It was a very good year for solar at Power Trip Energy, across the state, and nationwide.  Statewide, about 11.2 MW of pv was installed, which represents in increase in capacity of about 45% over the previous year, which showed an increase of 70% over the year before that.  At this point, the Washington cost recovery program payments (that incentivize grid-tied solar pv) totaled about $5 million in 2014.

Locally we installed 68 grid-tied pv projects totalling 484 KW – an increase of 26% in terms of KW over the previous year.  In terms of the brands of pv we installed, 60% was SunPower, 35% was SolarWorld, and about 5% was “Made in Washington”.

Nationally, we are seeing results showing a 40% increase over the previous year.  Every state is different in terms of energy policy, electricity pricing, and incentives, so it is difficult to make broad statements, and when you do see a broad statement made by others – be very skeptical until you’ve seen the underlying data.

In terms of performance, last year cooperated with a good spring and good summer.  Most of our systems performed at about 10% over the average, and many of the SunPower systems performed at 20-25% over our performance estimates.  We may have to alter our modeling for the SunPower systems performance estimates.

In addition to installing a record amount of pv, we installed 6 Level II EV chargers for our clients.  Several of those clients are making over 50% of their own electricity including replacing gasoline with electricity as their source of energy for personal transportation.

In 2014 we continued to see slight price decreases and slight efficiency increases.  We became more stringent on our quality control standards and pretty much limited our offerings to SunPower and SolarWorld in terms of module manufacturers, forgoing offering the Made in WA pv modules.  As we keep an eye on the state of the industry and introduction of new products, we retain the primary goal of using the highest quality equipment from the most reliable manufacturers as the best way to ensure long-term value for our clients.

Here at our shop, we increase the capacity of our solar arrays from 4 KW to 10 KW by adding 6 KW of Solar World modules.  We also added a second Level II EV charger in response to the increased usage of our free EV charging stations available to anybody, any time.

We are looking to accommodate more growth in 2015 by adding 1-3 more people if everything goes according to plan.  Last year we added two new people – Patrick – a new installer and electrical trainee, and Dierdre – a new marketing assistant.  Also, after taking one year off due to market chaos, we have been able to re-implement our company group health insurance plan.

Looking ahead to 2015, we are seeing continued growing interest, and we feel it is likely next year will be another high water mark.  In addition to our period Spin Your Meter Backwards presentations in various locations, we will be organizing several solar tours this year.  We have been sponsors of the Jefferson Energy Lunch series since its inception, and we are commencing a new Power Lunch Kitsap series in conjunction with Rice Fergus Miller Architects in downtown Bremerton.  We are also currently installing 5 public Level II EV chargers here in Port Townsend as the first phase of our Power Trip Energy EV Tourism initiative.  Look for more details on this by the end of the month, once installations are complete, and inspections finaled.

The existing state of the market is amazing in terms of the lowest prices and highest quality equipment we have ever seen, combined with several incentive programs in place for another couple of years: the 30% Federal tax credit (until 2016), the Washington State sales tax exemption (until 2018), and the annual production incentive payments available through the Washington State Renewable Energy Cost Recovery Program (in place until 2020.)  There has never been a better time to install solar, and depending on whether those incentives are extended, we may not see a moment like this again.  If you have been considering installing grid-tied pv, give us a call or learn more at https://powertripenergy.com

by Andy Cochrane | Jan 12, 2015

The third quarter of this year was a high water mark for us, and our success matches the nation-wide trend.  For our part, in our little corner of the world, we installed 168 KW of residential pv in the third quarter.  This is equal to the amount of pv we installed in our first 4-1/2 years, from 2003 through the first half of 2007.

Nation-wide, over 300 MW of residential pv was installed in Q-3, and over 1.3 GW was installed in total, when counting the larger commercial and utility projects that came on-line.

Thanks to SEIA for keeping track!

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2014/12/us-solar-jumps-41-percent-with-residential-surpassing-300-megawatts?cmpid=rss

by Andy Cochrane | Dec 10, 2014

Solar Windows – Again

I’ve been seeing solar window ideas for years and I am skeptical about their practicality.  Check this recent article for more info   http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/188667-a-fully-transparent-solar-cell-that-could-make-every-window-and-screen-a-power-source  (Thank you Deanna for bringing this article to my attention.)

I’m surely open to new ideas, but here are some of the challenges I see with this idea:

1. I always wonder about wiring all the windows together and getting that electricity to the electrical service panel. It is obviously not a casual retrofit, so maybe just applicable to new construction. There are other electrical challenges that could be addressed by standardizing size and shape of the window pv modules, but possibly at the cost of some aesthetics if everybody’s home begins to have identical windows. That is not my biggest worry though.

2. They are claiming 1% efficiency currently and hoping to quintuple that to 5% eventually with this product.  The leading SunPower pv modules we are installing currently are in the 20-22% efficiency range, meaning for every 1000 watts of light energy that hits the pv module, they generate about 200 watts. We are usually using the highest efficiency modules we can get because we are striving to make as much energy as possible per installation.

3. Even using the highest efficiency modules we can get, we are often limited by available roof space and can’t make as much energy as we would like. There is much less window area compared to roof area.   The roof, being highest, is generally the sunniest portion of the building.

4. Windows are basically holes in our insulated buildings; even the highest tech triple pane Argon-filled windows are major heat losers here in the PNW.  I wouldn’t want to see people increasing window sizes and decreasing the insulation value of the building’s envelope in order to make more electricity – that would be going backwards fast overall. And in the summer, having too much south-facing glass is the best way to require air conditioning, a huge energy load that should be unnecessary in PNW homes.

After 12 years installing pv, and seeing so many new solar innovations announced without coming to fruition, I have become convinced that until we put standard pv modules (currently available and fairly inexpensive) on every sunny roof, products like solar windows are solving a problem that does not exist.

by Andy Cochrane | Dec 3, 2014

Pacific Power (wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Energy) proposed to nearly double the monthly fixed charge to residential customers, from $7.75 to $14/month.  Washington’s AG recommends denial to the UTC.  http://www.dailysunnews.com/news/2014/oct/21/states-attorney-general-challenges-rate-increase-p/

Fixed rate charges are “the biggest threat to energy efficiency and clean energy the U.S. faces.” – Jim Lazar, Sr. Advisor, Regulatory Assistance Project.

The attached article below is a review of several utility efforts across the country to either raise special monthly charges on net metering customers, or everybody.  These efforts became widespread as a result of the Edison Electric Institute’s recent paper on “Disruptive Challenges” calling attention to what has been affectionately dubbed “The Utility Death Spiral.”  While rumors of Utility Death Spiral may be premature, efforts to undermine your ability to benefit from personal renewable energy adoption are real.

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/the-fight-over-solar-moves-from-net-metering-to-rate-design/327742/

9.7 kw of SolarWorld modules installed in Chimacum, the solar capital of the central Quimper Peninsula. Roger is standing in tomorrow’s orchard.

by Andy Cochrane | Nov 3, 2014

SunPower Achieves Cradle to Cradle Product Certification

The most attractive aspect of pv modules is that they create clean electricity from the sun in a manner that is easily metered and utilized.  This is obvious and easily quantified, but what about the manufacturing techniques used to make them?  Our favorite manufacturer has gone out of the way to analyze their full production cycle.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/sunpower-solar-panels-awarded-cradle-to-cradle-certification-for-sustainable-manufacturing-processes-2014-10-02

SunPower is the first and only solar company to achieve Cradle to Cradle product certification; their E-Series and X-Series PV modules have been awarded the Cradle to Cradle Certified Silver distinction by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute.  The high efficiency SunPower E-Series and X-Series solar panels, manufactured at the company’s factory in Mexicali, Mexico, are the first and only solar products to be awarded this certification, which is based on the sustainable manufacturing processes implemented at this facility.  The manufacturing aspects analyzed include material health, material reuse, renewable energy, water stewardship, and social fairness.

As I have mentioned many times, we are proud of our association with this leading solar manufacturer.

16.3 KW SunPower on Sequim barn in the Dungeness Valley, using E-327 pv modules, August 2014.

by Andy Cochrane | Oct 9, 2014

A brief commercial message:  we recently received our 100th review on the third party review website for solar installers.  Of our 400+ clients, over 100 have now felt moved to leave a review of our process and services.  We don’t pay this site, hence the lack of a full company profile (and another company’s ad on our review page!) but you might want to check it out anyway.  http://www.solarreviews.com/installers/power-trip-energy/

If you had been able to tell me 12 years ago that we would have achieved this by now, I would have been elated.  I am grateful to our clients and our Olympic Peninsula community for the opportunity and the support of our business.  Please take a moment to take to look at this feedback and ask yourself if this is not the best you could wish for when choosing for a business to work on your home.

by Andy Cochrane | Sep 29, 2014

While there has been debate in many markets about the pros and cons of residential leasing, it has been the leasing model that has been used in the majority of the residential solar installations nationwide for the past several years, forecasted to account for 68% this year by GreenTechMedia Research.  Here in Washington State this has not been the case, because of the very carefully worded, complex and limiting state incentive legislation which has prevented systems owned by third parties, ie leased systems, from qualifying for our state’s Cost Recovery Program and its annual performance incentives.

Until very recently, we had very limited financing options to suggest for potential clients.  If financing was necessary, it usually seemed like the best idea for people to refinance their house, since the interest rates have been so low, and that interest is then tax deductible.  To my mind it also prevented people from borrowing more money than was reasonable, based on their financial situation.  If they did not have equity in their house, perhaps they should address that issue prior to installing pv.  However there were many potential clients who for some reason, reasonably, did not want to create or increase mortgage debt.  The other financing options at that point were typical retail revolving credit like you might get at an appliance or audio/video store with higher interest rates from distasteful entities like GE Capital, which we would never offer.  We will also not accept credit card payments.  So we were usually stumped at this point.

All of that changed fairly recently with the availability of Energy Efficiency loans from Puget Sound Cooperative Credit Union.  These loans are typically low interest (~4.5%), can cover various energy efficiency upgrades for the home including solar,  and are not secured by the title of the house, but are only secured by the solar array itself.  We are not involved in these loans other than helping provide information; we pay no fees nor receive any commissions.

When I speak with installers from other states, they are generally envious of the financing options we have here in Washington.  Most of them are stuck offering leases that benefit the lenders more than the clients or installers, or have to pay fees to the lenders in order to offer low interest loans to clients.  That’s why this article contains the “news” that new financing options in other states are now increasing their market share compared to leasing.  http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/Better-Cheaper-Loans-Challenging-the-Solar-Leasing-Model

So far this year, nearly a third of our clients have utilized PSCCU’s low interest loans and everyone who has qualified has been very happy in their dealings with this organization.  Thank you PSCCU!  http://www.psccu.org/efficiency.php#energysmart

Solar leasing companies are currently lobbying hard in Olympia for our state incentives to be opened up to their leasing models.  Here at Power Trip Energy we keep an open mind and will evaluate any future available programs with bias towards our client’s best interest.  In the meanwhile, we are very happy with the sensible low interest loans available to our clients.

by Andy Cochrane | Sep 8, 2014

The pace of residential solar pv installation continues to grow dramatically.  The growth of distributed generation is a disruptive trend and a welcome one.  While some fear change, others embrace it.  We are proud to be doing our small part to bring about that change.

Most pv going in right now is in utility scale projects by far.  This report from SEIA states that residential installations have outpaced commercial installations, you can also gather other interesting statistics here:

http://www.seia.org/news/us-residential-solar-pv-installations-exceeded-commercial-installations-first-time-q1-2014

On a philosophical note, while we applaud the installation of large multi-hundred mega-watt pv installations by utilities, it really only solves one aspect of the problems with our current system.  Yes the utility-produced solar electricity is clean, carbon-free and better than coal, gas, nuclear, or big hydro from an environmental standpoint, however it is still the privatization of what is a universally distributed resource.  “Who owns the sun?” is a question long asked.  We are bathed in an abundant and beautiful resource reaching you in about 5 minutes from 93 million miles away.  Just as much sunshine more or less reaches your house per square foot as anywhere else.  So why should you pay someone else to turn that solar energy into useful electricity?  As long as we continue to let others have control over our power resources, there will be economic injustice inherent in the system, and choices made that are not in your best interest.  Without getting any more revolutionary,  for you I recommend putting up your own pv array, and capturing that energy yourself without letting corporate middlemen insert themselves into your relationship with the sun.  It is only through direct personal action that you can help make changes that benefit our environment and benefit your family as well.

5.9 kw, Port Townsend, Spring 2014

by Andy Cochrane | Aug 20, 2014