3kW pole-mounted Solar Electric System with solar hot water
Solar electric with solar hot water, a popular configuration that many IPS clients choose. The owner explains why, “I attended the 2-year Alternative Energy course at Red Wing starting in fall of 1986. At that time we also bought and moved into a little house outside of Hastings. Over the years we have remodeled twice while greatly improving the energy use characteristics and doubling the size of the house. In 1989 we participated in a several-year study by David Pogany of the Self-Reliance Center to determine whether low-cost site-built solar batch water heaters could
show a payback in our climate, and the study showed that they do. We were asked to participate in the Solar Home Tour sponsored by Minnesota Renewable Energy Society based on our energy improvements and the solar batch water heater. We used the batch water heater for about fifteen years and then had to disassemble it because the wooden components had become unstable. At about the same time our friend and solar advocate David Pogany passed away. We pledged to replace the batch water heater with another solar collector of some kind, assuming it would be roof-mounted.”
“Over the years we watched the price of PV slowly drop. In the meantime our roof came into need of new shingles and we decided to add more insulation to the attic to further reduce our need for propane, our heating fuel. This seemed like the right time to look into a rooftop solar installation. We called IPS for a consultation, and for the first time really considered the prospect of having two solar projects installed instead of one. An active water heating system was proposed for the rooftop, and a pole-mounted PV array was proposed for a location over two hundred feet from the house. This was sounding like a very good idea to us, and we know David would have approved as well.”
Innovative Power Systems installed this 3kW pole-mounted Solar Electric System because there was not enough roof space to accommodate both a solar hot water system and a solar electric system. IPS expects this system to produce about 3,600kWh of electricity on average per year. Producing 3,600kWh of electricity annually from coal emits about 7,000 pounds of carbon dioxide. Preventing this much carbon dioxide from being released to the atmosphere is equivalent to adding 360 trees to our forests. Over a 30-year span, IPS expects this system will offset 210,000 pounds or 105 tons of carbon dioxide.
(2) 4’x8’ Solar Skies solar thermal collectors are mounted on the south-facing roof and heat an 80 gallon solar storage tank in the basement. The solar storage tank provides solar preheated water for a standard gas or electric water heater. The hot water is then used for a household’s basic hot water needs, such as laundry, dishwashing, and bathing. The system will produce about 130 therms of natural gas per year, or 75% of the total hot water usage of an average family of 4.
Innovative Power Systems prefers to use Solar Skies solar thermal collectors for several reasons. The collectors are manufactured in Alexandria, Minnesota. One of the many benefits renewable energy has is the creation of jobs. Solar Skies employs about 12 full-time employees, benefiting the local economy. Solar Skies collectors are also very reliable, with a ten-year warranty. In terms of performance, Solar Skies collectors compare favorably with more expensive flat-plate and evacuated tube collectors.