Oasis Montana Spring
2010 Newsletter
GREETINGS FROM OUR SOLAR POWERED OFFICE: It’s that time of year
when gardeners are planting their seeds to prepare for spring
planting. After perusing our favorite seed catalogs, we will try
some new vegetables as well as those tried-and-true. And at this
writing (in late March) we are still enjoying food from the last
harvest: squash, cabbage, ‘taters, onions, carrots, salsify, and a
variety of dried beans and fruit. And did we mention fruit
wine—delicious ambrosia from our apple, plum and cherry trees? Mmm...
For those of you who aren’t “on line”, or are beginning your
project, we have an extremely informative Product Catalog on disc
for $10 ($18 out of country)—essential for your energy library!
Products, system sizing, pricing, components, importance of energy
efficient appliances, battery care, and wind turbines are just some
of the topics covered. If you are on-line, you can see example
systems (costs, components and power output) at
www.oasismontana.com/systems.html
To assist your information input, we’ve tried to develop as much
on-line information as we can. For solar water pumping, see
www.PVsolarpumps.com; for utility-tied photovoltaic systems, visit
www.grid-tie.com; for efficient AC appliances, DC ’fridges, coolers
and freezers see www.eco-fridge.com; for natural and LP gas
appliances, see www.LPappliances.com. Our main index page is
www.oasismontana.com and we now offer composting toilets at
www.eco-potty.com. Visit our web pages and stay a while!
Here is our newsletter table of contents if you
are in a hurry and looking for something specific but we recommend
you just sit back and read down from the beginning to the end.
Please enjoy!
Biggest Grid-tied Solar Electric System in Montana: Oasis
Montana's 50 KW Photovoltaic Array
Oasis Montana Inc. is pleased to announce the completion and
commissioning of its latest project, a 50 kilowatt photovoltaic (PV)
grid-tied power system, located near the Smokejumper Center, at the
Missoula Technology & Development Center (MTDC). Oasis Montana, in
conjunction with its installer Mark Dickson of Simple Power LLC,
broke ground on this project in October; the system at present
consists of two hundred and thirty-three, 220 watt American-made
Schott solar modules. The two 15KW and one 13KW inverters were
acquired from Solectria, a Massachusetts manufacturer. There is also
a smaller system (ten 220W modules) installed on a pole mount at the
entrance to the Smokejumper Visitor Center, which will be activated
pending the installation of underground (and under asphalt) conduit
later in April. This smaller system will have its own separate
Solectria inverter.
Chris Daum, owner of Oasis Montana, says, "This system is, at
present, the largest, grid-tied solar electric system in Montana."
This system has no batteries; in full sun it should put out
approximately ~50 KW (or 50,000 watts) of DC power, which is
converted into grid-palatable AC power, thus making the MTDC's
electric meter spin slower. The first trial run, when the system was
powered up February 26th, showed 38KW output on a partly sunny day!
A grant for part of this project will be forthcoming from
Northwestern Energy, our local utility provider. Oasis Montana would
like to thank Mark Dickson, Brad Stevens, Jeff & Campbell Massey,
Jim Chase, Joe Bartuska, Adam Ondra, Jonah Malo, Gabriel Zeak, Apex
Engineering, DC Power Systems, the Waterman, Maxus Consulting, New
Era Plumbing & Heating, and Eyers Electrical Contracting.
“We hoped to have this completed by mid-December at latest... .but
to make a long story short, there were several ‘administrative
delays’. The crew had to excavate through frozen soil in early
winter, and then slog through gumbo mud when the ground had thawed
in February. But it was a tremendous professional effort by all
parties, and the project came together in a timely fashion."
Montana Technology & Development Center’s 50KW solar
array,
located just west of the Missoula Airport, at 5785 Highway 10
If you are a Montanan, and are interested in supporting renewable
energy in your state,
a number of us pro-renewable people started the Montana Renewable Energy Association,
established as a non-profit corporation in the year 2000. Our goals
include expanding the use of renewable technologies, and educating
residents of Montana about the benefits and uses of renewable
energy. You can find out more about this organization at
http://www.montanagreenpower.org.
If you are elsewhere in the U.S., and want more information about
supporting renewables, you can check out these organizations:
American Solar Energy Society (www.ases.org),
Solar Energy
International (www.solarenergy.org),
Solar Energy Industries Association (www.seia.org),
Midwest Renewable Energy Association (www.the-mrea.org/)
and the American Wind Energy Association (www.awea.org). Any one of
these organizations will appreciate your support, and you will be
kept up-to-date on the latest industry trends and technologies (as
well as find a state solar association to join!).
SOLAR MODULE PRICING—call for availability,
freight costs, and quantities (# of modules) on pallets for the best
deal. You can’t get less than a pallet quantity to get the pallet
‘deal’. For larger modules, pallet quantity generally runs between
20 and 40 modules.
Description |
Per Module |
Per Pallet |
SHARP
ND-224UC1, 224W |
Call |
Call |
SharpNT-175UI,175W |
Call |
Call |
SharpND-130UJF,130W |
Call |
Call |
Sharp
NE-80EJEA, 80W |
Call |
Call |
SANYOHIT195,195W |
Call |
Call |
SanyoHIT190,190W |
Call |
Call |
SanyoHITDouble195W |
Call |
Call |
S A L E
! !
SanyoHIT205,205W
These are a great deal on these incredibly
efficient solar modules
|
Call |
Call |
MITSUBISHI
UE125MF5N,125W |
Call |
Call |
Mitsubishi UD-175MF5, 175W |
Call |
Call |
SUNTECH
STP-175/24, 175W |
Call |
Call |
CANADIAN SOLAR
230W |
Call |
Call |
Canadian Solar 200W |
Call |
Call |
EVERGREEN 210W |
Call |
Call |
Evergreen 200W |
Call |
Call |
SOLARWORLD
230W |
Call |
Call |
KYOCERA
KD215GX-LPU |
Call |
Call |
Kyocera KD210GX, 210W |
Call |
Call |
Kyocera KD205GX, 205W |
Call |
Call |
Kyocera KD185GX, 185W |
Call |
Call |
KyoceraKD135SX,135W |
Call |
Call |
(Some Kyocera modules may have a 6 week lead time)
KyoceraKC85T,85W |
Call |
Call |
Kyocera KC65T, 65W |
Call |
Call |
Kyocera KC40T, 40W |
Call |
Call |
Kyocera KS20, 20W |
Call |
Call |
Kyocera KS10, 10W |
Call |
Call |
KyoceraKS5,5W |
Call |
Call |
SOLTECH
SOL-1012, 10W |
Call |
- - |
ALPS ATI
-130W |
Call |
Call |
GE-PVp200M,
200W |
Call |
Call |
SCHOTT
220W |
Call |
Call |
YINGLIYL85,85W |
Call |
Call |
|
We offer a variety of mounts to suit your
project, including A-frame roof or ground mounts, top and side
of pole mounts, flush mounts, tilt mounts, RV racks, as well as
Zomeworks or Wattsun Trackers. Call for your cost, availability
and freight. At this writing, some racks may have a 6 week lead
time.
NOTE: the small print — prices subject to change without notice
(sometimes for the better!)
CHARGE CONTROLLERS—call for information!
We offer most models, including those made by Morningstar, Blue
Sky Energy, Apollo Solar, Xantrex, Outback Power, SCI and Stecca
Outback Power Components Pricing
Sealed inverters: FX2012T, 2524T, 3048T -- Call for pricing.
Vented inverters: VFX2812, 3524, 3648 -- Call for pricing.
Grid-tie, mobile, marine and export
versions available on most of these sine wave inverters.
MATE system display & controller -- Call for pricing.
PSX240 Transformer -- Call for pricing.
Communications Manager HUB-4 -- Call for pricing.
HUB-10 -- Call for pricing.
FLEXmax60 MPPT 60A Charge Controller -- Call for pricing.
FLEXmax80 MPPT 80A Controller -- Call for pricing.
There are more Outback Power products than we can list ..
.call or e-mail for more information or visit their web page at
www.outbackpower.com You can download their product catalog at
http://www.outbackpower.com/catalog.htm.
Quotable quotes: In the spring, I have
counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of twenty-four hours.
- Mark Twain
|
In spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.—Margaret
Atwood
An optimist is the human personification of spring. - Susan J.
Bissonnette
No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn. - Hal Borland
Life is like a hot bath. It feels good while you’re in it, but the
longer you stay in, the
more wrinkled you get. - Robert Oustin
A little madness in the spring is wholesome even for the king. -
Emily Dickinson |
|
GAS APPLIANCES: Propane refrigerators, freezers, ranges, cooktops
www.LPappliances.com for more information.
Servel propane refrigerator, 8 cu.ft.
capacity |
Call |
Crystal Cold 12 cu.ft. capacity propane
’fridge |
Call |
Crystal Cold 15 cu.ft. capacity |
Call |
Crystal Cold 18 cu.ft. capacity |
Call |
Stainless 18 cu.ft. capacity (w/ black
textured sides) |
Call |
Crystal Cold 19 cu.ft. (white, black or
bisque) |
Call |
Stainless 19 cu.ft. (w/ black sides) |
Call |
NEW
21 cu.ft. capacity Crystal Cold ‘Fridge |
Call |
(Now available in white, black or bisque) |
|
NEW
21 cu.ft. capacity stainless gas ‘fridge |
Call |
Blizzard 15 cu.ft. capacity upright
freezer |
Call |
Blizzard 18 cu.ft. capacity upright
freezer |
Call |
Blizzard 22 cu.ft. capacity upright
freezer |
Call |
The
Servel propane refrigerator can be converted to use natural gas
for $200 (includes re-crating). The Crystal Cold refrigerators and
Blizzard 10 to 18 cu.ft. freezers can be converted to natural gas
for $50; the Blizzard 22 cu.ft. freezer can be converted to natural
gas for $100 (more costly as this model has two gas absorption units
on it).
Peerless Premier gas ranges are available in 20”, 24”, 30”
and 36” widths, with model colors ranging from white, bisque, black
and stainless. Even the electronic ignition models will work without
power (you can light the burners and oven with a match) -- there’s
no glow bar in the ovens on these mechanically simple,
American-made stoves. All ranges are set up for natural gas but LP
conversion kits are included for every model at no extra cost (and
you don’t have to be Mr. Wizard to figure it out). No power is no
problem with these gas ‘fridges, freezers and stoves!
We
also offer propane & natural gas cooktops, Italian- made by
Verona; these professional cooking appliances are available in a
wide variety of finishes (stainless, black, bisque and black glass),
with two, four and five burner models.
www.LPappliances.com for
pictures and specifications.
WHO WE ARE and ORDERING
INFORMATION: Chris Daum, owner and manager of
Oasis Montana, has been in the renewable energy field
for 21 years. Our
staff offers experience, personalized service, tech
support, quality components and good pricing. We are
happy to work with your installer, electrician, or
contractor, and locally we can install your power
system. We provide detailed wiring diagrams with the
systems we sell. TO PLACE AN ORDER: E-mail or call us
for your freight; if you have any questions about your
system or product, please contact us. E-mail is easiest
and fastest (but we know that you aren’t all on line).
We accept Visa/MasterCard (personal and business checks
are fine). For our international customers, we accept
bank transfers—e-mail or call us for our banking
information. Our summer hours are 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Mountain Daylight Savings Time, Mon. – Fri. If we‘re on
another line when you call, please leave us a message,
and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can, but you may
have to leave a message if we’re with a customer or on
one of the other lines. 406-777-4321 or 4309 or e-mail
us at info@oasismontana.com — for tech support on
renewable energy systems, e-mail larry@oasismontana.com. We’d be very happy to help you
with your power project — send an e-mail or give us a
call! |
“V” for Victory Gardens and
supporting locally grown foods.
‘Victory gardens’ were vegetable plots planted in private
residence yards and in public parks in the U.S., England,
Canada and other countries during WWI and WWII to reduce the
pressure on the national food supply (brought on
by the war effort), and to also empower contributors by their
work and the produce grown. Since most employable men were in
the armed forces, agricultural production fell dramatically,
hence the need for consumers to pick up the slack.
Nowadays, food gardening is enjoying a resurgence by those
feeling the financial pinch at the grocery store, as well as
those concerned about health scares ranging from e-coli
outbreaks to importing toxic food products (or those folks
simply wanted higher-quality fresh and locally grown food).
People are realizing the frivolity (and outright waste) of
gasoline, water and time for labor-intensive lawns and are
sacrificing the monoculture of grass for tasty produce.
If you’re not growing your own (and want access to fresh, local
produce), check your neighborhood for a local farmer’s market
(or start one!). The amount of fossil fuel that goes into the
food on your plate can be depressing, but buying local and what
is in season is smart, and many forms of fresh produce can be
canned, frozen or
dried for off-season meals. During WWII, it was considered
patriotic to engage in principles
of self-sufficiency and
autonomy, and now, it is just common sense to utilize a good
sunny spot for a vegetable garden. Even if you only
have a sun-lit patio, you can grow peppers, a tomato plant or
two and salad greens... and
a south-facing window works fine for basic herbs such as basil,
parsley and rosemary.
Indeed, now more than ever is a good occasion to use common
sense and grow some of your own food, conserve raw materials,
help your neighbors and community, and enhance self-reliance. It is always a good time to plant your own
‘Victory Garden” - and achieve success over rising food expenses
and embedded delivery costs while enjoying the freshest food
that money CAN’T buy!
This year Oasis is offering
bean seeds for anyone who will send me a
self-addressed, stamped envelope (with 61 cents postage please).
We are offering a short season dried bean called Indian Woman
Yellow; these are great for soups or stews and easy to grow,
even if your growing season is just 3 months.
|
I confess... I have a thing for chickens. I just LOVE
homegrown eggs—there’s just no comparison to those
pale-yolked store bought products!
In fact, some of
my friends call me the
Chicken Whisperer.... |
|
New Energy Star Rated AC
Freezers from Summit Appliance:
THESE FREEZERS ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE.
PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR LP AND DC UPRIGHT FREEZERS
CF07ES - 6.4 c.f. capacity $345 + freight
H x W x D: 34” x 38” x 24”
Energy Usage/Year 214 Kwh CF11ES - 10.6 c.f. capacity $489 + freight
H x W x D: 33.5” x 44.24” x 28.4”
Energy Usage/Year 277 Kwh (both models are manual defrost) These are UL rated, 11 5VAC/60Hz; Canadian Electrical Safety ULC
rating. These chest models are manual defrost, with doors that
lift up; condenser location is on the side of each unit and you
can adjust the
thermostat with a dial. CFC-free refrigerant is R134a, and both
of these come with a keyed lock on the lid. Both offer a wire
basket for storage, heavy-duty rollers for ease of moving, and
are easy to defrost with a front located drain. These efficient
freezers offer a one year parts & labor warranty (in the U.S.)
and have a five year warranty on the compressor. These ship out
of NY state and are not stocked locally.
Kill A Watt Meter:
The Electricity Detector and Monitor can educate you about your
monthly electric bill and help you save a lot of money. You can
now be a ’detective’ and ascertain what appliances are actually
worth keeping plugged in. Simply plug in the Kill A Watt meter,
connect your appliances to it and Kill a Watt will assess how
efficient it really is, showing you the instantaneous power
used, and also cumulative energy or kilowatt-hours used.
Kill a Watt, with large LCD display, will count consumption by
the kilowatt-hour, same as your local utility. With the help of
Kill a Watt you can figure out your electrical expenses by the
day, week, month or year on a given device. Kill a Watt can
check the quality of your power by monitoring Voltage, Line
Frequency, and Power Factor. Still just $25.
Now you'll know if it is time to install a power strip on
your entertainment center instead of feeding those ghosts loads
while you are sleeping or away from home. Or, is that laptop
really cheaper to power than a desktop PC?
Operating Voltage: 115VAC
*** Max Voltage: 125VAC
Max Current: 15A
*** Max Power: 1875W
Dimensions: 5 1/8” x 1 5/8” x 2 3/8”
EXAMPLE POWER SYSTEMS—for on-grid, remote
power and water pumping.
Oasis Montana Example Batteryless Grid-tie Systems -- no
batteries = no hassle!
Fronius 2.3 KW residential solar electric
grid interactive system
11 Kyocera KD-205W solar modules
1 twelve module top-of-pole mount structure (8” ID SCH80 steel
pipe required)
1 50’ double ended Multi Contact (MC) cable
assembly
1 Fronius IG 2000 240 VAC solar grid-tie inverter
1 Fronius personal display
1 Fronius wireless card (required for personal display usage)
Equipment total -- Call for pricing.
On average this system will produce ~8 kWh per day with 5 hours
of full sun.
14.8 kW commercial solar electric SMA Sunny
Boy inverter system
72 KD-205W solar modules
1 UniRac SunFrame flush mounting roof system
6 - 50’ double ended Multi Contact (MC) cable assemblies
2 SMA SB6000US 208 VAC 3-phase solar grid-tie inverters
1 Sunny Beam Monitor, and 2 Sunny Beam Antennas
Equipment total -- Call for pricing.
On average this system will produce ~48KWh per day with five
hours of full sun.
* While we endeavor to keep our pricing up- to-date, all
prices are subject to change without notice (sometimes for the
better). Call for current pricing!
Off Grid or Remote Example System might include the
following components:
2 – 135W Solar Modules 1 – 2X A-Frame
Roof/Ground Mount
1 – Morningstar TS40 Controller with DVM 1 – Xantrex TR1 512
Inverter
4– Surrette S530 6V 400 amp-hour batteries 1 – set battery
cables
1 - set of balance of system components (including DC
disconnect, breakers, surge protector, battery temp sensor, fuse
& block, and battery switch)
Small Size System Equipment Total -- Call for pricing.
...or for a larger system.....
8 - 170W Solar Modules 1 - 8x Top of Pole
Mounting Rack
1 - Outback Power VFX3 524 sine wave inverter 1 - FM60 MPPT
Charge Controller
1 - Midnight E Panel (pre-wired) 1 - Outback X-240 Transformer
1 - MATE System Monitor & Controller 1 - HUB4 Communications
Manager
12 - Surrette S530 6V 400 amp hour batteries 1 - Set of Inverter
& Battery Cables
1 - BOS Components (including combiner box, MC cables, temp
sensor, mounting plate)
Mid-Size System Equipment total: Call for pricing..
WATER PUMPING SYSTEMS:
Lorentz PS150 submersible centrifugal
(shallow well, high volume pumping system)
1 24V 175 watt solar module
1 single module top-of-pole mount structure (2” ID SCH40 steel
pipe required)
115’ array-to-controller wiring kit
1 Lorentz PS 150 pump controller
1 Lorentz CSJ5-8 submersible centrifugal pump
1 Lorentz low water sensor
1 float switch
Equipment total -- Call for pricing.
On average this system will produce ~2,100 gpd (gallons per
day) when pushing against 50’ of head with 5 hours of full sun.
Lorentz PS1200 submersible helical rotor
(deep well, low volume pumping system)
4 24V 180 watt solar modules
1 four module top-of-pole mount structure (4” ID SCH40 steel
pipe required)
115’ array-to-controller wiring kit
1 Lorentz PV disconnect & junction box 1 Lorentz PS1200 pump
controller
1 Lorentz HR-03H-2 submersible helical rotor pump 1 Lorentz low
water sensor
1 float switch
Equipment total -- Call for pricing. On average this system will
produce ~600 gpd when pushing against 760’ of head with 5 hours
of full sun per day.
Note: the PS600 & PS 1200 systems can also be
powered by a 120/240 VAC generator or utility power during
cloudy periods by using the Lorentz AC power pack @ $505. And
here’s the chart that shows the cost versus performance of four
more Lorentz pumping systems; let us know if any of them will
meet your needs. All systems come with detailed wiring diagrams.
We are happy to announce that the Dankoff pump line
is back in production under its original name. If you
are in need of any of their specialty pumps, the
SunCentric, Slowpump, Solarforce or Solaram pumps (or
parts), do not hesitate to contact us! |
Lorentz system description |
Head
(feet) |
Volume
(gpd) |
Price |
PS150 Boost-125 surface mounted rotary vane |
100 |
600 |
$1,744 |
PS600 BADU Top 12 surface mounted centrifu-33
gal |
33 |
4,200 |
$5,665 |
PS200 submersible helical rotor |
130 |
1,100 |
$3,411 |
PS600 submersible helical rotor |
400 |
640 |
$5,026 |
Head values listed include static and drawdown levels along with
friction loss. If you have questions about wire or pipe sizes,
give us a call. Volume values shown assume a minimum of 5 full
sun hours per day and are averages (i.e. your situation may vary
somewhat). Prices shown do not include freight, installation,
concrete, ground rods, sub-wire or miscellaneous electrical
widgets that complete such a system. Visit
www.pvsolarpumps.com/water
pumping questionnaire.html and answer the questions so we can
quote a system specific to your project needs.
Generator-Inverter Back-up Systems
With the advent of storm-driven power outages (oh, what a harsh
winter it was last season for much of the country!), or just
poor utility infrastructure, many folks who cannot afford solar
at this time find integrating a fuel generator with an inverter
and battery bank to be a very reliable and cost-effective way to
provide power to important loads during a power failure; you may
need a furnace blower in operation, or perhaps some medical
equipment . ..one of our customers needed his water circulated
for his large tropical fish tanks! When a generator is teamed
with an inverter and batteries, system efficiencies increase and
fuel consumption is lowered. These systems can be designed to be
turn-key enough that, when your batteries reach a low voltage
set-point, the inverter senses this and turns on the generator
to run specific AC loads—while it’s also charging your
batteries. We refer to these systems as generator-inverter or
gen-verter systems.
When the batteries are fully charged, the inverter turn the
generator off and loads continue to be powered off the batteries
via the inverter. When the voltage falls, the cycles begins
again. This keeps the generator from running 24/7, or from
running inefficiently just to power small loads.
The factors determining the size of the generator, inverter and
battery bank are influenced by your load requirements. Your
inverter must be sized to handle all the loads that will be
running at one time, including their starting surge, and your
generator should generally be about twice the size of your
inverter power rating. This is not to make more money for your
generator salesperson, but since you will likely be powering AC
loads at the same time, you will need to have more capacity so
you are be able to run your loads while charging your batteries.
So if you have an inverter in the ~3500 watt range, your
generator should probably be in the 6KW to 8KW range to provide
ample power.
The capacity of your battery bank will depend on the size of
your electrical requirements, how little or now much you desire to run your generator, and how deeply you
plan to discharge your batteries each day. In general, we
suggest you never take your batteries to less that a 50% depth
of discharge (basically you should shallow-cycle your deep-cycle
batteries for greatest longevity).
Take a look at this example gen-verter system:
1 - Outback Power VFX3 648 inverter (48VDC input, 3 600W
continuous rated 11 5VAC output)
8 - Surrette S530, 6V
400Amp-Hour Flooded Lead Acid Batteries
1 - Outback Power MATE System Monitor and Controller 1 - Remote
Temperature Sensor
1 - Trimetric Meter Battery Monitor with 48V Adapter and
mounting box
1 - Midnight Solar E-Panel (safety disconnect and breaker) 1 -
Generator Auto-Gen-Start Relay
1 - set of inverter and battery cables, 4/0 gauge
Total cost -- Call for pricing.
Now this is a pretty substantial back-up system! You may not
need this degree of back-up power! The fully charged batteries
will provide 3 000+ watt-hours a day for three days, to 50%
depth of battery discharge (enough for an efficient
refrigerator, lights, laptop, etc.). The addition of a 240VAC
transformer would add about $500 in cost and give you the
ability to run up to a 1 HP water pump for a few minutes daily,
enough for basic water needs. And, it’s simple to add solar
modules to this existing system to reduce or negate your
generator’s run time (which is what many of our off-grid
customers do, when they cannot make the entire financial ‘bite’
of a PV system at one time—you can add to them incrementally).
Oh yes, if you do add as little as a pair of 24V solar (PV)
modules to this system, you’ll get that 30% federal tax credit
for solar power... for the entire system.
While we do not sell fuel generators, we sell enough
inverter/chargers that we have basic suggestions if you plan to
purchase one as part of a gen-verter system. A low speed
generator (1800 versus 3600 rpm) will generally last longer; a
remote 2-wire start capability is a big plus if you want your
inverter system to automatically start your generator if battery
voltage is low or if a large AC load kicks in. Fuel choices
depend on what’s readily available; diesel models typically last
longer than gasoline, NG or LP units, but they are much dirtier
and the fuel gunks up if stored for too long. A lot of our
customers go with LP, since they may already be using propane
for other heating loads, plus it’s cleaner and all around less
toxic. Feedback from our customers indicated that Onan, Kabota,
and Honda models tend to be quite reliable. Like all mechanical
beasts, generators require periodic maintenance so it makes
sense to purchase one from a reliable local dealer who can offer
that kind of service. For a basic diagram of a
generator-inverter system, see
http://www.oasismontana.com/gen-verter.html.
Example Enphase System: AC Solar modules?
Yes, these little inverters mount right on the
back on one of the bigger solar panels (in the ~200 watt range),
and can be readily parallel-wired to increase the size of your
system. So, there’s no string sizing calculations, or trying to
figure the voltage needed for a larger grid-tie inverter. You
can simply add more modules with their own built-in inverter, as
money and space allows!
How simple is that?
-
8 - 220 watt solar modules
-
8 - M1 90 Enphase Micro Inverters
-
1 - Enphase Envoy System Monitoring Service (5 year)
-
Solar Mount Rack System
-
Enphase Envoy Monitoring Unit
-
30 Amp AC Disconnect
Total above components -- Call for pricing.
With the Enphase micro-inverters, you can start with just one
solar module and add as your finances will allow. Call if you
need more information on these individual units, all configured
for 11 5VAC output! Or visit
http://www.enphaseenergy.com/
30% FEDERAL TAX CREDIT —and reduced solar module pricing
make this the ideal time to get your PV system up and running!
Solar modules have come down as much as 35% in the past year, so
check our pricing page for what modules best suit your power
project (or give us a call). Since the paperwork involving these
incentives can be a little confusing, peruse these online
sources for more information.
http://www.dsireusa.org for a state-by-state database of all
incentives available to U.S. consumers.
http://www.energy.gov/media/HR_1424.pdf
This link summarizes the energy tax incentives of the Emergency
Economic Stabilization Act of 2008.
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index
This lists federal tax credits for energy efficiency.
http://www.awea.org/legislative/american_recovery_reinvestment_act.html
This site summarizes grant programs and wind energy productions
tax credits, as well as tax credits for advanced energy
manufacturers.
And here’s
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f5695.pdf , the form for the personal residential tax credit.
Renewable Energy and Alternative News Bites:
Natural Gas ’Clean & Green’? While natural gas may be a
bridge or transition fuel to a happier future, toxic frack fluid
spills indicate that all is not rosy in the world of natural gas
extraction; read the story at
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/01/04-8
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Nation’s largest dairy farm is turning its cow poop into
biodigested gas. Three Portland entities, Bonneville
Environmental Foundation, NW Natural and The Climate Trust – a
nonprofit that puts together carbon offset projects – are
teaming up to tackle the manure problem at Threemile Canyon
Farms in Boardman,
Oregon - the largest dairy farm in the country. Its 41,000 cows
produce more than a million pounds of milk each day...and a
whopping 120 pounds of manure per cow per day. Since late
November, some of that manure is serving as fuel for a
biodigester designed by J-U-B Engineers Inc. of Boise, Idaho. If
the project is successful, up to 15 biodigesters could be
deployed at the farm.
http://www.portlandtribune.com/sustainable/story.php? story_id=126565121898529500
for the lowdown.
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New Assessment Shows That U.S. Wind Resources Are Larger Than
Previously Estimated:
http://www.windpoweringamerica.gov/filter_detail.asp?itemid=2542
A new assessment from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory
finds that onshore U.S. wind resources could generate nearly
37,000,000 gigawatt-hours annually, more than nine times current
total U.S. electricity consumption. The U.S. is barely tapping
this vast resource: current wind installed capacity is 35 GW in
the U.S.
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Looking for energy rebates and efficiency tax credits in your
area? Here’s a nice website that offers information for
various incentives and loans based on your location in the U.S.:
http://www.energysavvy.com/rebates/
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Contamination from Coal Ash Waste Is Worse Than EPA Says.
Coal ash waste contamination nationwide is far worse than
indicated by a new Environmental Protection Agency tally, with
dozens more ash-waste ponds and landfills also leaching toxins
into streams and drinking water, according to a new study by the
groups Environmental Integrity Project and Earthjustice. At
least 31 “new damage cases” not listed by the EPA in its
end-of-the-year tally of 70 coal-ash pollution sites are
identified and their pollution profiled in the report.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20100225/ts_csm/282784.
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Kyocera Solar is to start manufacturing solar modules in the
U.S. to serve this country’s growing demand for clean
energy. The new manufacturing plant will startup in San Diego at
Kyocera’s Balboa Avenue facility during the first half of 2010,
with an initial production target of 30 megawatts per year. The
company is expecting to double its production of solar cells in
the two fiscal years from 2009 to 2011.
http://www.solarbuzz.com/News/NewsNAMA213.htm
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Nuclear Madness and the Future of 'Clean' Energy:
President Obama's 2011 budget increases the Department of Energy
loan guarantee for nuclear projects by $36 billion, to a total
of $54.5 billion. Renewables' potential share pales in
comparison. The budget provides around one tenth of that amount
for solar, wind, and other renewables -- with just $3 billion to
$5 billion of loan guarantees for energy efficiency and
renewable energy projects. To the budget's credit, it also
includes a 30 percent tax credit for qualified investments in
new, expanded, or re-equipped advanced energy manufacturing
projects, allocating $5 billion to provide this tax credit to
said RE projects. But if all of the nuclear money is allocated,
admittedly a big if, it would leave solar, wind and energy
efficiency far behind. http://planetark.org/wen/56985 for more
information. It’s interesting that many supposed ’fiscal
conservatives’ support new nukes, (read more on that story here:
http://articles.latimes.com/2009/nov/28/opinion/la-ed-nuclear28-2009nov28)
even though they are vastly expensive, inefficient, uninsurable
and dangerous source of energy that requires massive taxpayer
bailouts. It hardly seems fiscally sound, does it?
South Lags Behind Country in Energy Efficiency:
http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2009/11/23/focus1.
html?b=1258952400^2478451 for the story. The South is lagging
behind other areas of the country in energy efficiency, which
could save the region millions of dollars in the next decade.
The South is one of the last regions in the country to embrace
energy-efficiency programs and to develop an “energy-efficiency
culture of consumer behavior.” Further, it has the potential for
a 1 percent reduction in energy costs every year for the next
decade, which would significantly reduce its carbon emissions,
postpone the need for new power plants and improve air quality.
The South accounts for 44 percent of the nation’s total energy
consumption, while it has 36 percent of the U.S. population.; 77
percent of its energy consumption comes from fossil fuels.
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Why ‘buy American’ is not the whole answer: visit this
site for some info about energy policies, what needs
improvement, and why we lag behind other countries in clean
energy technologies:
http://blogs.forbes.com/energysource/2010/03/08/beyond-buy-american-the-u-s-needs-a-clean-energy-strategy/
QUOTABLE QUOTES:
Fall seven
times, stand up eight. --Japanese proverb
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As sure as spring will follow the winter, prosperity and
economic growth will follow the recession. --Bo Bennett
- - - -
The spring has come; the earth has gladly received the embraces
of the sun,
and we shall soon see the results of their love. --Sitting
Bull
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Real intelligence is like a river; the deeper it is, the less
noise it makes. --Barbara Delinsky
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We load up on oat bran in the morning so we’ll live forever.
Then we spend the rest of the day living like there’s no
tomorrow. --Lee Iococca
- - - -
The unleashed power of the atom has changed everything save our
modes of thinking and thus we drift towards unparalleled
disaster. --Einstein
- - - -
I love spring everywhere, but if I could choose I would always
greet it in a garden. --Ruth Stout
- - - -
I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our
moneyed corporations which dare already to challenge our
government in a trial of strength, and bid defiance to the laws
of our country. --Thomas Jefferson, 1816
- - - -
If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we
sometimes did not taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so
welcome. -- Anne Bradstreet
- - - - --
If you've never been thrilled to the very edges of your soul by
a flower in spring bloom, maybe your soul has never been in
bloom. --Terri Guillemets
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