Solar Power and the Home
Passive Solar Design
PV Solar Panels
Case Studies

Passive Solar Design
When designed properly, a solar home can experience heating costs 80% to 90% lower than the average home.
Shape.  The longer and thinner, the better.
Orientation.  The longest side of the home should face as close to due South as possible.
Windows.  Windows should be maximized on the South side of the home, and Minimized on the North side.
Energy Absorption.  Floor coverings, including ceramic and vinyl tiles, wood and carpet should be in dark, heat absorbing colors.
Energy Storage.  Without adequate storage, a high-performance passive solar home will overheat during sunny winter days.
Overhang.  Eaves and dormers help keep the sun out in the summertime and let it in in the winter.
Insulation.  Keep that energy inside the house!
Prevent Infiltration.  Use caulking, vapor barriers and house-wrap to prevent infiltration.

PV Power Options
Grid Interactive with Stand-Alone Capability
Utility Interactive
Off-Grid

Grid Interactive With Stand-Alone Capability
PV Batteries used only as back-up in case of power outage.
Resell excess power back to local utility?
Specially programmed inverter

Utility Interactive
No battery bank - all PV electricity goes into utility grid.
Meter will run backwards while PV power is in use.
Less expensive, but dependant on grid; cannot operate during power outage.

Off-Grid
Most of estimated 50,000 PV homes are off the utility grid.
Property is cheap because of inacessibility to grid.
Stand Alone System Features:
PV modules on roof
PV circuit from roof to control center
Power center with control and safety devices
Battery bank
Backup generator
Inverter; converts DC to 120-v AC

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Solar Cooking
A new way of capturing the sun’s energy...

IMPLEMENTING SOLAR POWER
Traditional Ways
People have used to capture the sun’s energy was to burn wood.
Now people can capture more to the sun’s energy by using a solar cooker.

"sunlight is being used by..."
sunlight is being used by people directly to heat water and cook food. Solar cooking can help to alleviate many of the problems faced by poor families around the world.

Around the World
Perhaps 100,000 now cook regularly with a solar cooker; but many more need to know about this practical technology if daily burdens on poor families and the earth are to be reduced.

The need
for new cooking fuels is great. In some regions of the world, 80% of household energy use is for cooking, and the primary fuels used are wood and other plant materials.

Continued...
These women in Guatemala, for example, spent about five hours collecting this wood. It will provide them with cooking fuel for only two days

History
Over the last 200 years, many ingenious ways have been devised to harness the sun's energy for cooking
Box-style cookers with a single reflector are among the easiest to build and use. They are made of two cardboard boxes, aluminum foil, and a sheet of glass.

Types of Solar Cookers
Multi-reflector box cookers get much hotter, but they are harder to build, and they must be turned more often to follow the sun.

Parabolic Cookers
Parabolic cookers focus the light onto the bottom of a single cooking pot. High temperatures are reached, but these must be refocused fairly often as the sun moves. Recent designs like this reduce the danger of burns or eye damage.

Do it yourself
I will give you all a handout showing you how you can go home and make your own solar cooker.
After you have made your solar cooker, you can then roast, boil, bake and broil a wide variety of foods (weather permitting).

Introduction
PV. System Types:
1. Grid tie
2. Battery Backup

Grid Tie System
Pros of this system:
1. Cost-effective
2. Simple to Install
3. High Efficiency

Grid Tie With Battery Backup
Pros of this system:
1. Uninterruptible Back-up Power
2. Reduces Energy Costs for TOU metering
3. Power Management

Power Rated Systems
Three basic system used:
1. Small: to 1000 Watts
2. Medium: 1001 to 2000 Watts
3. Large: over 2001 Watts

Medium System With Battery Backup
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Is It Worth It?
Government offers rebates as much as 50 % of the original purchase price
Save money on electric bill
Electric company buys back the unused power

Is It Worth It?
Annual kW-hour in Portland:
2144 h • 1.2kW = 2573kWh
At 5.87¢ per kWh = $151.02
$5233/151.02= 34.4 years (batt)
$4130/151.02= 27.2 years (no batt)

Add On System For Grid Tie System
Wind generator 1kW:  $1,500
175 Watt @12 MPH
kWh=175 W • 8,760 h =1,533kWh
Total: 4,106 kWh • 5.87¢ =$ 241.02
$5983/241.02= 24.8 years (batt)
$4880/241.02= 20.2 years (no batt)

Conclusion:
Solar system is not efficient alone in Portland
Need other renewable energy systems
With energy prices rising solar system makes a good investment

Grid Intertied RE Systems
What is a Grid Intertied System?
   An electricity generating system that has been connected to the existing utility’s system.
Non-utility generators comprised of small power producers and cogenerators
Small for Net-metering agreement = 25-50 kW

Residential Customers
Requirements
Hardware
Administrative

Hardware
RE generating system  -  PV or Wind
Inverter- change DC to AC at 120V 60 Hz to match grid.
Built in breakers, safety functions to eliminate danger to system, utility workers.
Disconnect available to utility workers.
Or...Plug in to AC sockets.

Administrative
Installers
Residential Customers

Installers
Electrician’s License, Contractor’s Licenses
For rebates, etc
Solar contractor specialty licenses
Trade association certification
Manufacturer training certification

Residential Customers
Homeowners associations
City or county building department
Electrical Permit
Code Requirements – National Electrical Code NEC – Article 690
Building inspector
Insurance – Homeowner’s
Interconnection agreement

What is Net Metering?
If more electricity is produced from the RE system than is needed by the homeowner, the extra kilowatts are fed into the utility grid.
This excess generation is monitored by use of a dual flow meter or two meters measuring input and output and the two are combined.

THE MONTANA POWER COMPANY
INTERCONNECTION AGREEMENT
FOR CUSTOMER-OWNED, GRID-CONNECTED
SOLAR, WIND OR HYDROELECTRIC  ELECTRIC GENERATING FACILITIES
OF
50 KILOWATTS OR LESS PEAK GENERATING CAPACITY
NET METERING AGREEMENT
This Interconnection Agreement for Net Energy Metering (“Agreement”) is entered into by and between                                                                                 (“Customer”), and
the Montana Power Company (“MPC”), sometimes also referred to in this Agreement jointly as “Parties” or individually as “Party.”
 
1. APPLICABILITY
 
This Agreement is applicable only to distribution customers of MPC who are utility customers in good standing.
 
2. DESCRIPTION OF CUSTOMER’S SOLAR, WIND OR HYDROELECTRIC ELECTRIC GENERATING FACILITY (CUSTOMER FACILITY)
 
2.1 Customer has elected to interconnect and operate its electric generating facility in parallel with MPC’s electric distribution system.
 
2.3 Photovoltaic/Solar (“PV”) Array Rating:  ____________________KW
Wind Turbine (WT) Rating:  ______________________________KW
Hydroelectric Turbine (HT) Rating: _________________________KW
 
2.4 Customer Facility Location:
 
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
(Street Address, City, State, Zip)
 
2.5 Customer’s MPC Electric Account Number:  ____________________
 
2.6 Facility will be ready for operation on or about: _____________________
(date)

Cont.
3. INTERRUPTION OR REDUCTION OF DELIVERIES
3.1 MPC shall not be obligated to accept or pay for and may require Customer to interrupt or reduce deliveries of available energy (a) when necessary in order to construct, install, maintain, repair, replace, remove, investigate, or inspect any of its equipment or part of its system, or (b) if it determines that curtailment, interruption, or reduction is necessary because of emergencies, forced outages, force majeure, or compliance with prudent electrical practices.
3.2 Whenever possible, MPC shall give Customer reasonable notice of the possibility that interruption or reduction of deliveries may be required.
3.3 Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if at any time MPC determines that either (a) the Customer Facility, or its operation, may endanger Montana Power Company personnel, or (b) the continued operation of Customer Facility may endanger the integrity of Montana Power Company’s electric system, MPC shall have the right to disconnect Customer Facility from Montana Power Company’s system. Customer Facility shall remain disconnected until such time as Montana Power Company is satisfied that the condition(s) referenced in (a) or (b) of this Section 3.3 have been corrected.

Cont.
4. INTERCONNECTION
4.1 Customer shall deliver the available energy to MPC at the meter located on the Customer’s premises.
4.2 Customer shall not commence parallel operation of the Customer Facility until written approval has been provided to it by MPC.  MPC shall provide such written approval and shall install the required meter within ten (10) working days from MPC’s final inspection of the Customer Facility.  Such approval shall not be unreasonably withheld.
4.3 Customer shall bear all costs for any meter installation, inspection by MPC, and any costs for unusual metering required.   Customer may be required to pay meter reading costs.  MPC will invoice Customer who is responsible for payment within thirty(30) days of receipt of invoice.
5. DESIGN REQUIREMENTS
5.1 Customer shall be responsible for the design, installation, operation, and maintenance of the Customer Facility and shall obtain and maintain any required governmental authorizations and/or permits.
5.2. Customer shall comply with the requirements of the MPC Net Metering Requirements for Grid Connection of Renewable Resources (attached hereto as Exhibit A) and the MPC Electric Service Requirements and Guidelines (provided upon request).

Cont.
6. MAINTENANCE AND PERMITS
Customer shall (a) maintain the generator and interconnection facilities in a safe and prudent manner and in conformance with all applicable laws and regulations including, but not limited to Section 5, and (b) obtain any governmental authorizations and permits required for the construction and operation of the generator and interconnection facilities. Customer shall reimburse MPC for any and all losses, damages, claims, penalties, or liability it incurs as a result of Customer’s failure to obtain or maintain any governmental authorizations and permits required for construction and operation of Customer Facility.

7. ACCESS TO PREMISES
MPC may enter Customer’s premises (a) to inspect, at reasonable hours, Customer’s protective devices and read or test meters, and (b) to disconnect, without notice, the interconnection facilities if, in MPC’s opinion, a hazardous condition exists and such immediate action is necessary to protect persons, or MPC’s facilities, or property of others from damage or interference caused by Customer’s renewable source energy generation facilities, or lack of properly operating protective devices.

"8."
8. INDEMNITY AND LIABILITY
8.1 Each Party shall defend, hold harmless, and indemnify the other Party and the directors, officers, employees, and agents of the other Party against and from any and all loss, liability, damage, claim, cost, charge, demand, or expense (including any direct, indirect or consequential loss, liability, damage, claim, cost, charge, demand, or expense, including attorneys’ fees) for injury or death to persons, including employees of either Party, and damage to property, including property of either Party, arising out of or in connection with (a) the engineering, design, construction, maintenance, repair, operation, supervision, inspection, testing, protection or ownership of the Party’s facilities, or (b) the making of replacements, additions, betterments to, or reconstruction of the Party’s facilities, provided, however, Customer’s duty to indemnify MPC hereunder shall not extend to loss, liability, damage, claim, cost, charge, demand, or expense resulting from interruptions in electrical service to MPC’s customers other than Customer.  This indemnity shall apply notwithstanding the active or passive negligence of the indemnitee.  However, neither Party shall be indemnified hereunder for its loss, liability, damage, claim, cost, charge, demand, or expense resulting from its sole negligence or willful misconduct.
8.2 Notwithstanding the indemnity of Section 8.1, and except for a Party’s willful misconduct or sole negligence, each Party shall be responsible for damage to its own facilities resulting from electrical disturbances or faults.
8.3 The provisions of this Section 8 shall not be construed to relieve any insurer of its obligations to pay any insurance claims in accordance with the provisions of any valid insurance policy.
8.4 Except as otherwise provided in Section 8.1 neither Party shall be liable to the other Party for consequential damages incurred by that Party.

9. INSURANCE  (OPTIONAL)
Customer understand that the installation, operation and/or ownership of the Customer Facility may result in potential liabilities arising from property damage or personal injury as described in Section 8.  Customer shall not be required to purchase or maintain property insurance and comprehensive personal liability insurance to protect Customer against such potential liabilities.  However, Customer understands that property insurance and comprehensive personal liability insurance may provide protection against such potential liabilities.  Accordingly, Customer is encouraged to explore with insurers the extent to which existing or additional insurance policies may protect against the potential liabilities associated with the installation, operation and/or ownership of the Customer Facility.

"10."
10. GOVERNING LAW
This Agreement shall be interpreted, governed, and construed under the laws of the State of Montana as if executed and to be performed wholly within the State of Montana.
11. AMENDMENTS, MODIFICATIONS OR WAIVER
Any amendments or modifications to this Agreement shall be in writing and agreed to by both Parties.  The failure of any Party at any time to require performance of any provision hereof shall in no manner affect the right at a later time to enforce the same.  No waiver by any Party of the breach of any term or covenant contained in this Agreement, whether by conduct or otherwise, shall be deemed to be construed as a further or continuing waiver of any such breach or a waiver of the breach of any other term or covenant unless such waiver is in writing.
12. NOTICES
12.1 Any notice required under this Agreement shall be in writing and mailed or personally delivered to the Party at the address below.  Written notice of any address changes shall be provided.  All written notices shall refer to the Customer’s MPC Electric Account Number, as set forth in Section 2.5 of this Agreement.  All written notices shall be directed as follows:
Attn:  David N. Ryan
The Montana Power Company
40 East Broadway
Butte, MT.  59701
Customer:
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________

"TERM OF AGREEMENT/TERMINATION"
TERM OF AGREEMENT/TERMINATION
This Agreement shall become effective as of the last date set forth in Section 14 and shall continue in full force and effect until terminated by Customer by providing 30-days prior written notice to the other Party in accordance with Section 12.  This Agreement may be terminated prior to 30 days by agreement of both Parties.  MPC may terminate this Agreement for nonpayment according to its tariffs and the Montana Public Service Commission Rules and Regulations.
14. SIGNATURES
The Parties to this Agreement hereby agree to have two originals of this Agreement executed by their duly authorized representatives.  This Agreement is effective as of the latter of the two dates set forth below.
CUSTOMER
THE MONTANA POWER COMPANY

"Net Metering Requirements for Grid..."
Net Metering Requirements for Grid Connection
of Renewable Resources
Montana Power Company (MPC) customer owned generation may be interconnected to MPC’s distribution system using a technique known as “Net Metering”.   A net metering system is one which:  1.  Uses as it’s fuel renewable resources; defined to be solar, wind or hydropower.  2.  Has a generating capacity of not more than 50 (fifty) kilowatts.  3.  Is located on the customer-generators premises.  4.  Operates in parallel with the MPC distribution system.  5.  Is intended primarily to offset part or all of the customer-generator’s requirements for electricity.  Parallel generation is covered in the MPC Electric Service Requirements and Guidelines section 7.08 .  Systems generating more than 50 kilowatts will be handled on an individual basis and will require a special contract between the customer and the utility.
Any net metered system interconnected with MPC’s distribution system is expected to use MPC’s distribution system for backup power, and so shall not employ any non-renewable resource to provide power, e.g. propane fired engine generator.  These types of generator interconnections are addressed in the MPC Electric Service requirements and Guidelines section 7.07.
These requirements are designed to ensure that the generating facility will meet the utility’s safety and power quality requirements.  In particular, the requirements are designed to prevent back-feeding of power from the generating facility to the utility grid during power outages, and to match the utility’s own power characteristics with respect to voltage and frequency.

"Requirements:"
Requirements:
1. The generating facility shall be metered with a Montana Power Company utility installed meter.
2. The generating facility shall be interconnected to the Montana Power Company utility system through a static inverter that complies with the following requirements:
A. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard 929, “Recommended Practice for Utility Interface of Photovoltaic (PV) Systems.”
B. Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Subject 1741, “Standard for Static Inverters and Charge Controllers for Use in Photovoltaic Power Systems”
3. The generating facility shall be installed in conformance with all applicable requirements of the National Electric Code and local building or electrical codes.
4. The owner of the generating facility and/or the owner’s agents or representatives shall agree not to alter the factory set points for the inverter without first notifying the utility in writing of the owner’s intent to make any such modifications.
5.                    The generating facility shall be capable of being manually isolated from the utility system by means of an external, visible load break, electrically located between the generating facility and the utility system.  If the customer installs a separate disconnect switch for this purpose, the disconnect switch shall be located within 10 feet of the customer’s electric meter and shall be clearly marked “Generator Disconnect Switch”.  This switch shall be readily accessible to utility personnel at all times, and the utility shall have the right to lock this switch open whenever necessary to maintain safe electrical operating conditions.  If the customer does not install a separate disconnect switch for this purpose, the utility shall be permitted to remove the customer’s electric meter to provide the required manual isolation of the generating facility.  The customer understands that removal of the electric meter isolates the customer’s electric service as well as the generating facility, and that electric service will not be restored until the meter is replaced.
6. The utility will assume that the customer’s generating facility is serving the customer load while the utility system is disconnected as described in Paragraph 5 above.  Before connection to the utility system is reestablished, the generator must be taken completely off line.  When the customer generator is completely off line, the utility service may be restored.  At that point in time, the customer generator may reconnect in parallel to the utility system.

Advantages of Grid Intertied RE System
Grid-connected PV systems can also help utility to avoid the need for additional power   generation
Increase the reliability and quality of electricity in the grid, and produce power at peak, when utility generation costs are higher and they often need the extra power.
Green Energy production  (Hidden Costs of generation)

Disadvantages
Cost of inspection, permits, etc.
Time
Loss of “freedom”

Guerilla Solar
Guerrilla Solar Manifesto
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all energy is freely and democratically provided by Nature, that utilities both public and private have no monopoly on the production and distribution of energy, that this century s monopolization of energy by utilities threatens the health of our environment and the very life of our planet.
·         We, the Solar Guerrillas of this planet, therefore resolve to place energy made from sunshine, wind, and falling water on this planet's utility grids with or without permission from utilities or governments.
·         We resolve to share this energy with our neighbors without regard for financial compensation.
·         We further resolve that our renewable energy systems will be safe and will not harm utility workers, our neighbors, or our environment.
signed
Solar Guerrillas of Planet Earth
Guerrilla systems do not endanger utility line workers (see below). They share clean, renewable energy with others on the utility grid, and reduce the need for polluting generation plants. When interconnection for small-scale renewables becomes fair, simple, and easily accessible to all, there will be no more need for guerrilla action.

Actual Guerillas!
Why guerrilla? Technically we live in a net metering state. But local RE system owners who have attempted to get utility approval to intertie their systems have been held up by red tape for years. This, by the way, didn't stop any of them from pressing the sell button on their inverters. Technically we also live in a democracy. The last reason we went guerrilla has to do with our site. The best solar location is on the roof of an outbuilding several hundred feet from the utility meter. To intertie our MicroSine system, all we had to do is plug the inverter into an AC receptacle inside the building. To meet the standards the utility dreamed up, a separate, lockable disconnect would need to be installed between our MicroSine inverter and the meter. To do this, we'd have to purchase the disconnect and 300 feet of wire and conduit, and dig a 300 foot trench. By the time it was done, this would add at least 50 percent to the cost of the system. All this for a 100 watt inverter that's UL listed to be safe, just like the toaster in our kitchen? Gimme a break
Permits? We don't need no stinking permits! Why not go legitimate? Well, every contact that I have ever had with our city's building department has been demoralizing, disheartening, and unproductive, regardless of the subject.

The State of Grid Intertie Net-metering
30 states now have net metering laws in place.
Utilities are your friends statements.
Producers still wary.