REPOWER SOLUTIONS: FAQS

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faqs

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1. Will solar work in Cleveland? 2. What can I power with solar panels? 3. Can I power my entire house? 4. How much will it cost? 5. Do I have to put them on my roof? 6. Can I grow the solar electric system one panel at a time? 7. How long will the solar electric system last? 8. What kind of maintenance do solar electric systems require?	1. Will wind work at my home? 2. What can I power with a wind turbine? 3. Can I power my entire house? 4. How much does a wind turbine cost? 5. Can I attach a wind turbine to my building? 6. What size tower should I use? 7. How long will a wind electric system last? 8. What kind of maintenance does a wind turbine require? 9. How do I deal with my local tower restrictions? 10. Aren't wind turbines noisy? 11. Don't wind turbines kill birds?	1. Can I do both solar and wind? 2. Can I install the components myself? 3. Do I need batteries? 4. How does the solar or wind hook up to the utility? 5. Why use renewable energy? 6. What incentives are available for renewable energy installations? 7. What financing is available for renewable energy installations? 8. Where can I see some working systems?

READY TO START PLANNING? see the energy links page
NEED DEFINITIONS? see glossary

Learn more about renewable energy. Read Home Power Magazine .

READ ABOUT SOLAR FOR YOUR HOME in

solar
1. Will solar work in Cleveland?
Yes, it will. Cleveland gets an average of 4 hours of full sun daily - that is only 25% less than Los Angeles. This means that on the average, the sun is available for 4 full hours to produce power with the assistance of solar photovoltaic panels. On a monthly basis, this ranges from as little as 2.5 hours per day in winter months all the way up to 6 hours in summer months. No matter where you are, solar electric systems do better in summer.

2. What can I power with solar panels?
Solar photovoltaic panels produce electricity when exposed to sun. Given enough panels and enough sun exposure, you can create electricity for anything ranging from charging your car battery, to creating a solar powered outlet or two in a room of your house, or the garage, to creating some portable power for your boat or RV, to powering your entire home, or providing security lighting. Estimate your solar output: Clean Power Estimator or PVWatts

3. Can I power my entire house?
Sure, anything is possible. The average home uses anywhere between 700 and 900 kilowatt-hours (kWh) in a month. In the Cleveland area, this corresponds to an electric bill ranging from $84 to $108 with costs at about $0.12/kWh. This requires somewhere between 6 and 8 kW of solar electric capacity on the average.
solar size

4. How much will it cost?
A good rule of thumb for residential systems is that each kilowatt of solar costs starts at $10,000, installed. Batteries for backup power can add another $3,000-5,000 per kilowatt of solar electric panels. Larger commercial systems can approach $8,000 or less per installed watt.
Every dollar spent on energy efficiency saves $3-5 on a renewable energy system. Therefore, the first step toward being able to create enough electricity to power your entire house is to reduce your consumption with energy efficiency measures. Efficiency improvements such as using compact fluorescent light bulbs, timers and controls, Energy Star appliances pay for themselves immediately by reducing your electric bill. Energy efficiency measures, smart appliances and some thought can easily bring this bill below $40 per month.
For the home that consistently sees a $36 monthly bill ($432 annually), producing electricity that would offset usage would start around a 2,700W system (2.7kW). The system would provide your electricity for several decades. The materials and installation for such a system would typically cost anywhere between $25,000 and $35,000.
Estimate your solar electric system cost:

5. Do I have to put them on my roof?
No, you do not have to put them on a roof. Urban areas commonly use roofs in order to place the panels in a location that the sun can reach. Panels can also be installed on the side or top of a pole, as an awning over a window, on the ground, and wherever else your imagination leads you.

6. Can I grow the solar electric system one panel at a time?
Yes, it is possible to gradually increase the size of your system. The other components of the system (inverter, controllers, wires, disconnects, etc.) should be chosen with this additional capacity anticipated.

7. How long will the solar electric system last?
Most panel manufacturers warranty their products for 20 or 25 years at 80 or 85% of the original rated output. The output does decline slightly over time.
Most inverter warranties are at least 2 years, with the industry moving toward 10-year warranties. Most inverters are expected to last the life of the system with perhaps one upgrade.
Most batteries will need to be replaced in 8-12 years depending on how well they are maintained.

8. What kind of maintenance do solar electric systems require?
Solar electric systems without batteries require very little maintenance. It is recommended that you pay attention to the output to be able to notice any irregularities that emerge.
Batteries are sensitive electrochemical devices that require attention. Some batteries need more maintenance than others.

wind
1. Will wind work at my home?
Wind turbines work best if it is at least 30 feet about everything within 500 feet. If you have a location that includes an acre of land or lacks large trees and buildings, then a wind turbine may be effective. If the wind annoys you, then you have a resource!

2. What can I power with a wind turbine?
Small turbines are often used to power remote cabins. Depending on size and wind speeds, turbines can generate electricity for your home or for backup power.

3. Can I power my entire house?
Sure, anything is possible. The average home uses anywhere between 700 and 900 kilowatt-hours (kWh) in a month. In the Cleveland area, this corresponds to an electric bill ranging from $84 to $108 with costs at about $0.12/kWh. This requires a wind turbine with a capacity of at least 3-5kW, depending on your wind resource.
wind size at 12mph

4. How much does a wind turbine cost?
A rule of thumb is that 1 kilowatt of wind can cost anywhere between $7,000-10,000 installed for a straightforward installation.
The first step toward being able to create enough electricity to power your entire house is to reduce your consumption with energy efficiency measures. Efficiency improvements such as using compact fluorescent light bulbs, timers and controls, Energy Star appliances pay for themselves immediately by reducing your electric bill. Energy efficiency measures, smart appliances and some thought can easily bring this bill below $40 per month.
For the home that consistently sees a $36 monthly bill (300kWh), an appropriately chosen 1 or 1.5 kW turbine at a height and location that provides 14 mph winds, could generate up to 80% of the electricity needed (approximately 3,000 kWh). Lower speeds and smaller towers will reduce this to 50% and below. This would be approximately a $11,000-15,000 system, installed.
The average home that sees $84-$108 monthly bill (700-900 kWh), should start considering a turbine in the 5-15kW range. This places you in the $40,000 and up price range.

5. Can I attach a wind turbine to my building?
The wind turbine produces power by getting in the way of the wind. In the process it spins and the tower vibrates. Introducing even small waves into a building can create unnecessary noise by using the structure as an amplifier, subject the building to forces it is not designed to sustain. There are wind turbines designed to be installed on a boat to help charge batteries. Most home-size turbines are not designed to be installed on a building. Generally, it is a bad idea.

6. What size tower should I use?
The largest tower you can afford. The higher you go, the more wind there is. The power is related to the cube of the wind speed. A doubling of wind speed produces 8 times the power.

7. How long will a wind electric system last?
Warranties on most of the turbines ranges from 1-5 years. Other equipment has comparable warranties. With proper maintenance, a wind generator can last for 10 to 20 years.

8. What kind of maintenance does a wind turbine require?
Wind turbines should be examined at least annually if not more often. You wouldn't drive your car around for over a year expecting everything to be working perfectly, now would you? inspecting the turbine yourself or setting up a maintenance agreement is a good way to keep tabs on your wind turbine.

9. How do I deal with my local tower restrictions?
You can call your local authorities to ask what the height restrictions are for installing a tower, a radio tower for example, on your property. Some areas will have no rules, while others will limit the height to something modest like 50 feet. Most jurisdictions will allow you to apply for a variance to install a taller tower.

10. Aren't wind turbines noisy?
Generally wind turbines spin when it is windy out. The wind also makes noise! Some turbines make more noise than others, but generally the noise is barely detectable.

11. Don't wind turbines kill birds?
Even for utility scale wind generators, the impact on birds is considered biologically insignificant. Therefore, smaller blades and smaller tower heights do not present a threat to birds.

miscellaneous
1. Can I do both solar and wind?
Sure. As you might suspect, solar performs better in summer while wind performs better in the winter. They actually complement each other very well.

2. Can I install the components myself?
With some technical expertise, you can install some things yourself. If you are not mechanically-inclined and know nothing about electricity, this is not a weekend project for you to complete by yourself.
A competent and willing electrician may also be able to install solar or wind systems with some technical assistance. REpower SOLUTIONS is available for consultation and periodically offers hands-on workshops.

3. Do I need batteries?
Generally, you only need batteries if you want backup power or if you are operating a system completely independent of the utility grid.

4. How does the solar or wind hook up to the utility?
The solar or wind makes electricity, reducing how much is needed from the grid. The inverter is the point in a renewable energy system where the solar module or wind turbine output interfaces with the existing electrical system. The inverter allows for seemless translation between two differenet electrical sources. Many utilities will have an application process for the connection of the inverter to the the grid. This installation is best performed by a licensed electrician.

5. Why use renewable energy?
Besides reducing the work required of traditional coal-, natural gas-, and nuclear-fired power plants, renewable energy systems provide other benefits. Solar and wind electricity generated onsite can produce power where you need it, rather than at some distant power plant. Solar and wind resources can be predicted reasonably well to offer reliable power for every day use or backup use. Since you are buying equipment once, your energy costs for the life of the system are fixed and not susceptible to utility rate hikes. The fuel (sun and wind) is free! So your costs are known. Fuel costs will only ever go up for other electricity generation. A diversification of energy sources creates a more reliable and balanced approach to power requirements - just like a diversification of investments.

6. What incentives are available for renewable energy installations?
The Ohio Department of Development, Office of Energy Efficiency occasionally makes some grant dollars available through an application process. (As of March 14, 2008, the Office of Energy Efficiency has suspended residential grant applications. Please contact the Ohio Energy Office at (614) 466-6797 to ask about the future program.) These grants apply to electric customers served by an investor-owned utility. Please visit the well-maintained database of incentives at www.dsireusa.org.
For commercial and industrial customers, there are some tax credits and other benefits to purchasing a renewable energy system.
The Energy Tax Act of 2005 offers 30% tax credit for some solar energy installations. Visit descriptions for business, residential, and production credit. Please consult your tax professional.

7. What financing is available for renewable energy installations?
REpower SOLUTIONS can help you find financing through our industry partners. Jusk ask.
Energy efficiency mortgages and other options may work for your home or business.

8. Where can I see some working systems?
Every year on the first Saturday of October, the American Solar Energy Society sponsors a National Tour of Solar Buildings. The tour is organized locally by Green Energy Ohio, the local chapter of ASES. Contact Green Energy Ohio to receive Solar Tour information. The next tour is the first weekend of October. The last Solar Tour Guide is usually available online. Try taking a workshop offerred by REpower SOLUTIONS.

READY FOR MORE? see the energy links page

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