Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Oct 26 - Up and Running
... today the electrician ran the wires, the electrical safety authority said ok and Hydro Ottawa worked their magic. We are now connected!
Monday, October 18, 2010
2010 Green Renovation of the Year
On Saturday night, our little house won the award for "2010 Green Renovation of the Year" at the Greater Ottawa Home Builders Association Awards Gala. Congrats to Chuck Mills and Amsted Construction!
Chuck Mills Residential Design also was the winner in the category of "Custom Homes 6000 sq ft and more." Amsted Construction won "Renovator of the Year" for what I believe to be the 5th year in a row.
Chuck Mills Residential Design also was the winner in the category of "Custom Homes 6000 sq ft and more." Amsted Construction won "Renovator of the Year" for what I believe to be the 5th year in a row.
Solar: Back into the Grid
When we talk to friends about our solar panels, we are often asked if we are now "off the grid." The answer is no as what is generated by our panels is equivalent to about 15-20% of our electricity demand based on usage. However, if you based it on cost (i.e., $0.802 per kWh), what we get back from the government each year essentially covers our yearly hydro bill with a little left over to be put towards the capital costs associated with getting the system installed in the first place.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Final Product? Not Yet
Connections Inside
The first photo was taken in the knee wall on the second floor. It shows the hole they made in our roof in order to connect the panels to the conduit that we installed during the original renovation project (far left corner). This conduit runs from here to the basement.
The second photo is of the inverter installed under the basement stairs. You can see the conduit (i.e., PVC pipe) in the upper right corner of the photo.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Question from a friend - Solar and Snow
Do Solar Electric systems work in the winter? According to the Ottawa Solar website: "Yes solar panels produce power in the winter. If the sun is shining and the panel is not covered in snow, it will make energy. We live in Canada, so there will be times with snow on the panels. We’ve seen snow stick to panels that are at a 50 degree incline. We’ve also seen snow slide off a panel at a 30 degree tilt. So get used to it, we’ve been getting snow for hundreds of years, and will continue to get it for many more to come."
Next Step: Hydro Ottawa and the site specific Solar design
When we signed the contract with Ottawa Solar, we also completed a form for Hydro Ottawa. Apparently, the next step involves Hydro Ottawa completing a site visit (exterior only) after which time a design will be emailed to our attention. Ottawa Solar has set it up where they deal with Hydro Ottawa directly, including payment. With all of the solar projects underway with the introduction of the MicroFit program, I am fairly confident that there is a bit of a backlog at Hydro Ottawa…..
in fact, we did receive an email from Hydro Ottawa on Oct 4th indicating that a site visit will be undertaken in 5 to 10 business days.
in fact, we did receive an email from Hydro Ottawa on Oct 4th indicating that a site visit will be undertaken in 5 to 10 business days.
Concerns for Others in the New Year
It has been explained to us that the big unknown for others will be the panel cost next year when there will probably be only a few manufacturers with domestic content qualified products. The requirement right now is 40% domestic content which will be increasing to 60% as of Jan 2011. This requirement is part of the MicroFit program guidelines.
It is our understanding that this will not be an issue for us as long as our Sunpower panels are installed and connected before December 31st. This is what we want anyway in order to have the buffer of the spring for Hydro Ottawa and the Electrical Safety Authority to complete their steps before the May 31, 2011 deadline.
In terms of the ground-mounted panel option, apparently the government is grandfathering this domestic content rule through to May 31st (for people already with conditional offers). This is not the case for roof-mounted systems where the Dec 31st deadline applies.
It is our understanding that this will not be an issue for us as long as our Sunpower panels are installed and connected before December 31st. This is what we want anyway in order to have the buffer of the spring for Hydro Ottawa and the Electrical Safety Authority to complete their steps before the May 31, 2011 deadline.
In terms of the ground-mounted panel option, apparently the government is grandfathering this domestic content rule through to May 31st (for people already with conditional offers). This is not the case for roof-mounted systems where the Dec 31st deadline applies.
Contract Signing with Ottawa Solar Power – September 2010
We signed a contract with Ottawa Solar Power to design, supply and install a 1,720 watt Grid-Tied Solar Electric System complying with the OPA MicroFIT rules. The warranty on the labour is 5 years with an equipment warranty by the manufacturer in accordance with the Product Warranty.
The details of the contract are as follows:
Design - One Solar Electric System to be comprised of 8 x Sunpower 215 Watt panels and one SMA 2000M inverters; panels to be mounted flush to the roof on aluminum rails; and, mounting components, wiring and other electrical components (not including the inverters), and Labour together will meet the OPA “40 % Ontario Content” criteria.
Supply - All components, supplies, and labour for the installation of the complete grid-tied system, except for meters and other components supplied by Hydro for the final connection.
Installation - System to be wired in parallel.
Project Management - Provide information and advice to help the Customer complete the MicroFIT Generation Facility Connection Agreement through Hydro; and scheduling of Electrical Safety Authority inspection and procurement of permit(s).
After the contract was signed, Peter took photos of our “solar conduit” up in the knee-wall as well as in the basement. Apparently, the inverters can be installed anywhere in the basement (probably near the conduit) with wires running through the joists over to the electrical panel in the southeast corner which corresponds to the location of the existing hydro connection. It is our understanding that the only work on the exterior (other than on the roof) will involve Hydro Ottawa replacing the single meter with a double meter in the location of our existing service. This of course is facilitated by the existence of our solar conduit inside the wall.
The details of the contract are as follows:
Design - One Solar Electric System to be comprised of 8 x Sunpower 215 Watt panels and one SMA 2000M inverters; panels to be mounted flush to the roof on aluminum rails; and, mounting components, wiring and other electrical components (not including the inverters), and Labour together will meet the OPA “40 % Ontario Content” criteria.
Supply - All components, supplies, and labour for the installation of the complete grid-tied system, except for meters and other components supplied by Hydro for the final connection.
Installation - System to be wired in parallel.
Project Management - Provide information and advice to help the Customer complete the MicroFIT Generation Facility Connection Agreement through Hydro; and scheduling of Electrical Safety Authority inspection and procurement of permit(s).
After the contract was signed, Peter took photos of our “solar conduit” up in the knee-wall as well as in the basement. Apparently, the inverters can be installed anywhere in the basement (probably near the conduit) with wires running through the joists over to the electrical panel in the southeast corner which corresponds to the location of the existing hydro connection. It is our understanding that the only work on the exterior (other than on the roof) will involve Hydro Ottawa replacing the single meter with a double meter in the location of our existing service. This of course is facilitated by the existence of our solar conduit inside the wall.
On the issue of Maintenance Costs Associated with Solar Panels
It has been explained to us that there are no annual maintenance costs associated with our project. Essentially there is “nothing to do” other than maybe the clearing of leaves that might accumulate around the panels. The only maintenance is the periodic replacement of the inverters as they won’t last the life of the panels which is 20 years. The estimated cost for replacing the invertors is $2500.
We also confirmed that having to replace a panel later on will not affect our contract with the province and that the supply of replacement panels will not be difficult.
The other related issue is the roof itself. One of the reasons that we want to pursue this project now is that the roof is new.
We also confirmed that having to replace a panel later on will not affect our contract with the province and that the supply of replacement panels will not be difficult.
The other related issue is the roof itself. One of the reasons that we want to pursue this project now is that the roof is new.
Solar Shading Analysis – August 2010
Peter needed to get up on our roof to undertake a shading reading before moving forward and getting us to commit to the project.
He indicated that the Sunpower panels are “awesome” - the highest concentration available - but they do not work with microinverters so shading can be a major issue. Shade on one panel will affect all the others as well.
The results of the shading analysis were better than expected. We have room for three rows of panels (portrait): 3 across the top row, 3 across the second row, and 2 on the bottom row.
The whole array will be placed as far from the gable as possible since that is the major shading factor, especially close to the eaves. The shading loss will then be less than 10% when a number upwards of 20% was expected.
Based on this analysis, the expected revenue will be $1,630, or 8.4% of the initial investment (which was estimated at 8.64% before the shading information was available).
As a double check, we asked why we couldn't have 9 Sunpower panels (instead of 8) when 9 Coenergy panels would have fit. It is because of this issue of shading from the gable. We would have lost about an hour and a half of sun in the morning if a 9th panel was added in the lower corner. Sunpower panels work in series so if one panel is shaded then all do not work.... 8 panels it is!
He indicated that the Sunpower panels are “awesome” - the highest concentration available - but they do not work with microinverters so shading can be a major issue. Shade on one panel will affect all the others as well.
The results of the shading analysis were better than expected. We have room for three rows of panels (portrait): 3 across the top row, 3 across the second row, and 2 on the bottom row.
The whole array will be placed as far from the gable as possible since that is the major shading factor, especially close to the eaves. The shading loss will then be less than 10% when a number upwards of 20% was expected.
Based on this analysis, the expected revenue will be $1,630, or 8.4% of the initial investment (which was estimated at 8.64% before the shading information was available).
As a double check, we asked why we couldn't have 9 Sunpower panels (instead of 8) when 9 Coenergy panels would have fit. It is because of this issue of shading from the gable. We would have lost about an hour and a half of sun in the morning if a 9th panel was added in the lower corner. Sunpower panels work in series so if one panel is shaded then all do not work.... 8 panels it is!
Noting some Concerns before a Decision on Solar is made
We, of course, were nervous about the risk associated with getting all of the steps completed before the conditional offer expires (i.e., in the hands of Hydro Ottawa and the Electrical Safety Board plus the winter months when it is not possible to install the panels). Not to mention the fact that we could find ourselves in a position where the province lowers the rate in future years (cross your fingers). That being said, we didn’t know what other information we could obtain to answer these questions…..
Site Analysis and Solar Panel Options – August 2010
In August 2010, Peter came by our house to see the roof and review our options. Considering the location of the dormer on the south side of the house, and the existence of the big white pine at the front, it looked like approximately 8 panels would fit on the west side of the dormer.
The two types of panels proposed for our project are as follows:
Option 1 – Eight Sunpower 215W panels. These are premium panels that Ottawa Solar was offering to lower the price on as they had left-over from another project the number of panels needed for ours. Fully installed, including taxes and Hydro connection cost is just under $20,000 with an expected revenue in Year 1 of $1684 (8.64 % of initial cost).
Option 2 - Nine Conergy 220 W panels that would fit in our roof space which are quite similar in ROI (after we discount the Sunpower to a bit below cost). The cost would be just over $21,000 with an expected revenue in Year 1 of $1890 (8.64 % of initial cost).
It was indicated to us that Sunpower panels would produce more revenue per kW installed mostly because of the lower degradation rate, and the avoidance of the Light Induced Degradation so their panels don't lose 2-3% on the first day in the sun. Both panels run on SMA 3000W inverters.
The two types of panels proposed for our project are as follows:
Option 1 – Eight Sunpower 215W panels. These are premium panels that Ottawa Solar was offering to lower the price on as they had left-over from another project the number of panels needed for ours. Fully installed, including taxes and Hydro connection cost is just under $20,000 with an expected revenue in Year 1 of $1684 (8.64 % of initial cost).
Option 2 - Nine Conergy 220 W panels that would fit in our roof space which are quite similar in ROI (after we discount the Sunpower to a bit below cost). The cost would be just over $21,000 with an expected revenue in Year 1 of $1890 (8.64 % of initial cost).
It was indicated to us that Sunpower panels would produce more revenue per kW installed mostly because of the lower degradation rate, and the avoidance of the Light Induced Degradation so their panels don't lose 2-3% on the first day in the sun. Both panels run on SMA 3000W inverters.
MicroFit Program Changes that don’t affect us - July 2010
There was a lot of coverage in July in the news about the microFIT program. The focus, however, was on the new price category proposed for ground-mounted solar PV projects, not roof mounted. If you are interested, it is worth a Google.
Solar Power Conditional Offer – May 2010
While the province had originally indicated a 3 to 6 week turn-around period for reviewing applications, we had heard that due to the overwhelming response it would most likely take three to four months to get a conditional offer. That was fine with us as we wanted more time to pass before the year deadline was up (from date of acceptance) to make a decision regarding whether or not we would go forward with this and then actually install the panels (also taking into consideration the winter months). Well, on May 31st we received our conditional offer from the province making it two months from the time we applied. We contacted Peter to give him the news. He said that it seemed ironic that we received our offer so quickly when most people are chomping at the bit to get their systems installed, but still haven't received the offer after 4 months.
The Solar Story Begins Again – March 2010
Move forward to March 2010 where I ran into Peter Glover at a green expo at Lansdowne. He suggested that we register with the Ontario MicroFit program just to create the option for participation in the program before the rate changes. Originally it was said that the program would be around for 2 years but after getting 6000 applications, the rumour is that it might end early.
In terms of registration, essentially you complete an online application to register for the program and if you are accepted then you have a year to install the panels. By getting in line now, we would most likely get the rate of 80.2 cents per kWh before the province re-evaluates the program and potentially lower the payment per kWh. I am not going to go into great detail about the program itself at this time. The basic premise is that our solar panels would not generate power for our house but would be connected back into the grid and then we would receive a payment from the province for the amount of power generated.
The registration process was easy. It consists of an online application with standard inputs (i.e., name, contact information, etc). We did have to input the "Nameplate capacity of the proposed microFIT project (in kW).” Based on an initial assessment, we included 1.8 kW in the application form (8 panels at 225 watts each).
For more information, visit http://microfit.powerauthority.on.ca/
In terms of registration, essentially you complete an online application to register for the program and if you are accepted then you have a year to install the panels. By getting in line now, we would most likely get the rate of 80.2 cents per kWh before the province re-evaluates the program and potentially lower the payment per kWh. I am not going to go into great detail about the program itself at this time. The basic premise is that our solar panels would not generate power for our house but would be connected back into the grid and then we would receive a payment from the province for the amount of power generated.
The registration process was easy. It consists of an online application with standard inputs (i.e., name, contact information, etc). We did have to input the "Nameplate capacity of the proposed microFIT project (in kW).” Based on an initial assessment, we included 1.8 kW in the application form (8 panels at 225 watts each).
For more information, visit http://microfit.powerauthority.on.ca/
From Memory – Solar Discussions during the Initial Design Stage
I know that I have severely neglected the blog (and that no one is probably reading it anymore) but I thought that it would be a good place to organize my thoughts on our new solar project.
In 2008 when we started our renovation design project, we considered solar as a hot water heating option. However, with the decision to go with geothermal heating and cooling it wasn’t viable as water heating is essentially covered by the geothermal system as well as by the drain heat recovery system. We did install a “solar conduit” as part of our original renovation project to facilitate the installation of solar panels for power generation in the future. The conduit is really just a PVC pipe installed in the wall running from the basement to the roof. This way we wouldn’t have to run a conduit on the outside of our house should we decide to go with solar in the future.
We connected with Peter Glover (formerly with Isolara and now with Ottawa Solar) when we first started talking about what we wanted for our overall renovation project. He was (and is) a great asset when it comes to information on solar. He is the one that took us up on a roof of a house last year in the Wellington West neighbourhood so that we could see the installation of panels firsthand.
For more information on Ottawa Solar Power, visit http://ottawasolarpower.com/osp2010/home.htm
In 2008 when we started our renovation design project, we considered solar as a hot water heating option. However, with the decision to go with geothermal heating and cooling it wasn’t viable as water heating is essentially covered by the geothermal system as well as by the drain heat recovery system. We did install a “solar conduit” as part of our original renovation project to facilitate the installation of solar panels for power generation in the future. The conduit is really just a PVC pipe installed in the wall running from the basement to the roof. This way we wouldn’t have to run a conduit on the outside of our house should we decide to go with solar in the future.
We connected with Peter Glover (formerly with Isolara and now with Ottawa Solar) when we first started talking about what we wanted for our overall renovation project. He was (and is) a great asset when it comes to information on solar. He is the one that took us up on a roof of a house last year in the Wellington West neighbourhood so that we could see the installation of panels firsthand.
For more information on Ottawa Solar Power, visit http://ottawasolarpower.com/osp2010/home.htm
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