Let the Sun Shine On Your Face & Power Your Bike While Going For a Ride!

Electric bikes are already a greener way to get around, getting riders about 1,000 miles per gas gallon, but what about riding an electric bike powered by solar energy?! This trend has been gaining popularity in recent years. There are different ways to go about using solar energy to power your electric bike. You can either use a mounted solar panel from your house and/or work to charge the bike’s battery, or mount a solar panel to the bike itself. Electric bikes are actually pretty powerful, requiring 200-500 watts of energy to be stored in their batteries in order to travel a desirable range. Although they may be less efficient than normal solar panels, roll-up solar panels are an easier and more transportable way to acquire solar energy for your electric bike. These roll-up solar panels can come with 25-75 watts of output, they can be put out on your bike while riding, and rolled up to be stored away once you reach your destination. An even newer and upcoming way of traveling on solar energy is the solar electric bike that has photovoltaic panels built in to its wheels! I’ve provided a picture with this blog post to show how unique this bike looks! This particular bike is called the E-V Sunny Bicycle and can go up to 19 mph from its 500 watt motor. It may be a little pricey, but it sure looks cool!  The company who made this bike called it the “first of all solar electric bicycles driven completely from power derived from the sun’s rays”! Would you consider a solar electric bicycle to replace your gas guzzling car??

PurePoint Energy is attending the CT Farm Energy Fair & so should you!!

We will also be giving a presentation between 5-6pm during this event! Don't miss it!

U.S. Solar Market Trends of 2010

While 2008's Great Recession put a damper on the solar market in 2009, steady growth since then meant a boost for the solar market in 2010. This boom, expected to carry into this year, was facilitated by increased capital through recovery after the economic meltdown, in conjunction with financial stimulus and higher consumer demand.

The U.S. Treasury Grant, for example, was enacted by Congress in early 2009 as part of the stimulus package. The program gives the option of a cash grant for installations-this in lieu of Investment Tax Credit, which was a weaker incentive for consumers. The Treasury cash program, which was originally meant to expire at the end of 2010, was later renewed for 2011. It provided $410 million, funding about 40% of non-residential PV installations in 2010, the tax credit levels of which are set to continue until 2016 (cash grants are up for renewal on a yearly basis). Many federal and state government solar installations were also funded by ARRA, while capital markets recovery for 2010 contributed to the growth of non-residential solar installations by 63%. Prices for PV modules decreased as well, by between 14 and 20 percent, providing a stimulus for areas without local policies already; however, financial incentives will continue to determine where the most solar installations are happening.

The number of installations in the residential sector in particular has grown a lot in the past decade. It increased by 64% and accounted for 91% of the grid-connected PV installations in 2010, but only 29% of the capacity; non-residential systems are, on average, ten times as big as residential ones. The overall PV capacity installed in 2010 doubled compared with 2009 and was over eight times the capacity of PV installations in 2006.

California stayed the state with the most installations, largely thanks to a 10 year, $3 billion program called "Go Solar California" that started in 2007. The state also has a steadily increasing RPS requirement mandating that a certain fraction of the electricity supply be provided by renewable energy. It is planning for 20% by 2013, and 33% by 2020 (Connecticut will be requiring 27% by 2020). In contrast, states like Kentucky with no solar RPS policy or few incentives also have relatively few installations.

In 2011, analysts expect there to be continued growth for the solar market, especially for grid-connected PV systems. Installations doubled in nine states, and will spread to more. As in the past, growth for this market will be predominantly determined by federal and state incentives.

Click here for the entire report and additional information.

Recent Research Confirms That Homes With Solar Sell For More!

     Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory in California has conducted a study comparing 2,000 homes equipped with photovoltaics to comparable homes without solar. The Lawrence Berkley lab is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and was conducted by the renewable energy research group, which conducts public-interest studies on renewables, including policies, costs and financing.

     Their research suggests that a house with a 5 kW solar system sells for $19,500 to $32,000 more than comparable homes without solar systems. This is useful and hopeful information for those looking to invest money into PV systems and are worried about being in their homes long enough to earn back the money that they put into their solar investment. This study also found that new homes with PV systems had a lower premium than existing homes, $2.30 to $2.60 per W compared to over $6 per W value.

     This study proves that there can be great financial benefit in more ways that just one when you invest in solar, however local market conditions do vary from state to state. Electricity prices and installation prices do affect the financial benefit of solar, so the next step to take is to apply this study to other states and see if the results coincide with those from California. Overall, the results of this study are very positive for the solar industry. Not only do solar consumers save on their electricity bills, but they can see money coming back to them if they decide to sell their homes.

Are PV trackers worth the extra expense? Once thought not, but times are changing.

To determine whether it is more beneficial to consumers to install regular modules in order to boost site production or to install a tracker it is important to look at the geography of the project at hand. Depending on how much solar radiation an area receives or how much space you have to install the modules will make or break your decision to go with trackers. If you are located in an area with lower levels of solar radiation installing a tracker may not be as beneficial compared to areas that receive more sunlight. However, if you are limited on space for a project, a tracker would be a more efficient way of receiving solar energy. Trackers are also beneficial when working with problematic terrain.


According to Frank A. Middleton, vice president of marketing and chief operating officer at OPEL Solar Inc. based in Shelton, CT choosing to install trackers is typically expected to increase the costs of a project by 4-5%. Middleton believes that the yield increases, which usually reach up to 15-20%, justify the use of trackers for nearly all PV projects. 20 years ago due to the lack of technology that we now have trackers were known to be unreliable, but now with GPS chips trackers require so much less maintenance. The belief that trackers have higher costs than fixed systems is now virtually gone, and in the end you are producing more energy which would make up for any of the equipment that is slightly more expensive.

Today’s trackers follow the sun by using one of two technologies, according to Middleton. The first uses astronomic tracking algorithms, which is tracking the sun by using mathematical equations to determine exactly where it is at all times, while the second is searching for the brightest spot in the sky and adjusting for clouds, reflections from objects, and is more difficult. The first seems to be the preferred technology among many. With new technologies we are now able to track and control our trackers wirelessly! Maintenance, problem solving, and monitoring can all be performed remotely with this new network.

Of course every project is different and it depends on many factors what the best option is for your installation. Taking all these factors into account can help to determine whether it is beneficial to choose trackers versus fixed modules. Trackers, once thought to be too expensive and a hassle, is finally gaining acceptance in the industry as technologies are improving and being perfected.

SB1: An act concerning Connecticut’s energy future. A bright future for CT!

With the vote from the state Senate being 36-0, all Democrats and Republicans agreed, SB1, supported by Governor Malloy, was finally passed last Tuesday, June 7, 2011. The bill will become effective on July 1, 2011. The general statutes of SB1 are amended to establish policies, programs and procedures to reduce electricity costs, promote renewable energy, and create financing mechanisms for energy improvements that Connecticut has been in need of.

From 2008 to 2010 Connecticut fell from 8th to 18th in the nation for solar power installations. Kind of pathetic considering that at its peak Connecticut was in the top three! Luckily, its been realized that action must be taken to change this! The solar provisions made in this bill are to help Connecticut move back towards renewable energy sources. Connecticut is losing in the race against other states in providing clean energy and losing business to its surrounding states, such as New Jersey and Massachusetts.

With SB1 being passed, there is now a greater hope for expanding Connecticut’s future in renewable energy. For Connecticut ratepayers SB1 means reduced rates and decreases in costs, and the creation of what is called a “Green Bank”. The new funding model of the “Green Bank” allows for leveraging the ratepayer fees the fund already gets, private capital and other money. The legislation also dramatically expands the fund's purview beyond the solar rebate and other limited clean energy projects to include things like electric and natural gas infrastructure projects. Among the provisions is the commercial solar program to become part of a renewable energy credit system that includes other types of zero-emission energy sources and utilities are required to buy energy from them through long-term contracts. Municipalities may establish a Property Assessed Clean Energy, or PACE, program to do energy efficiency and renewable energy work that is repaid through an assessment on property taxes. This also authorizes municipalities to do energy retrofits through performance contracts that use the money from energy savings to pay for the work. The provisions set forth for this bill are in the best interest for the consumer and for the government in a desperately needed movement towards renewable energy sources.

Economic Benefits of Commercial Buildings Using Solar Power

In the past, commercial building owners had to pay large upfront sums of money to install solar arrays and it was not economically viable for most people.  However, solar power has become much more affordable for commercial buildings due to the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund.  They are offering a DG grant for commercial buildings, which will award $2.00 per watt up to a 100 kW system and $1.25 per watt beyond that.  This will reduce the price by nearly a third!

An average 30 kW system size could produce approximately $6,000 worth of electricity in the first year.  The electric savings combined with the DG grant and tax incentives could produce a payback in 5 years or less.  In other words, it will take 5 years or less until the savings equal the cost.  Beyond that, the solar panels will result in raw savings especially since electricity costs average an increase of 5% each year.

In addition to cutting down utility costs, solar panels increase property value tremendously.  According to a study published in The Appraisal Journal, a property’s value is increased by $20 for every $1 reduction in energy costs.  On top of that, the US Department of Energy’s renewable energy office has found that property with solar panels will sell twice as fast as property without solar panels.  There are various renovations that commercial property owners could make in order to save money, but it’s hard to argue that solar power isn’t the top priority.