PV SYSTEMS PREPARING & EDUCATING YOURSELF: - SITE, SYSTEM, ECONOMICS & EXPECTATIONS - GOVERNMENT SUPPORT PROGRAMS

PV SYSTEMS PREPARING & EDUCATING YOURSELF: - SITE, SYSTEM, ECONOMICS & EXPECTATIONS - GOVERNMENT SUPPORT PROGRAMS

WELCOME & THANK YOU FOR COMING SEAN MACKINNON SENIOR ENERGY ADVISOR ENERGY SOLUTIONS CENTRE

Art by my 5 year-old SHOULD I START WITH A JOKE? (THAT S WHAT THEY SAY )

WHAT DO WE DO AT THE ESC? Government office Energy efficiency and renewable energy Incentive and other programs Public education and outreach Pilot projects & Policy

PV SYSTEMS - OUTLINE What? Why? Does it work here? Basic design Energy expectations & economics Moving forward Program$ (incentives, etc )

SOLAR. PV WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?

These are solar thermal panels (they deliver heat)

These are solar electric panels or Photo-voltaic (PV) panels (they deliver electricity)

WHAT ABOUT POWER AND ENERGY? ENERGY KILOWATT-HOURS (KWH) THE ABILITY TO DO WORK POWER KILOWATTS (KW) THE RATE OF DOING WORK

ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF ENERGY / POWER The grid has (basically) unlimited power Yukon has perhaps 130 megawatts (MW) of capacity You consume and pay for energy in kwh @ 12 /kwh ENERGY (KWH) THE ABILITY TO DO WORK POWER (KW) THE RATE OF DOING WORK

WHY DO I WANT A PV SYSTEM?

WHY DO I WANT A PV SYSTEM? Save money / Earn money Offset emissions Energy security & back-up Heat my house Be cool / Save the world

DOES PV WORK HERE?

DOES IT WORK HERE? YES! Yukon more sunlight than some areas at same latitude Great generation from mid-february to late September Snow cover is not very significant

Image credit: solargis.com

KWH/KWP 200 Percent of annual generation by month 16.0% 180 160 140 120 10.6% 14.1% 14.6% 13.6% 13.7% 11.6% 14.0% 12.0% 10.0% 100 8.3% 8.0% 80 6.0% 60 40 5.1% 5.1% 4.0% 20 1.3% 1.5% 2.0% 0 January February March April May June July August September October November December 0.5% 0.0%

NAIT STUDY ON SNOW COVER Image credit: NAIT

LOCAL INSTALLERS Several experienced installers and electricians More all the time Lets just leave it at that

BASIC DESIGN BUILDING PLANNING SITE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM DESIGN

BUILDING ASSESSMENT New build Inspectors Structural Azimuth Tilt Roof penetrations and structures Large continuous surfaces Conduit(s) - labelled Existing Inspectors Structural Shading Orientation

BUILDING SOLAR READY Structural Orientation / shading Continuous surface Roof penetrations / structures Labelled conduits Image credit: www.diynetwork.com

SITE ASSESSMENT The factors from the site assessment (and the budget) will determine: Location, Orientation Capacity, etc

SITE ASSESSMENT SHADING Image credit:.homepower.com

SITE ASSESSMENT TILT & AZIMUTH Image credit: www.e-education.psu.edu

SITE ASSESSMENT ROOF Image credit:.homepower.com

SYSTEM DESIGN Modules, inverter, racking Designed for grid-tie Plug & play Two-pole 20A breaker Tilt & azimuth Shading To Grid (dual register meter) Breaker panel Inverter Image credit: www.kevinstephensdesign.com

SYSTEM DESIGN PV array Energy export Utility Bi-directional meter (Micro-) Inverter Breaker panel South facing wall Image credit: www.homepower.com

JUST ANOTHER CIRCUIT Image credits: inspecapedia.com

ENERGY EXPECTATIONS & ECONOMICS

ENERGY EXPECTATIONS Household demand Conventional Heat (electric) System generation annually Offset & export (savings & earnings)

1,200 Household electrical consumption vs. PV system generation 1,000 800 600 400 200 - Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Generation (kw) Consumption (kw)

ECONOMICS Installed cost (capital) Savings & earnings (offset & export) Simple payback Assumptions Value of energy ROI, NPV, LCOE

MOVING FORWARD

MOVING FORWARD Talk to Building inspector Local installer &/or experienced electrician Me! Do the install Apply to Micro-generation Program...

MICRO-GENERATION PROGRAM

MICRO-GENERATION PROGRAM Facilitates Yukoners wishing to grid-tie a renewable energy system (usually PV) Grid-tied systems only Reimbur$es for energy exported (annually) 21 /kwh grid-tied & 30 /kwh off-grid Open to most residential, commercial & industrial rate classes

MICRO-GEN APPLICATION PACKAGE Application form Electrical diagram Site diagram Inverter spec sheet Electrical inspection Operating agreement

THANK YOU! QUESTIONS? (Wait Isn t there another incentive?) Sean MacKinnon Senior Energy Advisor Energy Solutions Centre 876.393.7067 Sean.mackinnon@gov.yk.ca