Let’s Go Renewable!
By harnessing the power of the sun, wind or water, people all over the world produce their own pollution-free reliable electricity for business or home use. Technological advances, government assistance, the need for reliable power, and the growing urgency to reduce the use of fossil fuels make renewable energy systems increasingly attractive to people around the world.
Renewable Energy technology makes it possible for home and business owners to have dependable power from renewable sources like the sun or wind. Mass production has significantly reduced the price of these systems and their components. New technology allows us to use both Solar and Wind in a dual system. Add in a Solar Hot Water system and see your energy bill reduce drastically. Systems with battery-based backup power can ensure reliable power even when the utility grid is down.
The use of renewable sources increases our energy self-sufficiency and fosters economic and national security. As more families, individuals and businesses generate their own renewable electricity we will reduce pollution, provide more electricity for all to use, reduce the use of fossil fuels, and make the electricity on the grid “greener”.
Deregulation has created an atmosphere of change in the United States. We are experiencing higher electricity rates and electricity shortages. Laws usually referred to as net metering allow Renewable Energy system owners to feed their excess generated electricity back to the utility. The system owner receives a credit or payment for solar or wind generated electricity fed into the grid. In other words, you pay only for the net electricity you consume – the amount of electricity you take from the utility minus the amount you generate and feed back from your system. With a Renewable Energy system, you can provide yourself with protection from the rising prices of fuel, because your system’s fuel is the sun. Additionally, state, local and federal tax incentives and rebates make obtaining a system more economical.
Types of Power Systems
Power systems vary in design depending on what energy sources are used and what purpose they must fulfill.
1. Grid-Tie Systems
Also called grid-interactive, grid-intertie, utility-interconnected and other such descriptive terms, grid-tie solar and wind systems are built onto your building and/or property that connect directly into the electric utility feed. This is possible in areas that allow net metering, whereby a solar or wind powered system turns your electric meter backwards when it is producing more power than you are using. This type of system provides no backup power when utility power fails.
2. Grid-Tie Systems with Battery Backup
A grid-tie system with battery backup feeds excess solar or wind electricity to the grid and provides backup power when the utility grid is down. With this type of system you sacrifice some power generation efficiency in exchange for having power when there is a utility power failure. The amount of backup power you have depends on the size of the battery and electrical loads that draw on them.
3. Off-Grid Systems
This type of power system is independent of the utility grid. It can use solar modules, a wind generator or a combination of any or all of them to produce your electric power. Owners of this type of system often use a gas or diesel generator for backup when the power system does not meet all of the needs.
Determine What System Meets Your Needs
Our free site survey will allow us to design the appropriate size and type of system for your needs and budget. Fill out our short form and we and begin the process of getting Renewable Energy to your home today!
Learn more about Solar Energy and Wind Energy systems from West Seattle Natural
