This week we are having the landscapers trim the trees to minimize the shading on our solar panel installation. Our neighbor is allowing us to trim the top of her tree as well. Our neighbor’s tree partially shades only one of our panels but because it is on a string inverter, it has the potential to decrease the efficiency of all the panels on that string. In our case, that is 11 of our 66 panels. That could potentially have a big impact on the amount of energy we are producing throughout the course of the year. I’m really excited to see how much of a difference it makes on the solar energy production of the modules that are affected.

When shading is an issue, using a solar module with a micro-inverter or enPhase inverter can make a difference. Each module is independent of the others so if it gets shaded or dirty, it does not affect the efficiency of any other module. We opted not to do this because of the minimal amount of shade and our environmentally conscious neighbor. Another benefit of enPhase is the ability to track your production and efficiency online.

Julie King

Mark your calendars, the 39th annual National Solar Energy Conference, commonly known as SOLAR 2010 is coming to Phoenix! It will be at the Phoenix Convention Center on May 17th thru May 22nd 2010. The exhibits, which will feature many different companies from all aspects of the solar energy industry, are open to the public. There will also be many different sessions that you can sign up for to learn more about renewable energy from leading experts in the field. For more information see Solar 2010.

The American Solar Energy Society (ASES) is responsible for producing the National Solar Energy Conference. American Solar Energy Society is the nation’s largest and oldest nonprofit dedicated to advancing the U.S. toward a sustainable energy economy, and publishes SOLAR TODAY magazine, and works to increase the use of renewable energy across the U.S. ASES is based in Boulder, Colorado and has regional and state chapters throughout the country.

Jason
Estimator

Is Another New Appliance on My Horizon?

After writing about the appliance rebate program for energy-saving washers and dishwashers, I just read that the Arizona Energy Office has been charged with creating a program for allocating more than $6 million in rebates to purchasers of other energy efficient appliances. It’s undecided just yet what those appliances will be, but I’m crossing my fingers that a refrigerator or stove are somewhere on that list. A couple of years ago, I purchased a condo that was built in the mid-90s, and it still contained the original appliances. They are about as basic as you can get, are extremely unattractive, and are certainly not energy efficient. While I’ve wanted to update the appliances for quite some time, I’ve been waiting for a good reason to do so. After all, they still work. According to an Arizona Republic article, the Energy Efficiency Appliance Program will allocate $50 to $200 rebates to purchasers of energy-efficient major appliances. Couple that with some rebates that appliance manufacturers are offering, and I could save a significant chunk of change! Many retailers are concerned the program will have some drawbacks, similar to those of the Cash for Clunkers program. While there could be some upsides, most namely the boost in sales this rebate program could provide retailers, I can understand their concerns. The Department of Energy has been handed over the appliance rebate program to determine how it will be structured. Time will tell how it will evolve, but it will be great if they can come up with a rebate program that is beneficial for both retailers and consumers.

I’m excited to see my electric bill! In years past, I have dreaded that monthly bill, but now I can hardly wait until it comes. Our photovoltaic system, installed by Harmon Solar of course, went online at the beginning of September and I’m counting the days to see my solar energy savings. Although when the bill comes, I shouldn’t be surprised. Each day I check the meters to see if I’m getting the most out of the panels on our roof. So far, we have exceeded the expected energy produced and as long as we maintain our panels, keep them free of dust and debris, I fully expect to have a nice energy credit by the end of the year.

Getting solar panels has also opened my eyes to other ways I can conserve energy. When looking at my family’s energy usage, you could say we were considered “energy hogs.” Now, my goal is to become energy independent. That means I need to pay close attention to other ways I can conserve. Stay tuned for more… I’ll let you know my first month’s savings.

Julie King

As safety director for Harmon Electric and Harmon Solar, one of my weekly responsibilities is to send out a weekly job site training sheet, which is commonly known as TOOLBOX TALK. This week’s TOOLBOX TALK will have to do with AERIAL DEVICES and CRANES, so I thought I might just use this opportunity and talk a little about crane use common sense, especially on rooftop solar installations.

It’s not uncommon for us to use cranes for the setting of light poles and sometimes to set electrical gear, and we always use a crane to set our solar panels at solar installations. On rooftops, with this comes a risk of danger and injury – here is a slogan I once saw. “If it’s in the air, it’s dangerous.” This is something everyone working around a crane should remember.

While using a crane to lifting and setting materials, be it on the ground or for a roof top, you should never stand or walk under the load or the crane boom, and you should always watch out for the swing, this could be just as dangerous as a falling load – when a load starts to swing from side to side, you could get pinned in between a stationary object causing injury, or even death.

Although cranes can make our work easier, they can also come with a high risk of danger and/or death – team work is always important on any job site. To help in the prevention of injuries when a crane is on site – team work should double.

Len
Safety Director

About 6 months ago my washer began making a horrible noise. It sounded as if metal was scraping on metal as the drum turned. In denial that something was seriously wrong with the machine, I continued using it. After heading down the path of denial for about two more months, the machine eventually gave me a tell-tale sign that it was time to part ways – it started to smell as if something was burning. I live on the third floor of a condo complex, so the idea of either accidently burning down my complex or flooding the units below mine was enough to send me on a mad internet search to find my next washer. How exciting! A new washer! Okay, not really. I could think of several other things I would like to spend that money on, but I decided if I was going to spend the money, I was going to upgrade from the very basic machine I had been using. So, I spent hours comparing prices, features, credit plans, delivery options…the whole nine yards. I finally narrowed down my selections to my top few and headed into my local home improvement store. Despite all of my research, I ended up buying a washer that was a step above what I originally had my mind set on. It was priced just right and had all of the features I was looking for, and lucky for me it was also Energy Star rated, meaning it met energy-efficiency standards. Because of budget limitations, originally I wasn’t sure that I was going to be able to afford this type of washer. It’s too bad that my washer hadn’t waited a few months to break, because the cost wouldn’t have been as much of an issue. Until the end of this year, SRP is offering a $75 rebate for new washers that meet energy-efficiency standards. The new machines must use 35 percent less water and 50 percent less energy. APS hopes to implement a similar rebate program in 2010. So, if you are an SRP customer and ready to buy a new washer, now is the time to upgrade. Take it from experience; you’ll notice a big difference with your energy efficient washer.

Holly
Public Relations

It may seem early to be thinking about your taxes, however in the solar industry taxes are all the talk right now. Anyone considering taking advantage of the incredible tax incentives offered by both the Federal and State next year must have their solar energy system “turned on” by the end of this year.

Most customers are not aware of the length of time it takes to have their system operational. The general time frame is approximately two months. With the end-of-the-year crunch to have systems installed, this time frame lengthens. Waiting time for the utility company inspection and the city inspection increases with the added demand. Realistically speaking, if anyone is considering solar, now is the time!

Lisa
Sales

I love hearing stories about people turning lemons into lemonade, or in this case, shrimp into algae. That’s impossible, you say! Not according to a shrimp farmer in Southwestern Arizona. Yes, that’s right; a shrimp farm in the desert. While he’s not necessarily turning shrimp into algae, a very creative farmer is using a slump in his shrimp farming business as an opportunity to come up with alternate uses for his farm. With enough investors, the farmer hopes to turn his land into a space that harvests alternative fuel. According to the farmer, harvesting algae is a very similar process to harvesting shrimp. The tricky part of the process is extracting oils from the algae that can then be used as alternative fuel. While the process is doable, it’s costly, making the alternative fuel undesirable in such a competitive marketplace. According to industry experts, the process has been around for quite some time, but nobody has been able to come up with a system to bring the cost of the alternative fuel down. About a year ago, I actually met with a company that was also trying to launch their plan of turning algae into alternative fuel. It seemed as if they were on the right path, much like the farmer in Southwestern Arizona. However, I haven’t heard anything more about their idea taking off. Considering the process is nearly 100% sustainable, I hope that someone is able to come up with an efficient process for creating alternative fuel. This could be another great step towards energy independence.

Holly
Public Relations