Make directions if only one person doing training (e.g. “Please sign in, make a name tag, take handouts”, “Place evaluation forms here”, arrows to training space)
Make directions if only one person doing training (e.g. “Please sign in, make a name tag, take handouts”, “Place evaluation forms here”, arrows to training space)
Welcome, Thanks Introduce yourself, other GRID staff, special guests (e.g. homeowner) Thank space, Encourage venue host to say something about their organization *Look at people, not screen *Speak slowly and clearly; Be aware of “umms” *Review to ensure understanding *Embrace questions; Validate advanced questions, but defer to afterwards
Total: 2H 45M Emphasize networking opportunity , Solar people are generally nice people Quick show-of-hands survey : - Work in solar industry, Interested in solar as a career/career changers, Live with solar, Interested in solar for their home Need to connect , Refer to resource handout Outline Introductions: Who’s here? Different levels of experience Our story: Organization background Electricity & System Basics: How electricity is made, How solar works, Parts of a solar system (not stars, planets) Benefits: Why solar? Big picture, Little picture Economics: How much does it cost? Networking Break Site analysis: How to make solar work well, An optimal installation ( Doesn’t work for everybody ) Safety & Tool Review Installation Process: How to install solar A lot of information - we could talk for a month about solar, not expected to absorb all this info Will email presentation Become more clear at installation, hands-on Will not address “How to design solar” in this space, Refer to resource handout for more advanced training Can always ask questions throughout presentation
The vision, All affordable green housing (“Looks” like Bay Area with port in the background)
We are both a nonprofit organization and a licensed contractor Have C-10 (electrical) and C-46 (solar) California contractor licenses As of 3/24/09 , trained over 2,030 community volunteers on solar electric installation Common misconception : Systems are not free, No installation costs or labor costs to the homeowner
Started by 2 engineers – Tim and Erica - working in renewable energy in the Bay Area. Jimmy Carter Work Project (JCWP) kicked off the opening of the Los Angeles office (Habitat for Humanity’s annual home-building blitz week). Installed first 30 systems in San Pedro (16) and South LA (14).
Homeowners are encouraged to help with the hands-on installation so that they can better understand how their system works or non-installation work (e.g. speaking to other interested homeowners) – Do not expect elders to get on the roof Homeowners are VIPs on the jobsite
We’re a full-service contractor that exclusively serves homeowners that qualify as low-income Assistance in obtaining… Some of you may be thinking that after volunteering with us for a while, you can probably install your own system (and we encourage new skills) Warning: Paperwork takes more time and energy than actual installation As service to our homeowners, we handle all communication with rebate administrators, the City, building inspectors, and the utility Energy efficiency first… Connect to other income-qualified programs Client follow-up… We don’t just slap on solar and walk away 10y warranty on installation work, take the time to install double protection against roof leaks Will help homeowner process equipment warranty, typically 10y warranty on inverters, 20-25y warranty on modules Solar is highly reliable – use it out in space, no moving parts, technology has been around 50 years ASK: What else has a warranty for 25 years? Car - maybe 5-10 year warranty
Partner with nonprofit housing developers like Habitat for Humanity
Can install on all types of roof surfaces: Asphalt shingle, tar and gravel, foam, tile
VIDEO: Planet Green (Find the jobsite no-no: Sawzall cutting on leg) or Think MTV The goal of “green-collar jobs” is to connect the jobs we most need to those who most need the jobs Work with pre-apprenticeship construction programs to expose the students to opportunities in the growing green economy Programs work with youth 16-24, getting their GED or high school diploma Offer hands-on experience with real-world solar projects Solar installation is relatively new, so just a few years experience makes you an expert. Entry-level installers can quickly move up the career ladder versus other skilled trades where it may take many years to advance. Kwok part of our 12 week apprenticeship Green jobs not just solar installation >> Refer to Green Jobs Guidebook Think how to do all types of jobs sustainably (automotive tech – hybrids/electric cars, green building… office, food service – organic, local)
As of 02/01/10
First, let’s define some terms so that we can talk about solar and all speak the same language “Photovoltaic” is the more technical word for “Solar Electric”, Use “PV” for short Two root words: Photo + Volts ASK: What other words have “photo” in them? Photography : capture light to make a picture Photosynthesis : plants use light to make energy/plant food (Show picture) ASK: Where have you seen the word “volts” before? Batteries , e.g. 9V battery Emphasize using light, not heat, to create electricity Heat actually hurts production, Think: hard to do any work on a hot summer day
In California, most of our electricity comes from burning natural gas, some from large hydro (think Hoover Dam) RE: Nuclear, Fusion reactions power the sun, Solar is wireless fusion “wi-fu” Energy is all around us, wind blowing, sun shining, just need to capture the energy If spent $100 on electricity in California, only 30 cents would go towards electricity made by solar ASK: If renewable energy is so abundant, why is so little of our electricity produced by renewables? CA Renewable Portfolio Standard: Legislative mandate to increase the percentage to 33% by end of 2020 (Annual report updated in April)
Solar resource map, the darker red/black the map, the more intense the solar resource Germany barely shows up on the screen, yet Germany installs 8x as much PV as US (because of supportive policies) Solar can work anywhere Amount of solar energy that hits the Earth’s surface in an hour is enough to power the world’s needs for a year [.487 ZJ/yr (2005 world’s needs per EIA DOE, next update 7/2008) / 3,850 ZJ (solar resource) * 365 days/yr * 24 hours/day = 1.1 hours] RE: Transmission losses, technology efficiencies, storage: Solar is not THE answer, but one of the solutions to our energy and environmental problems
If you have a gas furnace or water heater, your PV system will not help. But do not convert large appliances like that to electricity to create all-electric home (Unless cost is not an issue). Big heating loads are expensive to power by solar. In general, it’s more efficient to use gas than electricity to heat anything. You can either burn the natural gas miles away at the power plant or right in your home where you want to use it. To address gas bill, you can use a solar hot water system: Which does use the sun’s heat to pre-heat your hot water. Payback 2-1/2 times faster than PV – 5 years. Good option if you have a limited budget. Currently not part of our services. May have seen solar pool panels: Flat, black plastic – no glass, Extend swimming season
The first adapters of solar used batteries: for those who live farther from civilization (cabin, too expensive to extend power line) or in developing countries Batteries store power , not power source (like tank/bucket stores water, not water source) Batteries also stabilize the power . If connect loads directly to modules, power won’t be consistent (clouds). Watching TV would be a nuisance. Today, we have grid-tied systems where the grid acts like a big (limitless) battery, 100% efficient Netmetering: Grid is a two-way street , Can be both consumer and producer But if grid goes down (blackout), homeowner also doesn’t have power (unless have battery backup system, expensive ~$10,000) – lost connection to the “battery” Safety measure: do not want to send solar electricity through the power lines while the utility workers are working on them Minimum bill $2-3 ($7 LADWP) Solar effect (crank up A/C, turn on all lights), not unlimited green energy Wash modules 1-2 times a year (spray from ground with fireman nozzle - $2.50 from Home Depot - no pressure washers, or use telescoping squeegee from ladder if dirt caked on) depending on how dusty the area you live in (dry, near highway, airport, railroad, refinery, construction site, horse farm). Lose 4% if wash modules once a year, 7% if you don’t do anything Monitor production a few days before and after washing modules. Is the difference worth the effort?
Solar system is simple : Solar modules on roof, Install racking to roof rafters Module/Panel – Use interchangeably Inverter: Changes DC power (what solar modules produce) to AC power (what appliances use, utility provides) DC: Direct current, If you were to graph, would look like straight line (Hold right arm out), Batteries also provide/store DC power ASK: What are some DC loads that run on batteries? Cell phones, laptops, car electronics, remote control, iPods/DS/PSP AC: Alternating current, If you were to graph, would look like a sine wave (Pop left arm) AC loads in your home – anything with a plug Refrigerator, TV, etc. DEMO: Pass around small inverter, DC from car battery to AC plug Efficiencies typically 94-96% Focus on location of inverter: not in direct sunlight, shade, good airflow Balance of System (BOS): AC and DC Disconnects Wiring/Conduit - Pipe that protects wire Installed according to electric code, prevent electrical fires
Yearly billing cycle (unless LADWP) Rollover kWh like rollover minutes, build credits in the summer If blue line is larger than red, difference is what you pay on your bill. Don’t need to have a system to meet 100% of your needs depending on budget If red is larger than blue line, utility company will not cut you a check if produce more than you use over the year Example: Audubon Center (an urban park) – first building in LA to be off-grid In summer, host evening concerts to use up excess energy In winter, computers shut off at 3 and take-off early
Silicon is second-most abundant element in Earth’s crust, common form is sand (Oxygen is the first) 85% of the market is crystalline-type modules , technology been around 50 years Monocrystalline, Root word “mono” Mono meaning One Polycrystalline Poly meaning Many, multiple, more than one FAQ: Which is more efficient? In general, monocrystalline modules are 1-2% more efficient than polycrystalline. However, one manufacturer’s polycrystalline could be more efficient than another manufacturer’s monocrystalline.
Monocrystalline Grow single crystal from pure, molten silicon, Slice into circle wafers Cut off edges of circles to fit more on module, point out diamonds DEMO: Pass around 3W module, look for circular edges Polycrystalline mold Pour pure, molten silicon into a mold, slice into square wafers DEMO: Pass around photovoltaic cell, look for crystals in light Wafers are silver, add anti-reflective coating RE: How long does system have to operate to recover energy used to make the system in the first place? 2 years for crystalline modules 1 year for thin film modules (Source: “PV Energy Payback”, Home Power Magazine, October & November 2008)
Amorphous silicon: Half as efficient , meaning if needed 100sqft of crystalline-type modules, need 200sqft of amorphous silicon modules Nanosolar, dye: In research phase, Longevity yet to be proven, Potential to be much cheaper FAQ: Which is better? If not worried about space, focus on cost
Whoever came up with terms messed up, misused within industry all the time Write “60 W” on board ASK: Where have you seen this before? On lightbulb ASK: Have volunteers guess watt ratings of appliances (A/C), Higher/lower If in the market to buy a new HD TV, go LCD rather than plasma. Plasma TVs can consume more electricity than a refrigerator. Larger the wattage on the module, not necessarily higher tech – may just be physically larger
Spend less on solar system Save 6 modules, About $1,500 for each module installed >> Save $9,000 Don’t keep old refrigerator! Energy efficiency may not be as sexy as solar, but for every dollar spent on energy efficiency, save $3-4 in solar system cost (Go over calculations after training if interested) Assume 180 W module produces 25 kWh/month 160 W-PTC x 5.5 h/day x .95 x 30 days ÷ 1,000 = 25 kWh/month Traditional refrigerator 475 W x 13 h/day x 30 days ÷ 1,000 = 185 kWh/month Need 7.4 modules EnergyStar refrigerator 110 W x 10 h/day x 30 days ÷ 1,000 = 33 kWh/month Need 1.3 modules
*Better electric bill Amount, Not rate - people see “h” and think rate like mph Common unit is kWh Something you pay for, pay gas station for gallons of gas, pay electric company for kWh of electricity These days, we may not be as conscious about kWh as much as gallons we buy, or maybe as much as we should
Use kill-a-watt meter to do an energy efficiency audit to find Watt rating of appliances and kWh usage over time Green Job: Energy efficiency auditor, Energy efficiency is a big part of the solution Find phantom loads - use electricity even though they are “off” Anything with a remote control, LED, or wall-cube/transformer, on standby (TV, microwave clock, chargers, computer) Put on phantom loads on power strip Adds up: Get rid of 10 power plants if really turn off phantom loads
When shopping for appliances, use the yellow sticker to compare apples to apples. Compare the kWh usage.
Step back to look at the bigger picture Remember gas prices going up last year? Those on a fixed or limited income are the most vulnerable to changes in energy costs.
$8-12 depending on complexity of installation Highly competitive market – good for consumer, bad for installer Average cost per Watt per CEC: https://pge.powerclerk.com/CSIProgramData.aspx Module cost per Watt: http://www.solarbuzz.com/Moduleprices.htm Inverter cost per Watt: http://www.solarbuzz.com/inverterprices.htm
*Rebates for other utilities Incentives designed to support solar industry to become self-sustaining by 2016 Rebates are public money, Under “Public purpose programs” on electric bill Build solar into half of all new homes by 2015 (at 5% now) If want to be builder, need to learn more about solar Tax credit: Must have tax liability – consult accountant
Average size system is 3.2 kW per DOE? *CARE rate used for monthly savings? Deferred loan , only pay loan if sell home – Adds value to home , no increased property taxes, potential to recoup costs [Theory: 15 times annual savings 15 x $540 = $8,100 - Assumes new owner will use savings toward mortgage payment] Estimated savings assumes electric rates never go up, Could use those savings on transportation, health care, education, etc. Pays itself back and more, Owning (your own power plant) vs. renting electricity
ASK: Raise your hand if: You identify yourself as an environmentalist? For everyone else, who breathes air? Drinks water? Eats food? And who cares what’s in your air, water, food? ASK: Who knows someone with a solar system? ASK: Who knows someone (from Los Angeles) with asthma? In LA, air quality is bad everywhere, worst in country (Pittsburgh is catching up) Power plants and refineries are sited in low-income communities Vernon power plant campaign by Communities for a Better Environment - 6 schools within 1 mile radius, pushing for utility scale solar They see solar as a solution. The more people who have solar on their roof, the less need to build power plants in their communities. ASK: Who would live near a solar power plant?
*DEMO: Irradiance meter (if daytime) Sunhour does not equal clock time Microclimates: If have morning fog (coastal), face array more west to allow cloud cover to burn off Roof space requirement: Is the roof big enough ?
ASK: What is the most important compass direction in the solar industry? South Sun travels across southern sky (in Northern hemisphere), Want to capture as much of that energy as possible ASK: On count of 3, point to South (Give a few seconds to orient themselves), Use compass to find South, Magnetic declination (due to Earth’s tilt) – true South is 15 degrees East of magnetic South Modules capture most energy when perpendicular to sun 37 degrees San Francisco, 34 degree latitude in LA, Winter: Best angle is latitude + 15 deg, 34 + 15 = 49 degrees, 37 + 15 = 52 degrees Summer: Best angle is latitude – 15 deg, 34 – 15 = 19 degrees, 37 – 15 = 22 degrees ASK: What is most common roof pitch around here? 4:12 (For every 12” horizontal, rise 4”) or 18 degrees Not deal breaker if not tilted or facing South, Lose about 10% if flat
Worst thing you can do (after spending $1,500 on a module) is to put it in shade ASK: What types of things can shade a module on the roof? Trees, chimneys, vents, antennaes, other buildings/roof pitches, trees, telephone poles, power lines Use Solar Pathfinder to find a shade-free place, Look in dome to see profiles that land on sun paths Trees grow, don’t necessarily want to cut trees, Cooling effect on home, reduce A/C load Rule of thumb ratio: Shading obstruction needs to be at least twice as far away as it is tall (e.g. If tree is 10’ above roof line, needs to be at least 20’ from edge of array) Pathfinder $260 + $140 software = $400 SunEye $1,400
Project installed in El Monte Use Zillow.com or Google Earth to look at property from space Images may not be up-to-date (i.e. tree is no longer there) Plot plan shows location of equipment Do all design in-house
Electrical one-line shows us type of modules/inverter, string lengths , size of wire/conduit, number of disconnects, size of breaker – Simple!
Important to be on time in the morning for safety talk Team breakouts: Roof, Inverter, Conduit Opportunities to switch it up Installations 1-2 days, typically on weekends Module installation goes quickly
All equipment, tools provided onsite Everything is led by experienced staff or volunteers Reuse wire scraps, lengths marked Recycle everything: cardboard, aluminum rails, metal conduit, wire scraps Check your pockets at the end of the day ( ASK: How much is it worth? Unibit/Step bit - $30 Scraps of wire - #10 - $.20/ft, *How much recycled? 10’ Stick of EMT - $2.25 Box connector - $.55 Grounding bushing - $3.35 Grounding lug - $3.10)
Mailing labels make for good tool labels
Safety first! – Quickly become a bad day Be considerate of homeowners (VIPs!) and other volunteers – Respect different value systems/perspectives, Challenge your assumptions of what low-income looks like , May be surprised Take the time to do things right – Systems last 30+ years Learn, Teach, and Have fun! – Step up (learn a new skill), step back (allow others to learn, teaching moments)
ASK: What’s the most common injury? Sunburn – Have sunscreen, hat, protect neck Dehydration/Heat exhaustion – Drink water or lose common sense Not to make light of real hazards : Falling off roof, electrocution – dealing with high voltage DC , does not cross zero like AC, harder to let go
ASK: What do you do if a tool is falling off the roof? If you drop something, let it go and yell “Duck”/“Headache” If someone on the roof yells, don’t look up (We’ll practice your reflexes on the jobsite) Wear a hard hat if working below
ASK: What do you do before touching or wiring an electrical connection? Don’t wire anything without being told Check with meter, Treat all wires and terminals as if they are hot
ASK: What do you do if you see an open module connection? Don’t plug anything in without being told “ Don’t remove the red tape!” Final homerun connections send high voltage DC down to the inverter DC electricity bites hard since it does not cross zero and give you an opportunity to let go like AC Need to make sure that no one is working below before making the final connections
ASK: How do you set up a ladder? 4:1 ratio- If roof is 12 feet tall, divide by 4, and kick out bottom of the ladder 3 feet from the building If don’t remember ratio, body naturally makes ratio. With feet between bottom rungs, palms should rest on rung. 3 rungs- Getting on and off is the most dangerous part of climbing ladders 3 points of contact- 2 legs and 1 arm, or 2 arms and 1 leg On person at a time- If 2 people climbing and top person falls, we lose 2 volunteers! Roof line is a pivot point, like on a seesaw
Toe board prevents tools (or people) from rolling off roof, Place to rest tools and materials
Gravel on shingle is the UV protection of the waterproofing material
Main tools: drill, impact wrench/driver, sawzall, bandsaw ASK: What are some things to remember when using power tools? Safety glasses- Most of our material is metal, Do not want metal shards in your eye Person holding material should wear safety glasses as well Caught without safety glasses once, buy us coffee; caught twice, buy us lunch Use the clutch- Torque adjustment collar - Allow clutch to slip when torque reached so you don’t strip screw/twist wrist (only injury so far on a GRID site), finish with socket wrench
DEMO: good/bad edges Flat file
DEMO: good/bad edges Flat file
4’ apart or 6’ apart if using rail enhancers ASK: What are some methods for finding rafters/studs? Use mallet to bang around, look at eave, if exposed – have someone below, mark tape measure in attic, NO studfinder
*Need photo of Geocel Double waterproofing: Geocel 2300 sealant and flashing
Drill perpendicular to roof, under shingle , Use drill guide if new Don’t drill all the way, will weaken rafter/truss Don’t screw lag in direct drive, use highest clutch, finish with socket wrench
Use hook blade to trim shingle
DEMO: Pass around racking with splice kit, clamps, ground lug Length of rail: 136” (11 1/3’)
Airflow height
Ground all metal in system to 1. prevent electric shock in case of fault, 2. lightning protection Ground across splice kit
Homeruns should not be connected until end, will be taped off Run homeruns in the rail
In junction box, transition from USE-2 (sunlight resistant) to THWN-2 wire Homeruns should not be connected until end, will be taped off
ASK: What kind of modules are these? Polycrystalline Tie back wires with zip ties so don’t get pinched between the frame and the rail Be careful with back side (Front has tempered glass, rated for golf ball size hail/drop golf ball from an airplane), if scrape, we need to apply sealant
2 pairs of hands on all equipment at all times , modules most expensive part of system Modules weigh about 35-40 pounds but are awkward (like carrying sheet of plywood or a door), like wind sail
Take time doing first module, bottom row If off, more obvious by time get to last module in long row Methods: - Square to roof line or rails - Measure distance of module edge to rails - String line
End clamps (“Zs”), Mid clamps (“Ts”), Channel nuts Spacing allows for heat expansion Don’t tighten too much or break glass Notice: Lots of things to trip on, Watch where you’re going
WEEBs- Rails are grounded, Now ground modules frame to rails Properly installed if raised circles sit on the rail, Tabs are on the outside of the rail
DEMO: Pass around MC/Tyco Solarlok ends MC: Push, turn, no gap (Have new interlocking connectors), line disappears Tyco Solarlok: Push until hear click
Zip tie wires so don’t scrape against shingle Tie back as you go, hard to reach inner modules if multiple rows
*Photo of unistrut Mounting backplate, on stud, or use unistrut Xantrex weight: 49 lbs. Install in shade, leave airflow around heat sinks, height (screen for homeowner), level
On the Xantrex, DC left side, AC right side Leave service loop Tug test - loose connections get looser with expansion/contraction and create arcing/fault Grounding bushings
Kaco inverter Painted conduit
Direction- Always “hot” on top: Solar/Utility, Inverter on the bottom Service loop, tug test Grounding bushings
DEMO: good/bad edges Flat file
Fish tape and head
Go slow, Do not want wires to rub against pull/conduit boxes
Wait! Make sure no one is working below Only Installation Supervisor can work in breaker box, give them space
Installation Supervisor connects homeruns
Volunteer installations, Corporate sponsorships, Solarthon – big annual fundraiser, install multiple systems in one day
Limited to 10 volunteers per day for safety, workflow reasons Need to be 16 to be on job site, 18 to be on roof Fill out volunteer application, need email or phone number/mailing address Indicate 1-2 days on Request Receive confirmation on installation date(s)
ASK: Who learned something today? We wouldn’t be a nonprofit, if we didn’t ask you for money
If you know homeowners who may benefit from our program, Don’t have to discuss specifics, just give them our number We are a nonprofit, so there are no commissions involved We do what we do because we believe in making the benefits of renewable energy more accessible Will only install if homeowner benefits economically
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