DIY Green Solar Energy

This is part 2 of a tour with detailed explanation of a residential solar thermal/solar hot water heater system. Here I do into detail on various parts/components including the controller, temperature sensors, expansion tanks, flow meter, bypass valve assembly and stagnation control methods like vacation bypass valves, heat dump radiator, and covering the collector with a tarp. The system is the Enerworks one. It’s installed in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, so cold climate issues apply. The solar panels or collectors are flat plate type. The solar tank and the natural gas backup tank are shown, as well as the heat exchanger and all piping. How the solar energy from the sun heats the absorber in the collector and then the food grade propylene glycol (antifreeze) and water mix is also covered. For more on solar thermal/solar hot water heating systems, see: rimstar.org – rimstar.org

bitly.com Our animated correspondent, ‘Little Lee Patrick Sullivan,’ continues our “Energy 101″ series with an inside look at solar-power technology. He breaks down the different types of solar devices and how they work, detailing the pros and cons of this renewable energy source. bitly dot com/zXIXid

shanekel75.homemadeen.hop.clickbank.net, Diy solar panel training. If you want to save yourself tousands of dollars each year this could be a very important video for you.

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This is a DIY (do it yourself) solar thermal panel that made hot water for a farm. I built all components with my friend using all parts from Lowes/Home Depot/local hardware stores. Each challenge was to make the solar thermal panels under 0, which we successfully did for each panel. All components can be bought from stores, nothing was special order or special parts. After hooking up the system for the summer of 2011, the system performed very well and actually produced 170 degree F water. The hot water was kept in a Rubbermaid bucket, but the plastic was so cheap that the hot water from the panel melted the Rubbermaid bucket you see in the one of the pictures. I created a thermosiphon, which means that I did not use any electric pumps to move the hot water. The flow rate is about 1 gallon per minute to 1.5 gallons per minute (GPM) when measured inside of the hot water tubing. There are no tubes inside the barrel. I used hose connectors through the side of the barrel with silicone glue. They are like garden hose valves/connectors that you can find in Lowes/Home Depot. I am using CPVC because garden hose and regular PVC melt at the high temperatures. I was getting 190 degree F temperatures in February with this configuration. Below 55 F, the unit is still producing hot water at 150 F or higher. Also, I would recommend that you have a drainback system for during the day so that if you are using straight water it does not freeze or burst your piping. If you are trying …

Our animated correspondent, ‘Little Lee Patrick Sullivan,’ continues our “Energy 101″ series with an inside look at solar-power technology. He breaks down the different types of solar devices and how they work, detailing the pros and cons of this renewable energy source.

US Digital visits SkyFuel, a concentrated solar power plant, and highlights their SkyTrough which features ReflecTech and the US Digital T7 Inclinometer.

Free Energy From the Sun: THE clean, never ending resource! Onbeautiful Seabrook Island, nestled on the coast just south of Charleston, South Carolina, lies Camp St. Christopher It offers over 300 acres of beach, marsh and maritime forest and multiple facilities including meeting and conference centers, lodging, and worship centers. We’re excited about keeping you up-to-date on our progress and informing you about how this project was made possible. The process began last August when the State Energy Office put out information that there were going to be .9 million available in grants for alternative energy projects for non-profits. As soon as we found out, we immediately started getting in touch with local Charleston non-profit organizations to inform them about the opportunity. When St. Christopher responded about being interested, we setup a meeting for late September 2009 and went out to view the grounds and start planning. The RFP from the State was issued in early September. The government was looking at multiple factors before approving a non-profit like St. Christopher for the grant. These included visibility of project, potential job creation, overall benefit in terms of investment and payback of the project (they needed a minimum return of .50 dollars to spent). The grant writing process was long and hard, but St. Christopher didn’t have to worry about that. SES took care of making sure the grant was completed correctly and on time. Anything we were able …

Solar power energy systems are not inexpensive. That said it’s important to compare them within context of other types of home improvement projects. Home buyers and realtors view a solar photovoltaic or solar hot water heating system as a significant value-added improvement – similar to adding a deck or remodeling your kitchen. Plus unlike a deck or kitchen remodel, you also gain one-up on your power bills. Here are some foolproof ways to estimate the cost of a solar photovoltaic or solar thermal system and to figure out if a solar energy system makes sense for you.

Six Easy Steps To Estimate Cost of a Solar Power System

Solar power energy systems are not inexpensive. That said it’s important to compare them within context of other types of home improvement projects. Home buyers and realtors view a solar photovoltaic or solar hot water heating system as a significant value-added improvement – similar to adding a deck or remodeling your kitchen. Plus unlike a deck or kitchen remodel, you also gain one-up on your power bills.

Solar power systems often get an additional financial boost as well: many jurisdictions and utilities across the USA offer attractive financial incentives to drive down the upfront capital costs associated with a solar power system.

Here are some foolproof ways to estimate the cost of a solar photovoltaic or solar thermal system and to figure out if a solar energy system makes sense for you. Let’s start with a home photovoltaic (PV) system. Step 1: Estimate your home’s electricity needs

To get started, it’s good to have a sense of how much electricity you use. You’ll have a better point for comparison if you find out how many kilowatt hours (kWh) you use per day, per month, per year. Your utility bill should include that information.

Of course, the utility bill will also display your costs and many utilities include a graph that displays how your monthly energy use/cost varies throughout the year. That helps you estimate where your highest energy use is and at what time of year. New Home Construction

If you are constructing a new home, then you’ll need to estimate your demand based on the type of equipment you plan to install and your home’s square footage. The pross call this “your load”.

To figure out your anticipated load, create a table to record the watt use for each appliance. Each appliance – be it a water heater, electric light, computer, or refrigerator – should have a nameplate that lists its power rating in watts. Or you can get the information from the manufacturer’s website.

Some labels list amperage and voltage only; to obtain watts multiply the two together (amperage x voltage = watts). In another column, record the number of hours each appliance is expected to operate. Then multiple the watts and hours together to estimate watt-hours used per day. Since it’s hard to anticipate all electric loads (it may get tedious scouting out every toothbrush and mobile phone cell charger), you might want to add a multiplier of 1.5 to be safe. Step 2: Anticipate the future

In 2005, average residential electricity rates across the USA ranged from about 6 to nearly 16 cents per kilowatt hour depending on where you lived. Average retail and commercial electricity rates have increased roughly 30% since 1999 and the upward trend will likely continue especially as costs for the coal and hydropower used to generate that electricity rise as well. So think about your home electricity needs and present and future cost in relation to one another.Step 3: How much sun do you get?

The Florida Solar Energy Center has conducted a study to examine how a 2-kW photovoltaic system would perform if installed on a highly energy efficient home across the continental USA (http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/publications/html/FSEC-PF-380-04/).

The study accounted for all factors that impact a PV system’s performance such as the temperature effect on the photovoltaic cells, the amount of sun peak hours in various regions, and the efficiency of inverter to convert solar derived energy from DC to AC.

As the study implies, solar photovoltaic systems work just about anywhere in the US. Even in the Northeast or in “rainy Seattle”, a pv system can pencil out if designed and installed properly. In New York or New Jersey, a one kilowatt system should produce about 1270 kilowatt hours of electricity per year, in Seattle, a one kilowatt system should produce about 1200 kilowatt hours per year. In the Southwest, of course, those ratios will be much greater.

Solar contractors in your area can help determine the best size for your solar photovoltaic system. Step 4: Size your system

In general, solar photovoltaic systems sized between 1 to 5 kilowatts are usually sufficient to meet the electricity needs of most homes. One advantage of grid-tied systems is that you can use solar PV to supplement or offset some of your electricity needs; therefore you can size your system to match your budget and always add to the system later if needed.

Also as a side note, here’s a rule of thumb to remember to help you estimate the physical space your PV system might need: one square foot yields 10 watts. So in bright sunlight, a square foot of a conventional photovoltaic panel will produce 10 watts of power. A 1000 watt system, for example, may need 100 – 200 square feet of area, depending on the type of PV module used. Step 5: Know your rebates

Many states and local jurisdictions offer rebates, tax credits and other types of incentives to homeowners for installing residential photovoltaic and solar domestic water systems. To view a comprehensive database of the incentives available for renewable energy visit http://www.dsireusa.org.

At the Federal Level, you can take advantage of a 30% tax credit (of up to $2,000) for the purchase of a residential solar system at least until December 31, 2008. Step 6: Run the numbers

Although the cost for a solar PV system will depend on the size of the system you intend to install, your electricity rate, the amount of kilowatt hours you expect to generate, and the state/local rebates/tax credits that may be available, the formulas for calculating the returns are pretty much the same.

For those who appreciate having the formulas, use the ones listed below to do a quick ballpark estimate of how much a solar photovoltaic system might cost you.

Retail Price for Solar Photovoltaic System

+ Building Permits

- $2,000 Federal Tax Credit

- State or Local Tax Credit or Rebate

- Utility Rebate or Other Incentive

= Net Investment

Kilowatts of electricity generated from PV per year

x Kilowatt hours used per year

= Annual Kilowatt energy from the PV system

Annual Kilowatt energy from the PV system

x Current Residential Electricity Rate

= Annual $$ Saved

Yearly Excess PV Energy Produced

x $$ credit applied per watt

= Annual Value from Net Metering

Of course, a more accurate assessment can be made by a pro. Work with a solar power contractor to size and price the right system for you. As is true with any major purchase, don’t hesitate to ask for several bids from different contractors.

Many solar power providers will provide you with a comprehensive estimate. Helpful information to know includes:

- Total cost to make the system operational (labor cost for design and installation and equipment costs)

- Equipment (Make and Model)

- Warranty info

- Permit costs, if needed

- Tax, where applicable

- Federal tax credits

- State or local jurisdiction tax credits or rebates

- Utility rebates

- Expected Renewable Energy Certificates or Net metering credits

- Expected operation and maintenance costs

- Projected savings Solar Thermal (also called Solar Hot Water)

Solar thermal systems capture the sun’s energy to heat water and are one of the most cost-effective renewable energy systems. They are used to heat hot water tanks and/or a heating system. A solar pool heating system is another type of solar thermal system designed specifically to heat a pool or hot tub.

Generally it’s worth investigating the economic viability of installing a solar hot water system if you have an electric water heater with utility rates of at least 5 cents per kilowatt hour and have tax credits or rebates available. (It may even be worth changing out a gas-powered water heater if your costs are at least $8/million BTU).

The formulas for costing out a solar water heater system are similar to estimating the cost for installing solar PV system. Many solar energy professionals can help you determine what system might work best for you. Heating Your Swimming Pool with Solar Power

Although few jurisdictions provide financial incentives for using solar energy to heat a swimming pool or hot tub, in general, using solar power to heat your pool is a “no-brainer” from a return on investment standpoint.

The electricity used to heat a pool during the swimming season often amounts to the same amount of energy that homes-without-pools consume over a year. Combining a solar thermal system to generate heat for the pool with a solar thermal pool cover to retain the heat generated can further maximize efficiencies and extend your swimming season.

Most installers recommend that a solar collector used to heat a pool is sized at roughly half the square footage of your pool surface area. Solar thermal panels typically last 10 – 20 years and come with a 10-year warranty.

How long it takes to break even on the cost of your solar power pool system depends on where you live. In California or other parts of the Southwest, you’ll break even in 1 to 3 years but places as “far north” as Canada, a solar pool heating system pencils out over a slightly longer period of time.