How Does Solar Power Leasing Work

/0 Comments/in , /by

Are you thinking about going green and using solar energy to power your home? Well, you might choose to hire a solar contractor who can install the relevant solar panels and get your home connected to the grid. However, it’s quite costly to do so and solar power leasing or a solar power PPA ( Purchase Power Agreement ) is yet another alternative you should consider. The initial cost of installation is considerably lower thus making the whole endeavor affordable.

What Is Solar Power Leasing And How Does It Work?

Here, you can lease solar panels and generate electricity for your home. Solar power leasing programs might differ depending on the provider but they are similar in a few ways. First, you should contact a solar leasing program provider. You can always find a list of providers online. Next, the provider will visit your home and determine if you meet the qualifications for the program. A few things will be evaluated during this stage including sun exposure, access issues and roof angle.

If your home meets all the qualifications for solar power leasing, the provider will collect a deposit and request your signature on an agreement for about 10 or 20 years. In some cases, if there are some solar incentives, you might not need to pay any deposit upfront. There are some solar leasing programs where you can get effortless transition to a new homeowner if you decide to move.

Next, the solar power provider will hire an installer but will still oversee the entire installation process. Note that, the provider is also responsible for managing the maintenance issues as well as the warranty while the contract is valid. They are responsible for collecting any tax breaks and utility incentives on the solar power installation. Once the installation is completed, you should start enjoying the benefits of reduced electricity bills in a while.

The solar power provider is already providing electricity at a considerably lower rate. Note that, the power rates negotiated with the solar power provider remain the same for the entire life of the contract. Therefore, if and when the utility rates start increasing, you will enjoy the same rates and actually save more every month on your electricity needs. On the other hand, it’s one of the best ways to generate clean and renewable energy.

There are some qualifications you must meet in order to fit the solar leasing program. First, you should live in a state that provides solar incentives. You can always research online to find out if your area qualifies for these incentives. Secondly, the state must be serviced by a major utility program with a program in place without it being municipal or local. Your house must have a huge space on the roof without any obstructions and actually faces south.

Currently, there are various companies that lease solar panels in the country. You can always find these online and fill out the application requesting an estimate of the leasing program. You can also contact your local utility provider or a solar contractor in your area to find the best referrals any of these leasing programs.

These solar leasing programs have become quite popular for many reasons. First, installing solar power is quite expensive since it involves buying solar panels and installing them on your roof. Secondly, you can save a lot of money on your utilities every end of the month. Therefore, if you’re tired of spending too much money on your lighting and heating bills, solar power leasing is the best way to go. You should find a good company and get prepared to get electricity in your home for the most affordable rates.

The Black River Park Solar Power Project In Cape Town South Africa

/0 Comments/in , , , , /by

Solar energy is supplied by the sun in the form of solar radiation, making it possible to generate electicity from solar energy. Electricity is generated from PV cells (photovoltaic cells) produced from materials with a photovoltaic effect. When direct sunlight hits a PV cell, photons of light excite the cell’s electrons, causing them to flow and produce usable energy. Numerous solar cells arranged in numerous PV panels could generate enough electricity to power an entire home. And some solar power plants containing huge PV arrays covering several acres can generate electrical energy for thousands of homes.

The Black River Park Solar Project SA

A solar PV power plant situated on the roof of the Black River Office Park in Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa, is the very first of its kind to supply the electrical distribution system in Cape Town with solar generated electric power. The office park is leading the commercial real estate sector by producing the first sustainable and eco-friendly electric power for its own use as well as the City of Cape Town’s electrical power grid by making use of large-scale solar power systems situated on the roof of the building.

The 1.2MW solar power project is the biggest roof-mounted integrated photovoltaic plant in Africa and one of the biggest in the world, capable of producing slightly less than two million kilowatt hours of power each year from its 5,500 modules.

How Can Black River Park Office Park Supply Additional Electricity Into Cape Town’s Grid?

The solar panels on the roof of the complex covers an area of 11,000 m2, the equivalent of 2 full size football fields. During peak usage periods, the solar panels are able to supply 20% – 30% of the office park’s own usage and are also capable of supplying a limited amount of additional power directly into the electrical power grid, which allows an offset in the monthly electricity records of the city. This additional electricity is supplied to the grid during low peak periods during the week when the electric load of the office park is decreased and on weekends.

In addition to supplying Cape Town with additional electricity, it is hoped that the Black River Park Project will help to promote the green economy of the city by raising the demand for solar panel usage as well as other sustainable energy sources. An increased demand for solar panel systems can also help to generate jobs in the solar panel industry.

Cape Town City has been recognized on a global level as being at the forefront of green pursuits and the Black River Park Project is one of many steps on the way to turning the City of Cape Town into a sustainable city and developing more sustainable ways to deal with important issues facing the environment.

The Benefits of Solar Power

– As a renewable power source solar power can never be depleted.
– The abundance of solar power is beyond imagination. The earth receives approximately 120,000 terawatts of solar radiation from the sun – 20,000 times more energy than is required to supply the entire world with electrical power.
– Solar power is an unlimited, renewable power source that is sustainable, meaning that the energy needs of the present can be fulfilled without compromising the power needs of future generations.
– Harnessing power from the sun is good for the environment as the process does not cause any pollution. Although there are certain emissions involved in the production, transportation, and installation of the systems, it is nothing compared to pollution from traditional energy sources.
– Solar power is available anywhere in the world and not confined to countries that are closest to the equator.
– Apart from saving money on buying electricity from the grid by making use of solar power, householders are now able to get credits by “selling” additional energy back to the grid when they generate more than they require. FIT (Feed in Tariff) schemes and net metering will make it possible for householders to minimize their electricity costs.
– Solar energy can be used for numerous applications such as supplying power to areas with no grid connection, distilling water in Africa, or providing power to space satellites.

How Can Locals in Cape Town Save on Electricity Tariffs?

Cape Town has set a goal of sourcing 10% of its electrical power from alternative energy resources by the year 2020. The city is working on discovering a solution which will enable local users to send excess power back to the municipal electricity grid and have it offset on their electricity tariff. This will be made possible by using their own SSEG (Small Scale Embedded Generator) with an advanced bi-directional structure and credit meter. The system will be set up by the City Council at the user’s own expense to bring the electricity supply into suitable SSEG tariffs.

How Exactly Do Solar Panels Work?

/0 Comments/in , , /by

If you are thinking about getting solar panels, you should know a little bit about how they work. Most people understand that they are able to generate electricity by simply being exposed to the sun. If you have seen solar panels installed, they are typically facing south in order to absorb as much sunlight as possible. However, there is a very specific reason that they work which has to do with how sunlight interacts with certain metals that can generate the electricity. There are several types of solar panels, some of which are much more efficient. You will pay more for those, but over time, they will pay for themselves many times over. Let’s look at the way that solar panels work so that you can understand which ones you should consider purchasing for your home or business.

How Solar Panels Work

Solar panels are made of what are called photovoltaic cells. The material in the photovoltaic cells is called a material called crystalline silicon. You will probably heard of the material silicon before. It is what makes computers work because of the silicon based computer chips that are able to process and transfer information. The difference between computer chips and photovoltaic cells is that sunlight is able to interact with the electrons around the atoms of the silicon crystals. When exposed to sunlight, some of the electrons are knocked free, causing the electricity to flow. It is a natural process, indicative of this material and its crystalline structure. There are different types of silicon crystals, many of which are extremely efficient at producing electrical current.

How Solar Cells Are Made

 

Crystalline silicon is processed into wafer thin strips. They are all placed together on a solar panel. They are connected by electrical wires so that when the electricity is produced, it can travel into a battery. This energy is stored in the batteries and is also used in households where AC current is used to power all of the devices that we have today. The more efficient the silicon crystals, the more energy will be produced. There are solar panels which include those that are made of a more for silicon, cadmium, copper, and other materials. This leads to the creation of three different types of solar panels. Mono-crystalline solar panels are the most efficient. They are made of crystalline silicon that is extremely pure. This simply means that the crystalline structure does not have a substantial amount of impurities which are developed as it is naturally produced in the ground. The other two types include polycrystalline solar panels and amorphous solar panels. Most people choose to get the monocrystalline, even though they are sold at a much higher cost. As mentioned before, this extra cost that you will pay will be offset by the amount of electricity that will be produced. Over a period of several years, you will not only pay for the solar panels with the savings that you will have on your electric bill, but you may actually produce enough to sell your electricity back to the electric companies.

How Are Solar Panels Installed And Connected?

These are typically connected through what is called a series circuit. This is a wire that delivers the current in one direction. There is going to be a positive terminal which represents the very first solar panel in the circuit. The negative terminal refers to all subsequent solar panels that are connected. They are going to be rated at 5 A and 12 V in most cases. This energy is then sent in series to the batteries. Your electrical outlets and other electrical components in your house will be able to access this electricity so that everything can operate as normal. You will likely have a substantial amount of electricity stored if you are using these during the summer. This is because of the increased amounts of direct sunlight that you will get at most latitudes, with the exception of equatorial installations which receive the same amount of light throughout the year.

Once these are hooked up, you will be able to generate a substantial amount of electricity. You may even want to upgrade to a much larger solar panel array. You will see these outside of businesses, or you will see them on the rooftops of large corporations. The more solar panels that they have, the more energy that can be produced. This is one of the best ways to generate electricity that exist today. It’s even better than windmills that are very popular. They take up less space, and because of how efficient they are at producing electricity, they are a primary focus for homeowners and business owners today.