P

eace Energy Cooperative, based in Dawson

Creek, is holding an open house to showcase
two new solar electric installations there. Its
being held this coming Saturday, May 17, from 1:00
3:00 at the Peace Energy Coop ofces at 1204-
103rd Ave. in Dawson Creek. Grab something of the
barbecue and get a free tour of two new state-of-
the-art home-sized solar power systems.
SOLAR HAS COME OF AGE
Global investment in renewable energy (solar, wind,
etc.) has now outstripped investment in both fossil
fuels and nuclear power combined. For the last
decade, wind power has been the fastest growing
energy source on the planet, but now solar is vying
for frst place.
As the economies of scale have ramped up
for solar over the last few years, the cost has
plummeted, causing a worldwide solar explosion.
Rooftop solar, like the ones to be showcased this
weekend, are popping up everywhere. Last year,
Japan installed almost 4000 megawatts (4 Site C
dams worth) of rooftop solar. In one year! Over
two million homes are covered with solar panels in
Australia, and at least another million across Europe.
Yes, solar has fnally come of age.
Watts Happening?
by Don Pettit
for Peace Energy Cooperative
www.peaceenergy.ca ph 250-782-3882
Solar Power Open House
Peace Energy Coop is holding an open house and barbecue this Saturday afternoon, featuring tours of two
state-of-the-art solar power systems at South Peace Chiropractic (left) and Peace Energy headquarters next
door. Enjoy a burger and learn frst hand how solar power works. Everyone is welcome!
WATT YOULL SEE
At Peace Energy Coops solar open house, you will
have a chance to tour and learn about two types of
home-sized rooftop solar electric systems. Both feed
power into the grid (they are grid-tied for credit on
their electrical bills) but thats where the similarity
ends.
The South Peace Chiropractic solar array was
designed as a deluxe system with all of the bells
and whistles. The owner, Dr. Chris Garwah, wanted
back-up battery power so that when the grid goes
down, his practice can function for at least a day
or part of a day. That means keeping the lights on,
the computers and diagnostic equipment running,
and the furnace fan blowing. Not having to close
the doors on those no-grid days means providing
uninterrupted quality care to patients, and overall
better customer service. Meanwhile, the solar power
reduces or eliminates his electricity bills!
At South Peace Chiropractic, a 4-kilowatt solar
array feeds power to a grid-tie inverter, as well as a
battery charger that keeps the battery bank ready for
grid failure. When the grid goes down, the inverter
feeds battery power into the buildings electrical
system to keep critical systems up and running.
The switch from grid to battery power (and back
again when grid power is restored) is automatic and
instantaneous.
A system like this would also be ideal for of-grid,
independent power systems, where battery power
is essential. If you are considering a new country
home and thinking about NOT bringing power in,
then you should check this system out. Being power-
independent and of-grid has never been so easy,
inexpensive or reliable.
(I will qualify easy. If you are running of-grid
power, you are your own power company. You will
have to understand the system, maintain batteries,
and be able to change programming parameters
from tine to time to fne tune the system. Not rocket
science, but some care and attention will be called
for.)
Dr. Garwah also chose the new Smart Panels
that optimize output regardless of shading. These
powerful new panels allow Dr. Garwah to monitor
the output of each panel or the whole array from any
on-line computer or his smart phone, 24/7. Pretty
slick!
Next door, at the Peace Energy headquarters,
you will see a simpler but somewhat larger solar
electric system: a 5-kilowatt grid-tie system with no
battery back up. For many on-grid homeowners and
businesses, this will be the system of choice, both for
price and simplicity.
GRID-TIE SAVES MONEY
For both grid-tie systems, the existing Smart Meter
tracks how much power is used by the building as
well as how much is generated by the solar array.
The owner is billed only for the diference, and if at
the end of the year a surplus has been generated,
BC Hydro pays the owner for that surplus at 10 cents
per kilowatt-hour, a bit more than the 7 cents that
consumers usually pay for power. Not a big money
maker, but how often do you have a home asset
that pays for itself AT ALL?! With a twenty-fve year
guarantee on the solar panels, a solar array is a good
long-term investment for your home or ofce. It feels
good, it looks good, and it saves money.
Drop by for a burger and tour this Saturday
afternoon, and experience the future of electricity
frst hand. Youll be impressed.
Quick Fact:
CANADIAN SOLAR COMPANY NEAR FRONT OF THE PACK:
Canadian Solar, headquartered in Guelph, Ontario, ranked third on a new list of the worlds largest solar
electric panel manufacturers. Chinese companies hold seven of the top 10 spots, including number
one. Yea Ontario! Yea China!