Watts Happening?

by Don Pettit for Peace Energy Cooperative www.peaceenergy.ca ph 250-782-3882

Renewable is Doable

ince taking the plunge and ordering a 5.5 kilowatt solar power system (from our very own Peace Energy Coop) for my business building in Dawson Creek, I can now give you an update on how the installation is going. In short: very well! I had decided on the simplest possible system: as many photovoltaic (PV) panels as I could cram onto my south-facing roof, and an inverter to feed the power into the grid. Thats it. A simple contract with BC Hydro, and my smart meter will track how much power I deliver to the grid vs. how much I use in the building. I get billed for (or receive a credit for) the difference. At 5500 watts in bright sunlight, the PV system is big enough to power my building during working hours, when all the lights are on (LEDs and fluorescent, of course), all the computers (5 at last count), the furnace fan, and other basic electrical loads. So during most days, my business will be solar powered. Cool! On days that I am not open and therefore using very little power, the power not used will be fed into

Top: the newly-installed 5.5 kilowatt solar array on the Peace Energy Coop/Peace photoGraphics building in Dawson Creek, ready to be connected to the grid. This solar array should generate all of this buildings electricity, with no moving parts and essentially no maintenance, for at least the next 50 years. Bottom: Ron Moch (right) and Randy Stam (left) with assistant Cody DeGirolamo (taking the photo) found the installation of the rail mounting system, and then the attachment of the solar power panels remarkably quick and easy.

the grid for a credit. In effect, the grid becomes my immense battery system, where extra power is stored and withdrawn later when I need it. My calculations indicate that with lots of extra power generated in the summer (due to our long northern hours of summer sunlight) I will be able to stash quite a bit of extra power into the grid. Later I can withdraw it during the short-day winter months. (The steep angle of my roof, the dark solar panels and their slippery glass surface will shed snow to some extent). Overall, averaged over the year, my power bill should be about zero. If I am conservative with my power usage, I might even make a few bucks! INSTALLATION MADE EASY Anyway, the equipment arrived on schedule thanks to solar retailer Peace Energy Cooperative and solar wholesaler E.B. Horseman, and Ron Moch of Moch Electric, Randy Stam of R.J. Stam Construction Ltd., and his apprentice Cody DeGirolamo installed the panels two weekends ago. This was their first solar install using the flushmount Unirac mounting system that mounts the PV panels flat over the shingles. After mapping out the roof joists and some planning over a cup of coffee, the roof rack/rails went up beautifully in about 4 hours quick and easy, and everybody was impressed with the solid, easy to use Unirac system. The next day all 23 solar panels were attached to

the Unirac rails and interconnected, another four hours or so. Again, quick and easy, panels electrically interconnecting with a simple plug on the back and attaching firmly to the Unirac system using simple tools. And the roof looks absolutely fabulous! The panels actually do enhance the appearance of the building, at least in my rather prejudiced pro-renewables opinion. (check out the photo and see if you agree). This past weekend Ron Moch installed the inverter and finished the electrical connections to the grid, another four hours or so. The inverter is an attractive piece of equipment that hangs on the cement wall in my basement next to the power panels. It takes the DC power from the panels and converts it to AC for the grid feed. It also contains automatic shut-off for grid safety, and manual shut-off switches as required by code. Final steps: electrical inspection, sign up for gridtie with BC Hydro (a process they have assured me will be quick and easy), and turn everything on. Done. In the next issue of Watts Happening, I should be able to give a report on these final steps, and let you know how it feels to work in a solar powered building, with solar powered lights, solar powered computers, solar powered laser printer, solar powered coffee maker, solar powered microwave, solar powered vacuum cleaner, solar powered refrigerator, solar powered street sign . . . Cant wait!

Watts Happening? Quick Fact:

Florida goes Green: a new Clean Energy Green Corridor was recently launched in Florida by high-tech green entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson. The Corridor will feature hurricane protection, energy efficiency and renewable energy. It is expected to create 3,400 new jobs and some $600 million in economic activity.