Solar Hot Water for OSU on Gibraltar Island
We’re starting a new job installing solar hot water for The Ohio State University on Gibraltar Island, Lake Erie. We’ll be sending out updates at different points in the project.
Homemade DIY Solar Panels – Build Your Own And Save $?$
We get asked a lot about making solar panels.
That popular interest is probably why build your own solar panels dot org is pretty good at going viral on the internet.
True South and the PoleV2
True south is the ideal direction to face solar panels for maximum performance in the northern hemisphere. True south may also stand for truly appreciating the energy that flows into our environment from the southern sky. Mounting solar panels on a single pole is the easiest way to accomplish a true south orientation. The benefits gained from finding this True South is so great we had to develop our own poles (and a company by the same name) and provide them for our customers.
Darke County Fair 20 – 28 August 2010
This is the fair where we exhibit the latest Inspiramentalisms. Last year we had our new stand alone solar electric with battery back up on display. That is to return, plus, we’re adding solar hot water and a solar oven to the exhibition.
See you there!
Organic Gardener Adds Solar Electric in Oxford, Ohio
Mr. Harv Roehling of Oxford, Ohio, retired teacher of math and grower of organic lettuce and other fine vegetables, was keen to add solar electric to his list of environmentally conscious accomplishments.
We’re very glad that he called us out to explain the options and bid his project! Harv wanted a 4-5kW solar electric system. A ground array was the most logical choice as the roof of his house faces east and west and his barn roof was a bit far from the main electric panel.
Harv also said that he would like to be able to adjust the array seasonally for ideal tilt.
We built two poles and installed them in March. On each pole we installed (10) 230 Watt REC PV Modules (PV is for Photovoltaic). We talk more about the PoleV2 here. In the garage we installed a Solectria string inverter to add sine waves (Alternating Current) to the constant (Direct Current) coming from the Solar PV mods. From there the electricity is connected to his electric distribution panel where it can be used for his needs or pushed back through the main service wires on to the grid for a credit from Duke Energy.
Harv said he couldn’t be happier! We are grateful to have had the opportunity to help make his vision real! As of the beginning of July he has produced, along with his delicious lettuce, 2050 kWh of electricity from the sun’s energy.
