the low down on green living
May 30th, 2008
A Thin-Film Solar Panel Installation
Stumble it!
Written by Michelle Bennett, courtesy of CleanTechnica.com
Many people envision solar power as rigid silicon panels mounted on a roof. With thin film solar cells, you’re more likely to not see them, or even know they’re there. This article is about a real-life thin film solar project. Not many bloggers are able to witness the technologies we research and write about. It’s one thing to be able to buy afford a cool “green” gadget (usually not very green), but another to see the many forms of solar, wind, geothermal, etc., which are always changing and developing around the world. So when my employer decided to go solar, you might imagine my excitement.
At the moment I work for Magco Inc., a Tecta America company. Tecta is a national commercial roofing corporation that can install green roofs, solar lighting, and solar panels alongside a variety of traditional roofing systems. This solar project is pretty straight forward: our building has a big, flat roof on top of a hill without any shade. You’d have trouble finding a sunnier spot for solar panels.
I was double delighted when I heard that they ordered thin-film solar! Naturally inquiring minds wanted to know: why and what kind?
Magco bought their solar from Uni-Solar, which produces triple-junction laminate panels. That means they laminate the photovoltaic chemicals onto a thin sheet of metal in three layers; each layer reacts to a different range of light. They also laminate a sealant on the panel to protect it from the elements. The benefit of this system is that it reacts better to low or indirect light. Think cloudy days and the hours around dusk and dawn, a. Uni-Solar’s panels operate around 12% efficiency, but they claim to out-perform other forms of PV solar in indirect light, which means they could produce more electricity in certain real-world conditions (cloudy days). The laminate production method also decreases cost because expensive silicon and mounting racks are not required.
In fact, these thin-film solar panels are glued straight onto the roof. (See picture.)
Magco chose these panels for another important reason: no roof penetrations. If you mount racks on your roof, you have to fasten them down. That means punching holes in the roof, which can void your warranty and even damage your roof if it’s not done right. Some solar systems, even silicon panels, have found ways to avoid these problems, and anyone looking into solar should ask about the integrity of their existing roof. Another bonus for Magco and thin-film solar was weight: these solar panels roll out like carpet and don’t weigh as much as silicon. That means Magco wouldn’t need to add any structural support. It does snow here, so weight is an important factor!
What about the electrical aspect? Special runners help connect and protect wires between panels and represent the only mounted equipment in the system. The wires eventually find their way to a big inverter inside the building, which feeds the electricity to us. A 2-way power meter can then feed any excess electricity back into the grid. Simple, right? Well, for a project this big and complicated you’d definitely want to hire some professionals. If you mix up which-wires-go-where, you could make some very expensive mistakes or just rob yourself of some of your solar power.
What if you and your neighbors want to go solar but can’t afford it? Bulk your order and get it done at the same time. Combining your orders will reduce costs in man-hours and equipment (think crane rentals). Naturally you can also get a better deal on the panels themselves if you buy in larger quantity.
**Images Courtesy of Patrick Bollinger.
Comments
George
June 2nd, 2008 at 10:38 am
Great post! always good to learn about solar panel installation.
Leslie @ the oko box
June 3rd, 2008 at 8:29 am
this is amazing! I think an awesome step forward like this will make solar panels MUCH more mainstream. All those picky aesthetic people who didn’t want giant things on their roof, can now feel like it’s just a thin strip, no big deal - and gets you all your energy
I can not wait till I am a home owner again (instead of renter) so that I can get things things up on my roof! Did I mention Awesome!?!?
John
June 3rd, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Interesting article. Some additional facts would help me evaluate:
- Where is this located?
- What was the total cost? What are are the detailed cost breakdowns (capital equipment cost per kWh, with or without installation and upkeep, with or without amortization/depreciation)
- Were there tax benefits?
- What is the life-expectancy of the system?
- What other technologies were compared/rejected, and why?
- I assume a run-of-the-mill electrical contractor is not necessarily qualified to rig this. Are there special certifications for this kind of work? (E.g., What should I look for in hiring?)
It’d be great to have a follow-up in a couple of months to find out how the system is performing, did it need to be fine-tuned, etc. Thanks!!
Brian
June 3rd, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Where can I get the used ones “cheap” once the people with ‘em start replacing them with these?
Solar Panel Installations
June 19th, 2008 at 8:22 am
hey there,
thanks for sharing this article, I wonder if these Solar Panel Installations can accumulate solar energy so that it can be used at night-time… any ideas ?
Tiny and Not So Tiny Home Choices | Tiny Choices
June 25th, 2008 at 3:00 am
[…] Here’s an interesting article about a recent thin-film solar installation at the writer’s workplace. A good summary of the advantages of thin film solar is here. Are you totally into it yet? Home Power is a great magazine resource. It used to be free to download, but it looks like it’s entirely subscription based now. It’s still one of the best. […]
MichelleBennett
July 2nd, 2008 at 6:20 am
Hello everyone,
I have some answers for you! Sorry it took so long, I wanted to be sure I had everything right.
Where it’s located: Jessup, Maryland.
Tax benefits: Yes. There were tax benefits on both the state and federal level. These benefits relate to the business, size of the installation, and location (Maryland has better tax benefits than some other states)
Life Expectancy: these systems are under warranty for up to 20 years. The system is expected to last longer. Basically the wires will wear out before the solar panels.
Choices: Magco, Inc. chose this system because it works with indirect sunlight as well as direct sunlight (silicon panels generally need direct light). Maryland is frequently cloudy, and the panels generate energy for longer each day instead of waiting for the sun to rise directly overhead. That means the panels will generate more energy total in real-world Maryland weather, even though their efficiency is lower than silicon panels.
Electricians: Magco did hire ordinary electricians, but they also brought in an experienced consultant who installs solar panels for Tecta America. He spoke with the electricians and they studied the drawings for the job so that they would know exactly what was different/ what to do. I’m not sure if he did any of the work himself or oversaw any particularly difficult stages. Since most consumers can’t hire their own consultant, I recommend asking the solar provider and local electricians if they have experience with these systems.
As for the cost of the system, I’m afraid I can’t provide too much information. My boss mentioned to me, off hand, that the panels cost around $80,000. I’m not sure if that included installation or not. Sice these panels did not require much mounting hardware (they glued the panels directly to the roof), the installation cost was not as high as other solar systems.
Finding cheap (or free) solar panels: http://cleantechnica.com/2008/02/07/how-to-cheap-or-free-solar-panels/
Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.
Solar Loan Law Passes While Loan Bailout Debate Continues | Redfin Los Angeles Sweet Digs
July 22nd, 2008 at 1:31 pm
[…] involved in installation? One blogger provided this detailed introduction, also mentioning she was employed by a commercial roofing corporation that can install solar panels […]
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