hesolarllc-blog

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Tesla Batteries For Homes

Yesterday, it was announced that Tesla will be releasing a Consumer Battery Pack for Homes and Businesses. The announcement is exciting news for Tesla enthusiasts. A home battery pack can easily eliminate the concern for brown outs and utility outages during storms.

But is this concept new? No, HEsolar has been installing solar integrated battery backup systems for years. In fact, solar does not even need to be integrated in the system to work. The system we install is basically a Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS).

The real kicker here is the battery technology. New batteries have been hitting the market over the past few years, but most Installers are cautious to use them. System compatibility and battery chemistry can be a real nightmare when it comes time to commission the system. This is why Tesla's announcement is exciting. As of right now, the solar Industry mainly uses conventional lead acid batteries for their simplicity and dependability. That being said, Tesla's batteries are one of the only large capacity Lithium Ion batteries with a proven track record, but they are currently only used with vehicles.

Lead acid batteries are limited in function and can only be discharged to about 50% without harming the battery. Lithium Ion is an exciting technology because the batteries can be fully discharge without harming the batteries. This means that you can get the same power out of 200 Ah Li-Ion battery as you would with a 400 Ah Lead acid battery. Another benefit is the cycle life of Lithium Ion. Lead acid batteries lose cycle life from depth of discharge, temperature conditions, and charge rates. Lithium Ion batteries are more robust and can provide a greater prediction on batter life cycles.

The down side? Lithium Ion batteries (not Tesla specifically) have had their issues with thermal run away, a scary concept that could potentially burn down a home. Tesla seems to have a clean record and their integrated inverter/charger should have a battery management system (bms) to prevent any issues.

The main question that we will all eventually be asking is "how much?". The price will make or break the backup market. Additional costs will be rewiring of circuits to create a critical load panel. We can only hope that this product will be available to all Installers and not exclusive to SolarCity. With this announcement and other battery technologies emerging, this is, without a doubt, a fun Industry to be in.

More can be read on solar integrated battery backup systems for homes and businesses at http://www.hesolarllc.com/solar-panel-installation/solar-system-types/backup-power/

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The Solar-Utility Battle Is Getting Ugly

The Solar-Utility Battle Is Getting Ugly

By Stephen Lacey

If the war of words between SolarCity and Arizona Public Service is any indication, this year will bring an escalation in tension between the solar industry and utilities throughout the U.S.

Earlier this month, it was revealed that APS was behind a letter from members of Congress to the Federal Trade Commission asking the government to investigatethe sales practices of solar…

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Charting Hawaii’s Spectacular Solar Growth

Charting Hawaii’s Spectacular Solar Growth

By Jeff St. John

Hawaii is officially a solar hot spot of national significance — and that makes it a fitting test bed for Department of Energy research meant to stretch the limits of rooftop PV penetration on island grids.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a reporton Hawaii’s solar status this week that lays out the state’s situation in graphic detail. Over the past…

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Solar Rebates in Central Texas

Different Utility Companies have their own infrastructure set for solar interconnection. Some Utilities, such as Pedernales Electric Cooperative (PEC), have a small incentive for excess solar production. While other Utilities, such as Austin Energy, have a complete solar program including a solar rebate to help their Customers go solar. 

The majority of the City sponsored Utilities in Central Texas do have a residential solar rebate. Austin Energy, San Marcos Power, CPS Energy, GVEC, and Oncor all provide solar rebates in Central Texas. However, you have to be a Customer and meet their requirements to participate in the rebate program. As of right now, Austin Energy provides a $1.10/Watt rebate with a $10,000 cap. San Marcos Power has a $2.50/Watt rebate with a $5,00 cap. The CPS solar rebate is $1.60/Watt with a $25,000 cap. The GVEC  rebate is $2.00/Watt with a $8,000 cap. Oncor has a separate calculation method that basically amounts to $1.00/Watt with a 10 KW cap. Note that programs come with other incentives such as the Austin Energy Commercial Solar Incentive and Residential Value of Solar.

Other Utilities in Central Texas, such as PEC, Bluebonnet Electric Coop (BEC), and New Braunfels Utility (NBU), do not offer a solar rebate and may never do so. The Utilities that offer solar rebates have consistently lowered the rebate amount as the price of solar has dropped annually. At this point, the other utilities may avoid the capital of a rebate program and put more emphasis on interconnection policy to better participate with Customers and Members that are purchasing solar. And for good reason, the amount of Consumers purchasing solar systems without utility incentives has increased dramatically. Sixty percent of HEsolar's work during 2014 did not have a Utility Incentive and the percentage is expected to increase in 2015.

More information on Electric Power Companies and their solar rebates can be found on HEsolar's Website.

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Solar Carports

Installing solar on the ground has been a common application for years. Recently, racking manufacturers have been offering groundmount structures that are lifted high enough to double as a carport. Solar carports qualify for the 30% Federal Tax Credit and save customers money on their utility bill.

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Solar Carports

Installing solar on the ground has been a common application for years. Recently, racking manufacturers have been offering groundmount structures that are lifted high enough to double as a carport. Solar carports qualify for the 30% Federal Tax Credit and save customers money on their utility bill.

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Financing Solar

For the past 10 years, a large amount of solar projects have been purchased without financing. Although the payback is guaranteed, the start up cost of solar has been a deterrent to some folks making the purchase.

Solar Financing Programs

The vast solar expansion in recent years has caught the attention of many Financial Institutions. Solar Loan Programs have been available for a while and some people have taken advantage of what they offer. The only problem is that Solar Loans are unsecured. If a Customer were to default, the bank would have a hard time reclaiming the solar equipment off the roof. This, in turn, creates less enticing interest rates and payment periods. Some Customers may find that better interest rates are available when a Utility rebate is involved.

Home Equity Loans

For some Customers, Home Equity Loans may be the best financing available. Recent Real Estate inflation in the Central Texas Area has brought extra equity to Home Owners. The Home Equity can be used to pull out a Home Equity Loan and finance a solar photovoltaic (pv) system. Home Equity Loans commonly have low interest rates and a wide variety of payment periods. Loan periods over 7 years can easily see instant savings after the commission of the solar pv system. 

For Example, A 6KW System installed in Austin would deem the following cost and savings:

System Cost after Utility Rebate: $11,400

Federal Tax Credit Available: $3,420

Cost After Incentives: $7,980

Monthly Savings: $72

Monthly Payment with 15 Year Home Equity Loan at 4% APR: $60