Summary of climate meeting March 14th 2023 on solar installations in Ely
The full zoom recording is available but very large to upload. If you would like to watch it ask me by email (b2jonesmn@gmail.com). Almost all the information is summarized here.
Four projects were presented, one grid tied and the others off-grid. All presenters were enthusiastic about their choices. Only the grid tied system was a retrofit, the others were designed and built as the home was constructed.
Presenters were Jodi and Mike (grid tied), Kurt, Doug, and Consie and Roger all off grid.
Jodi and Mike’s system:
00:02 – 00:16 approx Grid tied, no batteries, 20 ground mount solar panels, 400W each. Installed by Wolf Track Energy https://wolftrackenergy.com/ 218 302 5601 from Two Harbors. Cost for installation and materials $31,000, plus $4800 for site clearance. Expect return on investment in 25 years but this was not the motivation. Installed in summer of 2022. By Sept 2022 they were feeding energy to Lake Country Power. LCP contact person Josh Nevela 218 742 5722 was very helpful. https://lakecountrypower.coop/renewable-energy LCP buys their energy at a slightly lower rate than market. Monitoring system from “Enphase” based in CA. J&M maintain a generator for emergencies. House heat is by propane.
There was a lot of discussion about snow removal from panels. Most agreed it was worth doing. C&R have access to the top of their panels from their deck. They push the snow off downwards, easy and quick. For a given amount of sunlight panels generate more electrical energy when they are cold. But mid-winter’s short and cloudy days limit their output. Peak energy generation is in the summer.
Kurt’s system: 00:17 – 00:30 approx Kurt designed and built his 2300 sf house with the intent to be off grid and to use solar power. He built in 1995. He runs all the usual electrical appliances on AC power including a 220V well pump. Making 200V needs 2 DC to AC converters. There was discussion about the relative merits of AC vs DC appliances especially freezers. DC is more efficient but also more expensive to buy and has less selection. Kurt showed images of his batteries, 2 converters, solar panels. He provided info on Backwoods Solar (Idaho) who provided the hardware and helped with design. Get a very useful free brochure at info@backwoodssolar.com (Note that C&R also used and recommend Backwoods Solar) Their website is www.backwoodssolar.com. Kurt’s solar array generates 10,000 watts at about 375w per panel and was made in Mt. Iron by Heliene. There was discussion about lead acid battery properties and the need to monitor and maintain the batteries carefully. His batteries are in a metal container, normally covered, vented to the outside with a fan to avoid hydrogen buildup. The system was installed by Kurt and his buddy who is a master electrician.
Doug’s system:
00:30 – 00:42 This is an off-grid 1 kW array with battery backup installed in the late 1990’s. The home is about 2000 sf. Doug purposefully made a small system and has adapted his lifestyle to the power available. He heats the house and makes hot water with wood, cooks with propane. Emphasis on getting good equipment, especially the panels. Lead acid batteries need to be replaced in 5 to 8 years. Both D and K stress the need to understand battery chemistry and take care with charging. Batteries are happiest at 60-70F but can withstand freezing temps if fully charged. Musk’s Li-ion batteries are way more expensive than lead acid.
Consie and Roger’s system:
00:42 – 01:06 C&R built in 2009 and designed the house for efficiency and a 4kW off-grid solar. There is enough power to use carpentry power tools when the sun is shining. They avoid loss by phantom power by installing switchable outlets or using power strips. The house has 4” of rigid foam around the outside walls, lots of windows for winter sunshine, a solar hot water system on the roof that feeds in floor heating, and a wood stove. Additional backup comes from a propane boiler. C&R run a generator for 2h or less on cloudy winter days to recharge the batteries. Comments on generators include the need to buy a good one for longevity and good waveform. The 3 level house has a deck high enough to be above the solar panels allowing for easy removal of snow. Advocate for use of “Kill A Watt” usage meter to learn appliance energy use. They can be borrowed from the library. Also (for those of us who use power from the grid) LCP’s “Smart Hub” which gives you access to energy use on an hourly basis. C&R also spoke well of Backwoods Solar who helped design their system.
Comments from the zoom audience:
01:06 – 01:14 Several people felt that LCP was not supportive of solar, especially for summer use cabins. (However see comments by J&M above). Doug pointed out, from his experience, that batteries can be left to freeze for up to 6 months over winter without damage if they are fully charged and stored in an insulated box. This is an issue that concerns summer residents. Colby Abazs from CERTs (Clean Energy Resource Team) was impressed at the level of knowledge in the community. He is available to advise interested parties on how to start and rebates available through the Inflation Reduction Act. You can reach him at colby@cleanenergyresourceteams.org
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