Posted by Kathleen Maier on Thu, Nov 03, 2011 @ 09:37 AM
The majority of our customers’ solar installations are “grid tied”, which means they are connected to the utility. The solar panels on your roof or ground mounted array collect energy from the sun and generate DC electricity which is converted to AC electricity that is fed into your utility meter and used for all of your home’s electric needs.
Benefits of grid tied solar electric system
One great thing about being grid tied is that it allows for net metering, which is the way that the electric company pays you back for excess electricity generated by your grid tied solar system. When grid tied solar systems produce more electricity than your home or business needs, the excess is sent out on to the electric grid for other customers to use. The electric company credits your account for the electricity that you contribute - spinning your meter "backwards.”
Another advantage of grid tied solar systems are the state and federal financial incentives that offset the cost of going solar.
Currently, the federal government offers a 30% income tax credit for grid tied solar systems. Many state governments also offer incentives, which include rebates and income tax credits.
Will grid tied solar electric systems work during a blackout?
The downside to a standard grid tied solar system is that if the power goes out, you will be in the same boat as your neighbors. During a power interruption, the solar array’s inverter has a safety feature that shuts down when it senses the lack of AC voltage from the utility. This prevents any voltage from backfeeding to the utility grid to prevent technicians working on the utility lines from getting electrocuted.
So, even though your solar array may be producing power, you will not be able to use that power during a blackout.
It is possible to purchase a solar electric system that includes an additional inverter and battery bank, but it greatly increases the cost of the solar array (by about $15-$25K). With this setup, if the grid is down the pv system will still charge your battery backup system. The size of your battery back up system would be determined by the load that you would expect to meet during power outages; the price would vary depending on the number of appliances that you want to run, and the duration that you would want to be able to remain autonomous from the grid.
In the event of a blackout, a portable gas powered generator would be a much cheaper solution, assuming that you only experience power outages infrequently. Generators can range in price from around $400-$5,000.
While a grid tied solar electric system is a great way to pay the utility company less on a monthly basis, in the event of a power outage, for most of our customers, the most economical solution is to use a generator until the utilty is back up and running.
If you would like to learn more, call 800.339.7804 to schedule your free solar evaluation.
Posted by Kathleen Maier on Fri, Oct 21, 2011 @ 03:42 PM
New Jersey celebrated the launch of a new solar farm at this week’s ribbon cutting cermony at
Rider University.
RGS Energy, formerly Alteris Renewables, recently commissioned the university’s .74 megawatt (MW) solar installation. The ground mounted solar array, located on a 3.2 acre field on the Mercer County NJ campus, is comprised of 2,640
solar panels.
The pv system is grid-tied, so the power is not only utilized by the university, but is used by the local community as well. The solar panels are expected to produce enough energy to supply power for about 125 homes.
PSE&G, the local utility provider, owns the pv system and provides the university with a leasing agreement. The university will earn income depending upon how much energy the solar array produces.
"The Rider University solar project shows how the benefits of
solar power extend far beyond just producing clean, carbon-free electricity," said Al Matos, PSE&G's Vice President - Renewables and Energy Solutions. "Solar 4 All lease payments can unlock the value of unused parcels of land like this one while also creating good jobs, helping solar-related businesses take root and developing the New Jersey solar market in a cost effective way."
Andew Kern, Director of Project Development for Alteris’
NJ commercial solar program, was a guest speaker during the ribbon cutting ceremony. He explained “as an alumni I was personally invested in working with my alma mater to bring this project to fruition. The solar installation will benefit the University and its community for years to come”.
The new 740KW
solar installation is one of the university’s many green initiatives that include food-waste and techno-trash recycling, a bee hive and a community garden. "This project further demonstrates Rider's continuing commitment to sustainability as well as the spirit of collaboration with other green organizations such as PSE&G," said Mike Reca, Rider's Associate Vice President for Facilities and Auxiliary Services. "It is also important for our local and regional community to develop and utilize energy alternatives such as solar power."
Posted by Kathleen Maier on Thu, Oct 13, 2011 @ 09:08 AM
Joseph Fiordaliso, Commissioner of NJ Board of Public Utilities, recently attended Central Moving Systems' solar ribbon cutting ceremony and shared his insights on renewable energy. An advocate for renewable energy, Commissioner Fiordaliso was a guest speaker at event celebrating the commissioning of the Bridgewater, NJ business' 188kW solar array.
According to Commissioner Fiordaliso (pictured right with Alteris' Andy Kern) reported that back in 1999 there were only 6 solar installations in the state of New Jersey, and now NJ has over 10 thousand solar powered homes! “We just passed California in number of commercial solar installations per sqare mile and are now ranked #1 in the US”, Fiordaliso explained. He added “International analysts determined that the NJ solar market is most stable in world”.
If you would like to learn more about what solar power can do for your home, school or business, call 800.339.7804 to schedule your free solar evaluation.
Posted by Kathleen Maier on Wed, Oct 05, 2011 @ 07:32 AM
OMM soccer players and their parents had even more to cheer about last weekend.
Saturday, October 1st Orangetown NY's Mighty Midget Athletic Fields was showcased in the 15th annual National Solar Tour.
The tour, sponsored by the non-profit ASES, is the world’s largest grassroots solar event, with participation of over 150,000 people across 49 states.
Fred Fields, a solar contractor with Real Goods Solar, formerly Alteris Renewables, Rockland County office, chatted with the crowds that passed through the clubhouse. On the wall above him a flat screen monitor displayed the soccer complex’s solar energy output in real time. Fields motioned to the monitor and explained: “This place is a learning center for renewable energy. This display shows how much energy the solar panels are producing, and illustrates their positive impact on the environment”.
Last summer Real Goods installed the 11.87KW solar electric system on the soccer fields' clubhouse. OMM President Kerry Beckmann says the decision to go solar was “a no brainer”. “This complex is all about our community”, she explained. “Any given weekend these fields are swarming with kids who are running around in the sunshine instead of sitting indoors playing video games.” She continued “using clean power will create an environmental benefit for this and future generations”.
Beckmann (pictured left with NY solar contractor Fred Fields) says that solar power also makes economic sense. “The solar array offsets about 45% of our facility's electrical needs, and with a utility bill like ours, that makes a big impact."
Posted by Kathleen Maier on Thu, Sep 01, 2011 @ 10:32 AM
Guest blog post from Mark Nelson, Vice President of Residential Sales
When it became apparent that Hurricane Irene was quickly approaching the east coast, Real Goods Solar, formerly Alteris Renewables, activated its emergency preparedness response team. Representatives from Service, Operations, Quality, Safety and Sales all participated.
With more than 4,000 solar installations and offices throughout the northeast, planning and coordination was critical to insure that we would be able address any major solar systems failures. Our actions included:
-
Supplying a hurricane alert for customers that defined the steps to be followed in the unlikely event of a solar power system being impacted by the hurricane. The alert was published on our website, Facebook page and distributed via twitter.
-
Engaging Regional Operations Directors to review plans for securing all construction in progress projects. Special attention was paid to mitigating any possibility of on-site materials from becoming free to carried by wind
-
Updating our lists of all field personnel to be available for emergency service
-
Identifying the Montpelier Vermont as the office that was least likely to be impacted by the hurricane and designate it as our base for emergency operations.
-
Establishing weekend coverage in Montpelier for our service lines to answer customer calls and dispatch emergency response, if necessary. Call trees for regional response teams were distributed to the emergency call center response team.
-
Redirecting telephone services to Montpelier from Saturday afternoon until the storm passed.
-
Conducting emergency team status update calls throughout Sunday to identify whether any additional resources that may be required.
Thankfully, our systems fared very well through the storm. We had no major systems issues over the weekend.
A couple of key takeaways from this experience:
-
The fact that we had no major failure speaks tremendously about the quality of the systems we install. Our solar electric systems are very well engineered and very professionally installed following the highest quality standards.
-
Our wide geographic coverage area and multiple offices enable us to shift our operational hubs to address regional weather issues.
-
The depth, knowledge and skill sets that our field operations teams possess enable us to respond, if necessary, like no other solar integration company.
I would like to extend a thanks to emergency planning, service, and safety teams; I’d also like to extend a special thanks to our Vermont emergency response team: Jon Budreski, Marty Flanagan, Patrick Duyette and Ryan Ward. They all volunteered to come in over the weekend to staff the phones.
Thanks to all involved for a job done well!
Posted by Kathleen Maier on Mon, Aug 29, 2011 @ 04:55 PM
Check out the video short below of NJ solar contractor Bryan Wagner discussing New Jersey solar financing options.
New Jersey's solar market is booming, and a major reason for this high demand is the availability of solar financing options.
Qualified NJ homeowners can take advantage of the "low upfront" solar financing option, and can start saving on utility costs immediately! By making an initial investment of $1,000, $500, or in some cases, even $0 down, homeowners can have a solar electric system installed on their roof. When financing the cost of the solar power system you will still be able to take advantage of New Jersey's solar incentives and the federal solar tax credit, which will reduce the cost of the solar array.
If you choose to finance the cost of the solar system, the loan's monthly bill will be a fixed cost for the duration of the loan. As utility rates go up (which they are prone to do), your monthly bill remains the same.
The solar pv system is connected to the grid and you will continue to use electricity in your home and receive bills from the utility company as usual. But, what's different is that your solar electric system will be offsetting a significant portion of your utility bill by producing its own clean, green power, right on your own roof. And, if the system produces energy that is not used by your home, the excess power is sent back to the utility company and is credited on your electric bill through a process called net metering.
So, by going solar you can save money now, protect your family's budget by hedging against rising utility rates, and help to preserve the environment by using clean power.
Posted by Amy Bowman on Fri, Aug 26, 2011 @ 09:06 AM
With Hurricane Irene quickly approaching the northeastern United States, the team at Real Goods Solar, formerly Alteris Renewables, wanted to reassure customers that your photovoltaic system was designed, engineered, and installed to all applicable building codes and engineering standards for its location and environment. You do not need to take any extra measures to secure your array.
As a precaution, any items in the vicinity of your array that may become airborne should be moved to a secure location or fastened in place to avoid contact with the modules. If possible, any tree limbs that may come down and contact the array should be removed.
Should the array be dislodged or damaged in any way, please do not attempt to touch the modules or any components of the array. This is especially important in regards to any metal components. Photovoltaic cells are energized when exposed to light (sunlight or other sources) and produce voltages that can exceed 500 volts. The array may become ungrounded if damaged and pose serious danger if you are exposed to live metal components. If you sustain any type of damage to your photovoltaic system, please contact Alteris Renewables at 800.339.7804 or email service@Alterisinc.com and we will advise on the proper steps to stabilize the array.
Posted by Kathleen Maier on Tue, Aug 23, 2011 @ 09:18 AM
Sera is a 4 year old who knows a thing or two about solar power, and she's spreading the news! The NY toddler, whose dad is a solar contractor with Real Goods Solar, formerly Alteris Renewables, thinks that solar panels are "neat". And why not?
Solar panels use the power from the sun to provide electricity to all of your home's appliances and gadgets. And, if you make more electricity than you use, in most states, like New York, you can sell that power back to the utility company. Your roof can become your very own power plant!
Solar power is clean, unlike coal or other fossil fuels, so using a solar electric system will help to preserve the planet for the next generation.
Incentives, rebates and financing options are making going solar easier than ever.
By installing solar panels on your home you can reduce or even eliminate your electric bill, protect your family's budget against rising utility costs, and help to keep the planet "clean and shiny" for future generations.
If you would like to learn more about what solar power can do for you, call 800.339.7804 to schedule your free solar evaluation.
Posted by Kathleen Maier on Mon, Aug 22, 2011 @ 09:22 AM
Check out the video below to see NY solar installer Olya Prevo explain how her own home's solar array impacts her family's bottom line.
Prevo, a solar contractor in the Albany NY region, installed a solar electric system on her own home last year. She reports that the 3.7KW solar pv system offsets her home's entire electric usage. Her utility company now sends her $15 bills every month, which covers the cost of connecting to the grid.
Olya Prevo, a solar energy specialist operating out of Real Goods, formerly Alteris Renewables, Albany, NY office, helps homeowners go solar in New York's Albany, Rennselear, Columbia, Greene, Saratoga, Schenectady, Montgomery and Schoharie Counties.
If you would like to learn more about what solar power can do for you, call 800.339.7804 to schedule your free solar evaluation.
Posted by Kathleen Maier on Fri, Aug 12, 2011 @ 03:04 PM
Check out the video below to hear how New Jersey homeowners Tracy and David feel about their decision to go solar.
Maplewood, NJ residents David and Tracy wanted solar power for years, but only recently made the decision to have a system installed by Real Goods Solar, formerly Alteris Renewables. Thanks to robust NJ solar financing options and state and federal incentives, now was the perfect time for them to go solar.
While this NJ solar installation will offset about 70% of David and Tracy's electricity needs, they are looking to implement more energy conservation methods to further increase that percentage.
Alteris' NJ solar contractors installed 24 home solar panels on their roof, which will produce about 5,885 kWhs of electricity per year.
For more information about solar power for your home or business, contact Alteris Renewables' Parsippany, NJ office at 800.339.7804 to schedule your free solar evaluation.