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Fafco Solar just completed a 38.25kW Solar Photovoltaic System for FMI Hansa Medical Products in Naples FL. The rooftop solar array is comprised of 153 solar modules from Canadian Solar rated at 250W each. The microinverter-based system uses 153 Enphase M215 microinverters mounted beneath each solar module. FMI Hansa representatives contacted me less than a month ago after realizing that the original company contracted to install the solar panels was not meeting its obligations. The owner had a strict November 20 deadline for a ribbon cutting ceremony at their beautiful new facility at 3511 Plover Ave, Naples, FL. Based on what I observed, the contractorRead More →

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I received a question from a potential customer today about power production guarantees for Photovoltaic (PV) Systems. I realized that I hadn’t covered that issue on my blog, so I thought I would copy the question and response here (revised for clarity). Question: Is there a guarantee on the percentage  power output of the proposed photovoltaic system? Answer: The Canadian Solar CS6P-250P modules themselves have a power production warranty that states basically that they will put out a minimum of 97% of rated power at test conditions during the first year and degrade no more than 0.7% per year thereafter through a total of 25 years. ThisRead More →

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If you’ve never been to Naples Botanical Garden, I have one word for you: go! I was introduced to this amazing facility almost two years ago when FGCU’s Kapnick Education and Research Center at the Garden’s campus was slated to get a solar electric system installed. Fafco Solar was fortunate enough to win the job, and we subsequently installed 164 solar panels in a 40kW Photovoltaic System. The same sun that powers the building powers the biological process that make the Naples Botanical Garden amazing. I didn’t visit the Gardens proper during the solar installation, but I recently took my wife for a day of explorationRead More →

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Tonight I was invited to part of a panel before a public group at the Naples Community Hospital. I guess you could call it a Solar Panel. Here is the text of my brief speech: “I would like to address the most common misconception about solar energy: Solar energy is expensive and cannot survive without government and utility incentives. The most common solar product installed in Southwest Florida is not solar electric or solar water heating for the home; it’s solar pool heating. Solar thermal energy has been effectively heating pools for four decades in Southwest Florida, and forms the bread and butter of the localRead More →

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The solar industry is relatively young and many new contractors entered the market in the last several years. It’s not uncommon to find the wrong parts used in a solar electric installation. I get to see plenty of solar energy systems installed by other contractors after they are long gone. Some mistakes are understandable (and common). Others are comical (from my point of view). Some are downright dangerous. There are a number of reason this occurs: Inexperienced solar contractors simply do not know what parts exist, so they use a common incompatible part. Electrical contractors may not be highly experienced with DC electrical components. SpecializedRead More →

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NOTE: This post is now obsolete and this site is no longer actively updated. Permit costs may be different now, and Charlotte County does now require permits for solar pool heating. Solar permitting is not a small cost in most Southwest Florida cities and counties. Typical solar pool heating permit costs range from $53 in Fort Myers to $226 in Collier County, with only one jurisdiction having no charge (Port Charlotte and Charlotte County). Solar water heating permit costs are similar. Solar electric permit costs can exceed $400.00 for typical residential solar permits in some jurisdictions like Naples, with most permit fees in the rangeRead More →

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SUMMARY: On August 9, 2012 Fafco Solar, a Cape Coral solar company, will host a Learn About Solar Energy event in order to provide answers to the public’s questions about solar power and it’s available technologies. CAPE CORAL, FLORIDA (July 12, 2012) Before America was even considered a country, Swiss scientist Horace de Saussure, in 1764, discovered solar radiation; capturing the sun’s light and heat for use as an energy source. Then in 1839, a French physicist named Becquerel identified the photovoltaic properties of the sun’s energy which lead to further discoveries between the sun and its uses in generating electricity. The spirit of these pioneers continues today. Advances inRead More →

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I was just notified that some solar photovoltaic (electric) panels were stolen from a doctor’s office in Naples, FL yesterday. NBC 2 News asked me to comment on the story. Although we did not install the panels, I appeared on the evening news giving my take on stolen solar panels. NBC-2 Story Here Here is what you need to know: Homeowners and Business Owners Your homeowners insurance normally covers solar panels that are properly permitted and installed on your home or business. They become part of the structure and property, and are every bit as insurable as the air conditioning unit and other parts ofRead More →

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Should you do-it-yourself (DIY) for a solar panel installation in Florida? While is is completely permissible and possible to install solar on your home or business, it is not recommended. Ignore our advice and jump right to our DIY Solar Electricity page! I’m a self-taught guy in many disciplines, and I love to do home maintenance myself. Learning new skills is part of who I am. Learning the solar energy trade was not easy. Here are some reasons why you may not want to do-it-yourself:   Solar Electric (PV or Photovoltaic Systems) PV Systems involve dangerous DC voltage and AC voltage electricity. You may beRead More →

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Fafco Solar’s Naples Botanical Garden Photovoltaic System was chosen as the Array of the Week by Enphase Energy, manufacturer of the Enphase microinverter. Information on this accolade can be found at this link: http://community.enphaseenergy.com/enphase_energy_community/topics/array_of_the_week_fafco_solar I am proud to have been Project Manager on this job, which was completed on budget and ahead of schedule. Our team of professional solar installers did amazing work on this great looking solar energy system. Installed at Florida Gulf Coast University owned Naples Botanical Garden, this system will put a nice dent into the facility’s operating costs. It was eligible for an FPL utility rebate, further reducing the installed cost.

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Fafco Solar has completed the FGCU Naples Botanical Garden photovoltaic system installation. I am particularly proud of this system and the expert installers that did the heavy lifting. The system includes 164 SolarWorld 245 watt solar photovoltaic modules, 164 Enphase M215 microinverters, a Unirac SolarMount mounting system, and S-5! Clamp attachments. Because of the existing electrical system at the facility, the photovoltaic system is divided into two sub-arrays backfeeding power into two 208V 3-Phase electrical distribution panels. Commercial 3-Phase installations are always interesting from a design standpoint because typically we are dealing with various existing transformers and often generator backup systems. It was truly aRead More →