Gordon Howell, P.Eng.

Solar ElectricitySolar Electricity……coming to a building near youcoming to a building near you

Gateway Rotary Club2011 November 16

©2006-2011Edmonton

6,000 kW30,000 solar PV modules

7 kW35 solar PV modules

43 kW215 solar

PV modules

340 kW1700 solar

PV modules

2

We are solar electric system project developersWe are solar electric system project developers–– working with solar energy since 1977 and working with solar energy since 1977 and

with solar electricity since 1984with solar electricity since 1984

We manage, design, supply and commission We manage, design, supply and commission solar electric systemssolar electric systems

We participate in provincial, national and We participate in provincial, national and international standardsinternational standards--writing committeeswriting committees

We have no vested interests in We have no vested interests in any one solar electric technologyany one solar electric technology–– We want you to make your decisions We want you to make your decisions

with your eyes wide open with your eyes wide open so that you can decide so that you can decide what may or may not be right for youwhat may or may not be right for you……

3

Solar heating Solar heating –– A A darkdark surface located in surface located in

the sunshinethe sunshine–– Water or air runs past the Water or air runs past the

solarsolar--heated surface heated surface carrying heat to the building.carrying heat to the building.

Solar heating and solar electricity

are NOT the same…

Solar electricitySolar electricity–– A semiconductor device like a computer chipA semiconductor device like a computer chip–– Employs the Employs the ““photovoltaicphotovoltaic”” effecteffect–– Photons bump electrons out of an atomPhotons bump electrons out of an atom–– Wires carry away the charge from the electronsWires carry away the charge from the electrons

4

PV Terms

Solar PV Solar PV ArrayArray

PV can generate any amount of electricity.PV can generate any amount of electricity.Large PV systems = more PV modules.Large PV systems = more PV modules.

Solar PV Solar PV ModuleModuleSolar PV Solar PV CellCell

Solar ElectricitySolar ElectricityThe technology is called "The technology is called "photovoltaicsphotovoltaics", ",

but we only call it "PV".but we only call it "PV".

170,000 modules (200 W ea.) 170,000 modules (200 W ea.) 34,000 kW PV array34,000 kW PV array

30,000 modules, 6000 kW

5,000 modules1000 kW

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1. Off-grid standstand--alonealone

2. Hybrid: off: off--grid + generator or windgrid + generator or wind

3. Grid-connected

Photo Credit: Photo Credit: Ralph Ralph CartarCartar

From calculators and watches to From calculators and watches to large generating stations.large generating stations.

Solar Electricity – used everywhere!

6

Solar PV module…to generate

DC electricity

Solar inverter…to convert to

AC electricity

Solar battery…to store

DC electricity

maybe…

Solar PV System – Major Components…

7

PV ModulesModule manufacturers and countries:Module manufacturers and countries:–– America: America:

First Solar, Evergreen, First Solar, Evergreen, UniUni--Solar, Solar, SunPowerSunPower ++++

–– Britain:Britain:BP SolarBP Solar

–– Canada:Canada:Day4EnergyDay4Energy, Canadian Solar, , Canadian Solar, CentennialCentennial, Conergy ++, Conergy ++

–– China:China:SolarfunSolarfun, Suntech, Trina, , Suntech, Trina, YingliYingli ++++

–– France:France:PhotowattPhotowatt

–– Japan:Japan:Kyocera, Sharp, Sanyo ++Kyocera, Sharp, Sanyo ++

–– Spain:Spain:IsofotonIsofoton

++ many ++ many manymany more countries andmore countries andmanufacturersmanufacturers……

multimulti--crystalline crystalline

siliconsilicon

single single crystal crystal siliconsilicon

Technologies:Technologies:–– singlesingle--crystal silicon (Si)crystal silicon (Si)–– multimulti--crystalline silicon (Si)crystalline silicon (Si)–– amorphous siliconamorphous silicon–– thinthin--film (film (CdTe/CdSCdTe/CdS, CIGS, CIS, , CIGS, CIS, GaAsGaAs..)..)

3500 solar PV modules available from3500 solar PV modules available from

279 module manufacturers279 module manufacturers……thinthin--filmfilm

CdTe/CdSCdTe/CdS

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DC to AC Inverters…

Each: 0.2 kW to 8 kW, 1 phaseEach: 0.2 kW to 8 kW, 1 phase

Each: 5Each: 50 kW to 1000 kW, 3 phase0 kW to 1000 kW, 3 phase

640 inverters available from 640 inverters available from

55 manufacturers55 manufacturers

9

4 major components:– PV array– DC disconnect– Solar inverter– AC disconnect

No energy storage

Simple to design, install, operate

Most commongrid-connected configuration

10,000 in Canada???

300 in Alberta?

6+ million around the world…?

Solar PVarray1

2

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Grid-dependent Solar PV System

10

Edmonton: my house

2.3 kW36 small PV modules1st system west of Toronto, 12th system connected to the grid in 1995Cost of system: $40,000 in 1995,

$14,000 todayGenerates $190 of electricity per year

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Size: 2 kW. 38 GE tile modulesCost of solar PV system: $14,000 (? if installed today)Generates $200 of electricity per year

Edmonton Examples: Donsdale – new

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10 PV modulesCost of solar PV system: $15,000 (?)Generates $190 of electricity per year

Edmonton Examples: Strathearn – retrofit

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16 modulesCost of solar PV system: $20,000 (?)Generates $260 of electricity per year

Edmonton: Mill Creek – retrofit

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Size: 2 kW. 16 AstroPower 120 W modulesCost of solar PV system: $17,000 (?)

Generates $180 of electricity per year

Edmonton Examples: Inglewood – retrofit

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Size: 2.4 kW12 Sanyo 200 W modules

Cost of solar PV system: $20,000 (?)Generates $260 of electricity per year

Edmonton Examples: Whyte Avenue – retrofit

16

36 modules, 200 W eachCost of solar PV system:

$48,000 (?)Generates $900 of electricity per year

Calgary – retrofit

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Edmonton’s Solar-Electric Pilot Programme

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Edmonton’s Solar-Electric Pilot Programme

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Edmonton: Manasc Isaac Architects – PV sunshade

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Size: 5.6 kW x 2. 28 Sanyo 200 W modules x 2Cost of solar PV system: $37,000 x 2Generates $560 of electricity per year x 2

www.riverdalenetzero.ca

Riverdale NetZero Energy House – new

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Size: 6 kW. Including moveable awningCost of solar PV system: $45,000Generates $600 of electricity per year

Mill Creek NetZero Energy House – new

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Belgravia NetZero Energy House – new

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Belgravia Green NetZero Energy House – new

Size: 12.5 kW total on the house and garage

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Premier Gardens, California – new

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Brentwood Apartments NetZero Ready – planned

Ultra low space heating was not a problem – using ultra EE and GSHPBiggest issue was very high electricity consumption per m2 of exposure to the sun because we are packing people in on top of each other…

Design: Dub ArchitectsGeothermal: Vital Engineering

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85 kW, Germany

120 kW, Berlin

1300 kW, Netherlands

2.9 kW, Alberta Legislature

Placed on Roof-Tops

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30 kW, Netherlands

45 kW (340 m²), Netherlands. ©Saint-Gobain Glass Solar.

Integrated into Glazing for Natural

Lighting

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Integrated into Shading Structures

UofC Child Development

Centre

15 kW sunshades, America. © Kawneer Company Inc.

Railway station Canopy, Switzerland. © EPEL-LESO

Queens University, KingstonPhoto Credit:Anton Driesse

Photo Credit:Conergy Inc

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2.8 kW, BCIT Technology Place,Burnaby, BC

30% transparencyRWE Solar

Frankfurt

Integrated into Window Films

Service to others… Muhammadis the rent you pay for your room here on earth. Ali

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With slate tiles

With metal roofs

With concrete roof tiles

Integrated into Roofing Materials

Dow PowerHouse shingles in 2012

318 kW, Red Deer

Aachen, Germany

1000 kW, Munich

6 000 kW, Germany

Buildings are becoming Solar Electric Plants!

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Japan

1000 kW community PV project on 500 houses in the Netherlands

California

Neighbourhoods are becoming Solar Electric Plants!

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Ota City, Japan

2200 kW, 500 homes

Cities are becoming Solar Electric Plants

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Geiseltalsee SolarparkGermany 4000 kW, 24 864 PV modules

Fields are becoming Solar Electric Plants

Over 1000 systems greater than1000 kW around the world now.

Biggest being planned are 2- and 3-million kW in China and India

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340 kW California

Solar PV System, California

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Importmeter

kWh

kWh

Export meter

kWh

kWh DC

EPCOR’s electrical distribution grid

AC

All electrical circuits in a house or building

1

2

3

4

Inverter

Exports to the gridwhen there is a site surplus.Imports from the grid when there is a site shortage.

How can you generate solar electricity into

a house and also

back into the grid?

©1995-2011

Solar electric array

DC to ACInverter

Solar electricarray

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Exported electricity diagram

SellBuy kWh

1 kWh 1 kWh 1 kWh

PV system owner

Bidirectional kWh meter

Ordinary kWh meter

Electricity is delivered to your neighbours by your local Electricity Delivery Company for their normal delivery fee.

Electricity paid in full

Energy Retailer sells your energy to your neighbourfor full retail price.1

2

3

4

1 kWh supplied, 1 kWh paid for

kWh

©1995-2011

Where does exported electricity go to?Energy Retailer, Electricity Delivery

Company

Electricity delivery wires

Neighbour

Electrical energy credit

Electricity paid in full

38Net billing – discounted rate

SellBuy kWh

1 kWh 1 kWh 1 kWh

PV system owner

Bidirectional kWh meter

Ordinary kWh meter

Electricity is delivered to your neighbours by your local Electricity Delivery Company for their normal delivery fee.

Electricity paid in full

9.2 ¢/kWh

Energy Retailer sells your energy to your neighbourfor full retail price.

Net billing allows exported electricity to be valued at any price, such as:- a discounted wholesale price…

12

3

4

1 kWh supplied, 1 kWh paid for

kWh

©1995-2011

Energy Retailer, Electricity Delivery

Company

Electricity delivery wires

Neighbour

Electrical energy credit

6.8 ¢/kWh

Electricity paid in full

9.2 ¢/kWh

How does net billing work?

39Net billing – equal-rate

SellBuy kWh

1 kWh 1 kWh 1 kWh

PV system owner

Bidirectional kWh meter

Ordinary kWh meter

Electricity is delivered to your neighbours by your local Electricity Delivery Company for their normal delivery fee.

Electricity paid in full

9.2 ¢/kWh

Energy Retailer sells your energy to your neighbourfor full retail price.

Net billing allows exported electricity to be valued at any price, such as:- a price equal to the buying price…

12

3

4

1 kWh supplied, 1 kWh paid for

kWh

©1995-2011

How does net billing work?Energy Retailer, Electricity Delivery

Company

Electricity delivery wires

Neighbour

Electricity paid in full

9.2 ¢/kWh

Electrical energy credit

9.2 ¢/kWh

40Net billing – premium-rate

SellBuy kWh

1 kWh 1 kWh 1 kWh

PV system owner

Bidirectional kWh meter

Ordinary kWh meter

Electricity is delivered to your neighbours by your local Electricity Delivery Company for their normal delivery fee.

Electricity paid in full

9.2 ¢/kWh

Energy Retailer sells your energy to your neighbourfor full retail price.

Net billing allows exported electricity to be valued at any price, such as:- a premium feed-in (green) price.

12

3

4

1 kWh supplied, 1 kWh paid for

kWh

©1995-2011

How does net billing work?Energy Retailer, Electricity Delivery

Company

Electricity delivery wires

Neighbour

Electricity paid in full

9.2 ¢/kWh

Electrical energy credit

80 ¢/kWh (in Ontario for PV)

41

For example, with the PV system on the Riverdale NetZero house:– 5600 W of solar PV generating capacity– $38,000 installed (in 2010)– 6600 kWh/year: PV electricity generated– 80% of the electricity will likely be directly exported to the grid

Here is how the bills would work out for EPCOR’s regulated rate option (2009 prices)

selling buying value of simpleprice price PV electricity payback

Billing programme (¢/kWh) (¢/kWh) ($/year) (years) *– Alberta’s discounted rate net billing: 8.4 10.3 $600 61– If equal-rate net billing (=net metering): 10.3 10.3 $700 55– With Ontario’s premium feed-in tariff: 80.3 10.3 $3900 9

* using your own money (not the banks), not including future value of money, rising electricity prices

What does this practically mean to us?

42

Declining Solar PV Prices, Increasing Grid Prices

Solar Electricity Price

Grid-Electricity Price

Grid Parity

2013 to 2015…2017?

23 ¢/kWh

2010

9.2 ¢/kWh (2010 grid price

in Edmonton)

56 ¢/kWh (solar, with 5% mortgage)

(solar, using your own money)

huge environmental effectshighly subsidized fossil fuelled electricity does not pay for the damage it causes to the environment and to our health care budgets

unsubsidizedno environmental side-effects

Grid parity: Utility Solar Assessment Studywww.cleanedge.com, www.solarcatalyst.org

42 ¢/kWh (solar, with 3.5% mortgage)

32 ¢/kWh (solar, with 2% mortgage)

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Consumer price of electricity

0123456789

101112131415

1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

¢/kWhConsumer Price of Electricity – EPCOR RRO

historically rising at 4% per yearthough there have been increases of 5% to 20% in the last few years as the government weans us off the regulated rate option (RRO)

California electricity issues

¢/kWh

44Credit: America’s Department of Energy

46% per year growth for last 17 years

Solar PV is a Booming Global Industry

45

Credit: America’s Department of Energy

5 ¢/kWhin Alberta: 13 ¢/kWh22 ¢/kWh

America’s Sunshot Programme

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…we hold the future in our hands

Gordon Howell, P.Eng.Howell-Mayhew Engineering

EdmontonPhone: +1 780 484 0476

E-mail: ghowell@hme.ca©1995-2011Photo credits: Gordon Howell and several others

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