Ans: Solar is right for most homes, depending on the motivation. Are you interested in solar purely for economic benefits? Are you concerned for our environment or the social responsibility of your business? Are you concerned for our environment or the future health of your family? Are you bothered by the fossil fuel situation and wish to declare your energy independence? All of these are great reasons to go solar!

Ans: A south facing roof is going to provide the optimum potential for your system. Depending on your building orientation, other directions can also provide sufficient production.

Ans: Each kilowatt (kW) of solar contracted will cover approximately 100-150 sq. ft. of area. This can be a roof, parking structure, ground area, etc. If you do not have ample, unshaded, structurally sound area for solar, then your property may not be well-suited for solar.

Ans: Trees, neighbors with larger buildings, vents, or other factor that cause shading throughout the day will cause significant decreases to your power production, therefore not making a suitable building for solar.

Ans: You should wait to add your solar system until you have repaired the roof, or consider re-roofing now to add your system which would be the most cost effective approach.

Ans: A study by the National  Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) conclusively demonstrates that energy  payback for photovoltaic (PV) power is, in the worst case, less than 4 years.  Given that PV module lifetimes are generally in excess of 20 years, a PV system  will produce far more energy than it consumes over its lifetime.

Technological progress in the four years since the issuance of this report has tended to bring down the energy consumption of PV manufacturing yet further, as silicon growth processes in particular become more efficient.

Energy output and input ratios for concentrating solar power (CSP) and solar thermal devices are even more favorable, given their simple manufacture. As best we can determine, this myth has its origins in the early history of PV power, when devices were essentially custom-fabricated for military, space and research markets.

Ans: As  shown in the NREL (  http://www.nrel.gov/gis/solar.html   )study, a PV system meeting half of the  electrical needs of a typical household would eliminate approximately half a  ton of sulfur dioxide pollution from the air, and about 600 lbs. of nitrogen  oxides. In contrast, the pollutants produced in the manufacturing process are  minimal and largely recycled.      

CSP plant equipment and solar thermal devices are essentially specialized  formations of glass, steel, aluminum and plastics; their manufacture is  comparable to that involved in making household windows, water heaters or  mirrors.
       
 PV devices are essentially "electric glass." Their typical silicon  substrate is a close relative of window glass. The processes used to render it  electrically reactive are the same as are used in the microchip manufacturing  industry, acknowledged by states and municipalities as a clean manufacturing  process.

Ans: Solar PV technologies have declined in price every year since they were  introduced onto the market, driven by improved research and development, and  most of all by steady increases in sales volume. (In 1954, approximately one  watt of PV generating devices was manufactured. In 2004, approximately one  billion watts will be manufactured worldwide.)      

Every solar panel purchased makes the next one cheaper, in stark contrast to  nonrenewable sources, which become scarcer and more expensive with every ton  that is burned.
PV has recently exploded into a number of industrial markets, where it is quite  simply the lowest -cost source of power available. These include highway  warning signs, rural irrigation applications and remote electrical and  communications devices. Similarly, for any application more than about half a  mile away from the electrical grid, a solar system will likely prove less  expensive than will power line construction.
       
 The most rapidly-growing segment of the solar industry is for "grid  connected" systems - rooftop solar panels on homes or businesses that  remain connected to the conventional electrical grid. In some cases, as where  electricity is more expensive during the middle of the day, or when solar is  used to support power-critical applications (e.g. banking, microchip  manufacturing), the economics are very compelling without further incentives.  In other places, comparatively modest state or federal incentives (listed  comprehensively at http://www.dsireusa.org can make solar a great investment for home or business owners that betters with  every year. Utilities and large consumers are becoming more conscious of the  value of solar and other generation sources with the publication of works like  "Small is Profitable" - available at http://www.smallisprofitable.org.

Ans: Solar thermal and PV devices are dependent on light, not heat - and this light does not need to be direct. Put another way, if you can find your way around outside, a solar panel could be working. The map below shows solar resources throughout the U.S. While the Southwest enjoys particularly good resources, the entire U.S. has adequate solar resources.

 More important than place-to-place variations in solar intensity is the price of daytime electricity where you live and the existence of state incentives for clean energy. A solar contractor in your area can give you a good idea of whether solar is right for you.

Ans: Internal Rate of Return - You must know the length of time during which the homeowner is paid back for the cost of installing a solar PV system. The Internal Rate of Return (IRR) compares the investment in solar energy to other investments and includes factors such as after-tax dollars versus pre-tax dollars. Pre-tax dollars are worth less than the same number of after-tax dollars because they are depleted when the taxes are paid. Money a homeowner saves through operating more efficiently is not taxed..

Ans:   System Design:

 Accurately Sizing PV Systems -- PV systems are sized according to kWh usage. When installing a PV system on an existing house, an easy way to determine kWh usage is to examine electric bills for the past year. Add up all the kWh required to power the house and divide by 365 to determine daily usage. Remember, that usage may vary because of changes in the weather.

 Some solar PV systems only cover a portion of the home?s electrical load. In new construction, the solar consultant works with the homeowner to determine the load the homeowner will place upon the electricity generating system. For an entire household, all appliances should be included. Each appliance should have a label that states the amps or volts used. To obtain Watts, multiply volts by amps. Then multiply by the number of hours per day the item is expected to be in use. Most consultants recommend applying an adjustment of 1.3 to 1.5 times the original estimate to allow for system deficiencies like interconnection losses or battery discharge cycles. Solar consultants should determine how many hours of direct sun the solar panels receive per day. Direct sun means one square meter of sunlight delivered at noon; at sea level; and unobstructed by clouds, shading, or impurities in the air. One square meter of sunlight delivers one thousands Watts of electricity. Today, the average solar cell converts approximately 12% of the solar energy it receives into electrical energy. The average house, even with solar tracking systems, achieves not much more than 5.5 to 6 hours per day of full sun. Therefore, a house that faces south, west, or southwest will need approximately 400 square feet of solar arrays on the roof to generate about 4 kW of electricity. This will supply the needs of an average house in the United States, which consumes approximately 600 kWh of electricity per month. Remember that a 4 kW system means it generates 4 kWh of electricity for every hour of sunlight it receives throughout the day.

4 kWh x 5 hours = 20 kWh per day
20 kWh per day x 30 days = 600 kWh per month

Some solar electrical systems generate only part of the needs of the house. In such cases, the owner relies on the utility company for the balance.

Ans: The simple answer is no. The legislation below expands on the facts.

H.O.A. & FL Statutes -The 2006 Florida Statutes  Title XI

County Organization and Intergovernmental Relations

163.04 Energy devices based on renewable resources.-

(1)    Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter or other provision of general or special law, the adoption of an ordinance by a governing body, as those terms are defined in this chapter, which prohibits or has the effect of prohibiting the installation of solar collectors, clotheslines, or other energy devices based on renewable resources is expressly prohibited.

(2)    No deed restrictions, covenants, or similar binding agreements running with the land shall prohibit or have the effect of prohibiting solar collectors, clotheslines, or other energy devices based on renewable resources from being installed on buildings erected on the lots or parcels covered by the deed restrictions, covenants, or binding agreements. A property owner may not be denied permission to install solar collectors or other energy devices based on renewable resources by any entity granted the power or right in any deed restriction, covenant, or similar binding agreement to approve, forbid, control, or direct alteration of property with respect to residential dwellings not exceeding three stories in height. For purposes of this subsection, such entity may determine the specific location where solar collectors may be installed on the roof within an orientation to the south or within 45 degrees east or west of due south provided that such determination does not impair the effective operation of the solar collectors.

(3)    In any litigation arising under the provisions of this section, the prevailing party shall be entitled to costs and reasonable attorney?s fees.

(4)    The legislative intent in enacting these provisions is to protect the public health, safety, and welfare by encouraging the development and use of renewable resources in order to conserve and protect the value of land, buildings, and resources by preventing the adoption of measures which will have the ultimate effect, however unintended, of driving the costs of owning and operating commercial or residential property beyond the capacity of private owners to maintain. This section shall not apply to patio railings in condominiums, cooperatives, or apartments.

History.-s. 8, ch. 80-163; s. 1, ch. 92-89; s. 14, ch. 93-249

Copyright 1995-2006 The Florida Legislature