1) Anyone interested in installing their own GRID-TIED Solar Photovoltaic system but are put off by the permitting process...it's not as difficult as you may think.
I have recently completed a permit packet for Southwestern Florida where "owner-builder permitting" is allowed. If you are unfamiliar with this term...It essentially means you as a homeowner can legally pull your own permit, act as general contractor for your project, and do all the work yourself. This process is not without risk and should only be pursued by individuals capable of accepting a degree of financial and physical risk. In my case i have previous experience with solar installations and electrical work in general. Also am willing to accept the risk because i will be doing the work myself without bringing in any outside personnel.
I recommend all people interested in solar PV get quotes from local contractors, even if you still decide to DIY. These contractors are great at their jobs and are probably the best solution for most people. They also have financial instruments that have zero down payment options or no out of pocket costs. Given the current economy; taking steps to reduce bills seem like a no brainer, especially if i can support the local economy and benefit the planet.
I chose the easiest products (for me) to work with: Enphase AC Modules, Iron Ridge racking.
2) We have been wanting to go solar (at this house) for a long time. Several years ago we got a quote for $25k for a 5kW system from a reputable contractor. We elected to wait. During that time we took some steps to reduce our bill. Led lighting, adjusting the thermostat, new refrigerator(consolidating from two old). Our average bill is now somewhere around $60/month with a low of around 25 and a high around 80. FPL are one of the utilities who are allowing customers to view almost live data from smart meters. Also we learned another solution was to check the meter reading while isolating specific loads.
They say for every dollar spent on efficiency (lowering load) is a savings of $3-5 on a solar array. Also in that time the component prices dropped dramatically. The above quote amounts to $5 per Watt. The final price per watt of our system was $2.14/W DC. The cost/Watt is directly related to the size of the array, the cost of components, and in this case zero cost of labor.
The combination of a lower power bill and decreasing equipment costs has brought us to a bit of a sweet spot. However, we didn't choose the cheapest panels/inverters. We chose what we thought to be the best panels with a very low temperature coefficient, a high efficiency and low annual degradation that are MADE IN THE USA. The Inverters are installed at the factory and perfectly matched to the specs of the panel. By electing a more expensive panel/inverter it meant we had less to spend on the total system with the hopes of producing more energy over time.
3) Part of the process was to consider future products from the inverter company. They are rolling out a product that will allow us to create a mini-grid/back-up power when the grid is down. A combination of Smart Switch and battery that seamlessly transitions between grid, solar, and battery has specific requirements. Namely the number of previous generation inverters that can be installed vs. the number of batteries installed. This will not be an inexpensive prospect but we wanted the option. So, all equipment will be installed such that the battery and smart switch can be added later.
4) Florida law requires the solar array have an engineers stamp or be certified by FSEC Florida Solar Energy Center. The process was straightforward and cost $150. The last part was to create drawings of the site plan and array layout, assemble permit application and data sheets, and submit to the county. Went off without a hitch. Permit Approved.
The following images were what i submitted with my permit packet (edited for confidentiality):
I have recently completed a permit packet for Southwestern Florida where "owner-builder permitting" is allowed. If you are unfamiliar with this term...It essentially means you as a homeowner can legally pull your own permit, act as general contractor for your project, and do all the work yourself. This process is not without risk and should only be pursued by individuals capable of accepting a degree of financial and physical risk. In my case i have previous experience with solar installations and electrical work in general. Also am willing to accept the risk because i will be doing the work myself without bringing in any outside personnel.
I recommend all people interested in solar PV get quotes from local contractors, even if you still decide to DIY. These contractors are great at their jobs and are probably the best solution for most people. They also have financial instruments that have zero down payment options or no out of pocket costs. Given the current economy; taking steps to reduce bills seem like a no brainer, especially if i can support the local economy and benefit the planet.
I chose the easiest products (for me) to work with: Enphase AC Modules, Iron Ridge racking.
2) We have been wanting to go solar (at this house) for a long time. Several years ago we got a quote for $25k for a 5kW system from a reputable contractor. We elected to wait. During that time we took some steps to reduce our bill. Led lighting, adjusting the thermostat, new refrigerator(consolidating from two old). Our average bill is now somewhere around $60/month with a low of around 25 and a high around 80. FPL are one of the utilities who are allowing customers to view almost live data from smart meters. Also we learned another solution was to check the meter reading while isolating specific loads.
They say for every dollar spent on efficiency (lowering load) is a savings of $3-5 on a solar array. Also in that time the component prices dropped dramatically. The above quote amounts to $5 per Watt. The final price per watt of our system was $2.14/W DC. The cost/Watt is directly related to the size of the array, the cost of components, and in this case zero cost of labor.
The combination of a lower power bill and decreasing equipment costs has brought us to a bit of a sweet spot. However, we didn't choose the cheapest panels/inverters. We chose what we thought to be the best panels with a very low temperature coefficient, a high efficiency and low annual degradation that are MADE IN THE USA. The Inverters are installed at the factory and perfectly matched to the specs of the panel. By electing a more expensive panel/inverter it meant we had less to spend on the total system with the hopes of producing more energy over time.
3) Part of the process was to consider future products from the inverter company. They are rolling out a product that will allow us to create a mini-grid/back-up power when the grid is down. A combination of Smart Switch and battery that seamlessly transitions between grid, solar, and battery has specific requirements. Namely the number of previous generation inverters that can be installed vs. the number of batteries installed. This will not be an inexpensive prospect but we wanted the option. So, all equipment will be installed such that the battery and smart switch can be added later.
4) Florida law requires the solar array have an engineers stamp or be certified by FSEC Florida Solar Energy Center. The process was straightforward and cost $150. The last part was to create drawings of the site plan and array layout, assemble permit application and data sheets, and submit to the county. Went off without a hitch. Permit Approved.
The following images were what i submitted with my permit packet (edited for confidentiality):