SOLAR ENERGY

Photovoltaics and Solar Energy

Bret's Electric installs PV systems in commercial buildings and residences. Increasing fuel costs have given rise to photovoltaics, PV for short. Unlike solar panels of the past, PV technology generates enough energy to supply the structure it is installed on as well as supplying the electrical grid serving the neighborhood.

Installing cutting-edge PV systems can get you or your company a check from Xcel Energy each month for the energy the PV system generates. At today’s utility rates, it’s not unusual for a small retail space with a PV system to receive a check for $500 for the energy it’s producing for the grid.

Amendment 37, passed in November 2004, requires Xcel Energy establish a rebate program for commercial and residential clients. Current rebates are $4.50 / watt. Also the Energy Policy Act of 2005 provides a 30% Federal Tax Credit for solar technology. This tax credit is capped at $2000 for residential systems. There is no cap on commercial systems.

PV systems use crystalline cells that convert the light of the sun directly into energy. These panels can be installed over any conventional roofing material, for example over roofing tile or asphalt shingles or on a flat commercial roof set at an angle to the sun. The power output from solar panels is guaranteed for 20 years.

Globally, there are over 100,000 off-grid residential PV systems sometimes serving as a sole energy source for the home. Increasingly, it’s being used to replace diesel generators, as diesel fuel is expensive, the generators are difficult to maintain and environmentally harmful. Utilities use PV to produce power for the grid, particularly at peak demand times when power is the most expensive.

Benefits of solar installing solar power/PV systems:

• *Reduce your utility bills
• *Produce your own power
• *Reduce reliance on fossil fuels
• *Increase resale value of your business or home
• *Gain new financial incentives