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 Locating Solar Panels?
Most solar panels are installed on roofs. However, this is not required. Solar panels could be installed on ground mounted racks, on outside walls, on fences, on carports, or built into a building. They can be installed anywhere that there is a secure and strong structure to mount them on or in. After all, you want them to stand up to the elements over time and to produce electricity for many years.
The One Main Requirement in Choosing a Locating for Your Solar Panels – SUNLIGHT!
There is only one overriding requirement for all solar panels: Your panels must have strong sunlight for most of the day throughout the year. The more sunlight the panel receives the more power it will generate and the better your return on investment for solar power will be.
Roof Mounted Systems
Most solar power systems are mounted on roofs. This is usually a safe and out-of-the-way location for solar panels. The main disadvantage is they are a little harder to access, but fortunately solar panels require very little maintenance.
Ground Mounted Systems
If you have extra land then a ground mounted system can be a great solution. These are often protected by a simple chain link fence to keep kids, animals, and untrained hands off the system. But many people don’t have the extra land to take advantage of this option and this is why roof mounts are so popular.
Additionally, sun tracking system are usually best with ground mounts. A sun tracking system captures more power from the sun by keeping panels facing the sun. But a tracking system adds cost, complexity, and maintenance. Using tracking or not is a trade off between performance and costs.
Building Integrated PhotoVoltaics (BIPV) and Patio Covers and Carports
Solar panels can also be integrated into roofs, patio covers, and carports just to name a few common ones.
And remember, you could install solar panels anywhere there is a safe & secure structure and access to the sun! Use your imagination.
Robert Morse
BSEE, MSEE, NABCEP Certified PV Solar Installer
CA State Licensed Electrical Contractor (C10) & Solar Contractor (C46)
SunCal Solar, Incorporated
Have a Question? Contact Us at: blog@SunCalSolar.com
It’s free for anyone to subscribe by clicking on the “Posts” or “By Email” subscribe buttons at the upper right corner of this website.
5 Reasons to Install a Solar Electric System – Is This “The Perfect Storm”?
 Electric rates seem to keep going up. I have not found anybody who is predicting that electricity rates will drop. However, the price of solar electricity does not go up because you pay a fixed price on the system and you know what that exact amount is ahead of time. Solar electricity is free after you pay for the system. So it protects you against future rate hikes. You can actually reduce your bill down to $5.17/month if you have the space for the solar panels. You start saving money as soon as your panels are connected.
 Prices have dropped on solar panels. This due to several reasons, but is primarily based on “supply and demand”. The demand has dropped overseas and many suppliers are still manufacturing solar panels.
The Federal tax credit pays for 30% of total price of your system. This significantly drops the cost of buying a solar electric system
 California State Rebates are in their last step here before they disappear. Get your rebate now before it’s gone.
 It’s the right thing to do. It lowers carbon emissions from fossil fuel burning plants. It reduces the need for nuclear energy. It reduces our dependence on foreign sources of energy.
These are 5 great reasons to install a solar electric system. You can find much more information about generating your own electricity from the sun at www.SunCalSolar.com.
Robert Morse
BSEE, MSEE, NABCEP Certified PV Solar Installer
CA State Licensed Electrical Contractor (C10) & Solar Contractor (C46)
SunCal Solar, Incorporated
Have a Question? Contact Us at: blog@SunCalSolar.com
It’s free for anyone to subscribe by clicking on the “Posts” or “By Email” subscribe buttons at the upper right corner of this website.
 Take Control with Your Own Solar Power System.
Did you know that you could use a solar electric system to protect yourself from future electricity rate hikes? Everyone I know believes rates are increasing, especially when you consider the past rate increases.
What were your electric rates 5 years ago? 10 years ago? 20 years ago?
What do you think electric rates will be in 5 years, 10 years, 20 years?
Save Money – Even if you have a $200, $300, $400, $500, $600 or higher, per month electric bill you could bring that down to only $5.17 per month!
With Net Metering, the utility company buys back unused electricity at Full Retail Price to reduce your electric bill.
 And since the utility company bills you on a Tiered Electric Rate structure, this means that the most expensive electricity is the first electricity the utility buys back at Full Retail Price when you have a Solar Electricity System.
Pay for only for the electricity that you actually use minus the amount your new solar electricity system generates.
Your Electric Meter May Actually Run Backwards During the Day!
Protection from Rising Electric Rates
Protect yourself from inflation and rising electricity prices – It’s like locking in your electricity rate at today’s prices! Because the price you pay today for your solar electric system can never change. However, it’s almost guaranteed that electricity rates will continue to increase.
Robert Morse
BSEE, MSEE, NABCEP Certified PV Solar Installer
CA State Licensed Electrical Contractor (C10) & Solar Contractor (C46)
SunCal Solar, Incorporated
Have a Question? Contact Us at: blog@SunCalSolar.com
It’s free for anyone to subscribe by clicking on the “Posts” or “By Email” subscribe buttons at the upper right corner of this website.
More Sunlight, More Sunlight, More Sunlight!
The best climate for solar power is where there is a lot of direct overhead sunlight. These are places that have very few cloudy or rainy days. It would also be a place where the sun is high in the sky everyday of the year – like in the more southern latitudes here in North America. The closer to the equator the better because then you have more sun that is high in the sky throughout the year. When the sun is high solar electric panels produce more electricity than when it is low in the sky.
Heat is Not Good for Solar Electric Systems
There is a common misconception that hot sunny days are great for Solar Electricity Systems (photovoltaics), however this is not really true. What would be better are cool or cold sunny days. Solar cells work by converting light from the sun to electricity, so sunny days make the solar electric panels work best. However, solar cells produce less power when they are hot than when they are cool or cold. Cool sunny days produce more power over time which means more energy produced and more savings to you.
Additionally, excessive heat also will slightly accelerate the degradation of the solar panels over time. Heat is not great for the inverters either. Inverters are the devices that convert the electricity from the DC (direct current) electricity produced by the solar panels to the AC (alternating current) used by your home lighting and appliances. Heat can lower the efficiency of the inverter and shorten it’s lifetime. Heat is usually bad for reliability for anything electrical.
A properly designed and installed solar electric system can help reduce the temperature that solar panels operate at. As always the design and installation are critical to a properly operating system.
Not Black and White: But San Diego County is Fantastic Climate for Solar Electric Power
By now you may be asking, “What if I live in a part of the county near the coast where there are lots of cloudy mornings” or “What if I live inland where there are lots of hot sunny days”.
This just means you don’t have ideal conditions for solar, but how many things in life are “ideal”. However, just the fact that you live in San Diego County means that you have fantastic conditions for solar electric power. We generally have lots of sunny days, few rainy days, very little snow, and not much sleet. We are pretty far south and so get lots of overhead sun that solar panels work well in.
The bottom line is that only a complete financial analysis by your solar installer will give you the details on how much you can save on your electric bill by adding a solar electric system. But here in San Diego County we have a great climate for solar electricity.
Robert Morse
BSEE, MSEE, NABCEP Certified PV Solar Installer
CA State Licensed Electrical Contractor (C10) & Solar Contractor (C46)
SunCal Solar, Incorporated
Have a Question? Contact Us at: blog@SunCalSolar.com
It’s free for anyone to subscribe by clicking on the “Posts” or “By Email” (RSS Feed or Email) subscribe buttons at the upper right corner of this website.
Solar System Sizing, Payback, and Rate of Return
Tiered electric rates should effect your decision to install a solar electric system and the size of the installed system. I discussed the tiered electric rates in my last entry if you want an overview / review of Tiered Electric Rates.
System Sizing, Payback Period, and Rate of Return are all drastically influenced by the tiered rate structure.
Drastically Different Electric Rates Charged
The main reason for this impact is that the Tier 1 (up to 100% of baseline) electric rate and Tier 2 (100% to 130% of baseline) electric rate are considerably less expensive than the the Tier 3 and Tier 4 electric rates (above 130% of baseline). The key to remember here is that Tier 1 and Tier 2 electricity usage is relatively inexpensive, but electricity used over that amount is expensive (as shown in this diagram).
Note: Baseline Electricity – In case you were wondering: Baseline electricity is a amount of electricity (in kilowatt-hours) that the utility company has calculated to be about 75% of the amount of electricity that the “average” household in the region uses. Baseline changes between summer and winter as well as by the area of the county you live in. Remember, the baseline amount is a measure of a quantity of electricity, not a price. However, the price is set by the amount used relative to the “baseline” amount.
Understanding Tiered Electricity Rates – An Example
To help understand the tiered electric rates here is an example to illustrate it. It would be similar to the situation of:
- the first 10 gallons of gasoline you purchase cost $3.50 per gallon
- then the next 3 gallons cost $4 per gallon
- then the next 7 gallons cost $8 per gallon
- and anything over that will cost $8.50 per gallon.
Wouldn’t you rather try to not use the $9 per gallon and $8 per gallon gasoline first or get it another way? That’s exactly what solar electricity does with your tiered electric rates. It removes the most expensive electricity first. So if you are trying to maximize your savings then you want to size your solar system so that it gets rid of (or “shaves off”) the electricity that would be charged in the Tier 3 and Tier 4 rates. This will improve your payback period and rate of return.
Substantially Different Savings for Solar Electricity
The difference in the rates you pay is crucial to calculating Savings, Payback, and Rate of Return because when you generate solar electricity your savings or payback is based on what you avoided paying for that electricity. For example, if you are currently in the Tier 4 electricity rate and your solar system “shaves off” electricity billed in Tier 4 then you will be saving about $0.32 to $0.34 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). However if you are in the Tier 1 (baseline) electricity rate then you will only be saving about $0.13 per kilowatt-hour (kWh).
This is a big difference because if your solar system is generating even a small amount of electricity like 300kWh per month then this means it is saving you about $39 ( = 300kWh x $0.13/kWh) if you are in Tier 1. However, if you are in Tier 4 then your are saving about $100 / month ( = 300kWh x $0.33/kWh) . This is substantial when you consider this happens month after month and year after year. And these dollar savings are typically even higher for most properly sized solar electric systems that produce much more electricity than this.
So be sure your solar electric system is sized properly for your specific situation. This will help improve the savings, payback period, and rate of return. Then sit back and enjoy the money you’re saving while helping the environment.
Robert Morse
BSEE, MSEE, NABCEP Certified PV Solar Installer
CA State Licensed Electrical Contractor (C10) & Solar Contractor (C46)
SunCal Solar, Incorporated
Have a Question? Contact Us at: blog@SunCalSolar.com
It’s free for anyone to subscribe by clicking on the “Posts” or “By Email” (RSS Feed or Email) subscribe buttons at the upper right corner of this website.
Utility Rates and Your Bill
If you have ever tried to “decipher” your electric bill you know it is not easy. The tiered rate structure is a little complicated, but the way they put it on you electric bill makes it downright confusing. Today, I will be discussing the “DR” rate or tariff, because this is the rate most homeowners use. DR means “Domestic Rate”.
There are also the “DRTOU” rate which is “Domestic Rate Time-of-Use” rate and “DRSES” rate which is “Domestic Rate Solar Electric System” rate. Usually, the regular DR rate works best for most homeowners, even people who own solar electric systems. I will save discussing these other rates and commercial rate structures to a later date. Commercial rates have additional complications like “demand charges” that I will not discuss here.
Basic Idea of Tiered Electric Rates
The basic idea is this: the more electricity you use the more you are charged per unit of electricity. The basic unit of electricity you are charged for is the Kilowatt-Hour or kWh. The utility company is trying to get you to conserve by charging a lot more if you use a lot or waste a lot of electricity. Low energy users pay less per kWh than high energy users. The idea is: if you use a lot of electricity then you pay more for your share than if you were a lower consumption user
Here in San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) territory there are 4 tiers for the rates you are charged for electricity.
Tier 1 – The first tier is called “baseline”.
Tier 2 – The next tier is 100% to 130% of the baseline amount.
Tier 3 – The next tier is 130% to 200% of the baseline amount.
Tier 4 – The next tier is 200% and up of the baseline amount.
The baseline is an amount of electricity measured in kilowatt-hours and you are charged one rate for this electricity. Then when your usage goes over this “baseline” amount and up to 130% of it (Tier 2) you are charged a slightly higher rate. Then when your usage goes over 130% of this “baseline” amount (Tier 3) you are charged a significantly higher rate. And similarly for when you go over 200% of the “baseline” amount (Tier 4).
Large Difference in Electric Rates Between Lower and Upper Tiers
The Tier 1 and Tier 2 are supposed include the average electrical usage for the entire territory. These rates have been held artificially low in the past. The bottom line is that the prices/rates for these two tiers are fairly low.
The other very noticeable part of this rate structure is that the first two tiers are substantially less expensive than the upper two tiers. Roughly, the price is about double for the upper two tiers. This is a strong reason to conserve power and generate solar electricity. Conservation and solar electricity generation “shave off” the electricity you pay for in the upper two tiers FIRST! Let me repeat that, the part of your electric bill that is removed first is from the top tiers so your savings is more substantial.
Baseline Electric Rate
The baseline amount of electricity varies by several factors. These factors are:
Summer vs. Winter (rates can also change by Summer vs. Winter)
The region you live in (coastal, inland, mountain, or desert as defined by SDG&E)
If you are an all electric household
And to make it more complex; usually twice a year you get a bill that straddles between summer and winter so your baseline and tiers change in the middle of the billing cycle. Yes, it’s complicated. Fortunately, you don’t have to do the calculations. Your utility company does that for you.
Electricity Charge vs Distribution Charge
Now, as if this were not confusing enough. They also break the charges down into:
Utility Distribution Company (UDC) Charges or Distribution Charges
Electric Energy Charge / Commodity / Electricity Generation / Consumption / Usage Charges
The “distribution charges” are for the infrastructure that gets the electricity to your home. This includes things like the power lines and transformers. These are the rates that vary quite a bit by usage tiers discussed above. The “electric energy charges” are for the actual electricity itself. This rate does not vary by tiers, but they still break it out by tiers. There is also a DWR bond charge added in there.
Then at the end of your bill there are an assortment of charges that are explained on the back of your bill.
Total Electric Rate for Each Tier
To get your total electric rate in each tier you have to add up all these charges to figure out what you are paying. Confused yet? It’s not easy. Just remember, what is important is: The more electricity you use the higher your rate goes. Conserving electricity and making your own from a solar power system can significantly reduce this impact.
Robert Morse
BSEE, MSEE, NABCEP Certified PV Solar Installer
CA State Licensed Electrical Contractor (C10) & Solar Contractor (C46)
SunCal Solar, Incorporated
Have a Question? Contact Us at: blog@SunCalSolar.com
It’s free for anyone to subscribe by clicking on the “Posts” or “By Email” (RSS Feed or Email) subscribe buttons at the upper right corner of this website.
 In today’s article, I will go over the basics of a solar electric system and then I’ll cover what this means to you and for your utility bill.
Sunlight hits your home almost everyday here in San Diego County. This is energy that is already hitting your house and normally just goes to waste. A solar electric system captures some of this light energy and puts it to good use.
Photovoltaic Solar Cells generate electricity by converting the sun’s energy to electricity. Solar cells are “semiconductors” (a material with unusual electrical properties) that capture the sun’s light and convert it to electrons(electricity is just a flow of electrons).
Solar panels are groups of solar cells that are enclosed in a frame to protect them from rain, snow, ice, etc and most things that may hit them on your roof. Solar panels collect and convert the sun’s energy to DC electricity (green line below).
This electricity is then changed (by an Inverter) to the same Type of Electricity (AC, blue line below) that your utility company provides to your home.
The lights and appliances in your home can then use this electricity and any “extra” unused electricity is sold back to the utility company using Net Metering. Net Metering just means that you pay for any electricity you use minus any electricity your system makes.
During the day when there is full sunlight your solar panels are producing quite a bit of electricity. If you are home you can use this electricity, but if you’re at work then the unused electricity is “sold” to the utility company at full retail price. Or if you are at home and your solar electric system is producing more electricity than you are using the excess is sold to the utility company also. Your meter will actually run backwards when you are generating more electricity than you are using (you can show this off to your neighbors)
At night when there is no sunlight and so your solar system is producing no electricity. But you are connected to the utility grid and so buy electricity from the utility company.
You simply pay for the difference in electricity that you use minus what your solar system produces. Or the “net” amount which is where the term net metering comes from.
Robert Morse
BSEE, MSEE, NABCEP Certified PV Solar Installer
CA State Licensed Electrical Contractor (C10) & Solar Contractor (C46)
SunCal Solar, Incorporated
Have a Question? Contact Us at: blog@SunCalSolar.com
It’s free for anyone to subscribe by clicking on the “Posts” or “By Email” (RSS Feed or Email) subscribe buttons at the upper right corner of this website.
The 8 Key Components for a Solar Electricity Generating System are:
- Solar Panels: These collect and convert sunlight into usable electricity. They are groups of solar cells mounted inside a frame that protects them from the elements, like rain, snow, hail, wind, and physical damage. They collect energy that is normally wasted and used for nothing. (note: solar panels typically create direct current (DC) electricity but your home uses alternating current (AC) electricity).
- Racking or Mounting System: This is the aluminum (sometimes steel) rack that is used to physically mount the solar panels. Most urban and suburban installations are roof mounted because this is usually the only available space to mount solar panels in a city. If there is space available on the ground then the racking system can be mounted on the ground. This is usually only a possibility outside of cities. Ground mounted systems may have “trackers” that track the sun on one-axis (less expensive) or on two axes (more expensive, more maintenance). However, most systems do not track the sun and work very well. Trackers add expense and maintenance while improving system performance.
- Inverter: This is the device(s) that changes the DC electricity produced by the solar panels to AC electricity that is compatible with your home’s and utility’s electrical system.
- Wiring: There are the wires that connect all the components of the solar system that carry the electricity.
- Cutout Switches: There are safety cutout switches that disconnect parts of the system for maintenance. These are provided for safety of anyone working on a solar system so parts of the system can be shut off and worked on.
 Overcurrent Protection Devices (OCPD): Ther are overcurrent protection devices that automatically turn off if too much current is flowing and causing a safety issue. OCPD’s are often just called circuit breakers just like you have on your house now.- Utility Grid: The utility grid is system that the utility company uses to provide electricity to homes and businesses through its power distribution “grid”. The grid is all of the interconnections that distribute power to customers. This includes the distribution system of high voltage lines and lower voltage lines, transformers, switches, in-the-ground wires, and everything that brings electricity to your home and business. This is a crucial element for a solar power system, because it is used to sell electricity to the utility company during the day when your solar system is producing the most electricity and you may not even be home. In effect it is like your are “banking” electricity or storing it with the utility company. In reality your electricity produced is not stored but is used somewhere else on the grid. The later, like at night, when your solar system is not producing electricity you simply buy back electricity from the utility company. The end result is that you pay for the amount of electricity your buy from the utility company minus the amount your solar electric system produces.
- House: And of course your home, lights, and appliances that are using electricity.
For a non-grid tied system (i.e. no utility connection) you would also need a battery bank, battery charging & regulating system, and would have to oversize your system a bit more for when there are some cloudy days or your consumption goes up. As you might guess an “off-grid” system like this has higher initial costs and higher ongoing maintenance costs primarily because of the batteries.
Robert Morse
BSEE, MSEE, NABCEP Certified PV Solar Installer
CA State Licensed Electrical Contractor (C10) & Solar Contractor (C46)
SunCal Solar, Incorporated
Have a Question? Contact Us at: blog@SunCalSolar.com
It’s free for anyone to subscribe by clicking on the “Posts” or “By Email” (RSS Feed or Email) subscribe buttons at the upper right corner of this website.
Imagine what it would feel like to generate your own electricity from the sun by adding a solar electric power system to your home. You could be saving money, helping the planet, and reducing dependence on foreign energy sources all at the same time. This is your chance to make a difference.
Imagine how it will feel when you show your neighbors and friends your meter running backwards and a $5.17/month electric bill? Be the talk of your neighborhood. Be proud that you are making a difference and saving money. Imagine how you’ll feel when you show off your shiny new solar electric system.
Robert Morse
BSEE, MSEE, NABCEP Certified PV Solar Installer
CA State Licensed Electrical Contractor (C10) & Solar Contractor (C46)
SunCal Solar, Incorporated
Have a Question? Contact Us at: blog@SunCalSolar.com
It’s free for anyone to subscribe by clicking on the “Posts” or “By Email” (RSS Feed or Email) subscribe buttons at the upper right corner of this website.
Solar power systems typically have excellent warranties that last for much more thatn 10 years. This is because these systems are expected to be working for a very long time. Typically people estimate they will be in place for 25 to 50 years. Usually longer than the time you will be in your house.
Most solar panels have a 25 year warranty. If you find one that does not then I recommend finding another panel. String Inverters often have a 10 year warranty and some have 15 year warranties. There are Microinverters now with a 25 year warranty. Workmanship for the installation is typically warrantied for 10 years.
The details of the manufacturer’s warranty vary quite a bit, but most of the big manufacturers stand behind their product with solid warranties because they care about their brand name. And longevity of their company.
Robert Morse
BSEE, MSEE, NABCEP Certified PV Solar Installer
CA State Licensed Electrical Contractor (C10) & Solar Contractor (C46)
SunCal Solar, Incorporated
Have a Question? Contact Us at: blog@SunCalSolar.com
It’s free for anyone to subscribe by clicking on the “Posts” or “By Email” (RSS Feed or Email) subscribe buttons at the upper right corner of this website.
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