Harvesting Solar Energy in Western North Carolina Brent Summerville Western NC Renewable Energy Initiative April 2007
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Harvesting Solar Energy in Western North Carolina Brent Summerville Western NC Renewable Energy Initiative April 2007 Western NC Renewable Energy Initiative (WNCREI) Appalachian State University Project Wind Solar Microhydro wind.appstate.edu [email protected] 828-262-7333 Agenda 9 am – 12 pm -Solar Energy & Today’s Issues -Do you have the resource? [outside: solar assessment] -Types of systems [outside: fountain, oven] -Incentives -Case studies -Local installers Solar Energy & Today’s Issues “Enough sunlight falls on the earth's surface every hour to meet world energy demand for an entire year” -someone If we took all the world’s reserves of coal, oil, and gas and burned them at a rate fast enough to give us the same amount of heat we are accustomed to receiving from the sun, the supply would be entirely gone in less than three days. -Branley, F. (1957). Solar Energy Learn from Nature “A cat sunning himself in the doorway of a barn knows all about solar energy. Why can’t man learn?” -E.B. White [Augustyn, J. (1979, 2003) The Return of the Solar Car Book] [Augustyn, J. (1979, 2003) The Return of the Solar Car Book] Big Brains Good Nuclear Power Interested in Producing Your Own Power? Start With Efficiency “Every watt not used is a watt that doesn’t have to be produced, processed, or stored.” Richard Perez New Construction? Build It Right •energy efficient buildings •use of alternative energy sources •sustainable development •using green building materials •decreasing use of natural resources •preserving topsoil and trees •reducing storm water runoff www.wncgbc.org Do you have the resource? US Solar Resources Know Your Year-round Sun Using a Solar Pathfinder Place Solar Pathfinder at proposed site location Trace shading onto graph The goal of optimal sunlight is between the hours of 9am & 3pm New Solar Pathfinder Software Assessment using a Protractor: Hold string and measure angle Plot angles on Sun Chart Questions? Let’s try it... Types of Systems SOLAR WATER HEATING ACTIVE SOLAR SPACE HEATING PASSIVE SOLAR SPACE HEATING PHOTOVOLTAICS On-grid: Reducing the power bill Off-grid: Charging batteries Water pumping Electric fences Solar Water Heating Active Solar Water Heater •Typical system for one family consists of two panels with an 80 gallon tank •1.5 gallons of storage per 1 ft2 of collector •Gas or electric backup Solar Preheat/Tankless Backup Ex. Bosch Aquastar Hydro-powered Ignition Thermostat (measures incoming temp) Modulates (adjusts heat as required) 2400 model delivers over 6 gallons per minute, enough to run two showers at once www.boschhotwater.com Solar Water Heating Mounting Options Panels on the Roof Ground Mount Active Solar Space Heating Active Solar Hydronic Heating Works Well with Radiant Floor Passive Solar Space Heating You can understand the principle if you have ever opened the door of a hot car Passive Solar Space Heating Key Factors •Window area •Thermal Mass •Overhangs Passive Solar has Many Looks Photovoltaics Advantages of PV Air pollution free during operation Easy to install Modular No moving parts Reliable Durable (lasts 50 yrs +) No reliance on fossil fuels Solar Energy is available everywhere Many applications Various Applications for PV How do they work? PHOTO = light VOLTAIC = electricity •Photons from sunlight knock electrons loose, allowing them to flow freely •The electrons on the negative side are attracted to the “holes” in the positive side •We catch the electrons in a wire and make them take the long way around through a load or battery •Moving electrons = electricity On-Grid: Reducing the power bill GRID-TIE SYSTEM A renewable energy system that is connected to the utility grid, selling excess energy back to the utility. Also called a utility-interactive system. On-Grid PV Sizing Follow these steps to determine your minimum system size: 1. Record average monthly kWh electrical use: __________kWh/month (NC average = 1200 kWh) 2. Multiply line 1 by the percentage you want the solar system to produce: __________kWh/month (ie: 1000kWH X 50% = 500kWH) 3. Divide by 30 for the daily output from your solar power system: __________kWh/day 4. Divide by the daily average sun hours for your location: __________kW (use 4.5 sun hours/day) 5. Divide by 70% to compensate for system efficiency: __________kW (to estimate system cost, multiply x $10,000 = $_______________) On-Grid with Battery Backup •Maintenance-free battery bank is charged at all times •Ready for backup power if there is a grid-failure GridPoint Unit, Southern Energy Management Off-Grid: Charging batteries Off-grid System Sizing How do you know how much energy you need? Do a load assessment.....account for everything Size the array and batteries to meet your needs. PV Mounting Options Panels on the Roof Pole or Ground Mount PV Shingles Standing Seam Water Pumping •Slow solar pumping also allows you to use low-yield water sources •Sized to match solar resource, depth, water demand •Example: Small 150W system •Lift over 200 feet •1.5 GPM •10-hour sunny day, can lift 900 gallons •Life expectancy beyond 20 years PV/Wind Hybrid Pumping Hours of Sunshine Average wind power Electric Fences PV panel charges a battery High-voltage pulses Use Your Imagination... Financial Incentives www.dsireusa.org Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency Available Incentives NC State tax credit Federal tax credit Accelerated depreciation (MACRS) USDA Farm Bill Section 9006 Property tax exemption Net Metering NC Greenpower TVA Green Power Switch NC State & Federal Credits Residential Limits: •$1,400 for domestic water heating •$3,500 for active space heating, combined active space and domestic hot water systems, and passive space heating •$10,500 for PV Accelerated depreciation Federal Modified Accelerated Cost-Recovery System (MACRS), businesses can recover investments in solar, wind and geothermal property through depreciation deductions. Solar property can be depreciated in five years. Combining NC and Fed Credits USDA Farm Bill Section 9006 Farmers and Rural Small Business Owners Can Apply for: •25% grants from $2,500 to $500,000 •Or up to $10 million in guaranteed loans All applications go through our NC contact: H. Rossie Bullock, USDA RD PO Box 7426 Lumberton, NC 28359 (910) 739-3349 ext #4 [email protected] Information on eligibility and program details Assistance with filling out applications Applications for grants must be postmarked no later than May 18, 2007. The deadline for submitting loan applications as well as for loan and grant combinations is July 2, 2007 Property Tax Exemption In addition to the tax credit, North Carolina provides for a property tax exemption for solar water heating and active space heating or cooling systems. This means that the additional value of your solar system relative to a conventional heating or cooling system is excluded in the appraisal for property tax purposes. NC Net Metering Credited to a customer's next monthly bill, but reset to zero at the beginning of each summer (June 1) and winter (October 1) billing season. With the NC Greenpower program, net metering of PV typically does not make economic sense. NC GreenPower Program www.ncgreenpower.org To improve the quality of the environment by encouraging the development of renewable energy resources through consumers’ voluntary purchase of green power. RFP process for green power Simple form for systems up to 10kW PV Energy = $.18/kWh This makes the best setup = Buy all/Sell all TVA Green Power Switch Generation Partners Program Details Wind or PV (.5 – 50 KW) Residential or small commercial $.15/kWh credit Energy used on site is billed at standard rate www.tva.com/greenpowerswitch/partners/index.htm Case Studies Hickory Zero-Energy Home Goat Lady Dairy Solar thermal system = $10,000 Federal Farm Bill grant for $2,500 30% federal tax credit Depreciate the system over five years 35-percent North Carolina corporate tax credit Add it all up, and the $10,000 solar thermal system is costing Steve Tate less than $1,500. Lincoln County Water Pumping Only USDA grant for NC in 2006 Larry Baxter $6,117 grant Solar powered water pumping with a water storage tank Cattle Watering @ 2500 GPD with 3 days of storage Local Installers Find a NC installer at www.greenprofessionals.org Here are a few local ones.... Local Installers Appalachian Energy Services Seth Wiley Murphy, NC Toll Free (888)314-1933 Local (828) 278-2074 [email protected] www.WNCsolar.com Advanced Thermal Solutions Tomas Koenig Saluda, NC 828-749-1774 [email protected] www.gotsun.com Local Installers Blue Ridge Energy Solutions Bill Poteat Morganton, NC 800-689-8824 [email protected] www.brescoltd.com Local Installers FLS Energy, Inc. Dale Freudenberger 400 Eastside Dr. Black Mountain, NC 28711 828-669-5070 FAX 828-669-5046 [email protected] www.flsenergy.com Local Installers Solar Dynamics Ole Sorenson phones: 828-665-8507 and 828-231-9106 Fax 828-665-8507 [email protected] 40 Green Valley Rd. Asheville, NC 28806 www.solardynamicsnc.com Local Installers Sundance Power Systems Dave Hollister Phone: 828.689.2080 Fax: 828.680.9798 925 Beauty Spot Cove Mars Hill, NC 28754 [email protected] www.sundancepower.com Web Resources North Carolina Solar Center www.ncsc.ncsu.edu Florida Solar Energy Center www.fsec.ucf.edu Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE) www.dsireusa.org NC GreenPower www.ncgreenpower.org USDA Farm Bill www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/farmbill/index.html WNC Renewable Energy Initiative www.wind.appstate.edu Questions? Thanks! Brent Summerville 828-262-7333 [email protected] wind.appstate.edu This presentation is available at wind.appstate.edu Click on REPORTS….CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS