There are three main types of Photovoltaic Systems. Each has a specific purpose:
1. Grid tied systems which use utility lines instead of batteries. This system is designed to efficiently reduce your electric bills and qualifies for NYS incentives, grants, buy downs and tax credit. These systems are typically "net metered". This means you are credited at the retail electric rate for any power fed back into the utility grid.
2. Battery backup systems for emergency power. These can also be grid tied and "net metered" and also qualifies for NYS incentives, grants, buy downs and tax credit.
3. "Off Grid" or "Stand Alone" systems which are independent of the power lines. These systems are usually installed where power line
extensions are so expensive so as to be non-cost effective. These do not currently qualify for financial incentives.
For a "Ball Park" Price of an installed system check out our pricing page.
Please do not consider a solar PV system a source of power for electric heat! This is highly inefficient. It is far more effective to use the the heating rays of the sun with a solar thermal system to produce heat directly and efficiently than it is to use daylight to make electricity to change to heat using heating elements. Every energy conversion increases loss of energy. So minimize the conversions.
SOLAR ELECTRICITY, Photovoltaic (PV) installation PV's at work in Upstate New York and the North Country.
Declare your energy independence. Own your own power company. And have it professionally installed by a certified experienced installer. Dave Austin, our chief installer, is eligible to obtain New York State financial incentives for our Utility Grid Tie system customers. Dave has been experienced in solar energy systems for over 30 years and certified for over 6 years. Dave is directly involved with each installation. And great news. We now offer a solar leasing option. This means that for well qualified customers it is possible to have less expensive power from the sun than from your utility right from Day One! It's called net positive cash flow from solar.
More solar panel information
PHOTOVOLTAIC is Smart Energy.
Photovoltaic (PV) solar energy is the conversion of sunlight into electricity. It is versatile, modular, reliable, yet a simple source of power. We believe that using the sun's energy directly is very intelligent.
What can Solar Electricity do for me?
>Invest in your own POWER COMPANY which gives you more control over your life, and protects against being without power.
>Reduce or eliminate electric bills and/or provide power when the utility is down.
>Constantly recharge your batteries so that they last longer and are charged and ready to go when you need them.
>Easily expand as your needs increase.
>Solar power can provide you with an affordable and dependable electric power solution that requires no fuel and has no moving parts (especially in remote sites)
>It will work anywhere that is not shaded. PV panels produce electricity even on cloudy days (though with reduced output).
>PV is now used to power everything from utility grid connected homes, remote cabins, remote homes, RV's, boats, to water pumps, traffic controls, outdoor lighting, and telecommunications.
Combine PV with other renewable power sources such as wind and micro hydro.
Combine PV with geothermal heat pumps, solar heating and/or hot water.
SOLAR PV BASICS:
How does PV work?
The photovoltaic effect occurs when sunlight energizes electrons in a semiconductor material and causes them to flow through a circuit, creating electric current. The basic building block of the solar electric system is the photovoltaic (PV) cell. Traditionally the PV cell has been manufactured from pure single crystal or semicrystalline silicon. The silicon is processed to enhance the ability of the electrons to break free and flow. Strips of conductive metal alloys, such as copper, are deposited on the cell to act as a circuit. As the electrons are excited by the sun, the resulting current is collected by the circuit and transmitted through wires to a power conditioner or a battery.
PV cells are soldered together in series and parallel, encapsulated in thermoplastic and laminated between layers of glass and a backing material to form weather sealed "modules." The edges are sealed into frames of aluminum or plastic. These frames add structural stiffness and a means to fasten them to mounting hardware.
BASIC Off Grid Stand Alone SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
PV power generation systems are made up of interconnected components, each with a different function. A major strength of PV systems is modularity. As your needs grow, individual components can be replaced or added to increase capacity.
COMPONENTS:
- Solar ARRAY: consists of one or more PV modules which convert sunlight and daylight into electricity. The modules are connected in parallel and series to provide the voltage and current as is appropriate for the application. The array is usually mounted on a metal structure or roof and tilted to face the sun.
- Charge CONTROLLER: The main function is to maintain the batteries at the proper level of charge and to protect them from overcharging. Many optional features are also available.
- Battery BANK: The battery bank contains one or more deep cycle batteries, connected in series and/or parallel depending on the application voltage and current needed. The batteries store the power produced by the solar array for when it is needed.
- Inverter: An inverter is required when you want to power AC devices. It converts the DC power produced by the solar array and batteries to AC power.
- AC loads: These are the appliances you want to run with the power. AC loads are typical household appliances.
- DC loads: DC loads are appliances designed for DC power such as RV and automotive equipment. DC loads make more efficient use of the power than AC loads and therefore may be a better choice for use with home energy systems.
- Other components: Circuit breakers for safety, meters, wiring, switches and controls.
- In order to determine what size system you need it will be necessary to determine how much power you really need. To do this a power budget must be developed. We have a Load Profile Form for you to list your appliances and determine how many hours each thing will be used each day. Armed with this info we can begin to see how much investment needs to be made in a system. You can fill in the info and give it to us when we come for a site survey or mail it to us.
- FOR MUCH MORE detailed information on how an off grid stand alone system works we have produced a video.Buy it here
A PV system is not just another household appliance. It is Your very own POWER COMPANY.
As such, it is an investment which gives YOU control. If you are $10,000 away from a power line and desire to have electricity without noisy generators that are subject to breakdown, PV may be right for you. A $15,000 to $30,000 investment along with careful assessment of your power needs and careful choice of appliances , may be sufficient to give you all the power you need. Plus you will have no high electric bills. Or...
Tie directly into the Utility lines and eliminate batteries.
With inverters intended for grid connection you can use the power company lines as a storage device when you are producing more than you are using. When you need additional power than is available from your solar/ wind system you have it. It's a great way to reduce your electric bill the environmentally friendly way. New York State has a net metering law. Consult your utility company because with their permission, it is legal to (in effect) spin your meter BACKWARDS with PV and now with small wind.
For more information on net metering check with SEIA
Grid tied systems connected to investor owned Utilities qualify for Incentives in NY customers of electric cooperatives "REA" do not qualify for NYSERDA incentives, however, some Cooperatives like Delaware Electric Cooperative offer their own incentives. Contact your Electric Coop for details.
Description of a Grid Tied system:
A grid tied photovoltaic system is an assembly of components. These components include photovoltaic modules arranged in a group of solar "panels" (modules) combined together to increase power output as measured in units called watts. The modules are held together with racks and fastened to the roof in such a way as to maintain the integrity of the roof (or on the top of poles or ground mount racks in the yard). The system also includes at least one inverter. The inverter converts the electricity produced by the solar array(s) into electrical energy compatible with ordinary utility power. This energy then powers anything in the building that is turned on while sunlight falls on the PV array. If excess energy exists it is fed into the utility power lines via a breaker in the main electric service panel. In the case of systems intended for backup power, charge controllers, batteries and an essential loads sub-panel are also included as part of the system. The system also includes a meter that is easy to read for monitoring and recording energy produced by the system in units called kilowatt-hours.
Some frequently asked questions about
Solar Electricity:
- "But we don't have enough sun here"
- In our experience system owners who have experience with a solar system are not the ones saying this.
- The New York State Police have confidence in solar power:
- Solar power for NY State Police radio towers in the Adirondacks
- November 1998 - Adding More solar power on a pole on Black Mountain for New York State Police.
- What future growth do you expect Solar energy to experience relating in particular to Photovoltaic (solar electricity)?
- For the sake of our species, we need to increase the use of Photovoltaic (PV) and other renewable energy systems world wide. It is becoming increasingly obvious that a substitution of nonpolluting renewable energy sources for fossil fuels is necessary. Solar and other renewable energy, are finally becoming the most profound growth industry in the world today. This would be especially true if predicted economic collapse occurs because fuels and utility power may become less available and unaffordable. Be the first on your block to get adjusted to a 21st century lifestyle!
- Many are desirous of installing a PV system in their utility electrified home but don't know the first thing about the physics, economics, etc. of PV. Maybe they know basic wiring & electrical installation. What about grid connected homes and PV?
- With current State incentives and TAX CREDITS PV is affordable for many homeowners TODAY! Combined with net metering PV is a worthwhile investment TODAY especially considering ever rising electric rates. PV is very practical for remote homes and other sites $10,000 or more away from connecting to a power line. PhotoVoltaics for those connected to the utility grid, if one takes the real cost to the environment and the globally suicidal consequences of continuing to use fossil fuels and nuclear power, one realizes the full picture economics of using renewable energy. With this in mind it becomes apparent that in the long term PV is very economical and necessary and the time to start switching to PV is now. If you still feel $4.00 per DC watt installed is too high a price for PV you might consider solar heating (much less expensive) to cut your hot water bill. Use the savings from the solar heat system to save up for a solar electric system.
AS EMERGENCY POWER: PV systems designed for providing emergency power employ batteries to store energy for times when Utilities can't provide power. As an insurance policy, PV can be very economical. It can be quite valuable to have electricity when there are power outages, which may be more common in the future (especially as the utility grid ages as witnessed by the Northeast Blackout of 2003). A suggestion is that one set up a small PV system for emergencies - for communications (a small 12 volt TV and/or radio), a small energy efficient refrigerator, and emergency lighting. The system can be expanded to meet all of one's requirements (within limits, conservation is key). In fact with current financial incentives available in New York State it might be worth considering a larger system now while incentives last. Larger emergency power systems are available that can power computers, refrigerators, furnaces, well pumps as well as lights for hours even days. These larger systems can save money on your electric bills in between power failures helping them pay for themselves.
However, you should carefully assess how much you really need backup power. Batteries may not be a wise choice for everyone. They are not always necessary in Grid tied systems. They add 20% to 30% to the cost of a system depending on your power needs. Batteries are like babies. They can die from neglect. Battery based systems generally cease to function when the batteries die. Therefore, you need to assess how much you really need them. If you have long and/ or frequent power outages in combination with things that must stay powered (essential loads) then batteries may be a good idea for you. If your power outages are rare and you prepare in other ways so short power outages become survivable then batteries might be more a liability than a help.
Ways to make a home power outage survivable.
- Install a wood stove that does not require electricity for heat. Some gas fireplaces might also work as long as they do not require power for controls or blowers. You can usually heat water and food in a pot on a wood stove.
- Emergency water can often be obtained by draining it off the bottom of a water heater tank (be sure to shut off the power to any water heater before draining it. It could be damaged when power is restored if it is not full of water). If you anticipate a power outage fill a bath tub before hand and recover water from it during the outage.
- Refrigerators and freezers can store cold for many hours if they are well insulated and in a cool location. They store more cold if they are full rather than empty. So if your freezer is near empty, fill it with plastic jugs of water and let them freeze. During an outage you can use some of the jugs to turn your refrigerator into an old fashioned "ice box". Leave some of the jugs in the freezer to keep it cool. If it is a winter outage you can store frozen food outdoors in metal boxes or an unheated tool shed to protect it from animals.
- Following the above suggestions can make your home survivable of the most common power outages that last no more than 24 hours.
Don't use solar electric to run expensive, inefficient old appliances whose design was based on cheap oil. i.e. Don't use PV for electric resistance heating. I have heard this described as being like trying to cut butter with a chain saw. Instead use passive solar heating and cooling techniques for your home. Make a sketch of the plan drawing of your house on your lot with a north arrow and indicate trees, shading of other buildings, etc. and look for ways to cool or heat with the sun and natural shading.
Why not contact Great Brook Solar NRG LLC to help you with your project. We have been selling and installing all types of renewable energy systems since 1978.
We are installing contractors of renewable energy systems including solar, wind and micro hydro power systems. We install in Upstate New York, and northern Pa. only. However, if you are outside our territory we can help you by designing a system, talk you through an installation and/or help you get materials. There will be a charge for our services.
For more free information contact us via our E-mail So let us know a little about your project.
Prices for Solar Energy Photovoltaic (PV) Installed Systems
in Upstate New York
Declare Energy Independence Today!!!
All pricing listed here is subject to the results of our friendly personal survey of your site. All solar systems are site specific by nature which can affect the price. These prices are presented only as an example to give you a "ball park" idea of the price range of various size systems and what performance you might expect. (last updated 12/28/2011). We have added a suggestion for utilizing recent changes in federal tax law to gain an additional incentive for going solar. See Sales Tax under "Qualifying notes" below.
Solar doesn't cost it pays. However, some systems pay better than others. Generally larger and better optimized systems pay better than smaller systems. The tables below of various example system configurations illustrate this fact. Details of each system vary greatly from site to site and are specific to the needs of the customer, therefore, installed system pricing can vary as much as +/- 15% from examples below. Tables last updated 5/4/2012.
Solar Panel Prices have come down again! Contact us today. 607-847-6366
In addition we offer added value items that can enhance the long term economics on all our systems:
- Attention to details that can extend system life and reduce maintenance.
- Service Maintenance contracts are available.
- Customer "walk through" orientation and training upon system completion (particularly important for battery based systems).
- We have knowledge and experience with 30 year old systems. We know from experience (good and bad) what happens to systems as they age. We make a point of learning from our experience. We have serviced many systems installed by others and apply what we learn to new installations.
- We go beyond NYSERDA installation requirements by performance testing each system during the commissioning process. This assures you of a top performing system.
- Granted, our installed system prices may be slightly higher than those of some other installers. But everyone knows that cheaper is not always best. Top quality will always be the better long term investment especially with a PV system.
- BEWARE the fast talking salesman who might tell all the benefits and ignore any down sides. We strive to fully inform.
Saving Energy since 1978 serving commercial and residential markets across central New York State. Put our experience to work for you today.
Try the online estimator by to determine what size system might be appropriate for your needs.
ECONOMICS
System payback is only one aspect to look at with the economics of a PV system. Certainly you want the system to pay for itself within its expected life. Another way is to see it for what it really is, an investment. The return on your investment is the money you will no longer pay your utility company for "renting" their power. Instead you will "own" your own generation facility. Since PV is an income producing asset it can be useful to compare it to other investments you might make. How much can you earn risk free in other investments? YES a solar investment is more RISK FREE if well installed and maintained than most other investments. Plus, we have added to the tables below the pounds of CO2 you will be keeping out of the atmosphere protecting your children and grandchildren from global warming. The amount is surprisingly high. Most PV customers are concerned about the environment and want a clean way to generate their own power. Our high quality systems offer peace of mind and are more than just a financial investment but an investment in the environment for future generations.
BEWARE: Just because another dealer tells you his system will get you a higher return on your money than ours, doesn't necessarily mean his system is a better investment! It may mean either their system is cheaper and therefore, of lower quality or they neglected to take maintenance and replacement costs into account.
We use a more comprehensive analysis which yields less optimistic but more conservative results. In other words we strive to give you as conservative a picture as we can. As an example, figuring a 30 year life, 3% per year electric rate increases, plus maintenance and replacement costs a typical system might yield about a 2% to 6% per year return on the investment. Ignoring maintenance costs can add 2%. However, it is realistic to assume there might be maintenance costs even if you do it yourself, your time has value. Another way to look at PV economics is to compare electric rates. The cost of the system in future dollars divided by the kw-hr system production over its life is usually between 6 and 10 cents per kw-hr. Compare this to the 12 to 14 cents you now pay your Utility. This is like buying your next 30 years electricity today to lock in a low rate.Our analysis uses conservative weather data which may indicate a lower performing system than others. We do this to make happy customers when your system performs better than predicted.
If you are more concerned about a more immediate higher return you should consider Solar Hot Water. Solar Hot Water can yield 8% to 15% returns on the investment and qualifies for tax credits! A solar hot water system typically runs $7500 to $10,000 installed and provides 60% of annual hot water needs in Central NY. The more hot water you use daily the more worthwhile solar hot water can be for you. If you don't use much hot water then consider PV, because you can feed excess energy back into the grid and thus excess energy is not wasted.
Example System Pricing (Due to price uncertainty and extreme demand for our services we can no longer keep the example pricing up to date. Currently PV panel prices have fallen by another $.50 per watt or more from last year and have bottomed out as of Spring 2012.)
Table for Grid Tied (battery-less) Systems (note, roof mount is sometimes slightly less $ than pole mount due to excavation, concrete and steel costs):
as of 3/01/2010 Grid tie Solar PV System approximate pricing (before any State incentives or Tax Credits):
Residential Systems lately have been installing for between $4.75 to $5.20 per watt of installed DC PV array rated capacity. A 2 KW size may be up to $8.00 per watt. An 8 kw to 10 kw size may be closer to $4.80 per watt. Pricing depends on site characteristics, mounting method and specific arrangement between panels and inverter(s) and brand of solar panel. NYSERDA incentive is a $1.50 per watt direct discount off the price for systems up to 7 kw for residential and up to 50 kw for commercial and non-profit.
Batteries for power during outages adds $8,000 to $14,000 to the cost.
Call for off grid stand alone system pricing (NYSERDA incentive does not apply to off grid stand alone systems).
Example 4.8 kw roof mounted system:
$24,700 before NYSERDA incentive. NYSERDA incentive = $7,200. You pay us $17,500. State and Federal tax credits (taking into account the increased federal credit): $5,250 (for systems going into operation between 1/1/2009 and 12/31/2016). State Tax credit is 25% up to $5000. After tax credits system cost: $7,875. Pole or ground mounting adds $4,000 to $5,000.
Example 5.76 kw Roof Mounted system:
$27,716.01 before NYSERDA incentive. NYSERDA incentive = $8,640. You pay us $19,076.01. There are State and Federal tax credits. The Federal is $5,722.80 (for systems going into operation between 1/1/2009 and 12/31/2016). The state tax credit is $5000. After tax credits system cost: $8,584.20 Pole or ground mounting adds $4,000 to $5,500.
NY State tax credit is 25% of system cost up to $5000
Federal tax credit is 30% of the cost with no upper limit)
Electric Savings Range: 5,400 kw-hr to 5,900 kw-hr
It prevents 5,800 lbs of CO 2 from entering the atmosphere annually
Compare to Utility rates of 13 cents per kw-hr:
After all incentives and tax credits, Solar costs 5 to 10 cents per kw-hr
If you add up 30 years electric costs and compare 30 years solar costs, solar is less expensive than what you pay now for electricity.
The return on investment is typically 8% to 14%.
Time until you have free power from the sun: 7 to 12 years.
These numbers may vary for your site and incentives for which you may qualify.
We now offer a leasing option. For well qualified customers leasing offers the possibility of having immediate positive cash flow compared to your existing electric utility bill if you pay at least 50% down.
GBS also offers leasing for qualifying customers. With leasing it is possible to achieve monthly payments lower than you now pay your power company. Thus you can gain an instant net positive cash flow as soon as the system goes into operation.
Prices subject to results of our site survey and subject to change without notice.
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To determine the best buy:
Divide the price you pay by the solar array wattage to arrive at dollars per watt installed. The lowest dollar per watt installed is sometimes the best investment. However, System quality is a very important factor. Higher quality systems last longer and will also make a better investment. Do not use this formula to compare between installers. Quality of installation is critical to the longevity of the system performance. It may be necessary to pay more for high quality work from knowledgeable long experienced installers. Ask for references and follow them up. GBS has a program of continuing education for its installers.
See below to see if you qualify for tax credit
Battery Backup system Pricing: Generally the price of a Grid tied PV system with battery backup for power outages is part way between that of a strictly grid tie and that of an off grid stand alone system. This is because an off grid system requires a bigger battery bank to carry loads through long sunless periods in order to minimize use of the backup generator. Off Grid Stand Alone Systems example prices:
Qualifying notes: Details of each system vary greatly from site to site and are specific to the needs of the customer, therefore, installed system pricing can vary as much as +/- 20% from above table. Price of off grid systems is determined by the customer's energy requirement. The more energy required the larger the system must be and thus the higher the price. Stand alone systems require batteries for both short term and long term energy storage and as a power regulation device absorbing the natural fluctuations in solar production at any given moment. A small percentage of the energy collected from the sun goes into driving the charging process of the batteries and never reaches your loads. Therefore, if you have Utility power readily available careful consideration should be made to eliminating batteries and using the Utility grid as your storage media (grid tie) instead in order to maximize system efficiency and long term energy savings. Batteries will require the most maintenance of any part of your stand alone system. By nature batteries have a much shorter life span than the rest of the system. The performance of your entire system are dependant on the condition of the batteries. Therefore, it is critical that you pay attention to the batteries and their needs. We do NOT recommend the use of maintenance free sealed batteries in off grid stand alone systems. They generally do not cycle well under typical residential usage conditions. As a result they offer a far more limited life than a high quality long warranted regular maintenance deep cycle lead acid battery. The major maintenance item for batteries is as simple as adding distilled water monthly or when they get low. We offer maintenance contracts if you are not comfortable with battery maintenance.
SOLAR SPACE HEATING PRICES: Are extremely site specific and require a detailed analysis of your home to determine the price. However, you can expect a solar space heating system to range between $15,000 and $50,000. Homes in excess of 3,000 square feet or poorly insulated will cost more. There are simpler air heating solar space heating systems that cost more in the $5,000 to $10,000 range. There are much less expensive alternatives that heat home air directly. Call us for more information. 607-847-6366. |
Our fax number is: 607-847-9253 (Mon - Fri 9 AM to 6 PM e.d.t.)
Please do not copy this web site or anything in it without permission of Great Brook Solar NRG LLC, 819 County Rd 28, South New Berlin, NY 13843-9519
Phone: 607-847-6366 Last updated: 5/4/12 by Dave Austin, owner.
