Solar Cells Info

By Farin Montañez, The Fresno Bee,  Sept 30, 2007
Source: FresnoBee.com
http://www.fresnobee.com/263/story/152171.html

During Fresno’s sweltering August, Steve Durbano watched his electricity meter spin backward when it was sunny, and he paid a mere $22.07 to PG&E — a savings of about $400.  His secret: 28 solar panels installed on the roof of his north Fresno home that create enough power for his family of five — and even provide additional electricity to the power grid most of the day. “I don’t dread the PG&E bill coming,” he said as he showed off his solar system Saturday during the third annual Fresno Solar Tour.

While solar-energy systems still are considered by many to be too expensive, advocates say now is the time to get one, because rebate and incentive programs are at their peak. Durbano, a home appraiser, said he went solar this year because “electricity isn’t going to get any cheaper.” The average price to go solar is about $9 per watt, so a 3-kilowatt system that provides enough energy for most households costs about $27,000, said Polly Shaw, a solar expert for the California Public Utilities Commission.

Many homeowners hold back because of the daunting upfront investment, but most systems pay for themselves in seven to 10 years, Shaw said. “Prices are still high overall,” she said, but a homeowner can offset half the cost through incentives. Folks who go solar can receive a one-time $2,000 federal income-tax credit. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. offers incentives of up to $2.50 per watt — or up to a $7,500 credit for a 3-kilowatt system.

These incentives will decrease as more homeowners switch to solar, Shaw said. Most incentive programs have a limited amount of money to give out each year. As more people collect rebates, the amount of each rebate will go down, she said.

The California Public Utilities Commission offers two incentive programs:  The Expected Performance Based Buydown gives an upfront cash payment for the amount of solar power expected to be produced in three years, based on ZIP code and orientation of solar panels.  The Performance Based Incentive is a monthly payout that depends on the amount of solar power produced. Utility officials say they hope cities offer additional incentives to Californians who decide to go solar.

Last month, Lemoore city officials approved a grant program that gives homeowners $1,000 per kilowatt — up to $5,000 — for installing solar panels on their homes and waives the $400 to $700 permit fees for installation. About five to 10 homes in Lemoore go solar each year. City officials say they hope that number will increase to at least 50 a year.

California has set a goal to create 3,000 megawatts of new, solar-produced electricity by 2017. Gov. Schwarzenegger’s goal is to put solar systems on a million California roofs by then.  A photovoltaic system is made of silicon or glass panels that are fixed to a structure — usually a roof — and tilted south in direct sunlight. This orientation is optimal for picking up the sun’s rays and converting them into electricity, installers say. But if a house lacks a south-facing roof, solar panels can be installed on patio coverings or even on the ground.

Tom Saville said he replaced the white wood lattice patio covering on his Clovis home with 60 “aesthetically pleasing” solar panels — an investment that now saves him more than $1,000 every month on the PG&E bill for his 6,000-square-foot home. “I’m very happy with the technology and the appearance,” he said. “It’s a functional shade structure, and I’m overjoyed at the cost of my energy bill.”

Homeowners aren’t the only ones going solar.  Ten solar shade structures — producing up to 24,000 kilowatts total — were recently installed over 722 parking spaces on the campus of California State University, Fresno, near the Save Mart Center.  And Fresno Yosemite International Airport is expected to complete its installation of a 2-megawatt system early next year that will provide 40% of the airport’s annual power.

A system will reach its maximum energy output around noon, especially during summer months, said Don Loweburg, an installer for Offline Independent Energy Systems based in North Fork.  The system will produce less energy during the winter, when days are shorter and the sunlight is impeded by clouds and fog, he said.

Fresno residents usually get slightly higher incentive payouts because they reside in a very sunny and high-producing region of the state, Shaw said. Nearly 70% of California’s solar systems are concentrated in 48% of the state — mostly the Central Valley covered by PG&E, she said. Converting to solar energy just makes sense for people in the Fresno area, Durbano said: “We have an abundance of sun, so we might as well use it.”