Page 131 | Solar.com

Please enter a valid zip code.

(888)-438-6910

Please enter a valid zip code.

Please enter a valid zip code.

Aug 27 2018
Love0

Community Solar Farms Gaining Popularity in New York

By Community Solar No Comments

According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, by the end of 2018, there should be close to 2 million solar installations in the United States. This impressive number is the result of a U.S. solar market that has seen average annual growth of 59% over the last 10 years.

As the market continues to grow and the number of installations rises, there is still a major roadblock that is limiting the potential for mass consumer adoption. This issue stems from the fact that 49% of households that would otherwise be able to support a solar panel system, for one reason or another, are unable to go solar. Renters who wanted to power their home with solar, for instance, would need to convince the property owner to install solar panels.

Community solar farms are a relatively new innovation in the industry and can offer these households access to solar energy in a much more accessible and affordable way. Today, community solar programs can be found in 26 states, and are especially popular in New York.

If you live in New York or are planning to move there, knowing about their community solar programs can allow you to access solar even without having to install a system at your home.

A community solar farm takes no space on your roof

Community solar – a solution for anyone who doesn’t have roof space for their own panels.

How Does Community Solar Work?

Community solar farms are large solar arrays that can supply solar energy for multiple homes, properties, facilities, etc.

Community solar programs ensure that the generated energy is properly distributed to the involved community. These programs provide renewable energy options to individuals that would otherwise never have this opportunity.

Those involved in shared solar programs usually benefit by owning or leasing a part of the community solar panel system, or can even purchase kilowatt-hour blocks of renewable energy generation. Check this video to know more about kilowatt hour.

The local utility companies run these solar arrays through their grid because they require net energy metering solutions to be practical. This model allows community members to receive energy credits from the generated community energy and use them to save money on their electric bill.

Generally speaking, a community solar contract will save the customer around 10% each month on their energy bill.

Why is community solar so popular in New York?

Community solar is becoming more and more popular in New York each year. In fact, in March of 2018, Governor Cuomo announced the completion of the largest community solar program in the state.

Governor Cuomo Announces More Renewable Power for NY State

Governor Cuomo announces more renewable projects in the state (source)

This community solar array includes close to 10,000 panels and was completed by Delaware River Solar. This came as a result of an investment of $1.3 million made by the state. The 2.7-megawatt community solar array will provide clean energy to over 350 homes in the Mid-Hudson Valley region.

This community solar farm is just one out of over 300 community solar programs in New York, which are all boosted by Cuomo’s $1 billion NY-Sun initiative that focuses on making solar more accessible for residents of New York State.

Together, these programs can provide hundreds of megawatts of community energy to over 100,000 homes and are a big part of New York’s goal for 50% renewable energy consumption by 2030.

How to Find a Community Solar Project Near You

If you live in New York and are unable to install a solar panel system at your home, community solar may be the perfect option for you. The first step is finding out if there is a community program in your area.

Aug 23 2018
Love0

How Do Wind and Humidity Affect Solar Panel Efficiency?

By Solar Panel Efficiency - Pick the Most Efficient Solar Panels No Comments


Several factors play into solar panel efficiency. The type of solar cells and how the panels are constructed are the most important factors in how efficient they are. Besides the innate capabilities of the panels themselves, environmental factors come into play.

Not surprisingly, sunshine is the next biggest environmental efficiency factor. Next in line are dust, humidity, and wind velocity. For more on dust and whether you need to clean your solar panels, check out this article on the best way to clean solar panels. For this post, we’ll focus on wind and humidity, and their impact on solar efficiency.

Temperature, Wind, and Solar Efficiency

While the wind doesn’t give the sun’s light rays any extra oomph when powering panels, the effect of wind is a boost in solar efficiency. Here’s how that works.

When a solar panel is too hot, it reduces efficiency due to the science behind a solar panel generating electricity. On the other hand, cooler solar panel temperatures improve efficiency. In short, the effect of temperature on solar cell performance is this: cooler panels allow more energy to get through like an electric current than hot panels do.

Here’s where the wind comes in. The wind cools solar panels. Though it won’t make or break your solar panel production overall, it does make a difference. Solar panels cooled by 1 degree Celsius are 0.05 percent more efficient. This percentage adds up over time.

Humidity and Solar Panel Efficiency

Humidity can slow efficiency in two ways.

  1. Tiny water droplets, or water vapor, can collect on solar panels (like beads of sweat) and reflect or refract sunlight away from solar cells. This reduces the amount of sunlight hitting them and producing electricity.
  2. Consistent hot, humid weather can degrade the solar panels themselves over their lifetime. This is true for both crystalline silicon cells and thin film modules, but cadmium telluride (thin film) solar cells perform about 5 percent better in tropical climates.

This mainly applies to areas that are constantly humid. Regions with tropical climates, such as Florida, would be a good example. If you live in Florida, this probably doesn’t come as a surprise. You’ve seen cars turn to rust more quickly than most people in arid regions would believe.

Solar panel manufacturers are well aware of the effects humidity has on solar panels in humid areas. There are precautions to prevent humidity from deteriorating solar panels faster, such as edge sealants and using low ionic conductive materials.

Engineering Solar Panels for Mother Nature

So, if you’re suffering through muggy summer days, remember your solar panels are feeling a bit sluggish, too. But just as we humans enjoy a nice breeze to cool us off, so do solar panels. Wind helps dry the water vapor and cools the panels down just as a breeze dries our sweat and cools us.

Again, since the wind has the reverse effect on solar efficiency, it often helps balance out the humidity factor. It’s yet another example of mother nature and a little engineering forethought coming through for a clean energy win.