Solar Energy Study 2007
A personal research project the summer of 2007 was solar energy. I found a local business site with a 9.75 kw, grid-tied system. I was able to see this system close-up, and study the system manual. I also spent many hours collecting information on the internet.
The project proved to be shorter than I expected. During due diligence, I discovered my available sites did not have enough hours of direct sun light per day.
My home used 5,249 kilowatt-hours of electrical power in 2005 (about 600 watts per hour average), which cost less than $600. The smallest commercially available "approved" residential system produces 1 kilowatt, and has a minimum installed cost of $13k. It appears there is a $2k federal credit, a $2k state credit, a sales tax exemption, and some lesser benefits. In my case, the payback is just not there.
See the picture below, of my first solar energy project, during the second energy crisis in 1981. These 2 home-made hot-air collectors were 4 ft by 8 ft. I operated them for 2-1/2 years. The final year, I installed a hot-air to hot-water converter, to preheat water for our hot water heater. The economic benefit of the project was marginal. Still, it was interesting and educational.
| My solar project during the second energy 'crisis' in 1982: These were home-made hot-air collectors. In Minnesota, at 45° north latitude, the primary benefits were shade on the south side, and protection from the rain and snow. While it produced energy, the electricity for the fan and second generation water pump, I'm sure, exceeded any thermal benefit. |  |
| This is the inside view of the second generation. The first winter and summer, the system just blew hot air into the basement. We got tired of a hot basement in the summer, so I added a heat exchanger to transfer the heat to water. I added a second hot water tank, and preheated the water before it went to the hot water heater. |  |
| Inside view, second generation, extra hot water heater tank for preheating. | 
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Solar Energy Reference Links
- Southwest Photovoltaic - Solar power map
- Innovative Power Systems - Local solar contractor
- Wikipedia - Solar Energy
- Federal tax credit
- Minnesota tax credits and grants
- Build it Solar - Check new content.
- DOE news - 40% efficiency is possible.
Suppliers, cells & inverters
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