such that you can run your meter backwards, you need an agreement with the electric provider to give you credit. I'll only be making 6 amps, which will be absorbed. If you can't get an agreement with your utility company or want to be off grid, then you need batteries.

Ralph

 

[Kfbeal]

You should always check with your electric provider as Ralph has said. They may have a rider that specifies what you need to do. They may also require 2 meters or net meter the installation. Our rider states we require 2 meters. 1 meter will register the reverse flow and we purchase that, and the other meter will register forward flow.

This could also be a potential hazard to electrical linemen due to the back-feeding through the transformers. They work in reverse so they will convert 120/240 into 7.2 kv or 15kv, or whatever primary voltage they utilize. They may require a disconnect transfer switch also, similar to backup generators.

 

[Maxfli]

I know very little about PV solar, but I have read quite a lot. Seems to me there is a fair amount of inovation going on. Companies like NanoSolar are developing a process where they can print PV on sheets almost like a newspaper print.

Nanosolar - Home Page

Claims are cost will come down. I for one am in a wait and see mode.

 

[tommu56]

Ralph
Get a hold of Home Power Magazine and read it thoroughly.

An grid tied inverter isn't cheep and you cant just plug them in to an outlet.

I do have a small (500 watts and about 1800 ha of battery) off grid PV system and unless your roof is oriented correctly you will loose a lot of solar gain.

tom

 

[RichNJKubota]

Check out DSIRE: DSIRE Home for incentives in your state. Without incentives it's real hard to justify a PV system. And like Tom said - read HomePower magazine. They used to run a series called Gorrilla Solar. It was kind of funny but sad at the same time. People would write short articles about how they installed PV systems and back fed the grid all without permits of any sort. "Real" grid tie PV inverters shut off when the grid goes down so as to not backfeed a dead grid. The article would have a picture of the PV panels with the owner wearing a ski mask or paper bag over their head. And the location of the house would be very vague like - Somewhere west of the Mississipi.
It was sad because the people wanted to "do the right thing" but either the utility would not allow grid-tie or the local zoning rules would not allow PV systems.

 

[Chuckatuck]

Ralph,

Here is a link to a very recent story (12/27) in the Newport News Daily Press explaining the current tax credits in the Commonwealth (or lack as the case may be): Outlook sunny for homeowners who want to tap solar energy -- dailypress.com I had previously looked at doing a small PV project but balked based on the cost, lack of credits, moderate sunlight potential, our very low electricity rates and thought of having to deal with VEPCO on the net metering issue (P.S. I did not want to have to wear a ski mask). Additionally, depending on your county/city ordinances, they may have real property/personal property exemptions/reductions (or NOT). Too bad you do not live on the other side of the Blue Ridge in the Valley; based on my four years in H'burg, a wind powered system would work quite nicely!

Chuckatuck

 

[weedpharma]

Although it does not help with your location, I have recently installed 1.5Kw of panels on my place in Perth, West Australia. It has a 2Kw inverter to allow upgrade to the array when I can afford it. I also have a data logger to record the daily (and every 10 minute) output. Part of the requirement was to have a new power meter installed. This meter records both incomoming and outgoing power for 4 time zones.

The meter was installed a month ago and it is currently summer (36 deg C today). Over the last month, the system has had an average of 9.8 Kwh per day. As this is happening during the peak electricity cost time, I am now owed money by my electricity provider. This will certainly change in winter as the time zones and cost changes. My net usage is approx 8 Kwh per day. This is without use of the evaporative airconditioner which is likely to be in use soon!

I am happy that I finally got the system installed. I know it is going to take a long time to pay off but it was not actually bought for financial reasons. The state government is thinking about a 60c per Kwh feed in tarriff but no details are available yet.

Out federal government has a grant of $8 per watt up to 1Kw. Anything over that is not subsidised. My system cost me approx $8k after subsidy.

I say go for it and go solar. The world will thank you even if the neighbours think you are wasting your money.


Weedpharma