They say that sometimes, it’s all about whom you know. But when you’re hoping to affect positive change within a long-established sector like the electric power industry, it might be more accurate to say that it’s really about advocacy.
Having an effective advocate by your side can make an incredible difference in opening minds, sharing information, and growing support for a burgeoning industry. In that vein, we in the Westinghouse Solar family were thrilled when we announced recently that internationally recognized environmental activist Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. will be joining our Board of Advisors.
Extending his family’s longstanding legacy of support of the arts, human rights, and health care, Mr. Kennedy has devoted much of his career to environmental stewardship. His work with Riverkeeper, a clean water advocacy group in New York, and the Waterkeeper Alliance, dedicated to protecting water from polluters, has established him as a tireless supporter of environmental preservation efforts. In recent months he has also spoken out strongly on the Gulf oil spill, coal mining, and alternative energy sources.
So to our new friend and colleague we say, Welcome. We look forward to working together to bring solar to rooftops across America, and to help create new jobs through our industry’s continued growth.
Stay up-to-date by following us on Twitter!
Friday, August 20, 2010
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Ask a Solar Engineer – Backup Systems (Part 2)
Today, we continue our review of the options for solar backup systems. We’re going to be reviewing the ways the generator backup works.
Cost-Effective Backup: Generators
For a given level of power output, generators are usually the least expensive option for backup power production. In the vast majority of residences Akeena evaluates, generators end up being the best choice to provide the most reliable and cost-effective source of extended backup power, especially in areas where frequent electricity power outages are the norm. They are independent motors powered by gasoline or are electrical and fed by the utility and connect directly into the electrical system of your home. Homeowners in areas with infrequent power outages (the majority) do not typically need power backup of any kind for a grid-tied solar power system to be highly effective.
Saving (Power) for a Rainy Day
In these cases where backup power is a must, we recommend installing a relatively inexpensive generator in conjunction with a manual transfer switch tied directly to the electrical panel on your house. If it is a utility powered generator, the transfer switch directs the source of power for critical loads from the utility to the generator--without back-feeding the electric grid. For a gasoline powered generator, it is manually turned on and off and powered by gasoline poured directly into the unit by the homeowner.
During a period of power outage, the transfer switch is engaged and the generator is started. This provides power to the critical loads in the house.
In the next post, we’ll discuss the benefits of grid-tied systems. Stay up-to-date by following us on Twitter!
Cost-Effective Backup: Generators
For a given level of power output, generators are usually the least expensive option for backup power production. In the vast majority of residences Akeena evaluates, generators end up being the best choice to provide the most reliable and cost-effective source of extended backup power, especially in areas where frequent electricity power outages are the norm. They are independent motors powered by gasoline or are electrical and fed by the utility and connect directly into the electrical system of your home. Homeowners in areas with infrequent power outages (the majority) do not typically need power backup of any kind for a grid-tied solar power system to be highly effective.
Saving (Power) for a Rainy Day
In these cases where backup power is a must, we recommend installing a relatively inexpensive generator in conjunction with a manual transfer switch tied directly to the electrical panel on your house. If it is a utility powered generator, the transfer switch directs the source of power for critical loads from the utility to the generator--without back-feeding the electric grid. For a gasoline powered generator, it is manually turned on and off and powered by gasoline poured directly into the unit by the homeowner.
During a period of power outage, the transfer switch is engaged and the generator is started. This provides power to the critical loads in the house.
In the next post, we’ll discuss the benefits of grid-tied systems. Stay up-to-date by following us on Twitter!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)