Solartoday201103 DL

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solartoday.org SOLAR TODAY March 2011 3
Copyright 2011 by the American Solar Energy Society Inc. All rights reserved.
VOLume 25, NO. 2 march 2011 sOLartOday. Org
Next Issue: Selling Green
Marketing solar and green building systems has never been
more competitive. We share examples of leading marketing
strategies and ofer hands-on guidelines.
ON THE COVER: Since arriving at Colorado State University in
1999 with a range of renewable energy and efciency projects under
her belt, Utility Engineer Carol Dollard has led photovoltaic (PV)
installations on many university buildings. This 5.3-megawatt PV feld,
completed late last year, is expected to save CSU millions via a 20-year
power purchase agreement with Fotowatio Renewable Ventures.
Photo courtesy of Dan Bihn, DanBihn.com.
Articles appearing in this magazine are indexed in Environmental Periodicals Bibliography and ArchiText Construction Index: afsonl.com.
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22
CasE sTudy
|
A Historic Home
Goes Net-Zero-Energy
By Mathew Grocof
In retrofting their 110-year-old Victorian, Mat and
Kelly Grocof ofer a model for restoring the nations
existing houses.
28
GSHP Value Rising
By Piljae Im, Xiaobing Liu and Jef Munk
In an East Tennessee demonstration project, Oak Ridge
National Lab and partners evaluate two ground-source
heat pump technologies that together promise to reduce
the up-front investment and increase energy cost savings.
34
Harnessing the Sun,
Lakota Style
By Mike Koshmrl
On the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, solar
air heating helps ease crippling winter heating bills, while
providing jobs.
38
A Little Co-op
and How It Grew
By Robert Robinson
In Washington, D.C., a group of neighbors banded
together to win the fght for residential solar.
22
34
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10 advances
2011: Pricing Trends in PV
By Jay Holman
How the Clean Air Act Sells Solar
By Robert Ukeiley
IRS Provides Guidance for Residential PV
By Marc Schultz and Franc Del Fosse
16 innovators
Carol Dollard, PE, LEED AP
By Seth Masia
42 investing
Tide Turning for Ocean Energy?
By Rona Fried, Ph.D.
44 the trade
Small Wind and the
2011 National Electric Code
By Mick Sagrillo
46 solar installations
The Richmond Plunge, Richmond, Calif.
By Gina Johnson
62 system
accomplished
Osborne Coinage, Cincinnati
Solar Today is published by the american solar energy society, ases.org,
the u.s. section of the international solar energy society
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6 Whats New at SolarToday.org
8 Perspective
20 View from the States: Policy Shifts
48 New Products Showcase:
Solar Manufacturing Equipment
58 Inside ASES
60 Dates
60 Ad Index
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6 March 2011 SOLAR TODAY solartoday.org
whats new at solartoday.org
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Plug-In Electric Vehicles:
How Ready is Your City?
By Antonio Benecchi and Shamsuddin Syed
Te conversation about plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs)
has matured greatly over the past year. Mass market
PEVs are fnally here. Te frst wave of commercial PEVs
will likely fourish in only the readiest of cities
including traditional leaders like Portland and some
surprisingly aggressive followers, such as Houston. r
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Expanded from
View from the
States, page
20
>
Find policy
updates: solartoday.
org/states.
Expanded from
A Historic Home
Goes Net-Zero-En-
ergy, page 22
>
See a video and
case study on the
restoration of the
Grocofs 110-year-
old windows: solar
today.org/video.
20 March 2011 SOLAR TODAY solartoday.org Copyright 2011 by the American Solar Energy Society Inc. All rights reserved.
view from the states
Iowa
Four years ago former Gov. Chet Culver, a Democrat, created the Iowa Power Fund, which provides matching grants and loans for new renewable energy projects. The Power Fund has helped grow Iowas wind market into the nations second largest. New Gov. Terry Barnstad, a Republican, campaigned against the fund, telling the Sioux City Journal it was a colossal failure and the $25 million budget should be reallocated to reducing taxes. More recently Barnstad reversed course, saying that he expects the Power Fund to continue under the management of a dierent department. At press time, the programs fate hung in the balance. The states renewable energy community is skeptical. We think its highly unlikely the Barnstad administration extends [the Power Fund], says Steve Fugate, managing director of the Iowa Renewable Energy Association. A lot of his budget proposals are extremely draconian. The chances it continues to exist are nil.
Policy Shifts: Where the States Are Headed
The shift in political power following the November 2010 elections may threaten solar and wind policies in key states. Heres whats happening.
New Mexico
One of the rst moves for Republican Gov. Susana Martinez was to re every member of the states Environmental Improve- ment Board. Martinez alleged that the board promoted anti- business policies. The same week the new governor appointed Harrison Schmitt, an outspoken climate change skeptic, to run New Mexicos Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Depart- ment. Martinez also halted a new greenhouse gas emissions regulation that had been passed in the closing days of former Gov. Bill Richardsons administration. The move threatens to derail the Western Climate Initiative, which was designed to regulate emissions in seven U.S. states and four Canadian prov- inces. We currently have common sense, balanced approaches to protecting our environment, says Sanders Moore of Environ- ment New Mexico. We need to maintain the protections and safeguards that are in place.
Wisconsin
Wisconsins solar and wind economies are booming, driven by a robust renewable portfolio standard, the statewide Focus on Energy program and a number of municipal incentive programs. In Milwaukee, the number of solar installers has increased 250 percent since the beginning of 2009. The states wind capacity is up to 630 megawatts nearly 90 percent of which has come online since mid-2008. But new Gov. Scott Walkers support of renewable energy is unproven. During his campaign, Walker criticized Tom Barrett, his Democratic opponent, for supporting a radical environmental agenda that will cost us jobs. After taking oce, Walker turned down $810 million in federal stimulus funds to build a train line from Milwaukee to Madison. Then, in his rst executive order, Walker proposed a regulatory reform that would prohibit developers from siting a wind turbine within 1,800 feet of the nearest property line. When youre operating with setback distances this extreme, a lot of projects will cease to be economically feasible, says Michael Vickerman, executive director of RENEW Wisconsin. Its a shooting war right now. Whole businesses could shut down.
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Installed PV Costs Plummet in 2010
By Galen Barbose, Nam Darghouth and Ryan Wiser
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory research-
ers track trends in the installed cost of photovoltaics
(PV), which dropped more than 30 percent from
1998 to 2009. Early indications show that the rate of
decline accelerated in 2010.
1_64_March_ST11.indd 6 2/14/11 3:47:12 PM

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T
he American Solar Energy
Society (ASES) has a golden
opportunity in 2011 to drive the
transition to a new energy economy
at the state level. Last years mid-term
elections resulted in an historic number
of new legislators and a remarkable 29
new governors taking ofce. With this
large turnover in state leadership, we
face a tremendous need to educate the
new legislators, governors, state energy
ofce directors and their stafs on the
opportunity for economic recovery
and energy security that the sustainable
energy sectors can deliver. With more
than 10,000 members and regional
chapters in more than 40 states, ASES
is beter-positioned than any other nonproft clean
energy advocacy organization to lead the re-educa-
tion of our newly installed ofcials.
Several states made meaningful advances in
2010. For example, Colorado raised its renewable
energy standard (RES) to 30 percent (by 2020) and
California raised its standard to 33 percent (also by
2020). ASES can and should be active in pushing
other states for higher, more robust RESs in 2011.
Another critical issue will be to maintain the fund-
ing that allows state energy ofces to complete their
implementation of American Recovery and Rein-
vestment Act (ARR) programs. ASES chapters and
members could support revolving loan and loan-
loss-reserve programs that will ensure long-term
funding for state energy ofces.
When we speak of funding
ARRA-authorized programs, were
edging into the area of federal policy.
Energy policy activity in Washing-
ton since the mid-terms suggests
that for about the next two years our
focus will be to defend the ground
that clean energy has gained. A key
area for action will be to bulwark the
Environmental Protection Agencys
authority to regulate greenhouse gas
emissions under the Clean Air Act.
Another issue of national concern is
the future of property-assessed clean
energy (PACE) programs. Tese local
fnancing tools are still in limbo due to
mortgage-lending rules established by
the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie
Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp.
(Freddie Mac). ASES chapters and members should
step up in encouraging their congressional delega-
tions to support this innovative fnancing model.
Talk to your senators and congresspeople when
theyre at home in their districts. Tats the best time
to show them how PACE can support the vigorous
growth of local businesses.
As a society and industry, our strongest argu-
ment is our proven ability to generate jobs during
the worst economy since the Great Depression.
According to the Solar Energy Industries Associa-
tions National Jobs Census, the solar industry now
employs more than 100,000 people. ASES Green
Collar Jobs report estimates that aggressive deploy-
ment of renewable energy and energy-efciency
technologies should produce a net gain of 4.4 million
new jobs by 2020, over and above the 8.5 million
people employed by those industries in 2007. Pho-
tovoltaic (PV) installations rose 115 percent in 2010
alone, validating the Green Collar Jobs projection.
Te ASES Policy Commitee has begun devel-
oping a toolkit for chapters to use in educating
incoming administrations on best practices, model
policies and the economic development potential
of local sustainable energy businesses. We expect to
distribute the toolkit in time for the SOLAR 2011
Conference in Raleigh, N.C.
ASES has a story to tell. I urge you to get involved
in your local ASES chapter in 2011.Tats where the
action will be. See you all in Raleigh. ST
perspective
Taking our Message to the States
Now more than ever: Tink globally, act locally.
By JEFF LyNG
Irene Prez Law: ASES Interim Executive Director
Editorial
Gina R. Johnson: Editor/Associate Publisher
editor@solartoday.org
Seth Masia: Deputy Editor
Mike Koshmrl: Assistant Editor
Solartoday.org
Brooke Simmons: Manager of Online Publishing
Design
Allison J. Gray: Art Director
Dan Bihn: Photojournalist
Contributors
Richard Crume, Rona Fried, Chuck Kutscher, Joseph McCabe,
Liz Merry, Mick Sagrillo, Robert Ukeiley
Advertising
AnneteDelagrange: Director of Sales,
Colorado and Outside the U.S.
adelagrange@solartoday.org
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Magazine Advisory Council
GabrielaMartin, Chair
DanBihn PaulNotari
RichardCrume AlejandroPalomino
FrankKreith MickSagrillo
ChuckKutscher BobScheulen
JosephMcCabe RobertUkeiley
DonaMcClain JaneM. Weissman
ASES Operations
CarolynBeach: Membership Manager
RichardBurns: National Solar Tour Manager/
Chapters Liaison
BradleyD. Collins: National Campaign Director
ElenaHoffrichter: Bookkeeper
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Dona McClain: Program Coordinator
Joel Moore: National Solar Conference Assistant
Chris Stimpson: Executive Campaigner
Solar Nation, a program of ASES
ASES Board of Directors
JeffLyng, Chair
MargotMcDonald, Immediate Past Chair
BillPoulin, Treasurer
JasonKeyes, Secretary
Toni Bouchard DavidHill
RichardCaputo NathalieOsborn
DavidComis DavidPanich
GregoryEdwards Tehri Parker
TrudyForsyth Jeff Peterson
AllisonGray PhilSmithers
MaryGuzowski MarkThornbloom
SOLAR TODAy (ISSN: 1042-0630) is published nine times
per year by the American Solar Energy Society, 4760 Walnut
Street, Suite 106, Boulder, Colorado 80301, 303.443.3130,
fax 303.443.3212, ases@ases.org, ases.org. Copyright 2011
by the American Solar Energy Society Inc. All rights reserved.
leaDi ng the renewaBle energy revoluti on
SoLARToDAy. oRG
sOLaR TODAY
Jef Lyng is chair of

the american solar
energy society.
contact him at
chair@ases.org.
Get Involved:
register for solar 2011
SoLAR 2011 is Americas leading conference on
the emerging trends, technology and opportuni-
ties shaping the new energy economy. Its widely
recognized by solar energy professionals for its
cutting-edge educational content. SOLAR 2011
will take place at the Raleigh Convention Center,
May 17-21. ASES expects to attract more than 5,000
solar professionals, business leaders and entre-
preneurs to downtown Raleigh, with participants
traveling from across the United States and interna-
tionally. Register at nationalsolarconference.org.
1_64_March_ST11.indd 8 2/14/11 3:47:13 PM
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advances solar technology | analysis | markets
irs guidance for Pv 14 utility-scale storage in hawaii 14 fuel cell trucks test in socal 57
from the Solar@Work e-bulletin
T
he North American solar photovoltaic (PV) mar-
ket is poised for very strong growth in 2011,
driven in large part by subsidies but also pushed
along by falling prices and innovations that reduce sys-
tem-installation time and the associated labor costs.
Solar technology continues to rapidly evolve as ven-
dors both pursue cost reductions and strive to over-
come the grid-stability issues that arise when many PV
systems are concentrated in a small geographic area.
Given the early stage of solar technology, opportunities
abound for cost reductions, reliability improvements
and increased safety, whether they come through
new cell chemistries, manufacturing improvements,
increased standardization or balance-of-system (BOS)
innovations.
Price Pressure Continues in PV Modules
PV modules continue to evolve, and it will be some
time before a fnal winner emerges in the race to reduce
module costs. In the end, it may turn out that the low-
cost solution depends on the application. However,
picking the winning cell chemistry is less important in
todays market now that a number of manufacturers
have emerged as bankable. Even if another technol-
ogy prices crystalline silicon (c-Si) out of the market in
10 years, today it is the dominant cell chemistry and
developers can get funding for projects that use it.
With the potential for an oversupply of modules
in 2011, it could be business practices that differenti-
ate between bankable module manufacturers as much
or more than pricing. In the frenzied environment of
2010, some manufacturers reallocated modules from
North America to Germany in order to take advantage
of higher prices driven by the pending reduction of
German feed-in tariffs (FITs), and in some cases this had
a negative impact on project timelines in the United
States. These delays convinced some developers to
reevaluate their relationships with certain suppliers,
and if the market loosens in 2011 as expected, module
manufacturers that misled or mistreated customers in
the 2010 boom could suffer disproportionately.
Beyond relentless cost reduction, PV module man-
ufacturers are expected to continue to differentiate
themselves by adding intelligence to their modules in
the form of integrated microinverters and integrated
2011: Pricing Trends in PV
Pricing Trends continued on page 56
Jay holman (jholman@
energy-insights.com) is
research manager for
renewable energy
strategies at Idc (idc.com).
he holds an mBa from the
sloan school of manage-
ment, a masters ee/cs
from mIts school of engi-
neering, and a bachelors
in physics from colgate
university.
By Jay HolMan
San Francisco
Plugs In
5-MW Array
A 5-megawatt (MW)
PV system went live in
January on the roof of San
Franciscos Sunset Reser-
voir. The San Francisco
Public Utilities Commis-
sion purchases the power
under a 25-year power pur-
chase agreement with sys-
tem developer Recurrent
Energy. It triples the citys
nonhydro renewable elec-
tricity and offsets power
used by the airport, light-
rail and city buildings.
1_64_March_ST11.indd 10 2/14/11 3:47:15 PM
Brookhaven researchers
(left to right) Mircea Cotlet,
Ranjith Krishna Pai and Zhi-
hua Xu.
S
cientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory and
Los Alamos National Laboratory have fabricated
transparent thin flms capable of absorbing light
and generating electric charge over a relatively
large area. Te material, described in the journal Chem-
istry of Materials, could be used to develop transparent
solar panels or even windows that absorb solar energy to
generate electricity.
Te material consists of a semiconducting
polymer doped with carbon-rich fullerenes.
Under controlled conditions, the material self-
assembles to form a reproducible pattern of
micron-size hexagon-shaped cells over a relatively
large area (up to several millimeters).
Though such honeycomb-patterned thin
flms have previously been made using conven-
tional polymers like polystyrene, this is the frst
report of such a material that blends semiconduc-
tors and fullerenes to absorb light and efciently
generate charge and charge separation, said
lead scientist Mircea Cotlet, a physical chemist
at Brookhavens Center for Functional Nanoma-
terials (CFN).
Furthermore, the material remains largely
transparent because the polymer chains pack
densely only at the edges of the hexagons, while
remaining loosely packed and spread very thin
across the centers. Te densely packed edges
strongly absorb light and may also facilitate con-
ducting electricity, Cotlet explained, while the
centers do not absorb much light and are rela-
tively transparent.
Combining these traits and achieving large-scale pat-
terning could enable a wide range of practical applications,
such as energy-generating solar windows, transparent solar
panels and new kinds of optical displays, said co-author
Zhihua Xu, a materials scientist at the CFN.
Imagine a house with windows made of this kind of
material, which, combined with a solar roof, would cut
its electricity costs signifcantly. Tis is prety exciting,
Cotlet said.
Te scientists fabricated the honeycomb thin flms by
creating a fow of micrometer-size water droplets across a
thin layer of the polymer/fullerene-blend solution. Tese
water droplets self-assembled into large arrays within the
polymer solution. As the solvent completely evaporates,
the polymer forms a hexagonal honeycomb patern over
a large area.
Tis is a cost-efective method, with potential to be
scaled up from the laboratory to industrial-scale produc-
tion, Xu said.
Te research was supported at Los Alamos by the Depart-
ment of Energy Ofce of Science. Te work was also carried
out in part at the CFN and the Center for Integrated Nano-
technologies Gateway to Los Alamos (CINGLA) facility.
Te Brookhaven team included Mircea Cotlet, Zhihua Xu
and Ranjith Krishna Pai. Collaborators from Los Alamos
include Hsing-Lin Wang and Hsinhan Tsai, who are both
users of the CFN facilities at Brookhaven, Andrew Datel-
baum from the CINGLA facility, and project leader Andrew
Shreve of the Materials Physics and Applications Division.
Te CFN and CINGLA are two of the fve DOE Nano-
scale Science Research Centers (NSRCs), premier national
user facilities for interdisciplinary research at the nanoscale.
Together the NSRCs comprise a suite of complementary
facilities that provide researchers with state-of-the-art
capabilities to fabricate, process, characterize and model
nanoscale materials, and constitute the largest infrastruc-
ture investment of the National Nanotechnology Initiative.
Te NSRCs are located at DOEs Argonne, Brookhaven,
Lawrence Berkeley, Oak Ridge, Sandia and Los Alamos
national laboratories.
Access the article at bit.ly/gPPDXZ.
BROOkHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORy
Transparent PV Material May Find Use in Windows
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| clean air policy advances
robert ukeiley (rukeiley
@igc.org) is a lawyer
who represents envi-
ronmental nonprofts in
clean air act litigation
afecting energy issues.
By RoBERT UKEILEy
How the Clean Air Act Sells Solar
T
he Clean Air Act provides renewable energy compa-
nies with an opportunity to create or greatly expand
specifc regional markets for certain applications. All
that is required on the part of the renewable energy compa-
nies is a small amount of advocacy and information sharing
with local, state and federal air pollution control agencies.
To help you understand this opportunity, I will briefy
review the basic structure of the Clean Air Act. Te U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets National
Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), which is the
acceptable amount of air pollution in the outside air for
various pollutants. EPA then designates every area in the
country as either nonatainment, meaning the air pollu-
tion in that area is worse than the NAAQS, or atainment,
meaning the air pollution in that area is beter than the
NAAQS. State or local air agencies then have to come up
with plans for how to lower air pollution in nonatainment
areas or not let air pollution increase in atainment areas.
Tese plans are known as State Implementation Plans, or
SIPs. EPA then approves or disapproves the SIPs, based on
various specifc criteria as well as whether the SIP will actu-
ally achieve its environmental objective. Te Clean Air Act
requires public notice and an opportunity for the public to
submit comments, both when the state or local air agency
creates the SIP and again when EPA is considering whether
to approve or disapprove the SIP.
SIPs for nonatainment areas usually have to contain
new rules applying Reasonably Available Control Technol-
ogy (RCT) to existing sources of pollution. RCT was
ofen thought of as end of the pipe pollution controls like
catalysts or scrubbers. However, RCT can be cleaner fuels
like the sun and wind.
For example, EPA recently considered the SIP for Cali-
fornias San Joaquin Valley fne-particulate-mater non-
atainment area. Te San Joaquin Valley could be a huge
renewable energy market. It is home to more than 4 million
people and is the nations leading agricultural area.
Among the sources of fne-particulate-mater air pol-
lution in the San Joaquin Valley are stationary agricultural
pump engines. RCT for these engines could be using PV
rather than diesel-fuel generators. Other relevant sources of
pollution are boilers, steam generators and process heaters of
various sizes, stationary gas turbines, reciprocating internal
combustion engines, residential water heaters, natural gas-
fred residential furnaces and wood-burning freplaces and
heaters. Successfully implementing RCT for these sources
could greatly expand the renewable energy market.
Tere are nonatainment areas across the country. If you
want to get involved in helping to ensure RCT is based on
renewable energy sources, a good place to start is meeting
with the planning section of your state or local air agencies
to fnd out what opportunities are coming up.
Cruise Ship Terminal Gets 1-MW Array
C
upertino Electric has commissioned a 1-MW roofop PV system at berths
93A and B of the World Cruise Ship Terminal at the Port of Los Angeles. Te
71,500-square-foot silicon array uses a self-ballasted racking system that does not
penetrate the terminals roof. Te Port and the Terminal are both agencies of the
city of Los Angeles, and the solar project is part of the citys Solar LA Program,
which aims to put 400 MW on city roofops by 2014 and provide 10 percent of the
citys electricity through renewable sources by 2020.
Cruise Ship Gets 80-kW Thin-Film Array
BAM Solar of Miami has installed an 80-kilowatt (kW) Uni-Solar
fexible thin-flm array on Royal Caribbeans Allure of the Seas
cruise ship. The array provides a portion of the electricity used
by the ships shopping decks. BAM President Andrew Rasken
notes that the project required a lightweight array that would
tolerate foot trafc and, most importantly, fasten without deck
penetrations. This is the second such installation on a Royal
Caribbean ship.
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1_64_March_ST11.indd 12 2/14/11 3:47:18 PM
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NEMA Publishes
Incandescent Bulb
Phase-Out Brochure
the national electrical manu-
facturers association (nema) has
published lighting options for
your home, a brochure clarify-
ing the upcoming phase-out of
incandescent light bulbs. Begin-
ning in 2012, and a year earlier in
california, traditional 100-watt,
75-watt, 60-watt and 40-watt
bulbs will be phased out, with a
completion date of 2014.
options for lighting homes
and offices include halogen,
compact fuorescent and leD
light sources, each of which is
explained in detail.
Download the publication at
tinyurl.com/nemalights.
Bakersfeld
College
Dedicates
1.1-MW
SunPower
System
s
unPower in December completed
a 1.1-MW solar power system at
Bakersfeld College in California. Te sys-
tem should supply about one-third of the
colleges electricity demand. Construct-
ed in fve months, the system features a
3.1-acre parking lot canopy with nearly
3,700 SunPower solar panels on tracking
mounts. Te array is designed to displace
2.3 million pounds of carbon dioxide each
year, equivalent to removing more than
5,900 cars from Californias roads over the
30-year life of the system.
1_64_March_ST11.indd 13 2/14/11 3:47:19 PM
| solar incentives advances
B
ecause renewable portfolio standard incentives
vary widely from state to state, residential solar
integrators and installers conducting operations in
more than one state may have a challenge with quantifying
the incentives available to their residential customers. One
might assume that the easy part would be quantifying the
federal income tax credit portion of the incentive package.
However, the amount of income tax credits available to a
homeowner depends on the income tax treatment of the
state incentives received. Fortunately, a recent private let-
ter ruling provides more guidance from the IRS.
Last year, with the assistance of the solar integrator
American Solar Electric, we sought an IRS private leter
ruling for an Arizona taxpayer who was seeking clarity
from the IRS on applicable federal income tax credits. Te
ruling, PLR 201035003, sheds light on the thought pro-
cess of the IRS in calculating the federal income tax credit
pursuant to Section 25D of the Internal Revenue Code.
Section 25D provides that an individual who purchases a
residential solar system is eligible for a federal income tax
credit equal to 30 percent of the cost of that system. In
addition, many states with a renewable portfolio standard
have a program by which an incentive is paid by the local
utility to residents who purchase and install a residential
solar system.
Te facts and circumstances of a particular states
subsidy or incentive program are crucial to determining
the tax implications of such payments and the applicable
federal income tax credit. For instance, payments received
from a utility are generally subject to income tax. How-
ever, Section 136 of the Internal Revenue Code provides
that a subsidy from a public utility to a customer for
the purchase or installation of an energy-conservation
measure is not considered gross income to the taxpayer.
Ideally, a homeowner would like to receive both the pay-
ment from the utility on a tax-free basis and the federal
income tax credit on the full purchase price of the system.
To prevent such double dipping, Section 136 provides
that the base on which the Section 25D tax credit is deter-
mined must be reduced by the amount of any payment
from a public utility that is excluded from gross income
pursuant to Section 136.
In PLR 201035003, the taxpayer sold title and own-
ership of all environmental credits, benefts, emissions
reductions, ofsets and allowances (including the renew-
able energy credits) generated over the applicable period
of time to the local utility for a one-time payment. Tis
one-time payment was paid pursuant to an interconnec-
tion and purchase agreement utilized by the utility in
compliance with Arizonas renewable portfolio standard.
Te IRS determined that under the facts and circum-
stances at issue, the payment received in exchange for
the renewable energy credits and environmental atri-
butes was not a subsidy under Section 136 but rather
a sale transaction. Accordingly, the IRS concluded that
the taxpayer was able to obtain the Section 25D income
tax credit on the full purchase price of the residential
solar system (without reduction for the amount of the
payment received from the utility). Te IRS further con-
cluded that the taxpayer needed to report the gain from
the sale in gross income.
Ultimately, a private leter ruling is only binding upon
the IRS with respect to the taxpayer that requested the
ruling. Nonetheless, PLR 201035003 gives much-needed
insight into the views of the IRS, and we believe that inte-
grators, utilities and customers operating under incentive
programs similar to the one at issue in this ruling might
consider the implications of this guidance. We hope that
the IRS will issue general guidance applicable to all federal
taxpayers in the near future. For now, taxpayers should
consult with their tax advisors regarding the implications
of PLR 201035003.
L
arge-scale power storage has long been cited
as a goal to even out the intermittency of
solar and wind power. In Hawaii, massive bat-
tery banks are now becoming standard
operating procedure for wind and solar
resources serving small isolated grids.
In January, Kauai Island Utility Cooper-
ative (KIUC) agreed to purchase a 1.5 -MW
utility-scale battery storage system from
Xtreme Power of Kyle, Texas, to be installed at the
Koloa substation. This battery bank will smooth out
the power feed from a 3-MW photovoltaic project as
clouds pass over, helping to stabilize the utilitys rela-
tively small grid. Also in January, Xtreme announced
the sale of a 10-MW storage system to serve a 21-MW
wind farm to be built on Maui. Both systems will
come online later this year.
The sales mark the fourth and ffth large battery
systems sold by Xtreme in Hawaii. Battery banks are
already in place to serve wind farms on Maui, Lanai
and Oahu. The new systems will bring installed bat-
tery capacity to 30 MW.
Utility-Scale Power Storage Goes Mainstream in Hawaii
the authors want you to
know that this article should
under no circumstance be
construed as providing tax
advice. marc schultz is a tax
partner with snell & wilmer
(swlaw.com), a law frm
with eight ofces across
the southwest. he chairs
the frms tax credit fnance
practice and co-chairs the
frms fund formation and
investment practice. franc
Del fosse is a transactional
partner with snell & wilmer.
he chairs the frms renew-
able energy industry group.
irs Provides guidance for residential Pv
By MARC SCHULTZ and
FRANC DEL FoSSE
1_64_March_ST11.indd 14 2/14/11 3:47:19 PM
Cenergy Opens 1.1-MW System
for Primex Farms
Cenergy Power has completed a 1.108-MW PV system for
Primex Farms at its state-of-the-art processing facility in
Wasco, Calif. Primex is a leading grower of pistachios and
trader of dried fruits and nuts. The array bridges two facility
roofs and a set of carports, and is designed to produce about
1.7 million kilowatt-hours annually.
SolarWorld to
Power Haitian
Medical Clinics
some 100 kilowatts of modules
arrived in haiti in December, en route
to fve remote medical centers. the
shipment of 440 230-watt sunmodule
panels constitutes the third round of
equipment that solarworld has pro-
vided to meet growing humanitarian
needs in haiti since 2009.
the equipment will power medical
gear, refrigeration and air condition-
ing for clinics at la colline, arrondisse-
ment de lascahobas, thomonde,
Petite riviere and verrettes. installa-
tion work is expected to take place
through spring.
solar electric light fund (self),
a u.s. nonproft that uses sustain-
able energy to aid developing com-
munities, is managing the project
to largely replace diesel generators
at clinics of Partners in health (Pih),
an international medical relief orga-
nization. solarworld, self and Pih
staged a similar project at a clinic in
Boucain-carr, haiti, in 2009. after
the jan. 12, 2010, earthquake, solar-
world provided the nonproft water
missions international with panels for
water-pumping stations there.
Advances continues on page 57
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innovators
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carol Dollard, Pe, leeD aP
T
UCKED AGAINST THE FOOTHILLS WEST
of Fort Collins, Colo., is Christman Field, named
for Bert Christman, a local kid who trained as
a naval aviator, joined the American Volunteer
Group in Burma and was killed a month afer Pearl Harbor
while fying in defense of Rangoon. In 2007, Colorado State
University closed the airport.
Today, a 30-acre triangle at the southwest corner of
the feld is home to 5.3 megawats (MW) of photovoltaic
modules the largest on-campus PV array in the United
States. Te project, completed in two phases in late 2009
and 2010, was driven by Carol Dollard, Colorado States
utility engineer, and a team of engineers and professionals
in the facilities department.
Dollard grew up with engineering in her blood. Her
father, a Boeing engineer, worked at NASAs Manned
Spacefight Center in Huntsville, Ala., so she knew all about
PV for satellites. She built her frst solar water-heating sys-
tem as a high school science project and arrived on the
CSU campus, in 1978, she says, determined to be a solar
engineer and save the world. She spent the next couple of
years dividing her time between the Fort Collins campus
and the space fight center, where she interned. She earned
bachelors and masters degrees in mechanical engineering
and LEED AP certifcation; she worked for the Plate River
Power Authority, the City of Longmont Electric Depart-
ment and the City of Fort Collins Utilities (a municipal
utility district), driving a wide variety of energy-efciency
and renewable energy projects. In 1999, she returned to the
university full-time, as a facilities engineer, and then added a
role as an adjunct professor of construction management.
Colorados Amendment 37, passed by voters in 2004,
established a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) with a
solar carve-out. In 2006, with the support of Michael Ran-
dall, Brian Chase and Steve Hultin of the facilities depart-
ment, Dollard began planning for a large PV array. Atorney
Jason Johnson handled the complex contract work.
Dollards group began with some smaller projects. Te
engineering building got an 18.9-kilowat (kW) array in
June 2009, followed by a 12.6-kW array at the Academic
Village, both systems installed by Bella Energy. Tose bids
came in at lower costs than the planning process had antici-
pated, an encouraging discovery. In recognition of win-
ter weather realities, these arrays were designed for wind
speeds of 90 mph, while the Christman Field arrays are
engineered to withstand 115-mph wind.
In August 2009, construction began on phase one of the
large Christman Field array. Te original Amendment 37
capped customer-sited, grid-tied solar projects at 2 MW,
so thats what was designed. Funding came from Fotowatio
Renewable Ventures, which owns and operates the plant.
Colorado State agreed to purchase the electricity through
a purchase power agreement, and Xcel Energy purchased
In Colorado,
an engineer pioneers
utility-scale projects
for a university.

1_64_March_ST11.indd 16 2/14/11 3:47:21 PM
Miyachi Unitek offers a comprehensive range of both laser
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1_64_March_ST11.indd 17 2/14/11 3:47:21 PM
innovators
Grab your opportunity.
Register now.
Register online nowfor SOLAR 2011,
the premier technical conference for solar energy and
energy efciency professionals in the U.S.
Visit www.nationalsolarconference.org
Presented by American Solar Energy Society with North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association
May 1721, 2011 Raleigh, North Carolina
SOLAR2011_ad_STMar2011_Reg-v2:Layout 1 1/14/11 6:13 PM Page 1
the renewable energy credits. Contractor AMEC installed 8,697 230-wat
Trina silicon modules on single-axis trackers, driven by eight motors and
feeding four locally built Advanced Energy inverters. Te system was online
by December 2009.
Because the project put 2 MW onto 15 acres, there was plenty of room
for wide spacing between the tracking arrays. Tis made construction easier
and obviated any shading issues, but in retrospect, Dollard says, they might
have spaced the arrays closer, which would have made room for more capac-
ity at the site. As it happened, the state legislature lifed the 2-MW cap on
PV when the RPS was expanded to 20 percent (it now stands at 30 percent
by 2020), and the planning team got to work on phase two. Contractor
GES flled the corners of the triangle, roughly another 15 acres, with 3.3
MW of the same modules on fxed frames, tilted 20 degrees. Phase two
went live in December. Te Christman solar feld can generate 8.5 million
kilowat-hours annually, enough to provide 33 percent of the Foothills
Campus annual energy use. Te university buys that power at a fxed rate
from Fotowatio, on a 20-year contract. With traditional electric rates rising
at about 6 percent annually, Dollard says, the entire project is expected to
save the university millions.
2010 also saw installation of a 15.75-kW PV roofop array at the Behav-
ioral Science Building and another 132-kW roofop array on the Lake Street
parking garage, both by Bella Energy, and a ground-mount 57-kW system
by Encore Electric at the Research Innovation Center. Dollard would like
to put solar water-heating panels on the universitys swimming pools and
residence halls, but capital is tight now, and most renewable incentives
support direct electric power generation. With the Colorado State Forest
Service (a CSU agency), facilities installed a wood-chip biomass boiler in
2008, and the department is now investigating burning biogas out of the
Larimer County landfll. Meanwhile, the university has six LEED Gold-
certifed buildings and is puting up six more. SETH MASIA
Because the project put 2 MW onto 15 acres, there was plenty of room for
wide spacing between the tracking arrays.
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1_64_March_ST11.indd 18 2/14/11 3:47:22 PM
$/W is soooo 2008.
Introducing the UJ6 module series
from Mitsubishi Electric
212 to 235 watts
With the solar industry shifting its focus from $/W to $/kWh, a modules real-life energy performance is extremely important.
Mitsubishi Electric PV modules have one of the highest PTC ratings in the industry and are well known for exceeding power output
expectations in real life conditions. All of our PV modules have a tight +/- 3% power tolerance, a 25-year power output warranty,
and are known for their exceptional quality and reliability.
In our new UJ6 series, weve not only increased the number of cells per module from 50 to 60, weve also improved the cell
eciency to bring you more power per square foot. Mitsubishi Electric PV modules have some of the most innovative safety
features in the industry including a triple-layer junction box, 100% lead-free solder, and a back protection bar for extra support.
The new modules range in size from 212 watts to 235 watts and are designed for roof mount or ground mount commercial
installations.
For more information please
email pv@meus.mea.com
call 714-236-6137 or visit
www.MitsubishiElectricSolar.com
Its all about $/kWh now.
1_64_March_ST11.indd 19 2/14/11 3:47:22 PM
view from the states
Iowa
Four years ago former Gov. Chet Culver, a Democrat, created
the Iowa Power Fund, which provides matching grants and
loans for new renewable energy projects. the Power fund has
helped grow iowas wind market into the nations second larg-
est. new gov. terry Barnstad, a republican, campaigned against
the fund, telling the Sioux City Journal it was a colossal failure
and the $25 million budget should be reallocated to reducing
taxes. more recently Barnstad reversed course, saying that he
expects the Power fund to continue under the management of
a diferent department. at press time, the programs fate hung
in the balance. the states renewable energy community is
skeptical. we think its highly unlikely the Barnstad administra-
tion extends [the Power fund], says steve fugate, managing
director of the iowa renewable energy association.
Policy Shifts: Where the States Are Headed
The shift in political power following the November elections
may threaten solar and wind policies in key states. Heres
whats happening.
Compiled by Mike Koshmrl, Assistant Editor
New Mexico
one of the frst moves for Republican Gov. Susana Marti-
nez was to fre every member of the states Environmental
Improvement Board. martinez alleged that the board pro-
moted anti-business policies. the same week the new gover-
nor appointed harrison schmitt, an outspoken climate change
skeptic, to run new mexicos energy, minerals and natural
resources Department. martinez also halted a new greenhouse
gas emissions regulation that had been passed in the closing
days of former gov. Bill richardsons administration. the regula-
tion was later reinstated by the state supreme court. we cur-
rently have common sense, balanced approaches to protecting
our environment, says sanders moore of environment new
mexico. we need to maintain the protections and safeguards
that are in place.
Wisconsin
Wisconsins solar and wind economies are booming, driven
by a robust renewable portfolio standard, the statewide
Focus on Energy program and a number of municipal incen-
tive programs. in milwaukee, the number of solar installers has
increased 250 percent since the beginning of 2009. the states
wind capacity is up to 630 megawatts nearly 90 percent of
which has come online since mid-2008. But new gov. scott
walkers support of renewable energy is unproven. During his
campaign, walker criticized tom Barrett, his Democratic oppo-
nent, for supporting a radical environmental agenda that will
cost us jobs. after taking ofce, walker turned down $810
million in federal stimulus funds to build a train line from mil-
waukee to madison. then, in his frst executive order, walker
proposed a regulatory reform that would prohibit develop-
ers from siting a wind turbine within 1,800 feet of the nearest
property line. when youre operating with setback distances
this extreme, a lot of projects will cease to be economically
feasible, says michael vickerman, executive director of renew
wisconsin. its a shooting war right now. whole businesses
could shut down.
1_64_March_ST11.indd 20 2/14/11 3:47:23 PM
Florida
Very little is known about new Republican Gov. Rick Scotts
stance on renewable energy policy. floridas photovoltaic
incentive ($4 per watt) sunset june 30, and the state legislature
declined to appropriate any funding to restart the program.
with no state renewable portfolio standard and no incentive
program, its looking like a grim 2011 for the sunshine states
renewable energy business community. the new governor
says that my priority is jobs, jobs, jobs, says al simpler, owner
of tallahassee-based simpler solar. well, the solar industry in
florida has lost roughly 30 percent of all its integrator busi-
nesses, and thats just since june.
New Jersey
Renewable energy policy in New Jersey, which has the
nations second-largest photovoltaic (PV) market, has seen
its ups and downs since Republican Gov. Chris Christie took
ofce in January. amendments made to the states energy
master Plan in august bolstered prospects for ofshore wind,
but put in place tighter restrictions on new onshore wind and
solar projects. new installations are now required to be sited
within 120 feet of existing structures on already disturbed land.
the new rules severely restrict the ability to put clean energy
in most of new jerseys coastal areas, says jef tittel, the direc-
tor of the new jersey sierra club. in fact, under those rules its
easier to put up a warehouse than a solar farm. its easier to put
a ferris wheel on a pier than a windmill.
Michigan
Under Gov. Jennifer Granholm, renewable energy projects
made good progress so much so that theres a solid base
of emerging solar and wind manufacturers and a recogniz-
able jobs base. new gov. rick snyder was the frst republican
ever endorsed by the michigan league of conservation voters
and served on the board of the nature conservancys michigan
chapter. his administration is not likely to put the brakes on the
brightest area of jobs growth in the state. michigan has expe-
rienced large investment in renewable energy, particularly in
the manufacturing side of the business, says jennifer alvarado,
executive director of the great lakes renewable energy asso-
ciation, ases michigan chapter. i think that gov. snyder will
want to continue this and use renewable energy as an oppor-
tunity for economic development.
Ohio
As a personality on Fox News, ohio Gov. John Kasich has
repeatedly challenged climate change science and green-
house gas emissions policy. he has criticized ohios ambi-
tious renewable portfolio standard (rPs), saying it will drive
up utility bills. under pressure from the states fast-growing
renewable energy business community, he has since backed
down from his anti-rPs position. one of departing ohio gov.
ted stricklands fnal pleas was for Kasich to save a $400 mil-
lion high-speed passenger rail project that would have been
fnanced entirely by the federal stimulus package. Before he
was sworn into ofce, Kasich confrmed he would turn down
the free federal money. were hopeful that green jobs will be
part of gov. Kasichs agenda, says Bill spratley, the executive
director of green energy ohio, ases ohio chapter. jobs are the
big issue here, and right now theres just so much activity with
renewable energy. thats why im optimistic.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is a coal state, and it has Marcellus shale natu-
ral gas reserves. nuclear plants provide about 21 percent of
the states electric power. During his campaign, incoming gov.
tom corbett espoused an energy policy calling for more of
everything, especially liquid fuels derived from coal, gas and
biomass. one goal: refocusing the Department of environ-
mental Protection by getting back to basics. corbetts appoint-
ment of Patrick henderson as energy executive, an all-new
cabinet post, suggests this will not translate into neglect for
Pennsylvanias growing renewable energy community. Patrick
has a strong background and knows the solar issues, says mau-
reen mulligan, owner of harrisburg-based sustainable futures
communications. as the chief of staf for the senate energy,
resources and environment committee, he always had an open
door to the solar industry.
cLIcK Find policy updates: solartoday.org/states.
1_64_March_ST11.indd 21 2/14/11 3:47:24 PM
case study historical renovation
I
t is essential that new houses be constructed to produce as much
energy as they use. But how much would we reduce our carbon output
if, in coming years, we did so but ignored existing homes? Te answer
is zero. Of the 130 million existing U.S. homes, the nearly half having
inadequate insulation are responsible for 22 percent of our carbon
emissions. Yet virtually all of the net-zero-energy homes in the United States
fewer than 100 are new construction or major gut renovations. What
will it take to address existing houses immediately and afordably?
In 2006, my wife, Kelly, and I found our dream come true in the Old
West Side Historic District of Ann Arbor, Mich.: a circa 1901 folk-Victorian
home with lead paint, asbestos siding, a 40 percent-efcient 1957 Mueller
Climatrol gas furnace and a gas-powered lawn mower out in the shed. Other
buyers saw a nightmare. We saw a rock-solid Edwardian-period home,
within walking distance of everything we need, with a 180-degree, south-
facing roof with a 45-degree pitch. Developing its potential, we knew, could
be an inspiration, an urgent calling and a model for not only preserving
history, but also protecting our future.
When we purchased our home, I had already started Greenovation.
TV, a multimedia website intended to educate others about how to make
existing homes sustainable. So, from the start, net-zero was a goal for our
new home. I was inspired by Ray Anderson, CEO of carpet-maker Inter-
face Inc. Anderson set a Mission Zero goal to transform his multinational
Kelly and matt grocof bought their
circa 1901 ann arbor, mich., home
in 2006. for most of the 1900s,
the family of Philip and elizabeth gauss
lived in the house.
Philip and elizabeth gauss at the
ann arbor, mich., house circa 1913.
their daughter gert, who was born
in the front parlor in 1920, sold the
house to the grocofs.
matthew grocof is a producer and host of greenovation.tV, contributor to the
environment report on public radio (environmentreport.org), the green renova-
tion expert for Old house Web (oldhouseweb.com), a frequent lecturer and has
been featured in the Washington Post, USA Today, Detroit Free Press, NBc detroit and
countless online magazines and blogs. USA Today recently honored the grocofs
home as one of the top green houses of 2010. check out greenovation.tV for
instructional videos and information about grocofs house restoration.

A Historic Home
Goes Net-Zero-Energy
In retrofitting their
110-year-old
Victorian,
Matt and Kelly Grocoff
offer a model for
restoring the nations
existing houses.
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By MaTTHEW GROCOFF
1_64_March_ST11.indd 22 2/14/11 3:47:25 PM
Limited to 550 square
feet (51 square meters)
of roof space, the Gro-
cofs chose 18.1 per-
cent-efcient SunPower
225 Signature Black
panels. The panels
black-on-black aesthet-
ics helped the system
gain approval from the
Ann Arbor Historic Dis-
trict Commission.
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1_64_March_ST11.indd 23 2/14/11 3:47:26 PM
corporation in his words, a pillager and a thief into a restorative company
that will eliminate any negative impact it has on the environment.
We created our own Mission Zero vision of a home that was powered by renew-
able energy, created zero waste and would be a restorative part of our commu-
nity (www.missionzerohouse.com). But producing our own energy was a goal we
thought would follow years of saving.
Before we began restoring our old home, it consumed about $2,800 in energy
annually. If we continued this consumption level in the house, we would spend
$83,510 over 20 years, when adjusted for 4 percent energy infation. With this
number in mind, we set out to determine how to best invest in our home.
In four years, we made our 110-year-old home exceptionally efcient through
retrofts that never compromised the structure. Ten the stars aligned last year, with
a 30 percent federal tax credit, an aggressive incentive program from our utility and
a solar loan fnancing option at 5.5 percent interest from SunPower (sunpowercorp.
com). With the addition of an 8.1-kilowat photovoltaic system last fall, our house
was on track to become the oldest residence in North America to achieve net-zero
energy, Michigans frst net-zero solar home and the frst net-zero historic rehabilita-
tion in a designated historic district.
Preserving the Past, Protecting the future
Reaching net-zero-energy is a challenge in any home. Exacerbating maters,
many tools available for a new construction or a gut rehab were not options for us.
Simple design and materials solutions like SIP or ICF superinsulation, triple-pane
new windows or maximizing south-facing windows would have required more new
material, negatively impacted the historic integrity of the house and, above all, were
prohibited by the Ann Arbor Historic District Commission.
To meet historic preservation standards, we needed to respect the character-
defning features of the home: We could not alter the interior plaster walls, original
wood clapboard siding or the 110-year-old single-pane windows; we could not
add or remove any windows or doors; and we needed approval from the Historic
District Commission to install roofop solar.
Rather than viewing them as barriers, I consider many of these preservation
restrictions to be sustainability standards. Limited to the same footprint, foor plan,
materials and design of the original home, were able to show how to improve the
homes where ordinary Americans live.
Pv system stats
Array Capacity: 8.1 kilowatts
Modules: 36 SunPower 225 Signature Black
225-watt panels
Inverters: Enphase M210 Microinverters
Partner: Mechanical Energy Systems, Canton, Mich.
Estimated annual production: 10,581 kilowatt-hours
Budgeted annual consumption: 10,253 kWh
grocof net-Zero-energy restoration
Year Built: 1901
Conditioned Space: 2,055 square feet
Living Space: 1,300 square feet
Insulation: $3,600, not including tax credits or incentives
UltimateAir Energy Recovery Ventilator: $3,600
Restoration of 110-year-old Windows: $6,000
Wattstopper Motion-Sensor Light Switches: $500
Bricor and Hansgrohe Showerheads: $80
Smart Strip: $50
CFL and LED Light Bulbs: $150
Current Cost Energy Monitor: $150
Trapp Co. Storm Windows with Low-E Glass: $1,600,
including 30% federal tax credit
WaterFurnace Envision
Geothermal Heat-Pump System, 3-Ton: $20,000,
including $300 rebate (now would be $14,000
with 30% federal tax credit)
8.1-Kilowatt SunPower Photovoltaic System: $19,900
after incentives
Photovoltaic System Cost Breakdown
Total cost before incentives: $56,150
Estimated federal tax credit: $16,800
Upfront REC payment from DTE Energy: $19,440*
Estimated annual payment from DTE Energy
for energy generation: $1,164
($23,300 over 20 years)
Estimated annual credit on DTE Energy bills: $1,164
Total system cost after incentives: $19,900
Estimated 20-year pre-tax proft: $26,690
Estimated 20-year utility costs without retrofts: $83,510
* Note: REC (renewable energy credit) payment
will be claimed as 1099 income on federal taxes.
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1_64_March_ST11.indd 24 2/14/11 3:47:27 PM
insulating and sealing the envelope
Restoring the Windows. Drafy old windows, perhaps our homes great-
est challenge, were also our biggest success. Not only did we believe we
should restore our windows, but historic-preservation standards prohibit
the replacement of original windows when they are reparable. Our windows
are wood, double-hung with single-pane wavy glass panes and pulley and
sash weights. None of the windows was operable.
Preservationists Lorri Sipes and Maggie Hostetler from the Wood Win-
dow Repair Co. (woodwindowrepair.biz) convinced me that they could
make our 110-year-old windows virtually as airtight as new. Te results have
made me a window-restoration evangelist.
Last June, on the morning before we began restoring our old windows,
the nonproft Clean Energy Coalition (cec-mi.org) performed a blower-
door test to establish a baseline airfow rate for our house. At 50 pascals,
we had an exchange rate of 4,400 cubic feet per minute (CFM50), typical
for an old Victorian.
Over several weeks, my wife, her father, a group of workshop participants
and I worked with Lorri and Maggie to restore the windows. We added sili-
cone bulb weather-stripping to the top, botom and meeting rails, bronze
weather-stripping to the jambs and restored or replaced the hardware.
Now all windows can be opened and closed with a single fnger. Te
follow-up blower-door tests measured only 1,500 CFM50, an astonishing
66 percent air-leakage reduction just from sealing the windows.
By adding storms, we achieved a total house air-leakage reduction of 70
percent. We used Snowbird storm windows with low-e glass from Trapp
Co. (trappdoors.com/storm_windows.htm). Te secondary pane created
a bit tighter air seal, 1,300 CFM50, while preserving the original windows.
Insulating with Low Impact. For more than a century our home had
zero insulation. Te atic had a single layer of newspaper dated 1902.
Te walls were hollow balloon framing. Te basement had mousetraps
and plenty of daylight coming through the sill plate on top of the original
stone foundation.
Since we could not and did not want to alter the interior plaster
walls, we hired Farmers Insulation (farmersinsulationinc.com) to blow
dense pack cellulose into the wall cavities to achieve an R-value between
11 and 13. We insisted that the installer remove two rows of the original
clapboard siding, then cut holes in the lathe sheathing to get the hose into
each cavity. Once the installation was complete, the installer was able to put
the original clapboard back in place without damaging the exterior.
Cellulose had the added benefts of reducing the fre risk in the balloon
framing and acting as a pest repellent (pests are the No. 1 cause of dam-
age to historic homes). We avoided spray foam in the walls because of the
potential for damage to the interior plaster and because it would become a
permanent part of the historic structure.
Meadowlark Energy (meadowlarkenergy.com), a whole-house perfor-
mance company, sprayed 5 inches (13 cm) of open-cell foam on the base-
ment sill plate. For the atic, we originally blew in R-60 of cellulose. But we
knew from the start it was not an ideal solution. First, the only place to install
Limited to the same footprint, foor plan,
materials and design of the original home,
were able to show how to improve the homes
where ordinary americans live.

In designing the PV system, Mechanical Energy Systems consulted with the
roofer to ensure the integrity of the hot roof and asphalt shingles. To avoid
roof leaks, the crew used Quick Mount PVs fully fashed racking.
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1_64_March_ST11.indd 25 2/14/11 3:47:28 PM
return air ducts for the geothermal system was
in the atic. Simply wrapping them in layers of
insulation and burying them under cellulose was
far from optimal. Secondly, because the house
has no soft or ridge vents, the original gable
windows allowed the potential for moisture infl-
tration and did not adequately vent the atic. Te
atic also experienced annual temperature swings
from 150F (66C) in August to -20F (-29C)
in January not a healthy environment for the
house or roof.
Tree years later, the addition of an energy
recovery ventilator (ERV) in the atic forced us
to correct that decision (more about the ERV
below). We worked with Meadowlark Energy
to spray 7 inches (18 cm) of Demilec Sealection
500 open-cell (demilecusa.com) on the under-
side of the roof deck to create a hot roof, turning
the atic into a conditioned space for the ventila-
tion system and the return air ducts. Tese mea-
sures altered no historical features of the house
and can be removed later if needed. Tey also
provide a great air seal and prevent criters from
fnding their way into the space.
installing efcient hvac systems
Te frst few months living in our house were
a trial in wastefulness and discomfort. Despite
the $350 per month utility bill we paid to run the
Mueller Climatrol furnace, we went to bed each
night in sweatshirts, under two comforters and
with a heated buckwheat pillow at our feet.
Although we installed our WaterFurnace
Envision ground-source system (waterfurnace.
com) a year before the 30 percent tax incentive
became available (we got only a $300 rebate),
it was still a no-brainer for us. By working the
$20,000 system into our mortgage, we were able
to have positive cash fow, as well as warm feet,
the moment we fipped the thermostat. Te sys-
tem also provides cheap-as-dirt air conditioning
and 60 percent of our hot water through an assist
from a desuperheater.
When it comes to ventilation, my mantra has
been seal it tight, but ventilate right. Many his-
toric preservationists insist that old houses are
designed to breathe. First, I dont believe there
was any design to the leakiness of these houses.
Second, they should indeed breathe, but they
shouldnt hyperventilate. Original passive-venti-
lation elements like basement and atic windows
should be restored and reactivated. But when
the house requires heating or cooling, the house
should be tight and mechanically ventilated.
Meadowlark Energy installed a RecoupAera-
tor 200DX ERV from UltimateAir (ultimateair.
com). With 95 percent recovery of heat energy,
it is the most efcient ERV on the market. Te
ERV also helps to balance air pressure, avoiding
uncontrolled airfow and moisture damage.
squeezing out every watt
When seeking net-zero, every wat counts. So
we installed CFLs, LEDs and WatStopper occu-
pancy sensors by Legrand (watstopper.com) to
eliminate lighting in unoccupied spaces.
We were also able to fnd afordable, highly
efcient appliances through Kenmore to outft
our all-electric house.
Perhaps the most overlooked energy savers in
the home are water-saving fxtures. Our master
bath shower has a Bricor 1.5-gallon per minute
(gpm) showerhead (bricor.com), which avoids
the need to heat 11,000 gallons each year. Our
guest bath has a Bricor 1.0-gpm showerhead, and
all faucets are fted with Bricor 0.5-gpm aerators.
By using only 55 gallons of fresh water per day,
only a fraction of which is hot water, we save a
couple hundred dollars per year on energy com-
pared to the average household.
Our Caroma Colonial dual-flush toilets
use only 0.8 gallons per fush and never clog
(caromausa.com). Tough we dont directly
see this energy savings, it avoids the transport
of thousands of gallons of fresh city water and
sewage annually.
Ten, to make sure we meet our energy
budget, we monitor our live consumption with
a Current Cost Energy Monitor (currentcost.
com) connected to Google PowerMeter. (See
www.missionzerohouse.com.)
going solar
We were fortunate to fnd a house with a per-
fect roof angle (45 degrees at latitude 42.3) and
azimuth (180 degrees south) for our latitude.
We were limited to 550 square feet (51 square
meters) of roof space. Maximizing this space
was important.
The Grocofs Enphase microinverters include
monitoring that enables the couple to view live
solar production down to the individual panels.
Using this feature, they identifed shading that
was causing a 60 percent drop in production for
several panels.
The homes windows are wood, double-hung with
single-pane wavy glass panes. over several weeks,
restorers weather-stripped the jambs and top, bot-
tom and meeting rails and restored or replaced the
hardware. Follow-up blower-door tests measured
1,500 CFM50, a 66 percent air-leakage reduction
just from sealing the windows.
For more than a century, the home had no insu-
lation. Meadowlark Energy applied open-cell
spray foam to the underside of the roof deck to
create a hot roof, turning the attic into a condi-
tioned space.
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1_64_March_ST11.indd 26 2/14/11 3:47:28 PM
We worked with Mechanical Energy Systems from Canton, Mich.
(MES; mes1.com), which has been in business for more than 25 years.
Afer considering panels from several companies, we chose SunPower
225 Signature Black panels, which have an efciency rating of 18.1 per-
cent. Teir small size allowed us to ft 36 panels rather than 27 of the
less-efcient panels. Our conservative production estimate is 10,581
kilowat-hours annually. Because our entire roof is visible from the street,
the black-on-black aesthetics of the SunPower panels was important to
our geting approval from the Historic District Commission.
Both the local and state historic commissions required more rigorous
approval processes than did the city, including structural load analyses.
We had to go through a lot of hoops, and in fact, I applaud them [for
their diligence], said MES Sales Manager and Solar Designer Daren
Grifth. Part of Grifths challenge was educating the local commission
board about the viability of solar in Michigan and the cash-fow benefts
of solar and conservation savings that enable us to make other pres-
ervation investments.
MES took special measures with the installation too, consulting with
our roofer to ensure the integrity of the hot roof and asphalt shingles. To
avoid roof leaks, MES used Quick Mount PVs racking with full-sized
fashing (quickmountpv.com). Te crew ran system wiring through inte-
rior closets, avoiding exterior wiring completely.
To get the most from our inverters in a climate that can be gray, we
chose Enphase M210 microinverters (enphaseenergy.com). Even with
up to 6 inches of snow, the microinverters can pull 5 to 25 wats with
adequate sun. Tat can generate enough heat to melt the snow a pro-
found diference versus a single-inverter confgurations performance,
said Grifth. Ive seen 25 to 35 percent higher production because of
this low-voltage heating. He credited the microinverters, in part, for
our panels nearly reaching the rated capacity of 207.1 wats on several
days this winter.
As a bonus, Enphases Enlighten monitoring system allows us to
publicly broadcast our live solar production down to the individual pan-
els. Using this feature, we were able to see that during the shortest days
of the year a leafess Norway Maple was still shading the lower row of
panels, causing a 60 percent drop in production for several panels. Weve
decided to remove this tree and replace it with native or adaptive fruit
trees. (To see live performance data, go to www.missionzerohouse.com
and click on Energy.)
reducing, then Producing
Te basic recipe for retrofting existing homes is the same as for new
construction or major renovations: Install the most efcient heating,
cooling, ventilation and water-heating systems, seal and insulate the enve-
lope, reduce demand and change behavior. Add renewables and stir.
Like us, most homeowners wont go through third-party certifcation,
hire an architect or perform upfront energy modeling. Tey will simply
make the changes needed to reduce, reduce and then produce. In the
many press interviews about our home, weve been saying that it will
produce more energy than we use. One writer said it best, though: Te
Grocofs will consume no more then their house can produce. Living by
current solar income alone is a worthy aspiration for us all. ST
air-leakage reduction in restored windows
Efforts reduce leakage 69.8 percent.
Pre-Window Post-Window Post-Storm
Repair Repair Windows
Cubic Feet per Minute of 4,400 1,530 1,330
Airfow at 50 pascals (CFM50)
Effective Leakage 241.6 84.0 73.0
Area (square inches)
Air Changes per Hour 15.70 5.46 4.75
at 50 pascals (ACH50)
Natural Air Changes 1.02 0.35 0.31
per Hour (ACHn)
Source: Clean Energy Coalition, cec-mi.org. Case study at bit.ly/grocofwindows.
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To avoid altering the interior plaster walls, dense
pack cellulose was blown into the wall cavities to
achieve an R-value between 11 and 13. Cellulose had
the added benefts of reducing fre risk and repelling
pests, the No. 1 cause of damage to historic homes.
cLIcK See a video and case study on the restoration of the Grocoffs 110-year-old windows: solartoday/video.
1_64_March_ST11.indd 27 2/14/11 3:47:29 PM
advances in ground-source heat pump systems
T
HERES A LOT TO LIKE ABOUT
GROUND-SOURCE HEAT PUMP
(GSHP) SYSTEMS. Teyre sustainable
and proven in both residential and commercial
buildings. Because the earth provides a more
favorable heat source and heat sink than ambient
air, GSHPs are one of the most efcient technol-
ogies available for space conditioning and water
heating. Yet, recent studies reveal, less than 1
percent of U.S. houses use a GSHP system, with
economics cited as the major barrier to broader
use.
1
Improving the economics requires that we
reduce installation costs, improve system perfor-
mance or both. Tat is the aim of a research proj-
ect Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has
undertaken with several partners.
To reduce costs, were evaluating two technol-
ogies: (1) a foundation heat exchanger (FHX),
which applies only to new construction or addi-
tions to existing homes; and (2) a ground-source
integrated heat pump (GS-IHP), integrating
space heating, space cooling, on-demand dehu-
midifcation and water-heating functions into one
piece of equipment. Te GS-IHP, which applies
to new construction and retrofts, also promises
signifcant improvements in performance.
A litle more than a year into research dem-
onstrating the FHX, working with a state-of-
the-art GSHP unit, it has maintained comfort-
able temperatures for household heating and
cooling. Early estimates indicate that when
implemented at scale in the test region of East
Tennessee, the FHX approach may be feasible
at $1,000 per ton a fraction of the cost of the
outdoor portion of traditional GSHP systems.
Although were still gathering performance data
for the GS-IHP prototype, our technology part-
ner plans to launch a product line based on the
technology later this year.
testing the fhX concept
Why do GSHP systems cost so much more
than conventional space-conditioning and water-
heating systems? Te cost premium is primarily
To reduce the cost of ground-source heat pumps, oak Ridge National Laboratory (oRNL) and its research
partners are testing two technologies the foundation heat exchanger and integrated heat pump in
the houses pictured above, built by Schaad Cos. in oak Ridge, Tenn. Advanced envelope designs and
energy-efciency strategies are built into the houses, which will be used for research for several years
before they are sold and occupied by their owners.
GSHP value rising
1_64_March_ST11.indd 28 2/14/11 3:47:33 PM
sOLaR TODAY
MARCH 2011
VOL. 25, NO. 2
In an East Tennessee demonstration project, Oak Ridge
National Lab and partners evaluate two ground-source
heat pump technologies that together promise to reduce
the up-front investment and increase energy cost savings.
By PILJAE IM, XIAoBING LIU and JEFF MUNK
associated with drilling boreholes or excavating
trenches and installing vertical or horizontal
ground heat exchangers (or loops) in them. Te
FHX concept is based on the premise that today,
in many climates, it is economically feasible to
build new homes and home additions having
thermal loads so modest that they can be met
by a GSHP system whose loop is installed in the
construction excavations without any extra
drilling or digging. Tese construction excava-
tions commonly include the overcut around the
basement and below the basement foor, util-
ity trenches (for buried water, sewer and power
lines) and footer drains. If this premise is true,
FHX has the potential to signifcantly reduce
GSHP cost premiums. ORNLs research project
was designed to test this premise.
Unlike conventional horizontal ground heat
exchangers, loops buried in the overcut may
experience thermal interference with the base-
ment wall, an efect not accounted for by any
design tools for ground heat exchangers. Tis
research project focused on developing what is
needed to engineer loops in the overcut around
the basement. A team from Oklahoma State
University (OSU), led by Dr. Jef Spitler and
including Dr. Simon Rees (De Montfort Univer-
sity, United Kingdom) and several post-gradu-
ate students, joined the research partnership to
develop the necessary overcut-loop-design tool
and a model of the entire FHX (overcut, under-
foor, utility trench) suitable for integration into
EnergyPlus, the U.S. Department of Energys
fagship whole-building energy modeling sof-
ware. Te team uses experimental data collected
from a real installation of the FHX to validate the
design tool and simulation model.
Schaad Cos. (schaadcompanies.com),
ORNLs founding partner in ZEBRAlliance
a public-private collaboration to maximize
cost-efective energy efciency in buildings (zebr
alliance.com) has built four energy-efcient
test houses in the Crossroads at Wolf Creek Sub-
division in Oak Ridge, Tenn. Houses 1 and 2
are three-level buildings with walkout basements
used for the FHX research.
Te side-by-side research houses have iden-
tical 3,700-square-foot floor plans. In these
unoccupied research houses, human impact on
energy use is simulated to match the national
average, with showers, lights, ovens, washers
and other energy-consuming equipment turned
on and of at exactly the same times. Simulating
occupancy eliminates a major source of uncer-
tainty in whole-house research projects of this
type. Houses 1 and 2 each test diferent envelope
strategies, but both have very low air leakage and
high levels of insulation, and thus have very low
heat gain and loss through the building enve-
lope. In short, they are exactly the type of home
where FHX should work. Te details of each
houses envelope characteristics are described
in a recent paper.
2
Owing to their high-quality
thermal envelopes, the 3,700-square-foot houses
have been adequately served by one 2-ton GSHP
system each, whereas 4 to 5 tons of space-condi-
tioning capacity are typically installed in homes
of that size in East Tennessee.
Te objective of this research project was
to develop and validate the FHX design tools,
so these tools obviously were not available for
the design of the loops for houses 1 and 2. Te
two houses cooling and heating design loads
were calculated using Manual J: Residential
Load Calculation and associated sofware tools
developed by the Air Conditioning Contractors
of America (ACCA). Our team sized the heat
pumps using ACCAs Manual S: Residential
Equipment Selection. Te overcut loops were
sized to take advantage of all the existing overcut,
and several team members at ORNL and OSU
estimated the remaining heat source/sink capac-
ity needs so that conventional loop-design sof-
ware could be used to size additional horizontal
loops needed to maintain the entering fuid tem-
perature of the heat pump between 35F and
95F (2C to 35C), given soil temperature and
thermal conductivity at the site. All overcuts and
Dr. Piljae im is a staf scientist at the Building tech-
nologies research and Integration center (BtrIc) of
Oak ridge National Laboratory and one of the prin-
cipal investigators for the project described here. he
has performed feasibility studies for the application of
gshP systems for numerous u.s. Navy and air Force
bases.
Dr. Xiaobing liu is a staf scientist at BtrIc. he has
been working on applying and improving gshP
technology for more than 10 years. he is the princi-
pal investigator of various gshP-related r&d projects
ongoing at Oak ridge National Laboratory.
jefrey munk is the BtrIc staf scientist responsible for
the experimental gshP systems in the ZeBralliance
(zebralliance.com) research houses.
ZeBralliances FhX research project has been sup-
ported by BtrIcs numerous r&d stafs, including dr.
moonis ally, Van Baxter, John shonder, anthony gehl
and Patrick hughes, director of BtrIc.
notes
1
Xiaobing Liu, 2010, Assessment of National
Benefts from Retrofting Existing Single-Family
Homes with Ground Source Heat Pump Sys-
tems, ORNL/TM-2010/122.
2
Miller et al., 2010, Advanced Residential Enve-
lopes for Two Pair of Energy-Saver Homes, Pro-
ceedings of 2010 American Council for an Energy-
Efciency Economy Summer Study.

1_64_March_ST11.indd 29 2/14/11 3:47:33 PM
trenches received six-pipe loops (three circuits
of one-inch-diameter high-density polyethylene
pipe, out and back) with a minimum 1 foot of
spacing between pipes.
To obtain data for validating the overcut
loop-sizing method and performance-simulation
model, it is important that the overall loop be
sufciently sized so that loop operating tempera-
tures are in the design range. To accomplish this,
for the purposes of this experiment, our team
used horizontal loops installed in all the util-
ity trenches plus some additional trenching to
provide adequate capacity, rather than installing
loops below the basement foor. However, cal-
culations indicate that if the loop were installed
below the basement foor, no additional trench-
ing would have been necessary.
comparing standard,
integrated heat Pumps
Construction of houses 1 and 2 was com-
pleted in November 2009, and data collection
began in December. Baseline data was collect-
ed during the frst year, when each home used
one water-to-air heat pump for space condi-
tioning (the two-stage ClimateMaster model
TV026) and a separate water-to-water heat
pump for water heating. Te three-circuit (six-
pipe) ground loop was headered into a single
supply and return in the basement, allowing
the two heat pumps to operate in parallel, con-
nected to the common supply and return. Te
baseline data documents the performance of
the FHXGSHP system using the best water-
source heat-pump equipment commercially
available, from industry partner ClimateMas-
ter; the equipment fully satisfes the space-con-
The loops of the FHX are placed in the foundation
excavation before being buried by backfll. Pre-
liminary data shows that this method of installing
heat exchangers in the construction excavations
rather than in separate boreholes or trenches
could signifcantly reduce the cost premiums
associated with ground-source heat pumps, with-
out sacrifcing their efciency.
Left, in the foundation heat exchanger (FHX) con-
cept, heat-exchange loops are installed only in
the construction excavations, without extra drill-
ing or digging. But unlike conventional horizontal
ground heat exchangers, with FHX the mass of
soil around the houses foundation is subject to
heat transfer from the foundation itself (qw) and
from the heat-exchanger pipes by way of con-
duction within the soil (qp). Moisture fow takes
place within the soil as well. At the surface, heat
is transferred through convection, radiation and
evapotranspiration (qs). Researchers are develop-
ing tools to engineer loops in the overcut.
early estimates indicate that when
implemented at scale in the test
region of east tennessee, the
[foundation heat exchanger]
may be feasible at $1,000 per ton
a fraction of the cost of the
outdoor portion of traditional
gshP systems.
advances in ground-source heat pump systems
1_64_March_ST11.indd 30 2/14/11 3:47:37 PM
ditioning and water-heating loads in houses 1
and 2 with national average occupancy.
In November 2010, we replaced each homes
two heat pumps with a single prototype GS-IHP
that provides both space conditioning and water
heating. For several years ClimateMaster has
been collaborating with ORNL under a Coop-
erative Research and Development Agreement
to develop the GS-IHP, which is expected to
be signifcantly more energy efcient than cur-
rently available heat pumps. Comparing data
from years one and two will establish the energy
savings of the GS-IHP compared to the two-
heat-pump confguration. However, the most
common GSHP confguration on the market
is a single water-to-air heat pump with a desu-
perheater, which provides only a portion of the
required hot water as a byproduct when the
compressor operates for space heating or cool-
ing. Afer the GS-IHP data is available, our team
will use calibrated models to compare the per-
formance of all three confgurations (one heat
pump with desuperheater, two heat pumps and
the GS-IHP). Cost estimates will also be pro-
vided. ClimateMaster anticipates launching a
Trilogy water-source heat-pump product line
based on the GS-IHP technology in 2011.
assessing early results
Preliminary analysis of the data measured at
the ZEBRlliance research houses since Novem-
ber 2009 indicates that space-conditioning and
water-heating needs could have been provided
to the houses with ground heat exchangers
installed in just the excavations required for
construction the basement overcut, below
the basement foor and the utility trenches. As
mentioned, no extra digging or drilling would
have been required except making the utility
trenches slightly deeper than normal.
Te data showed that the installed loops and
heat pumps all performed as expected, indicat-
ing that they were adequately sized for the
3,700-square-foot homes. Temperatures of the
fuid entering the heat pumps ranged from 33F
to 93F (0.6C to 34C) at house 1 and 34F to
90F (1C to 32C) at house 2 within good
proximity to the design range of 35F to 95F
(2C to 35C). Heating and cooling set points
maintained throughout the year were 71F
and 76F (22C and 24C), respectively. From
January through March 2010, the supplemental
electric resistance heater was never activated at
house 1 and consumed only 66 kilowat-hours
at house 2.
Early estimates indicate that when imple-
mented at scale by a production builder in this
region, this FHX approach may be feasible at
$1,000 per ton. Tat compares with traditional
vertical-loop and six-pipe-per-trench horizon-
tal-loop systems that typically are installed in
this region at $3,000 per ton and $2,250 per
ton, respectively. Te actual cost of a particu-
lar project may vary depending on drilling/
trenching conditions, regional cost variations,
underground soil thermal properties and build-
ing geometry.
Tis September were scheduled to release
the FHX-sizing tool and performance-simu-
lation model integrated with EnergyPlus, as
well as a comprehensive technical report doc-
umenting the basis for the FHX-sizing tool,
the performance-simulation model, the data
measurements and the validation of the sizing
tool and simulation model. ClimateMaster also
plans to make its Trilogy line of water-source
heat pumps, based on the GS-IHP technology,
commercially available in 2011. Tese and other
innovations may provide the afordability break-
through for GSHP systems that homebuilders,
homeowners and energy-efciency advocates
have been seeking. ST
Here, the frst stage of backflling has been com-
pleted, with the soil being well compacted to
ensure good contact and reliable heat exchange
between the earth and the loop.
During the frst year of data collection, the water-to-air heat pump at left and the water-to-water heat
pump (square box in the middle) installed in the basement supplied space conditioning and water heat-
ing, respectively. During the second year, these two units were replaced by an integrated heat pump that
is expected to show signifcant gains in efciency. oRNL and its partners will compare the performance
of both options, plus the common confguration of a water-to-air heat pump with desuperheater.
1_64_March_ST11.indd 31 2/14/11 3:47:38 PM
Extra cool.
The Fronius IG Plus PV Inverter
Now with a certied operational temperature range of -13 to +131 F
The innovative Fronius IG Plus PV inverter for residential and commercial installations
just got cooler with an operational temperature range of -13 to +131F (-25 to +55C) for
functionality even in the harshest climates. The IG Plus also offers:
Models from 3 to 12 kW available in a single inverter
Lightweight even the commercial size inverters
Smart, integrated MIX technology to maximize
energy harvest even on cloudy days
A built-in six circuit string combiner
Field programmable to 208, 240, and 277 volts with
no loss in output power
Removable power stage for eld service
Standard 10-year warranty, upgradable to 15 years
Visit www.fronius-usa.com, or call 810-220-4414, for more information on this
exciting line in the Fronius family.
1_64_March_ST11.indd 32 2/14/11 3:47:38 PM
Extra cool.
The Fronius IG Plus PV Inverter
Now with a certied operational temperature range of -13 to +131 F
The innovative Fronius IG Plus PV inverter for residential and commercial installations
just got cooler with an operational temperature range of -13 to +131F (-25 to +55C) for
functionality even in the harshest climates. The IG Plus also offers:
Models from 3 to 12 kW available in a single inverter
Lightweight even the commercial size inverters
Smart, integrated MIX technology to maximize
energy harvest even on cloudy days
A built-in six circuit string combiner
Field programmable to 208, 240, and 277 volts with
no loss in output power
Removable power stage for eld service
Standard 10-year warranty, upgradable to 15 years
Visit www.fronius-usa.com, or call 810-220-4414, for more information on this
exciting line in the Fronius family.
1_64_March_ST11.indd 33 2/14/11 3:47:39 PM
forging a local solar economy
On the Pine Ridge Reservation
in South Dakota, solar air heating
helps ease crippling winter
heating bills, while providing jobs.
By MIKE KoSHMRL
Photos by DAN BIHN
Harnessing the Sun,
lakota style
I
n the Great Plains snowbelt, the wintertime spike in utility costs is an annoyance for
all, and burdensome for many. In Pine Ridge, S.D., per capita annual income is less
than $6,300. Shannon County, home to 80 percent of the residents at Pine Ridge, is
the second-most impoverished in the United States. Unemployment hovers near 90
percent. Life expectancy is 47 years for men and 54 years for women among countries in
the Western Hemisphere, only Haiti is worse. A $300 monthly utility bill can mean holding
of on a trip to the grocery store, or forgoing reflling a prescription medication. In the worst
cases, when a storm has set in and a propane tank is empty, it can be deadly.
We do lose elders here every year because of this, said Richard Fox. Fox is national
program director at Trees, Water and People (TWP; treeswaterpeople.org), a nonproft
headquartered in Fort Collins, Colo., that supports sustainable heat, light and cooking tech-
nology for native peoples across the Americas. Tey run out of propane on the 25th, and
mike Koshmrl (mkoshmrl@solartoday.org) is SOLAR TODAYs assis-
tant editor.
To reduce the Lakotas heating expenses, Trees, Water and People helped
to establish Lakota Solar Enterprises, manufacturing and installing active
solar heaters. LSE now employs eight locals full-time and has provided
more than 700 supplemental solar air heaters, at no cost, to households
at impoverished reservations across the Great Plains.
1_64_March_ST11.indd 34 2/14/11 3:47:39 PM
theyre waiting for a check to come on the frst.
Tey convince themselves that they can go with-
out heat for fve days, then a storm hits and they
end up being found dead.
Tis reality of life at Pine Ridge became a
priority afer TWP hired Cynthia Isenhour, an
anthropologist who had identifed the most
pressing socioeconomic issues afecting the aver-
age Lakota family. A key issue was the high cost
of heating, caused by housing typifed by thin-
walled trailers and ramshackle one-story ram-
blers and exacerbated by the grossly inadequate
natural gas infrastructure. More than 90 percent
of residences on the reservation are heated with
pricier options, mostly propane, electric heat and
wood stoves. Isenhours research showed that
heating expenses consumed 50 to 70 percent of a
typical households cash income during the cold-
est months of the year.
Beginning in 2002, TWP researched ways
to reduce the Lakotas heating expenses. Tey
concluded that active solar heaters, due to their
simple, low-cost construction, would return
more British thermal units (Btu) for every dol-
lar invested than any other technology. Tey
then helped to establish a manufacturing and
installation business, Lakota Solar Enterprises
(LSE), which now employs eight locals full-time.
Te venture has provided more than 700 supple-
mental solar air heaters, at no cost, to house-
holds at impoverished reservations across the
Great Plains, including Pine Ridge, Rosebud and
Cheyenne River in South Dakota, Spirit Lake in
North Dakota and White Earth in Minnesota.
a natural Partnership forms
TWPs Fox said that from the start, active
solar air heaters ofered to bring jobs to a com-
munity desperate for them. Te air heaters
dont require a high degree of technical expertise,
Active Solar Air Heating
at a glance
S
olar air heaters, while not commonplace,
are a tried and true technology. The
frst solar air heater was patented in 1890,
and a number of models came on the mar-
ket before the energy crises of the 1970s.
When a federal incentive was launched
in 1975, investment and development of
solar air heaters spiked, and by 1980 some
85 companies offered systems. After 1985
the federal incentive was pulled, innovation
nearly ceased, and the number of manufac-
turers and installers declined rapidly. Today,
unglazed solar air heaters developed by
the National Renewable Energy Lab, called
transpired collectors, are the more common
air-heating technology, but a couple of com-
panies still offer glazed-box collectors. These
include Lakota Solar Enterprises (lakota
solarenterprises.com) at Pine Ridge, S.D.; AAA
Solar Supply (aaasolar.com) of Albuquerque
N.M.; and YourSolarHome (yoursolarhome.
com) in Ontario, Canada.
(Top left) With Henry Red Cloud at the helm, Lakota Solar Enterprises (LSE) has trained 52 solar warriors
from tribes nationwide as solar technicians. (Top right) After struggling to fnd work, Silas Red Cloud
joined his father at LSE, on the manufacturing line. (Bottom) LSEs Bret Tschacher navigates Skyview
monitoring software for the Red Cloud Renewable Energy Centers SkyStream 3.7 residential wind turbine.
Listening in are Kyanne Dillabaugh (left) and Jef Parsons (right) from the Cheyenne River Reservation.
1_64_March_ST11.indd 35 2/14/11 3:47:41 PM
which we knew was important if we wanted to
get the community involved and put to work,
Fox said. He also knew the heaters would be a
good hook for fundraising eforts, an important
consideration for a nonproft. We can go to a
foundation and say: You put in $50,000 and
youre directly providing 25 families with a solar
air-heating system, he said. Ten in 2004, while
giving a workshop in air heater installation at
Oglala Lakota College on the Pine Ridge Reser-
vation (olc.edu), Fox had a fortuitous encounter
with a local.
Fox was teaching a group gathered around a
solar panel when Henry Red Cloud drove by the
community college. Red Cloud pulled a U-turn
and started listening. Earlier that year, while
operating his frewood business, Red Cloud had
heard about solar air heaters. Curiosity aroused,
he had found an online do-it-yourself guide and
phoned Bret Tschacher, a friend, to participate
in some garage magic. Using a walk-in freezer
door as the back end, Red Cloud and Tschacher
pulled together a crude solar air heater that day,
working into the night. When the sun came up,
they were surprised to fnd it serviceable.
Te following spring, TWP came up with
some fnancial support and was able to fund an
expanded program at Pine Ridge. Fox asked Red
Cloud to lead TWPs Pine Ridge efort, not only
for his personal experience with the technology,
but also because of his name, which had signif-
cance in the community. Henrys great-great
grandfather, Chief Red Cloud, led the Oglala
Lakota from 1868 to 1909 and is regarded as the
last great Lakota war chief. TWP would provide
marketing and business development assistance
if Red Cloud would run a Lakota-owned-and-
operated manufacturing and installation busi-
ness. Red Cloud signed on, and Lakota Solar
Enterprises was formed.
Business grows, heating Bills shrink
Before the manufacturing side of the busi-
ness was shifed to Red Cloud, TWP undertook
a two-year reengineering program, aimed at
incorporating efcient materials that were not
available when solar air heaters frst became pop-
ular in the 1970s. Engineers built a succession of
prototypes with incremental improvements, but
the project eventually was run by an engineer
who calls himself Lotus, from Rocky Mountain
Solar & Wind (RMSW; rockymtnsolar.com) in
Colorado Springs, Colo. Te reengineering pro-
cess looked at every possible part and confgura-
tion, and many parts were re-sourced to increase
heat production and retention. Some materials,
like the adhesives, were changed to accommo-
date an absorber that could reach temperatures
higher than 160F (71C).
The final design was a 32-square-foot
(2.97-square-meter) solar heating panel. Orient-
ed south and tilted 59 degrees from horizontal,
it captured solar heat with an efciency of 48.8
percent, which projected to 4.9 million Btu per
South Dakota heating season. Tats equivalent
to 1.436 megawat-hours of electricity. Satisfed
with this performance, TWP contracted with
RMSW to begin manufacturing. Lotus and the
TWP team standardized an efcient manufactur-
the lakota sun Panel
Lakota Solar Enterprises (LSEs) standard air-heating kit sells for $1,400 plus shipping and
handling. Installation brings the total to about $2,000. Because of the simplicity of the
design, an entire system can be manufactured and installed by Henry Red Cloud and his
crew in less than a day. The primary components of a Lakota Sun Panel are
l One 4-foot (1.2-meter) by 8-foot (2.4-meter) solar collector panel, with a black metal
absorber plate covered by tempered glass with an aluminum frame. A layer of miro-
therm, produced by Analod Solar (alanod-solar.com), is applied to the collector to maxi-
mize absorption.
l Wooden support stand, made of 2x4 and 4x4 lumber and some plywood.
l A 60-watt squirrel cageelectric blower ftted with 6-inch-diameter (15-cm-diameter)
ductwork.
l An adjustable thermostat that automatically turns on when air in the collector reaches
110F (43C).
For more information, see lakotasolarenterprises.com.
We do lose elders here
every year because of this.
they convince them-
selves that they can go
without heat for fve days,
then a storm hits and they
end up being found dead.
forging a local solar economy
1_64_March_ST11.indd 36 2/14/11 3:47:42 PM
ing process and visited Pine Ridge to teach it to
Red Cloud and Tschacher. TWP handed over
the tooling and a step-by-step training video, and
LSE assumed manufacturing.
Te LSE solar air heater looks nothing like the
product of a NASA lab. Its a 1970s-era technol-
ogy, implemented with 21st-century materials
and tweaked Lakota style, as Red Cloud puts
it. It looks makeshif but is sturdy and reliable.
Te goal was not to market a consumer product
to the outside world, but to create a simple, envi-
ronmentally friendly, inexpensive way to reduce
Lakota heating bills.
It works. For $2,000, including shipping,
manufacturing and installation, the system can
ofset 15 to 30 percent of an average households
heating costs for 25 years. Te heaters are purely
supplemental, with no heat storage. Te 4.9 mil-
lion Btu produced annually displace 82 gallons of
propane burned in a 65 percent-efcient furnace,
saving the homeowner $150 per year at todays
regional propane rates. Because TWP provides
the heaters for free, that is money in pocket.
Trough 2008, TWP fnanced LSEs heat-
ers primarily through individual donations and
small foundation grants. Tey managed to fund
just over 200 systems, most of which were dis-
tributed on a needs basis around the Pine Ridge
Reservation. TWP received several federal
grants in 2009, under the American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act. It proved be a watershed
year at LSE. Demand spiked, and the shop, now
named the Red Cloud Renewable Energy Center
(RCREC), hired fve full-time laborers. Tat year
278 LSE kits went out, and in 2010, another 203
lef the production line. To date, TWP and LSE
have placed about 700 solar air-heating kits.
Most systems produced during the last two
years have been sold outside Pine Ridge. To
accommodate this export business, RCREC
has doubled as a one-of-a-kind training facility,
where tribes from around the nation can learn
about the LSE installation techniques. Fify-two
solar warriors have now received Solar Tech-
nician I certifcates from Red Cloud. His tute-
lage has enabled installation of 443 air heaters by
locals on reservations as far away as White Earth,
of the Band of Ojibwe, in Minnesota.
a new way to honor the old ways
Since 2005, TWP and LSE have worked to
import other renewable energy technologies
onto tribal lands. Tat year they set up a demon-
stration home on the Rosebud Reservation, just
west of Pine Ridge. Partnering with Rosebuds
Clean Energy Education Partnership, TWP and
LSE outfted the Litle Tunder residence with
a 2.4-kilowat (kW) wind turbine, 1.3-kW photo-
voltaic (PV) system, windbreak and shade trees,
and an LSE solar air heater.
Te Red Cloud Renewable Energy Center
now matches those fve applications and is add-
ing a sixth, with a ground-source heating system
along its north wall. Tschacher, Red Clouds
wind warrior, now leads wind turbine-instal-
lation workshops at RCREC. Along with Red
Cloud and LSE staff, Tschacher installed a
SkyStream 3.7 turbine (skystreamenergy.com)
at RCEC last May. A 2-kW PV array followed in
July, courtesy of Namaste Solar (namastesolar.
com) of Boulder, Colo. Red Cloud and Tschach-
er plan to acquire NABCEP certifcation under
open scholarships to Solar Energy International
(solarenergy.org) in Carbondale, Colo.
Red Cloud calls renewable energy a new
way to honor the old ways drawing on nature
in alignment with Native American cultural and
spiritual beliefs. At Pine Ridge, the electricity
displaced by the LSE project means less reliance
on the Nebraska Public Power District, which
generates 96 percent of its electricity from coal.
Te Lakota, and other tribes, will have plenty
of opportunity to move away from fossil fuels.
Research at the National Renewable Energy
Lab has shown that wind and solar potential on
tribal lands is quite good. Ironically, this is in part
because their reservations were ofen situated on
the hotest, driest, windiest, and therefore least
desirable, parcels in the West.
While a renewable energy venture like LSE
might still be in a philanthropy-dependent stage,
its a frst step to pulling Native American com-
munities out of generational poverty. ST
cynthia Isenhours research
showed that heating
expenses consumed
50 to 70 percent of a
typical households cash
income during the coldest
months of the year.
Bret Tschacher has been a partner to Henry Red Cloud since Lakota Solar Enterprises inception in 2005.
Tschacher leads the wind installation trainings at the Red Cloud Renewable Energy Center and oversees
operations on the LSE manufacturing line.
1_64_March_ST11.indd 37 2/14/11 3:47:43 PM
T
his is a story about two determined teen-
age boys, a politically savvy mom and the
movement they created that has put solar
arrays on dozens of roofs in the urban heart of
Washington, D.C.
Te Mt. Pleasant neighborhood lies 2 miles
north of the White House. Its a middle- and
working-class neighborhood of old row houses,
most dating from the early 1920s. About 100 of
these houses roughly one-tenth now have
grid-tied solar systems. Half a dozen other D.C.
neighborhoods have emulated this success.
once upon a time
In September 2006, afer atending a screen-
ing of Al Gores An Inconvenient Truth, best
friends Diego Arene-Morley and Walter Lynn
then 12 years old sat at a kitchen table with
Diegos dad, Jef Morley, and Walters mom, Anya
Schoolman. Tey wanted to know how global
warming would afect them and what they might
do about it. Can we go solar? Walter asked.
Anya replied, We already looked into solar.
Its expensive and really complicated. If we are
going to do all the work to fgure this out, we
might as well do the whole neighborhood. Are
you guys in?
They were. Thus, the Mt. Pleasant Solar
Co-op was conceived. Anya had the experience
to launch the movement. Afer earning a masters
degree in international relations and environ-
mental policy at Columbia Universitys School
of International and Public Afairs, she held
senior policy positions in the U.S. Department
of the Interior and went on to advise foundations
and nonprofts on environmental strategy and
program design.
A few neighbors joined the co-op right away
and the group developed a strategic plan:
Sign up every neighbor interested in going
solar;
Findaninstallerwillingtooferthegroupa
big discount;
launch a solar cooperative
A Little co-op
and how it grew
Set goals. Make solar energy accessible to all,
reduce the costs and remove the barriers. Costs are
coming down anyway, but group buying provides
effciencies of scale and helps installers deal more
effectively with permitting agencies.
Create an organizational structure to support
the mission. Were registered as a co-operative
under D.C. law. Unlike 501 (c) (3) organizations, we
dont raise funds, manage, govern or report to the
IRS. But we can lobby.
Find a good web developer. The website is an
indispensable communication tool. It not only gets
the word out, but it helps to pool resources and
avoid duplication of effort. Sample our sites:
mtpleasantsolarcoop.org
solardc.blogspot.com
sites.google.com/site/capitolhillenergycoop/
georgetownenergy.com
Participation is voluntary. People do what theyre
comfortable doing.We have few meetings and dont
browbeat those who dont show up.We avoid ask-
ing for money, unless its for something concrete like
our co-op yard signs.
Energy and information fow in both directions.
Few come to the co-op knowing a lot about renew-
ables or going solar. Its easy to go to our periodic
meetings and ask questions of those whove been
there and done it.
Start small and focused, but broaden the base.
Now that weve succeeded with homeowners and
have expanded our political clout into other neigh-
borhoods, we can focus on the energy issues faced
by renters, multifamily buildings, small businesses
and nonproft organizations.
Share expertise. We dont exercise control over
sister co-ops, but we share what we learn and act
collectively in the political arena.
making a co-op work
People want to go solar because its in their best interests to do so and they contact us
because our mission is to help them. They want control over energy costs for the same rea-
son they want a fxed-price mortgage. In Washington, D.C., our electric bills increased 41 per-
cent over the past fve years (from July 2005 to July 2010). Small businesses and nonprofts
need to stabilize their energy costs just to stay afoat.
r
i
c
K

r
e
i
n
h
a
r
D
(From left) Mt. Pleasant Solar Co-op founders Jef Morley, Diego Arene-Morley,
Walter Lynn and Anya Schoolman spoke at the Solarama expo in September 2009.
1_64_March_ST11.indd 38 2/14/11 3:47:44 PM
sOLaR TODAY
MARCH 2011
VOL. 25, NO. 2
In Washington, D.C., a group of neighbors banded
together to win the fght for residential solar.
By RoBERT RoBINSoN
Identifyfriendsingovernmentandbusiness
and environmental organizations willing to sup-
port legislation to create a rebate program; and,
Startinstallingthosepanels.
It wasnt that simple, of course. At the
time, photovoltaic (PV) arrays were installing
for about $8 per wat, or about $24,000 for a
3-kilowatt (kW)
residential system.
With no federally
or locally funded
rebate programs
yet in place and
electricity retailing
at about 14 cents
per kilowat-hour,
it looked as if the
payback period
might be 10 years.
And it was ques-
tionable whether
the nei ghbor-
hoods 85-year-old
roofs would bear
the load of solar
arrays without
substantial struc-
tural and water-
sealing work. Te few solar installers who had
experience with the fat roofs on Washington
row houses werent sure they wanted to install
in the city. Finally, political support for local
legislation to provide cash rebates for solar sys-
tems got shaky when rumors began circulating
in the Council of the District of Columbia (the
Council) that only rich, tree-hugging home-
owners wanted solar panels.
anya counseled us
to take Baby steps . . .
Diego and Walter leafeted the neighbor-
hood with adolescent zeal. Two hundred mem-
bers signed up and provided electric consump-
tion data. Members then conducted energy
audits and began conserving electricity. Walter
and Diego ran comparison tests and identifed
the most efcient and dependable compact
fuorescent lights (CFLs). Keith Ware, owner
of Eco Green Living, sold us $3,000 of these
CFLs below cost and we all went on an ef-
ciency binge.
Anya climbed
up and surveyed
more than 70
roofs. Installer
Chris Graves, of
Switch Energy, ran
financial pro for-
mas that showed,
given expected fed-
eral incentives and
renewable energy
credits, a payback
period less than
six years (see table).
Legal firms Skad-
den, Arps and Kaye
Scholer stepped
up with pro bono
legal services on
regulatory, legisla-
tive, liability and contracting maters.
The District of Columbia already had a
renewable portfolio standard (RPS), estab-
lished in 2005. Anya lobbied relentlessly with
the Council for solar renewable energy credits
(SRECs), with the result that they were includ-
ed in Councilmember Mary Chehs Clean
and Afordable Energy Act of 2008 (CAEA).
CAEA expanded the RPS (it now calls for 20
percent renewable by 2020, with a 0.4 percent
solar carve-out and high alternative compliance
payments). Te law also created a Renewable
Energy Incentive Program (REIP), providing a
$3-per-wat rebate for small renewable energy
systems funded at $2 million per year from
robert robinson is a communications consultant,
formerly chief of staf to a councilmember and an
administrator in the Office of the mayor in the
Washington, d.c., government. he lobbies for and is
active with the mt. Pleasant solar co-op and with d.c.
solar united Neighborhoods. a graduate of Lycoming
college in Pennsylvania, robinson attended Fettes
college in edinburgh, scotland. he lives with his wife
in mt. Pleasant. they went solar in 2009. contact him
at robrobin@me.com.
Policy goals
Program implementation and access. Most
of the federal funding for renewable programs
is targeted to large utility-scale and com-
mercial programs. We prefer that the benefts
of solar be widely dispersed to directly help
struggling homeowners, businesses, churches
and nonprofts.
Instead of offering grants only to commer-
cial entities going solar, the federal govern-
ment should make the 30 percent federal tax
credit available as a grant to any entity that
wants to go solar, including private individuals
and especially nonprofts like churches and
community-based organizations.
We need a national solar-garden or virtual
net-metering bill, requiring utilities nation-
wide to allow any citizen to get a credit on
their bill for a solar panel they own anywhere
in their billing area. Doesnt matter if its on the
roof of a corporate-owned warehouse, a family
owned barn, a big box store or a church.
Focus funding on end-users. Our greatest
frustration came from watching millions of
dollars in renewable energy surcharges we
paid on our utility bills get expropriated by
local government to fll budget gaps else-
where. People dont mind paying a surcharge
on their electric bills if the money is going to
be used to provide solar power and create
green jobs for the community!
2010 Estimated Costs/Benefts for a 3-kW Solar PV System
via the D.C. Renewable Energy Incentive Program
Expenditure/Revenue Up-Front Sale Annualized No Sale
Elements of SRECs* SREC Payments* of SRECs*
Return-on-investment
(break-even year) Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
Total 3-kW system cost $18,000 $18,000 $18,000
REIP cash rebate -$9,000 -$9,000 $9,000
Up-front SREC sale -$5,400
Other payments $1,200
per annum
Actual costs to applicant $3,600 $9,000 $9,000
Federal tax credit (30%) $5,940 $5,940 $5,940
Energy savings
($1,500 per year + $1,500 $1,500 $1,500
7% annual increases)
Annual revenues $1,200
after break-even year per annum
* Solar renewable energy credits
1_64_March_ST11.indd 39 2/14/11 3:47:44 PM
utility-bill surcharges. It really helped
when federal rules removed the caps
on rebates to permit them to cover
30 percent of the total cost of a solar
install.
At last, we had a rebate program
in place! Installations went forward.
Creative ways were found to deal with
structural issues for instance arrays
could anchor on the load-bearing
party walls between adjacent (and
connected) homes.
By September 2009, we celebrated
our frst 50 systems with a 12-home
solar tour and a Solarama festival to
promote our installers and related busi-
nesses. Two months later, the co-op
formalized relationships with solar installers and
neighborhood job trainers to stabilize REIP fund-
ing for green-collar jobs.
Te program grew. Anya helped to orga-
nize sister co-ops in the Capitol Hill, George-
town, Petworth, Shepherd Park, Palisades and
Ward 8 neighborhoods (this would give us a
wider base of political support). Articles on the
co-op appeared in the Scientifc American blog,
Grist and CNBC blog. Te Discovery Chan-
nel produced a program called Powering the
Future, Leading the Charge, featuring the
co-op. By the close of 2010 we watched the
completion of our 100th solar installation in
the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood.
Tere have been bureaucratic and political
problems. We have had to work vigilantly with
the members of the Council to keep the city gov-
ernment from hijacking REIP funds to spend on
other programs. In the spring of 2010 we con-
ducted two lobbying ofensives to recover pro-
gram funding and hire staf to clear the backlog
of REIP applications for FY 2010 and 2011.
utility issues
Te 2008 action by the Council also estab-
lished a net-metering requirement, but the Pub-
lic Service Commission (PSC) didnt issue fnal
rules until June 2010. So co-op members waited
month afer sunny month for the utility company,
Pepco (originally the Potomac Elec-
tric Power Co.), to install meters
that would measure current in both
directions. Until those meters come
online, systems that produce more
electricity than the home uses pro-
duce exaggerated bills. Te old meters
dont calculate negative numbers
all electric fow is additive. Since solar
inverters track our electric produc-
tion but not consumption, and the
old meters track our consumption
but not solar electricity passing back
to the grid, our monthly bills are all
but unverifable.
As utilities move toward critical
peak pricing, net-metering debates
return. Why assess transmission and distribution
charges for surplus PV power, if it will reduce
peak load and if its not being wheeled to other
distribution circuits?
Meanwhile, Pepco received $149.4 mil-
lion in federal stimulus funding for smart grid
design. We want to see the company incor-
porate renewable-friendly standards and best
practices regarding net-metering and solar
credits, such as those proposed by the Inter-
state Renewable Energy Council. Tis efort
may require some years of adversarial processes
before the PSC, unless national or local legis-
lation is enacted to set policies supportive of
distributed generation. ST
Get started with online and local resources.
Find out what the U.S. Department of Energy
(DOE), solar co-ops, solar gardens and community
solar are doing:
eere.energy.gov
mtpleasantsolarcoop.org
solargardens.org
nwseed.org
To learn about the laws and programs appli-
cable in your community, go to the Database of
State Incentives for Renewables and Effciency,
dsireusa.org. The website also lists local offcials
responsible for administering these programs.
This is an invaluable contact list.
Find out about your local interconnection and
net metering policies at the Interstate Renewable
Energy Council site, irecusa.org.
Ask your electric utility and public utility com-
mission (PUC) if they offer programs to install solar
energy on homes, multifamily buildings and busi-
nesses. Make sure you know who to go to if you
are in a dispute with the utility. Is it the PUC, a
consumer advocacy offce, a peoples counsel or
something else?
Calculate your potential solar energy produc-
tion by going to rredc.nrel.gov/solar/calculators/
PVWATTS/version1/.
Meet with potential co-op members and
decide what organizational structure is right for
you and fle with the state or local government.
Explore getting pro bono legal representation to
help you adopt an organizational structure and
get you up and running. Remember: If you orga-
nize as a 501 (c) (3) nonproft corporation, you can
raise money, but you must fle annually with the
IRS and you may not lobby.
Go to work.
1) Have co-op members collect their monthly bills
and become familiar with their usage patterns
and costs for the past two years.
2) Urge them to get energy audits (some jurisdic-
tions offer them free of charge) and initiate eff-
ciency measures to improve the performance
of insulation, window and door sealing, HVAC,
appliances and lighting.
3) Visit FindSolar.com to obtain a list of solar
installers in your area.
4) Contact licensed and bonded roofers to assess
the readiness of your members roofs to
support thin-flm or solar panel photovoltaic
systems.
5) Work with local offcials responsible for admin-
istering incentive programs to help your co-op
and installers understand how to comply with
the application, permitting and interconnec-
tion processes.
6) Explore with your co-op and legal advisers
what benefts of membership you can provide
immediately and over time, including:
information sharing between members;
buying power/economies of scale/negotiations:
with solar installers, roofers, panel manufactur-
ers, other renewable and effciency equipment
suppliers;
building your co-ops political muscle to improve
and extend funding and support for renewable
energy incentive programs; and,
using that muscle to push for more solar-friendly
programs, policies and rules.
Develop an organizational
infrastructure, including:
a detailed database to help you capture informa-
tion about potential and current members,
a co-op website, and
a media contact list including local, state and
trade media.
launch a solar cooperative
r
i
c
K

r
e
i
n
h
a
r
D
The co-ops frst installation was built by Standard
Solar for Tom Kelly (foreground). Hes talking with
electrician Amacire Bocoum.
How to Start a Solar Co-op
1_64_March_ST11.indd 40 2/14/11 3:47:45 PM
1_64_March_ST11.indd 41 2/14/11 3:47:45 PM

rona fried, Ph.D., is
president of sustainable
Business.com, the online
community for green
business: daily sustain-
able business and inves-
tor news, Green Dream
Jobs, Business Connec-
tions and the sustainable
investing newsletter,
Progressive Investor.
contact fried at rona@
sustainablebusiness.com.
Consult your fnancial
advisor before making
any investment.
investing
|
green stocks report
By RoNA FRIED, Ph.D.
tide turning for ocean energy?
Surge of prototype projects could signal dramatic growth in ocean energy industry.
I
s the global ocean energy industry at a turning point?
With all the atention focused on energy efciency,
wind, solar and smart grid development, we havent
heard much about ocean energy in the last year or two.
Financing is tight and venture capital is extra cautious as
the world struggles to get through this tough recession. Its
not the best time for a new industry to gain footing.
High initial costs and long development lead times
make the ocean power industry dependent on govern-
ment support. Ocean energy has received much less sup-
port than solar or wind, but that could change. Costs are
high because prototypes must stand up to ocean storms,
and in the United States they must navigate a confusion of
overlapping ofshore permiting authorities.
Afer only a dozen wave and tidal prototypes were
installed in 2009, more than 45 projects will have been test-
ed in 2010 and 2011, according to IHS Emerging Energy
Research. If these prototypes are successful, IHS believes
the global ocean energy project pipeline is poised to begin
scaling. Tey estimate that more than 1.8 gigawats (GW)
of ocean projects in 16 countries are in the pipeline.
Tanks to government policy support, the United King-
dom holds the lead in ocean energy 300 megawats
(MW) of projects are in the pipeline to be installed over
the next fve years. Te UK wants to add 1.3 GW by 2020
to help meet its legally binding 2020 renewable targets. Ire-
land, France, Portugal, South Korea and Australia are also
key ocean energy markets and will remain the industrys
primary focus for the next decade, according to IHS.
And its not just tiny
start-ups that are push-
ing the feld forward.
A slew of established
energy frms, including
European utilities and
global technology sup-
pliers with hydro and
ofshore wind experi-
ence, are interested in
establishing leadership
positions.
Of the various forms
of ocean energy, tidal
energy is poised to mature frst because it ofers the promise
of predictable, lower-cost electricity and a standard design.
Te strong synergies between tidal turbine manufac-
turing and the hydropower industry have atracted major
power sector OEMs, says IHS Senior Renewable Power
Analyst Marianne Boust. Over the past two years, all
three of the major hydropower turbine vendors Andritz
Hydro, Alstom Hydro and Voith Hydro who account
for over 80 percent of the global hydro turbine supply, have
jumped into the tidal sector.
Because these large hydro players see tidal energy as a
synergistic growth opportunity, they are crucial to catalyz-
ing quick development and commercialization of the tidal
industry. Tey could help the ocean energy industry over-
come its technological challenges and drive down costs.
Key companies that are active in scaling Europes ofshore
wind industry are also eyeing ocean energy as they scale their
renewable portfolios. Iberdrola-ScotishPower, Vatenfall,
RWE and SSE all have a strong presence in ofshore wind.
Each is broadening to include ocean energy. A few have taken
equity stakes in ocean technology frms, but most are funding
project development through joint ventures.
Te only pure-play publicly traded company in ocean
energy is Ocean Power Technologies (OPT), which is
developing the frst commercial-scale wave energy system
in the United States of the coast of Oregon. Te 1.5-MW
wave energy system, which will power about 1,000 homes,
is expected to be deployed in 2011.
In September, OPT received $4.8 million in funding
from the U.S. Department of Energy, on top of $2 million
it received in 2008. Tey are using the funds to construct
the Oregon project and to develop its next-generation
500-kilowat (kW)system, which will have greater power
extraction efciency. Te company is also focused on
implementing a design-for-manufacture approach and
reducing maintenance costs, to achieve lower installed
capital and energy costs and make wave power more com-
petitive with fossil fuels.
Also in September, OPT connected a wave energy
device to the U.S. grid for the frst time at the U.S. Navys
Marine Corps Base in Hawaii. Te connection demon-
strates the ability of wave systems to produce utility-grade
renewable energy that can be transmited to the grid.
Te Navy has supported Ocean Powers technology
development through its $15 million Litoral Expedition-
ary Autonomous PowerBuoy (LEAP) program. OPT is
providing an autonomous wave energy-conversion system
for the Navys near-coast anti-terrorism and maritime sur-
veillance program.
OPT is also working with Mitsui Engineering & Ship-
building Co. to apply its technology of the coast of Japan.
In October 2009, a Japanese consortium signed a memoran-
dum of understanding to develop wave energy in Japan.
Te IHS study, Global Ocean Energy Markets and Strate-
gies: 2010-2030, analyzes the various ocean technologies and
companies and the potential size and timing for ocean energy
scaling: tinyurl.com/opreport. ST
Pelamis wave power
machine at work at the
Aguadoura Wave Park
of Portugal.
P
e
l
a
m
i
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1_64_March_ST11.indd 42 2/14/11 3:47:45 PM
Kipp & Zonen USA Inc.
125 Wilbur Place
Bohemia NY 11716
USA
T: +1 (0) 631 589 2065 ext. 338
F:
www.kippzonen.com
+1 (0) 631 589 2068
+1 (0) 631 786 1 558
rodney.esposito@kippzonen.com
SALES OFFICE
Rodney Esposito
M:
Accurately Monitoring
the Performance of your
Solar Energy System
To maximize the eectiveness of your solar energy system, you need
to know how it is performing. A Kipp & Zonen pyranometer
accurately measures the solar radiation available to your system in
real time. Comparing this with the power generated allows you to
calculate the efciency of the system. A drop in efciency indicates
the need for cleaning, ageing or a fault, allowing you to schedule
preventive maintenance and to monitor your return on investment.
Make that dierence and contact Kipp & Zonen for the solutions
available.
1_64_March_ST11.indd 43 2/14/11 3:47:46 PM
W
hile the National Electric Code (NEC) applies
to any electric equipment, wiring or device that is
connected to the national electric grid, it wasnt
until 2010 that an article specifc to the unique characteristics
of grid-interconnected and batery-charging small wind tur-
bines was adopted. Te development of Article 694 began in
March 2008 and it was fnally accepted in June 2010 by the
National Fire Protection Association, the folks who update
and publish the NEC as an ANSI Standard.
Over that time, 50 stakeholders from across the coun-
try and representing many more disciplines than small
wind provided input and guidance for the draf document.
Dr. Rob Wills, PE, of WindMonitoring.com and Rob-
ert Preus, PE, of
Advanced Renew-
able Technology
LLC, co-chaired
the Wind-NEC
code-writing com-
mittee. For their
efforts, they were
recognized last
June by Wind Pow-
ering America with
the Small Wind
Advocacy Award
at the 2010 Small
Wind Conference
in Wisconsin.
Like other sec-
tions of the NEC, you will likely need to review Article
694 many times before you are able to absorb all of its
ramifcations. Briefy, the sections of Article 694 encom-
pass the following:
Section I covers defnitions and the scope of Article
694. Small wind turbines are defned as those up to and
including 100 kilowats in nameplate capacity at 11 meters
per second (24.6 mph) wind speed. All wind turbines that
generate electricity, regardless of blade orientation, tower
style or where they are mounted, are covered by Article
694.
Section II elaborates on circuit requirements,
including voltage and current limitations as well as con-
ductor and over-current protection sizing. As Article 240
focuses on over-current protection requirements, that
article is referenced.
Section III goes over the details of disconnecting
the wind turbine from the electrical system. Some wind
turbines are designed to never be disconnected from their
load, lest rotor rpm increase uncontrollably. Tis section
recognizes that unique feature of small-wind technology,
with an exception for turbines that would be deleteriously
afected by the incorporation of a disconnecting means.
Section IV reviews allowable wiring methods for
small wind turbines.
Section V covers grounding and refers to Article
250, which details grounding requirements.
Section VI covers required safety marking and sig-
nage specifc to the installation.
Section VII briefy refers to interconnecting the
wind turbine to the utility system, then defers to Article
705, which covers this topic and requirements in detail.
Section VIII entails storage bateries and associated
controllers. Since Article 480 more thoroughly covers bat-
teries, that article is referenced as well.
Section IX covers small wind systems that are
designed to operate over 600 volts and refers to Article
490 for more details.
Besides all of the above bolded articles, other articles
pertinent to small wind installations include
Article 285 on surge-protection devices, a require-
ment for small wind systems.
Article 300 covers wiring requirements and wiring
methods with numerous tables and formulas. For many
electrical questions, this is a core article.
Articles 500 to 516 on hazardous locations are also
referenced. Hazardous locations are defned as those where
fammable liquids, gases or fbers are a concern.
Interestingly, there is no mention of Article 690,
which covers photovoltaic systems. Interestingly because
694 was paterned of of 690 and the lessons learned in
implementing that article. Tis is also interesting because
many small-wind installers use 690 as an electrical require-
ment guide in the feld.
As small-wind installers, we are required to abide by the
rules laid out by all of the articles referenced above. How-
ever, as a small-wind installer, dont even try to memorize
any or all of these articles theres simply too much detail
to absorb. Ive run across few inspectors who could cite the
NEC chapter and verse, and its their job.
A good working knowledge of the NEC and the articles
that apply to small wind installations, however, is a require-
ment for any installation company doing business today.
At the very least, become familiar with the articles and what
they cover so that you can more easily fnd what you need
in the code book. Knowing what to look for and where to
fnd it in the code book is an essential skill!
In lieu of this, retain the services of a good electrician.
Depending on how small wind turbines are permited in
your area, this may be required anyway. ST
small wind and the 2011 national electric code
Article 694 has been published. Its time to learn about it. By MICK SAGRILLo
the trade
mick sagrillo (msagrillo
@wizunwired. net) of
sagrillo Power & light is
a small-wind consultant
and educator.
Best Practices
Patterned very roughly
on Article 690, the new
code has important
diferences. For instance,
over-current protection is
scaled for continuous at-
capacity operation.
s
e
t
h

m
a
s
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a
|
hands-on news and information
1_64_March_ST11.indd 44 2/14/11 3:47:47 PM
12625 Wetmore Road, Ste. 218 San Antonio, TX 78247 800.226.0178
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tax credit. Go to apollogate.com or call 800.226.0178 for
more information on our solar-powered products and
our new line of Nice transmitters and receivers.
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1_64_March_ST11.indd 45 2/14/11 3:47:48 PM
solar installations
W
hen Richmond Plunge, the oldest
and largest public pool in Califor-
nias Bay Area, renovated afer being
shutered for 14 years, sustainability was the pri-
ority. To heat the Richmond, Calif., pools water
saline to avoid chlorine storage on-site the
city subcontracted Sun Light & Power (SLP;
sunlightandpower.com) to install 3,200 square
feet (297 square meters) of solar water panels.
Long a community icon in Richmond, the
Plunge fell into disrepair and in 1997 was closed.
But the city hadnt given up on it. Trough a pri-
vate/public partnership, Richmond raised $7.5
million in city redevelopment money, funds
from a regional voter measure and individual
grants and donations. Berkeley, Calif.-based
architect Todd Jersey (toddjerseyarchitecture.
com) developed a renovation plan to transform
the 1926 Natatorium, as it was once known,
into the greenest, healthiest pool in the nation.
Energy-ofseting and -saving features include a
30-kilowat photovoltaic array and 200 operable
windows that alone save $100,000 annually in
electricity that would be required for mechanical
dehumidifcation.
Te jewel of the renovation is the
innovative pool, with a saline chlori-
nation system that uses electrically
charged titanium plates to release chlo-
rine from the salt molecules. It sofens
the water and is beter for your skin
than chemicals, according to Jersey.
Te water is further treated by a UV
system that eliminates chloramines,
the toxic byproduct of chlorine in pool
water that produces a chlorine smell
and stings your eyes. Eighty Heliodyne
Gobi 410 collectors heat 324,000 gal-
lons (1,225 kiloliters) of pool water in
an active closed-loop system with a Delta T Pro
Advanced Controller (heliodyne.com).
Because the pool had been nonfunctional for
years, Sun Light & Power started from scratch,
designing a system that would cover as much of
the total load as possible. Te large, uninterrupt-
ed roof ofered minimal shading concerns. But
the length of the array required special design
consideration.
Copper pipe expands 1 inch over 100 feet
[of length] in solar thermal systems, explained
Martin Morehouse, solar thermal department
manager at SLP and design engineer on the proj-
ect. Tats a lot of expansion as you go 300 feet
down the roof. To avoid damaging the pipes
and allow movement in the system where need-
s
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i
g
h
t

&

P
o
w
e
r

s
u
n

l
i
g
h
t

&

P
o
w
e
r

Got a PV or thermal installation to share?
Send your proposal and photos to editor@
solartoday.org.
Solar heating
helps make
this 1926
pool among
the nations
greenest.
The large, uninterrupted roof ofered minimal shading con-
cerns. But the length of the 3,200-square-foot array required
special design considerations.
Te Richmond Plunge
The jewel of the renovation is the innovative
pool, with UV disinfection and saline chlorina-
tion. Eighty Heliodyne Gobi 410 collectors heat
324,000 gallons (1,225 kiloliters) of pool water in
an active closed-loop system.
1_64_March_ST11.indd 46 2/14/11 3:47:49 PM

D
u
ra
bility W
a
rra
n
t
y
YEARS
1
0
ed, the crew installed thermal-expansion joints
basically fexible, u-shaped copper braided
pipes under the collectors.
Te interesting and cool thing is that we
ran the pipe before installing the panels,
said Morehouse. Tat minimized the visual
impact, which was important with a historical
building like this, and also provided thermal
expansion.
Te large system presented some balance-
of-system challenges, as well. SLP worked with
a Canadian frm to size two heat exchangers.
According to Morehouse, The redundant
heat exchangers allow [the Plunge] to run both
most of the time, but they have the capabil-
ity to shut one down for maintenance and still
maintain service.
Te pools mechanical systems are a nice
complement. Its fantastic how the pool pumps
variable-frequency drive helps us maintain
the necessary fow rate despite the additional
restriction caused by the heat exchangers, said
Morehouse. Tey can use the pool pump itself
to provide the specifc fow-rate requirements
and help us maintain a nice, low temperature
diference across the heat exchanger.
Te installation itself was prety standard,
according to Construction Superintendent
Jonathan McChesney. They reroofed the
whole building and had done all of the seismic
engineering beforehand, so the installation was
prety straightforward just a lot of posts,
he said.
SLP, in partnership with Heliodyne, is
monitoring system production and will pro-
vide the city with online data analysis. SLP
projects the system will produce roughly
10,591 therms annually. By ofseting boiler
heating, it will offset the equivalent of an
estimated 323.3 megawatt-hours, and 74
tons of CO
2
, annually. Te city fnanced the
system with no subsidies, according to SLP.
GINA R. JOHNSON
solar thermal system
highlights
richmond Plunge, richmond, calif.
Richmonds climate:
Solar Resource: 5.10 kilowatt-hours/
square meter/day
Average High/Record Low Temps:
57F73F (14C23C)/24F (-4.4C)
System details:
Designer and Installer: Sun Light &
Power
Collector Area: 3,200 square feet (297
square meters) of panels
Average Production: 10,591 therms
annually
Collectors: 80 Heliodyne Gobi 410 col-
lectors
Controls: Heliodyne Delta-T Pro (wireless)
Heat Exchangers: Gasketed, fat-plate
heat exchanger
Advanced industrial components:
Pump: Grundfos 80-160/2 three-phase
circulator pump
Freeze Control: Propylene glycol
System Installation: Rack-mounted on a
pitched roof, composite materials. 22.6
tilt, 130 azimuth
Commissioned: August 2010
1_64_March_ST11.indd 47 2/14/11 3:47:51 PM
new products showcase
| manufacturing equipment
aBB Ofers Mid-Range Robot Portfolio
ABBs new compact IRB 2600 features a wide working range and
a payload capacity up to 20 kilograms, with improved accuracy
and speed for handling photovoltaic panels up to 810 mm x
1,580 mm. With a total arm weight of less than 300 kg, it can be
mounted to the foor, wall or shelf, helping to reduce foor space
requirements and increasing access to the equipment being
served. Three arm lengths are available, and its clean-room com-
pliant up to ISo 14644-1 class 5. abb.com/robotics
Edwards Expands Vacuum Pump Line
Edwards has expanded its range of magnetically levitated turbomo-
lecular pumps with the introduction of the STP-iXA2206 and STP-
iXA3306. Developed for solar, glass coating, semiconductor and LCD
etch applications, the STP-iXA3306 ofers a maximum pumping speed
of 3,200 liters per second and improved throughput performance at
high gas fows. The STP-iXA2206 ofers the same pumping speed of the
earlier STP-A2203, yet the maximum throughput capability has been
increased. It features the latest-generation small power supply, which
has been incorporated into the popular onboard controller. The pumps
feature a fve-axis magnetic bearing system with maintenance intervals
as long as fve years. edwardsvacuum.com
1_64_March_ST11.indd 48 2/14/11 3:47:53 PM
Ad_Solar_Today_March_2011_issue_en_paths.indd 1 1/10/11 4:36 PM 1_64_March_ST11.indd 49 2/14/11 3:47:56 PM
Bluestar Launches silicones
in North america
Bluestar Silicones has announced the
North American introduction of a new
range of silicone elastomers for the
production of solar photovoltaic (PV)
panels. The new product range includes
the CAF line of one-component silicones
for frame sealing and junction bonding,
curing at room temperature. They ofer
excellent adhesion to several back sheet
materials such as polyvinyl fuoride
(PVF) and polyethylene terephthalate
(PET) and also adhere to junction box
materials such as polyphenylene oxide
(PPo) and polycarbonate. The launch
also includes Sunsil 2030, a two-com-
ponent silicone RTV for frame sealing,
ofering full cure in 30 minutes. For
potting and encapsulation, Bluestar has
introduced pourable two-component
silicone elastomers, which cure at room
temperature by polyaddition reaction.
www.bluestarsilicones.com
Precision Ofers
PFC-design software
Power factor correction circuits employ
a number of magnetic components, and
inductors play a critical role in the boost
pre-regulator. By using Precision Inc.s
interactive PL Product Tool, engineers
can easily calculate PL product and char-
acterize PFC inductors over a range of
output power. Coverage is 200 to 1,000
watts output power. This gives circuit
designers insight into the relationship
among output power, ripple current,
switching frequency and the PFC induc-
tor, and allows them to make educated
trade-ofs. The PL Product Tool then
specifes the standard Precision inductor
component that is optimum for the PFC
application. pfc.precision-inc.com
new products
Grab your
opportunity
The premier technical conference for solar
energy and energy efciency professionals in
the U.S. ofers you:
In-depth Industry Trainings
Professional Education; continuing education credits
Career & Business Development
and, of course, lots more.
Vsit www.nationalsolarconference.org
Presented by American Solar Energy Society with North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association
May 17 21, 2011 Raleigh, North Carolina
SOLAR2011_ad_STMar2011_Sessions-v2:Layout 1 1/14/11 5:59 PM Page 1
1_64_March_ST11.indd 50 2/14/11 3:47:57 PM
1_64_March_ST11.indd 51 2/14/11 3:47:57 PM
new products
Check out the
SolarToday.org
Exclusives were
planning for March
Cant get
enough
SOLAR TODAY?
Installed PV Costs
Plummet in 2010
Plug-In Electric Vehicles:
How Ready is Your City?
SolarToday.org
Visit regularly for more
web-exclusive features
and blog postings!
Plasmadust Process Improves application of Busbars
Reinhausen of Regensburg, Germany, has introduced a plasma
generator for layer deposition at ambient pressure and 100 C. The
system can thus deposit a solderable metal alloy on the aluminium
back layer without heating the silicon wafer. The material can be
put down in lines or dots according to the cell design, with adhesion
values greater than 2 N in a peel test. www.reinhausen.com/en
Lord Ofers
Thermally
Conductive
Encapsulant
Designed for encapsula-
tion applications where
high heat dissipation is
required, Lord SC-305 is a
two-component silicone
system. Composed of an
addition-curing polymer
that will not depolymerize
when heated in confned
spaces, the material can
be room temperature or
heat-cured for maximum
adhesion. Meets UL 94
V-o for fame retardancy.
lord.com

Expl ore your gi vi ng opti ons at
www. Amer i canSol ar Energy. org
L e a d i n g t h e r e n e w a b l e e n e r g y r e v o l u t i o n
Donated assets such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds
or real estate may provide you with an income tax
deduction based on the fair market value of the gift and
eliminate all capital gains taxes. This would allow you
to make a substantially greater gift than you otherwise
would have thought possible, for the
same out-of-pocket cost.
Stock or Real Estate:
The Smart Way to Give
1_64_March_ST11.indd 52 2/14/11 3:47:58 PM
A Wholesale Solar Distributor
2
5
y
e
ars
I used to be a solar installer. When I
founded Session Solar it was my goal to
build a wholesale company that supports
solar installersfrom quality products and
fair pricing to technical design support. Our
priority is our clients, whether they are solar
veterans or new to the business, we are here
to help.
Elmar Niewerth
CEO SolarMarkt US / dba Session Solar
831-438-9000
info@sessionsolar.com
Session Solar is a national distributor for installers, contractors and developers. We understand the varied
needs of solar professionals and support our clients with:
Session Solar is the North American subsidiary of SolarMarkt AG, founded in Germany in 1985.
Name brand products
Competitive pricing
Free design & diagrams
Same day quotes
Unbeatable service
Project development
MC
1_64_March_ST11.indd 53 2/14/11 3:47:58 PM
new products | for home power
Evergreen Launches
Es-E series Modules
ES-E Series String Ribbon solar panels from
Evergreen Solar, available in 210-
to 220-watt versions, feature a higher volt-
age for compatibility with microinverter-
based residential installation. They are IEC
61701 salt-mist-certifed for long life in
coastal regions, UL- and CEC-listed and ISo
9001-certifed. evergreensolar.com
sMa iPhone app Provides PV
data anytime, anywhere
Critical performance data from any PV
system is now available on the iPhone
with the SMA Sunny Portal application.
Available for free download from the
Apple App Store, it allows solar power
system owners and operators to manage,
monitor and display PV system perfor-
mance instantly, anytime and anywhere.
The app displays energy yield for the day,
month, year and life-to-date, in addition
to listing Co
2
savings in tons per year.
This data is uploaded daily via the SMA
Sunny WebBox, a communication hub
that continuously collects data from the
solar inverters. sma-america.com
southwest Windpower Ofers
smart-Grid small Turbine
The Skystream 600, designed for farm and
residential installation, is said to produce
7,400 kilowatt-hours per year at 12-mph
average wind speed that calculates out
to an average of 800 watts. With an inte-
grated inverter, the unit is designed for easy
installation, and its web-based monitoring
system reports output to any internet-con-
nected location. windenergy.com
A DRIVER WITH
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USE AC/DC
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3.5 Watt, 5 Watt, 10 Watt Max. Head = 3 feet Max. Flow = 3 gpm
PV Panel Direct DC OR 12 Volt Battery OR AC-DC Adapter
THE FUTURE IS NOW!
A PUMP WITHOUT
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IVAN LABS INC. JUPITER, FLORIDA USA
TEL. 561-747-5354 FAX: 561-746-9760
ivandelsol@bellsouth.net
Ivan Lab 9/1/08 10:55 AM Page 1
1_64_March_ST11.indd 54 2/14/11 3:48:00 PM
1_64_March_ST11.indd 55 2/14/11 3:48:00 PM
advances
DC-optimization devices. AC modules are already hitting
the market, and smart modules containing integrated
DC optimization devices are likely to hit the market in
2011. Rather than the standardization that might be
expected in a rapidly growing market, 2011 will be a year
of trial and error as the number of component and sys-
tem architecture options for developers expands rather
than consolidates. The two key questions around AC
modules and smart modules are related to reliability and
whether promised labor and balance-of-system savings
will materialize. Only time will tell.
Prices to Drop in Inverters, Too
Large increases in inverter-manufacturing capac-
ity are bringing inverter prices down, helping to stoke
growth in PV system installations. Supporting this trend
in the United States is the availability of UL-listed trans-
formerless inverters, which are less expensive and more
effcient than inverters with transformers. Resisting the
cost-reduction trend is an increase in inverter reliability
and functionality, which can lower the levelized cost
of energy (LCOE) from PV systems, but can increase
up-front costs. Microinverters cost more per watt than
central inverters, so as they gain market share theyll
push average inverter prices up. Even so, the majority
of inverters will continue to be central, and the declin-
ing trend in central inverter prices should dominate the
North American market in 2011.
Microinverters are expected to continue strong
growth in 2011, particularly in the residential market.
The advantages of microinverters do appear to be attrac-
tive to the residential market and will only increase with
greater availability of AC modules, so the longer micro-
inverters remain on the market without signifcant reli-
ability problems, the faster they are expected to grow.
However, the reliability question is a real one, and the
lack of reliability standards is causing as much or more
uncertainty in the inverter market as in the PV module
market. While UL and IEC standards address safety and
ftness-for-use issues related to PV modules and invert-
ers, they do not provide an indicator of how long an
operating device might last in the feld. Developers are
left to rely on the warranty, which offers some comfort
but does not alleviate the disruption that comes with the
widespread failure of a whole class of devices.
2011 will be an important year for shaking out
the large number of microinverter and DC-optimizer
manufacturers. Partnerships between these companies
and module manufacturers will be critical for achieving
their full potential, and companies that cannot partner
may not be able to compete. 2011 should provide some
insight into what intelligence and functionality will
remain in central inverters and what will be moved to
the module. Central inverters are most at risk of being
replaced by microinverters in the residential market,
while for larger installations the risk is that inverters
will become less intelligent and more commoditized
as functionality moves to smart modules or bolt-on
DC optimizers.
achieving High Grid Penetration
Overlaying these developments is the eventual
requirement for added inverter functionality to enable
high penetration of PV systems on the grid. This func-
tionality includes low-voltage ride through (LVRT), volt-
age support and communications-and-control capabili-
ties, among others. This functionality is already required
for large, behind-the-fence utility-scale PV systems, but
it is not required for commercial or residential behind-
the-meter installations. Historically, PV systems have
been so dispersed throughout the grid that the distur-
bances caused by PV systems dropping offine due to
voltage fuctuations on the grid, or suddenly reducing
their output due to a passing cloud, were minor relative
to total grid capacity. However, as penetration levels of
PV systems increase, these disturbances threaten grid
stability on a wider scale, and inverters will require some
of the functionality described above if PV systems are to
achieve very high levels of penetration. Unfortunately,
new standards will need to be developed before that
functionality can be required for commercial and resi-
dential PV systems, and those standards are not expect-
ed to materialize for another 18 to 24 months.
In the near term, utilities will likely simply deny per-
mits for new PV systems that could disrupt the grid.
This is already happening in some localities in New
Jersey, and although it is a rare enough occurrence
that it is unlikely to impact overall growth in PV instal-
lations in 2011, it is something to keep an eye on and
a development that will infuence inverter design mov-
ing forward. ST
If you havent been getting
Solar@Work, the e-bulletin
from ASES and Solar Today,
this feature is part of what
you missed last month.
Get Solar@Work delivered to
your e-mail box, free. To sign up,
go to solartoday.org/sw.
While youre there, log in to
ASES.org and renew your SOLAR
TODAY subscription: go to ases.
org/login.
Pricing Trends from page 10
Key questions around
AC modules relate to
reliability and whether
promised savings will
materialize.
1_64_March_ST11.indd 56 2/14/11 3:48:00 PM
People and products,
you can count on.
YOUR
PV GLOBAL
SUPPLIER
alba solar
USA | SPAIN | GERMANY | FRANCE | PORTUGAL
ALBASOLAR
info@albasolar.us
www.albasolar.us
T
wo new non-polluting trucks powered by zero-emission plug-in elec-
tric/hydrogen fuel cells began duty-cycle testing at the ports of Los
Angeles and Long Beach in January. One big-rig truck and one terminal
tractor, both built by Vision Motor Corp.
of El Segundo, will work normal portside
short-haul jobs for 18 months, fnanced in
part by $212,500 furnished by the the ports
from their Technology Advancement Pro-
gram (TAP) funds.
Both vehicles are electric trucks, with
bateries recharged by hydrogen fuel cells.
Te on-road heavy-duty truck will be oper-
ated by Total Transportation Services Inc.,
a local trucking frm that serves both ports.
Te yard tractor will be operated on the
property of California Cartage Express, another local trucking frm.
Te ports TAP encourages the commercialization of clean goods-
movement vehicles and equipment. Each port has budgeted $1.5 million
annually for the TAP since 2007. Te U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency bestowed the 2010 Clean Air Technologies Award to the ports
for the TAP. kyocera Ships
Millionth Module
from Tijuana Plant
Kyoceras Tijuana,
Mexico, plant has pro-
duced its 1 millionth solar
module. More than 400
employees gathered for a
celebration by signing the
back of the module to com-
memorate the event.
In December 2004,
nearly 30 years afer manu-
facturing its frst solar mod-
ules in Japan, the company
commenced module pro-
duction in Tijuana. Tat
facility expanded, opening
a second plant in 2009 to
increase the capacity in
Tijuana to 240 megawats
per year. In June, the com-
pany began its first U.S.
production of solar mod-
ules, with an initial capacity
target of 30 MW per year in
San Diego. Te companys
target is to produce a giga-
wat annually, worldwide,
by the spring of 2013. ST
Fuel Cell Trucks in Test at SoCal Ports
Advances from page 15
v
i
s
i
o
n

m
o
t
o
r

c
o
r
P
.
1_64_March_ST11.indd 57 2/14/11 3:48:01 PM
J
ef Lyng became the chair of the ASES Board
with the new year. At the same time, he lef his
job as solar program manager in the Colorado Gov-
ernors Energy Ofce to become director of market
development on the West Coast for OPOWER in
San Francisco. Te company provides systems that
help utility customers to track and reduce energy
use. Lyng holds a bachelors from the College of Environmental Science
and Forestry of the State University of New York and a masters in building
systems engineering from the University of Colorado, where he was project
leader for the winning team in the 2005 Solar Decathlon. Before joining
the Governors Energy Ofce, he worked for Xcel Energy, consulting on
demand-side management and solar programs, including the design of a
10-kilowat photovoltaic system at Coors Field in Denver.
Margot McDonald has assumed the post of immediate past chair.
inside ases
|
American Solar Energy Society news
Jef Lyng
Steps Up to
ASES Chair
alabama
Alabama Solar Assoc.
P: 256.658.5189
arch42@gmail.com
al-solar.org
contact: a. morton archibald jr.
arizona
Arizona Solar Energy Assoc.
P: 602.952.8192
j2envarch@aol.com
arizonasolarenergy.org
contact: Daniel aiello
arkansas New Chapter!
Arkansas Renewable Energy Assoc.
P: 877.575.0379
info@arkansasrenewableenergyassoc.org
arkansasrenewableenergyassoc.org
contact: frank Kelly
California
NorCal Solar Energy Assoc.
P: 510.705.8813
solarinfo@norcalsolar.org
norcalsolar.org
contact: erin middleton
*Redwood Empire Solar Living Assoc.
P: 707.744.2017
sli@solarliving.org
solarliving.org
contact: coral mills
San Diego Renewable Energy Society
P: 619.778.7263
info@sdres.org
sdres.org
contact: Bruce rogow
Colorado
*Colorado Renewable Energy Society
P: 303.806.5317
info@cres-energy.org
cres-energy.org
Exec. Dir.: Tony Frank
Connecticut
*Northeast Sustainable Energy Assoc.
P: 413.774.6051
nesea@nesea.org
nesea.org
exec. Dir.: jennifer marrapese
Solar Energy Assoc. of Connecticut
nesea local chapter
P: 860.233.5684
ramank0@yahoo.com
solarenergyofct.org
contact: K. raman
get involved: locate an ASES chapter in your community
delaware
P: 413.774.6051
nesea@nesea.org
nesea.org
Sustainable Delaware
nesea local chapter
P: 302.645.2657
johnmateyko@verizon.net
contact: john mateyko
Florida
Florida Renewable Energy Assoc.
P: 352.241.4733
info@cleanenergyflorida.org
cleanenergyflorida.org
contact: craig williams
Georgia
Georgia Solar Energy Assoc.
P. 678.810.0929
joy.kramer@gasolar.org
gasolar.org
contact: joy Kramer
Idaho New Chapter!
Idaho Renewable Energy Assoc.
P: 208.639.0656
dustin@idahosolar.org
idahosolar.org
contact: Dustin w. Baker
Illinois
Illinois Solar Energy Assoc.
P: 312.376.8245
illinoissolar.org
contact: mark Burger
*Midwest Renewable Energy Assoc.
P: 715.592.6595
info@the-mrea.org
the-mrea.org
contact: Doug stingle
Indiana New Chapter!
Indiana Renewable Energy Assoc.
P: 574.536.9483
indianarenew@homeandmobileenergy.com
indianarenew.org
contact: leon Bontrager
Iowa
P: 715.592.6595
info@the-mrea.org
the-mrea.org
Kansas
Heartland Renewable Energy Society
P: 816.224.5550
cwolfe@craigwolfeeco.org
heartlandrenewable.org
contact: craig wolfe
Kentucky
Kentucky Solar Energy Society
P: 502.634.1004
chair@kyses.org
kyses.org
contact: jef auxier
Louisiana
Louisiana Solar Energy Society
P: 225.767.0715
info@lses.org
lses.org
contact: jef shaw
Maine
P: 413.774.6051
nesea@nesea.org
nesea.org
Maine Solar Energy Assoc.
nesea local chapter
P: 207.497.2204
sunwatt@juno.com
mainesolar.org
contact: richard Komp
Maryland
Potomac Region Solar Energy Assoc.
info@prsea.org
prsea.org
contact: nelson Buck
Massachusetts
P: 413.774.6051
nesea@nesea.org
nesea.org
Boston Area Solar Energy Assoc.
nesea local chapter
P: 617.242.2150
hkv@solarwave.com
basea.org
contact: henry K. vandermark

Cape and Islands
Renewable Energy Collaborative
nesea local chapter
P: 774.487.4614
chrisp@weeinfo.com
cirenew.org
contact: chris Powicki
Springfeld Area Sustainable Energy Assoc.
nesea local chapter
P: 413.734.1456
sasea@gmail.com
nesea.org/sasea
contact: mike Kocsmiersky
Michigan
*Great Lakes Renewable Energy Assoc.
P: 517.646.6269 or 800.434.9788
info@glrea.org
glrea.org
contact: samantha Keeney
P: 715.592.6595
info@the-mrea.org
the-mrea.org
Minnesota
Minnesota Renewable Energy Society
P: 612.308.4757
info@mnrenewables.org
mnrenewables.org
contact: David Boyce
Mississippi
Mississippi Solar Energy Society
sdlewis@megagate.com
contact: steve lewis
Missouri
Heartland Renewable Energy Society
P: 816.224.5550
cwolfe@craigwolfeeco.org
heartlandrenewable.org
contact: craig wolfe
Nevada
Sunrise Sustainable Resources Group
P: 775.224.1877
philip_moore@charter.net.
sunrisenevada.org
contact: Philip moore
Solar NV
P: 702.507.0093
contact@solarnv.org
solarnv.org
contact: Deidre radford
New Hampshire
P: 413.774.6051
nesea@nesea.org
nesea.org
KEY
*
= stafed ofce
Green = a chapter of the Northeast
Sustainable Energy Assoc.
Dont Miss
the 40th
ASES
National
Solar
Conference
Join us May 1721 in Raleigh,
N.C., to celebrate the longest-running
educational event for solar energy pro-
fessionals in the United States. Its the
40th anniversary of the inaugural ASES
National Solar Conference, and its shap-
ing up to be an extraordinary event.
Come to learn. The SOLAR 2011
program was developed by solar energy
experts in all topical areas technology,
buildings, policy, professional education,
workforce development and consumer
education. Many sessions offer continu-
ing education credits for architects,
1_64_March_ST11.indd 58 2/14/11 3:48:01 PM
DI vI S I OnS
Divisions Chair:
David L. Comis
dcomis@sentech.org
Clean Energy and Water
Chair: Nathan Miten
mitenater@gmail.com
Concentrating Solar Power
Chair: Alison Mason
alison.mason@skyfuel.com
Sustainable Transportation
Chair: Scote Elliot
selliot@greentechconsultants.com
Resource Applications
Chair: Justin Robinson
jrobinson@campbellsci.com
Small Wind
Co-chairs: Trudy Forsyth
trudy_forsyth@nrel.gov
Karin Sinclair
karin_sinclair@nrel.gov
Solar Buildings
Chair: Vikram Sami
vssami@yahoo.com
Solar Electric
Chair: Joseph McCabe
energyideas@gmail.com
Solar Thermal
Chair: Barry Butler
barry@butlersunsolutions.com
Sustainability
Chair: David Panich
dpanich@pnarch.com
b OAR D c OmmI T T e e S
Education
Chair: Nathalie Osborn
education@ases.org
International
Chair: John Reynolds
international@ases.org
Policy
Chair: David Hill
policy@ases.org
me mb e R c OmmI T T e e S
Membership
Chair: Allison Gray
membership@ases.org
Ethics
ethics@ases.org
*New Hampshire Sustainable Energy Assoc.
nesea local chapter
P: 603.226.4732 (22nhsea)
madeline@nhsea.org
nhsea.org
contact: madeline mcelaney
New Jersey
P: 413.774.6051
nesea@nesea.org
nesea.org
Central Jersey Sustainable Energy Assoc.
nesea local chapter
P: 732.695.2578
nesea.nj@gmail.com
contact: Beth robinson
New Mexico
New Mexico Solar Energy Assoc.
P: 505.246.0400, 888.886.6765
info@nmsea.org
nmsea.org
contact: mary mcarthur, ron herman
New york
New york Solar Energy Society New Chapter!
P: 917.974.4606
wyldon1@gmail.com
nyses.org
contact: wyldon fishman
P: 413.774.6051
nesea@nesea.org
nesea.org
GreenHome NyC
nesea local chapter
P: 917.846.2374
slenard@greenhomenyc.org
greenhomenyc.org
contact: steven lenard
Western New york
Sustainable Energy Assoc.
nesea local chapter
P: 716.881.1639
jkbozer@aol.com
contact: joan Bozer
North Carolina
North Carolina Sustainable Energy Assoc.
P: 919.832.7601
ofcemanager@energync.org
energync.org
exec. Dir.: ivan urlaub
Ohio
*Green Energy ohio
P: 614.985.6131
geo@greenenergyohio.org
greenenergyohio.org
exec. Dir.: william a. spratley
Oregon
*Solar oregon
P: 503.231.5662
hadley@solaroregon.org
solaroregon.org
contact: hadley Price
Pennsylvania
P: 413.774.6051
nesea@nesea.org
nesea.org
Philadelphia Solar Energy Assoc.
nesea local chapter
P: 610.489.1105
kira@sunpowerbuilders.com
contact: Kira costanza
Rhode Island
P: 413.774.6051
nesea@nesea.org
nesea.org
Rhode Island Solar Energy Assoc.
nesea local chapter
P: 401.855.1170
johntaborjacobson@yahoo.com
contact: john jacobson
south Carolina
South Carolina Solar Council
P: 803.737.8030
emyers@energy.sc.gov
contact: erika myers
Tennessee New Chapter!
Tenneessee Solar Energy Assoc.
P: 865.974.9218
jim@tnsolarenergy.org or
steve@tnsolarenergy.org
tnsolarenergy.org
contact: jim hackworth or steven levy
Texas
*Texas Solar Energy Society
P: 512.326.3391, 800.465.5049
info@txses.org
txses.org
exec. Dir.: natalie marquis
utah
Utah Solar Energy Assoc.
P: 801.501.9353
ofarnsworth@aeesolar.com
utsolar.org
contact: orrin farnsworth
Vermont
P: 413.774.6051
nesea@nesea.org
nesea.org
Building For Social Responsibility
nesea local chapter
jvansteensburg@bsr-vt.org
bsr-vt.org
exec. Dir.: jessica van steensburg
Virginia
P: 866.477.5369
info@prsea.org
prsea.org
Washington state
Solar Washington Assoc.
P: 206.246.1200
info@solarwashington.org
solarwashington.org
contact: Peter Barton
Washington, d.C.
P: 866.477.5369
info@prsea.org
prsea.org
Wisconsin
P: 715.592.6595
info@the-mrea.org
the-mrea.org
STUDenT CHAPTERS
Appalachian State University
Sustainable Energy Society
P: 828.262.7333
asuses@gmail.com
asuses.net
contact: mike uchal
NCSU Renewable Energy Society
P: 919.515.9782
University of Florida
P: 561.827.3608
ases.uf@gmail.com
ufases.org
contact: alex Palomino
University of Mass. Lowell
Solar Energy Assoc.
nesea local student chapter
P: 978.934.2968
john_dufy@uml.edu
energy.caeds.eng.uml.edu
contact: john j. Dufy
ASES Trust Fund
$450,000 and higher
c.e. Bennett foundation
$50,000 $150,000
otto and Phoebe hass fund at
the seattle foundation $75,000
$25,000 $50,000
Karl w. and renate Ber $40,000
mrs. lammot du Pont copeland $25,000
$10,000 $25,000
richard collins $10,000
molly o. ross $10,000
The ASES Trust Fund was established
in November 1999 to receive
contributions to an endowment for
ASES that will provide income for
ASES educational programs in
perpetuity. To make a donation,
visit ases.org/donate.
installers, engineers and more. Of our
attendees and exhibitors, 95 percent say
that the ASES National Solar Conference
pays for itself in terms of business and
career development. Its a no-brainer
build your customer base, develop
your market and grow your business by
attending SOLAR 2011.
There is no better way to begin or
continue your professional education
in solar energy than the ASES National
Solar Conference. Register and fnd out
more by visiting nationalsolarconfer-
ence.org. Well see you there.
1_64_March_ST11.indd 59 2/14/11 3:48:01 PM
March
2 Online Webinar
Achieving Low-Cost PV
The Vote Solar Initiative
votesolar.org
4-5 Boston
MIT Energy Conference
Contact 510.759.1174
mitenergyconference.com
8-10 Saratoga, N.Y.
Clean Energy Workforce
Education Conference
IREC
Contact info@irecusa.org
irecusa.org
8-10 Boston
NESEAs Building Energy 2011
Northeast Sustainable Energy Association
Contact 413.774.6051
nesea.org
9 Tampa, Fla., and Boston
Residential Inverter Training
Solectria Renewables
solren.com
12-21 Costa Rica
Renewable Energy for
the Developing World Workshop
Solar Energy International
Contact 970.963.8855
solarenergy.org
14-15 Atlanta
Greenprints Conference and Tradeshow
Contact Ruth Ann Rosenberg, 404.604.3595
greenprints.org
22 Elkridge, Md.
PV Systems and the
National Electric Code Workshop
IEC Chesapeake
Contact 301.621.9545
iec-chesapeake.com
24 York, Pa.
PV Systems and the
National Electric Code Workshop
IEC Chesapeake
Contact 301.621.9545
iec-chesapeake.com
April
2-10 Havana
Renewable Energy and
Energy Efciency in Cuba
Solar Energy International
Contact 970.963.8855
solarenergy.org
8-16 Jonesport, Maine
Do yourself Solar! Spring 2011
Contact 207.546.1639
dadsolar.com
14-15 Seattle
3rd Annual Global Marine
Renewable Energy Conference
Contact 1.866.463.2844
globalmarinerenewable.com
May
17-21 Raleigh, N.C.
SOLAR 2011, the ASES National Solar
Conference
Contact ASES, 303.443.3130
nationalsolarconference.org
dates
Is Solar Energy
Right for Me?
Learn about how solar works.
If you are a renewable energy
professional, visit FindSolar.com
to enroll your company.
Sponsored by the American Solar Energy Society
FindSolar.com FindSolar.com
Its Free!
Find solar professionals in
your own neighborhood.
Find certified professionals
with renewable resources
for your specific needs.
Easy online calculation
tool to see how solar can
work for you.
Its Easy
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|
advertising index
AEE Solar ..................................................... 4
Alba Solar ............................................... 57
Apollo Gate Operators ....................... 45
ASES ......................................................... 52
Conergy....................................................... 2
Delta ......................................................... 49
Enphase Energy .................................... 55
FindSolar.com ....................................... 60
Fronius USA LLC .............................. 32-33
Gear Solar .............................................. 52
Geoking Solar ....................................... 60
IVAN Labs ................................................ 54
Jinko Solar ............................................... 15
Kipp & Zonen ........................................ 43
Meca Solar .............................................. 41
Mitsubishi Electric ................................ 19
Miyachi Unitek ...................................... 17
Schletter Inc. ........................................... 47
Schneider Electric .................................... 9
Session Solar ........................................ 53
SOLAR 2011 ......................................18, 50
Solar FlexRack ....................................... 51
SOLAR TODAY ........................................ 57
Solmetric Corp. ......................................... 6
Steibel Eltron ......................................... 61
SunEarth ................................................. 57
Tianwei New Energy ........................... 64
Trina Solar............................................... 63
Unirac ........................................................... 7
Westinghouse Solar ............................. 13
cLIcK for solar event listings, go to solartoday.org/dates.
1_64_March_ST11.indd 60 2/14/11 3:48:02 PM
SOLKIT 2 includes:
info@stiebel-eltron-usa.com
Season after season,
the sun gives its light to the earth,
allowing life to bloom.
Every day a limitless crop of free,
clean energy reaches our planet.
Stiebel Eltron manufactures all the tools you
need for a successful thermal solar harvest.
And weve been doing so since 1976.
From our highly efcient at plate collectors and
storage tanks to our complete line of mounting
hardware, pump stations, controllers, and
accessories, we have it all.
SBB 300 Plus Storage Tank
2 x SOL 25 PLUS
Flat Plate Collectors
Pump station with
SOM 6 Controller
Because every installation is
different, we have a full line of
SOLKITS and mounting
hardware kits available. All
components and accessories are
available for individual sale.
Si mply the Best
TOLL FREE 800.582.8423
www.stiebel-eltron-usa.com
Harvest the power of
Harvest the power of
the
the
Sun
Sun
Stiebel Eltron is your one stop source for thermal solar products.
1_64_March_ST11.indd 61 2/14/11 3:48:02 PM
system accomplished
Osborne Coinage of Cincinnati, founded in 1835, is the oldest private mint in
America, making custom coins, medallions and tokens for mass transit and casino
use. Afer enacting a number of energy-saving strategies, the company wanted a so-
lar array to ofset a large portion of its electrical usage. Osborne began by installing
a 45-kilowat array at its sister company, Doran Manufacturing, and then followed
up with a larger array for Osborne Coinage.
Te historic Osborne structure has a complex roof with many obstructions and
some shading challenges. Project Developer John Fanselow of Tird Sun Solar
(third-sun.com) chose high-efciency SunPower modules in an aerodynamic tiled orientation
for both installations to maximize the amount of power produced per square foot. Te aerody-
namic orientation minimizes wind-induced torque, and roof loading totals just 4 pounds per
square foot. Both arrays are ballasted, with no roof penetrations, and are sized to make the best
use of available space while taking maximum advantage of state incentives. Te system produces
more power than promised, and Osborne is considering additional systems. ST
system accomplished is a new SOLAR TODAY feature, focusing on unique design or installation problems and how they were solved.
if you have solved a difcult installation problem, we want to hear about it. email smasia @ solartoday.org.
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Osborne Coinage:
Ballasted System
Resolves Issues
with Historic Roof
1_64_March_ST11.indd 62 2/14/11 3:48:06 PM
Solar has never been more popular
Ocial Sponsor of
As the worlds most prestigious sport, F1 embodies the pursuit of excellence
through technological expertise and innovation. At Trina Solar, its because of
this shared passion for innovation that weve teamed up with the Renault F1
Team, one of Formula Ones most advanced teams. As solar accelerates on the
track to grid parity, we think its time to bring solar to an even larger audience
the world. For more information, visit us at www.trinasolar.com
C
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TS_NA_Solar Today-8.5-10.88 inch.pdf 1 2010-11-9 10:02:19
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3 decades of solar expertise

Industry-leading tech support

Broadest selection of the products

Best-in-class training and dealer

A partner fully dedicated to your

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