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“If my collector is at 136 degrees, my TST (bottom of tank temperature) is at 161 degrees and my S3 (top of the tank temperature) is at 154 degrees – why is my circulator pump still running? Won’t this cool the bottom of the tank?”

SES says: The pump runs intermittently for a minute periodically when the collectors reach 240 degrees. This keeps the collectors from overheating. Your maximum tank temperature is set to 160. If the bottom sensor, the TST reading, exceeds 160 degrees, the controller will run the pump briefly in the evening to bring the tank temperature back down to 160.

It has been our experience that setting the max temp higher than 160 leads to overheating problems. Yes, you are losing a little heat from the tank when the cooling feature comes on, but at this time of year it is excess heat. You are producing much more hot water than you are using at this time. This is the summer solstice; the collector and tank temperatures will moderate in a few months. Some customers add an extra loop to their solar tank and use that excess heat to heat a swimming pool or hot tub. Most just use control features to manage the excess heat.

Don’t worry about the power consumption. The Grundfos Alpha pump only uses about 5 Watts whether heating or cooling the tank.

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The solar clock is ticking – don’t wait for solar energy costs to come down

The installed cost of a solar electric system has come down dramatically in the past several years – by 50% in most cases. However, homeowners considering investing in solar would do well to act sooner rather than later. Declining financial incentives and the threat of increasing panels costs (due to US tariffs on chinese solar panels), mean that the cost of solar energy could start to go up very soon.

SOLAR ELECTRIC (PV)

Whole house solar electric systems are being installed every day in Maryland. The system can be sized to offset some or most of a home’s electricity bill and are grid-tied; the homeowner’s utility-provided energy is still readily available for them in times of no-sun. Also, when there is more sun than needed – the extra energy serves to turn the homeowner’s meter “backwards” – crediting their utility account. Current grants and tax credits, coupled with unprecedented low solar panels costs, means that most of the solar electric systems currently installed pay for themselves in around six years and are warrantied for 20 to 30 years. That’s 20 to 30 years of ZERO rate increase.

TYPICAL 5kW SOLAR ELECTRIC SYSTEM

• Estimated System Cost $21,000
• Federal Tax Credit $6,300
• MD State Grant $1,000
• AA County Property Tax Credit @ 75% $1,875
• SREC Payments* $6,700
• Total Incentives $15,875
• Net Cost to Homeowner $5,125
• Payback in Years 5 – 7yrs
• 25yr Annual Energy Savings +$800 per year

SOLAR WATER HEATERS (thermal)

The solar panels used to heat a home’s water for laundry, showers etc. are entirely different from those used to provide electricity. They require much less space and are substantially less expensive. A solar water heater sized for a family of four provides 75% of the home’s annual hot water load and CAN PAY for itself in around 3 years.

Again, this is a system slated to last 20 to 30 years. Gas or electric is used as a back-up system.

TYPICAL 4-PERSON SOLAR WATER HEATING SYSTEM

• Estimated System Cost $9,000
• Federal Tax Credit $2,700
• MD State Grant $ 500
• AA County Property Tax Credit @ 75% $1,875
• SREC Payments* $3,200
• Total Incentives $8,275
• Net Cost to Homeowner $725
• Payback in Years 1 – 4 yrs
• 25yr Annual Energy Savings +$400 per year

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]ESSEX, MD:  Earlier this week NABCEF-certified Solar Energy Services, Inc. was engaged by Amber Enterprises, Inc. to provide the DC wiring installation at the newly installed 1MW solar application at Back River Waste Water Treatment Plant.

Johnson Controls, Inc. is the project manager of this 1MW solar photovoltaic system which has 4,116 ground-mounted, southerly-facing solar panels.  The 4,200 American-made panels, installed in the past three months at a cost of about $4 million, have begun to supply about 5 percent of the energy — up to 1,000 kilowatts per hour — needed to run the plant on Eastern Avenue.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]HUGHESVILLE, MD:  Millersville, MD – based Solar Energy Services, Inc. completed the installation of ground-mounted solar photovoltaic system on a commercial nursery greenhouse complex.

The 19.9 kW solar electric system includes 72 solar power panels in two arrays of 36 modules.  The system is expected to offset a substantial portion of the greenhouse’s conventional electrical load.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

WASHINGTON, DC:  Solar Energy Services, Inc. installed and commissioned a solar thermal system at Tiber Island, a waterfront condomimium community in Washington, DC.

SES was contracted by Skyline Innovations, a third party solar developer, to design and install the solar water heating system that acts as a pre-heat to the facility’s natural gas water heating system.

The solar system consists of 76 solar arrays mounted to the building’s roof.  Each array has 30 evacuated tube collectors that are closed-loop plumbed to a 5,000 gallon solar storage tank.

The system is expected to offset a large portion of the facility’s conventional utility bill.

WASHINGTON, DC:  Earlier this week, Solar Energy Services, Inc. completed the installation of three separate solar water heating systems on the campus of American University…

 The Mary Graydon Center, which houses a dining hall as well as various administrative offices, was outfitted with a rooftop solar thermal collection system which included 16, 30-tube solar collectors.  These collectors are closed-loop, plumbed to 7, 120-gallon pressurized tanks for a total storage capacity of 8,406 gallons.

Anderson Hall, the largest of AU’s dormitories housing over 770 students, was outfitted with 81, 30-tube solar collectors closed-loop plumbed to a unpressurized 5,000 gallon storage tank.

Letts Hall, housing dormitories and a fitness center, was outfitted with 55, 30-tube solar collectors closed-loop plumbed to 1, 3,111 gallon storage tank.

All three solar water heating systems will serve as a pre-heat to the buildings existing conventional water heating systems.

Click HERE for post-installation pics

The cost of the residential solar system has come down dramatically in the past five years. With 4 separate grants and incentives, Anne Arundel County residents are catching on.

LET THE SUNSHINE IN – Residential solar energy systems are being installed every day in Anne Arundel County where local business owners Roger Perry and Rick Peters are working hard to keep up with rising demand. Their rapidly growing 18 person firm, Solar Energy Services, Inc. (SES) installs and services solar electric, solar water heating, and solar pool heating systems in Maryland and DC, with the majority of their residential customers located within AA County. When asked why he thinks solar has taken off even in these tough times, SES president Rick Peters said there are many drivers, but economics lead the way. “Rising utility bills, decreasing cost of solar panels and generous financial incentives all combine to give homeowners the opportunity to pay off 25yrs worth of BGE energy in about 6 years, not to mention the environmental and societal benefits.”

One House – two solar systems:

Most solar shoppers are unaware that there are two types of solar energy for the home. Whole house solar electric, commonly referred to as PV (Photovoltaic), is what most people think of as solar energy. However, a solar water heater can offset 75% of your annual hot water energy. Roger Perry quickly points out that if you have a large sunny roof, there is plenty of room for both systems. He and Peters both have solar water heating and solar electric on their homes.

The clock is ticking…

Each of the 4 different substantial incentives for a residential property owner in Anne Arundel County currently has a limited life-span, with the idea that solar can be competitive without them in the future. Peters notes that the current average payback on a solar electric system is about 6 years, for a system that lasts 25 – 30 years. With solar hot water, a 4 year average payback with a similar system lifespan. The payback is even faster if you have a large family (lots of hot water use) or if you need to replace your water heater anyway. Rick Peters leaves us with some food for thought, “You can invest your money in a lot of different places these days, but most are very uncertain, or producing a very low return. On an annual basis, the return on solar energy is quite predictable, and the economic return is hard to beat with any financial investment strategy.”

TYPICAL 5kW SOLAR ELECTRIC (PV) SYSTEM
Estimated System Cost	$27,500
Federal Tax Credit	$8,250
MD State Grant	$2,500
AA County Property Tax Credit @ 75%	$1,875
SREC Payments	$10,000
Total Incentives	$22,625
Net Cost to Homeowner	$4,875
Payback in Years	6.09 yrs
25 yr Annual Energy Savings	+800 per year
25 yr Lifetime Return on Investment	>250%

 

WASHINGTON, DC:  Solar Energy Services, Inc. completed installation of a fully automatic solar water heating system at Park Tower, an apartment building located in the historic Adams Morgan neighborhood.

The building is home to 125 apartment units throughout its five floors.  SES was contracted by Skyline Innovations, a third party solar developer, to install and commission the solar thermal system.  It consists of 48 solar thermal panels and three 1000 gallon thermal storage tanks.  The system is slated to offset a huge portion of the building’s conventional water heating system.

WASHINGTON, DC:  Solar Energy Services, Inc. began work today on the installation of a solar water heating system at Webster House, a condominium complex in downtown Washington, DC.

The building houses 175 units on its 9 floors, and contracted with Skyline Innovations, a third party solar developer, to offset its large heating load with solar.  The building will be outfitted with 44 solar thermal collectors and a 3,111 gallon thermal storage tank.  The system promises to offset a huge portion of the building’s conventional water heating system.

WASHINGTON, DC:  Solar Energy Services, Inc. of Millersville, MD has been contracted by Skyline Innovations, Inc., a Washington, DC third-party solar developer, to install two solar water heating systems at the George Washington University campus in downtown DC.

The systems include a ballasted 30-panel evacuated tube system on the flat rooftop of one dormitory and a similar 60-panel system on the flat rooftop of another dormitory. The 30-panel system design will utilize an existing 2,500 gallon storage tank in the penthouse for solar storage, while the 60-panel system design utilizes an existing 2,500 gallon tank in the basement mechanical room.

Click HERE for post-installation pics