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Solar: Frequently Asked Questions |
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Will Solar Photovoltaic (PV) work in my location for my home and/or office?
Solar PV is universal and will work virtually anywhere, however some locations are better than others. Call Green Field Energy Solutions today for your free feasibility and cost report. |
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How does a Solar PV work?
Solar PV can be thought of as direct current (DC) generator powered by the sun. When light photos of sufficient energy strike a solar cell, they knock electrons free in the silicon crystal structure forcing them through an external circuit (inverter), and then returning them to the other side of the solar cell to start the process all over again. |
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How much will a Solar PV system cost for my home and/or office?
Solar PV systems cost will depend on your daily energy usage and how much clean energy you would like to produce to “Get Off The Grid.” Another factor is how many full sun hours you receive per day. This information helps our certified solar engineers design a Solar PV system that can meet or exceed your load demand. |
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What size Solar PV system will fit on my house and/or office roof?
The size of the Solar PV system will depend upon available roof and/or ground space at your location. A typical 3.2 kW Solar PV system will cover approximately 256 sq. ft. of roof or ground space. |
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How does solar energy get storied at my home and/or business?
Most all Solar PV systems are grid tied into the main or sub service panel. When energy is produced from the Solar PV system, it is consumed immediately by your appliances within your home. If you have daily Net Excess Generation (NEC) that energy will be fed back to the utility company and credited to your meter/account through a process called Net Metering. When this happens your meter will spin backwards and then at night time when your appliances require energy, the meter will spin forward supplying the load. Grid tie Solar PV systems do not require batteries. |
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What affects solar radiation at a given site?
Shading affects solar radiation and will reduce the amount of clean energy your Solar PV system will produce. That being said, our certified solar engineers will perform a “shade” analysis and calculate how much energy your system will lose due to the object causing the shading. We will also make recommendations as to necessary trimming of trees and final placement of the Solar PV system to avoid objects that cause shading. |
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What’s a “full sun hour”?
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has been measuring irradiance throughout the United States in 250 cities and around the globe for nearly five decades. With this data we can calculate energy production of a Solar PV system and provide you with an AVERAGE monthly output based on the thirty year date sets made available from NREL. The units of this data are kilowatt-hours per meter squared (kWh/m2) PER DAY. Because “full sun” is defined as 1 kW/m2, the NREL data can also be called “hours of full sun per day” or “full sun hours”. Northeastern Pennsylvania receives a fair amount of solar radiation each month and year making solar energy feasible for most locations. |
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Will my Solar PV system require maintenance?
No, Solar PV systems have no moving parts and do not require any maintenance. |
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How does snow and dirt effect the Solar PV system’s energy production?
The panels won’t produce when they are covered with snow. The good news is that most Solar PV systems are set at angles and the panel do warm up as the sun hits their surface so snow that accumulates on the panel surface will slide off and/or melt away. In addition, dirt that collects on the panel surface will wash away by the rain that we receive here in NEPA. Once the Solar PV system is installed, you do not have to do anything to maintain your system for decades to come. |
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How long will my Solar PV system produce clean green energy?
Today’s Solar PV panels typically have a 20 year production output warranty of 90% and a 25 year production output of 80%. This means that in 25 years from the installed date your Solar PV system will output 20% less energy than it did the day you installed it. It does not mean that the panels need to be replaced; they simple put out less energy over time. |
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How long will it take to recoup my initial investment from a Solar PV system?
Return on Investment (ROI) will depend on many factors such as how much you currently pay for electricity, system production for your location, initial system cost and size, and how much federal and state incentives/rebates you qualify for. A system that is oriented correctly and receives adequate full hour hours per day and qualifies for both the federal and state incentives will have an approximate ROI between 6 and 8 years. The ROI, system cost, and incentives are spelled out for you within our detailed preliminary feasibility report. |
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What federal and state incentive are available for Solar PV systems?
Pennsylvania has a very attractive Net Metering program and currently offers rebates through the PA Sunshine Program which administers and allocates your rebate prior to the start of the installation. Please visit http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/in_the_news/10475/pa_sunshine_solar_program/553019 for program details.
Additionally, the federal government allows for a 30% tax credit of the installed system cost. Businesses could take advantage of a 50% accelerated bonus deprecation over a five year period. |
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Must I sign a contract with my utility company?
Yes, Green Field Energy Solutions will prepare all required interconnection paper work on behalf of its customers for the Solar PV system. |
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Will I need a permit to install a solar system?
Yes, Green Field Energy Solutions will complete the required township, borough, and/or county application on behalf of its' clients. In addition, the electrical portion of this permit is required for final inspection to satisfy both the utility interconnection and PA Sunshine Program to receive the state rebate. |
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Will my Solar PV system produce energy if my utility power shuts off or faults?
No, Grid tied systems that use inverters must comply with IEEE 1547 Safety Standards and must disconnect itself from the grid to prevent injury to utility lineman making the necessary repairs to the distribution network that serves your home and/or office. The only way to around this “shut down” is to install a battery bank which will increase the system cost and will required annual maintenance. |
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How long will it take to have a system up and running?
Generally it takes 8 to 10 weeks from the signature on our contract to flipping the on switch. The actual installation may take anywhere from two to five days depending on the Solar PV system size. |
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Will it help the environment if I install a Solar PV system at my home or place of business?
Yes, carbon off-set is equal to 1.5 lbs/kWh of electricity your system generates. Solar energy is one of the cleanest and greenest forms of electricity production and it is renewable and eventually it becomes FREE energy. |
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How do I get started?
The first step is to get your kilowatt hour usage for the year from your utility companies bill. Once you have that, you can complete the questionnaire link on the home page which you can fill out and mail, fax, or email to us and a representative from Green Field Energy Solutions will get in touch with you. At that point, it will be decided whether your site is viable for solar by use of our computer based software and then a preliminary feasibility report will be sent to you at no cost. If you agree with the Solar PV design and system cost, an on-site survey will be scheduled for final placement. |
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