Solar Southwest Florida

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 exploration in Naples that included a Garden tour. We were blown away by this hidden gem in our back yard!

We were treated to everything from familiar Florida native flora to beautiful Caribbean gardens and gorgeous unique plants and trees from Asia and South America. The Garden focuses on tropical species from the northern and southern hemispheres. My favorite exhibits were the stunning water lily ponds and the native Florida education areas, especially the tool shed and patio setup. There were brilliant flowers, lush plants, and unique trees like the Rainbow Eucalyptus.

At 170 acres, the Naples Botanical Garden can take some time to explore. It’s a great place to take kids, with wet and dry play areas for all ages. The butterfly garden and treehouse areas are perfect to keep the little ones entertained. The Garden Cafe has a variety of snacks and drinks.

If you find yourself in Naples, be sure to check out the Naples Botanical Garden and on your way out of the gift shop, glance to your left to see one of Naples’ largest roof mounted solar energy systems!

My company does service for all brands of solar pool heating systems, so naturally we get to see some things that are funny, dangerous, wrong, and downright terrible. Yesterday I was sent a picture of a solar pool heating manifold (system of valves) that was pretty funny, if not a little dangerous (left, below). One thing is certain – it’s absolutely hideous!

The strange thing is that this was installed by one of our major competitors, not an inexperienced dealer or fly-by-night handyman. They do a lot of business, routinely beating our price (surprise, surprise). A neat and tidy solar pool heating bypass and isolation valve system by Fafco Solar is shown on the right.

The major issues with this solar pool heating manifold are:

• Pipes are inadequately supported. Turning valves could cause plumbing to break.
• Cheap ball valves are used. The red handles tend to get brittle and break. The valves become very hard to turn over time. High quality NeverLube valves are available and not much more expensive.
• The valves used are not convertible to motorized valves that can be used with automation systems installed at a later date. Automation systems are highly recommended when upgrading to energy saving variable speed pumps, which are required for new pools.
• The pipes are uneven coming off the roof and along the wall. They are also unnecessarily in front of a window.
• The pipes are in front of the electrical load panel, which violates the National Electric Code (this is a common problem – not providing adequate working space for disconnecting means).
• The manifold transitions down from the existing 2″ to 1-1/2″ plumbing before necessary. It’s bad enough that competitors use panels with 1-1/2″ headers, which restrict flow, but there is no reason other than cost to reduce the plumbing size until it reaches the panels.
• No labels, which are a helpful reminder for people who rarely use valves on their system.
• Once again, it’s absolutely hideous!

You get what you pay for, and this homeowner probably got a great price and little more.

I just read an article published today on the Harvard Business Review blog that misses the point about businesses, specifically banks and other financial institutions, engaging in sustainable building practices. The article focuses on how companies should be less focused on environmental sustainability and more focused on financial sustainability given the nation’s disfavorable attitude toward banks today.

What the article fails to regognize is that sustainable building, when done right, is financially responsible and sustainable! Green building techniques have returns on investment associated with them, and some can be extremely favorable, especially when combined with utility and government incentives. Banks often operate on razor-thin margins and invest in financial instruments that have paltry returns when compared to sustainable building efforts that have similar risk and terms. Energy saving measures undertaken at the time of construction are also a hedge against rising utility costs (operating expeneses). In addition to immediate tax advantages like credits, corporations also benefit from accelerated depreciation on many green building upgrades.

The authors suggest that banks have a role to play in environmental stewerdship in the respect that they should make loans for customers to build green. Suggesting that the bank itself shouldn’t be built with energy savings in mind while encouraging it to loan money for customers’ sustainability projects doesn’t make sense.

I wholeheartedly agree that the banking industry as a whole has lost the trust of the American people, and that many are probably attempting to engage in sustainable building efforts as a marketing tool (greenwashing). However, failing to recognize sustainable building as a financially sound investment pursuit does a disservice to financial institutions that are doing the right thing for both the environment and their shareholders.

With so many people in Southwest Florida preparing to head north for the summer, Fafco Solar is getting lots of calls from people with solar panels. How do you get your solar pool heater ready for summer?

If you are not planning to use your solar pool heater in the summer, the most important thing you can do to protect your system is to drain and isolate it completely. Most of the systems Fafco Solar has installed, and all of the systems we have installed in recent years, have isolation valves that allow you to stop the flow of water into and out of the solar panels and roof plumbing. Just closing the 3-way solar bypass valve is not enough. There are two ways that water can continue to rise to the roof when the bypass valve is closed (through the return line if there is no check valve present and through a small hole in the 3-way valve that is present for daily draining purposes).

Solar Pool Heat Valves Closed (Isolated)

If you do not drain your system completely, water can stagnate in the panels and plumbing causing excessive temperatures. While usually not a problem, occasionally this leads to severely warped or swollen PVC pipe on the roof. Black pipe exhibits this problem more than white pipe, but extreme temperatures can also cause white pipe to discolor and warp. This phenomenon may be more pronounced in Southwest Florida due to our long, hot summer and numerous part-time residents. Roof plumbing issues due to improper operation of your system is not covered under warranty.

Your system is likely plumbed to drain automatically when the pool pump is turned off, or a manual drain may be installed. To isolate your system, first turn your pump off, let the system drain completely for a couple of hours (or drain panels manually if necessary). If you are able, opening the lower header end cap on the roof is a fail-safe way to make sure your panels are completely empty. Once the system is completely drained, close your isolation valves. Please keep reading, especially if you have automated valves!

It is critical that the 3-way solar bypass valve remains in the solar-off (bypass) position. If the 3-way valve is turned to the solar-on position and the isolation valves are closed, your pump will “dead head,” possibly causing catastrophic failure of your plumbing or pump.

Click here for additional information about how to identify open and closed valves.

If you have an automated controller, there are multiple ways to turn your solar pool heater off, but generally speaking you can turn the desired temperature down as far as it can go. Some controllers have manual off switches. The motorized actuator on the 3-way solar bypass valve has a switch that can be used to stop the valve from turning. Unless you are very comfortable with your automation system and/or pool valves, it is not recommended that you attempt to isolate your solar pool heater for the summer without professional assistance. For a nominal charge, Fafco Solar can come out to fully drain and isolate your system and return after summer to start, test, and optimize your system.

As expected, Cape Coral passed the Public Service Tax measure on April 29, 2013. The tax impacts every utility electric customer in the City. The more you use electricity, the more tax you pay.

As I noted in my earlier post, solar energy producers can avoid tax on every kilowatt-hour they reduce or produce with solar energy.

The City of Cape Coral released an online calculator that has a few deficiencies. Most importantly to me is that the calculator ignores solar producing customers using LCEC’s netmetering program (both commercial and residential). If you are a small commercial (non-demand charge) or residential customer with solar electric panels and you have a netmetered account, you pay different rates than standard utility customers. As a result, your tax calculation is different. The City’s calculator only shows large commercial (demand charge) rates, and not small commercial rates.

The good news is that there isn’t much tax difference for netmetered customers, who often pay lower rates than those who don’t produce solar energy. In fact, many residential netmetered customers fall below the 500 kWh tax threshold, so they will pay no tax except tax on the customer charge, or $1.35. Netmetered customers with an energy surplus in any month will also pay just $1.35!

I felt obligated to produce a better calculator that could be used by most commercial and residential netmetered customers who are producing solar energy. This calculator should match Cape Coral’s calculator for residential customers without solar electricity.

If the calculator does not appear below, you may access it directly at: http://szumlanski.com/PST/

Assumptions and Disclaimers: This calculator is based on the 7% Public Service Tax as approved on April 29, 2013 and utility rates are accurate as of May 1, 2013 to the best of my knowledge. SolarSouthwestFlorida and it’s author are not responsible for and errors or omissions in this calculator.  Please use with caution. Results are for approximate reference only. Rounding errors may exist. The City of Cape Coral’s office calculator can be accessed by clicking here.

Calling all real estate agents in Southwest Florida!

There is an updated form released by the Appraisal Institute® called the Residential Green and Energy Efficient Addendum (Form 820.04). This form provides a way to value solar energy systems on homes that allow the value to be included in residential and commercial real estate appraisals.

It has long been known that solar energy system increase real estate values and reduce the time on the market for home sales. Only recently have widely accepted tools been released. Since there are so many solar panel systems in Southwest Florida, it’s important that real estate professionals understand the implications during the valuation and buying process so they can advise clients accurately.

If you are a real estate professional that would like a complete valuation report for a solar energy system, or just a friendly ballpark estimate for a solar energy system you run across, let me know – I can help!

Lots of people ask about solar panel efficiency, but I usually find out that they don’t really know what the efficiency of a solar panel means. As it turns out, the definition of solar panel efficiency is pretty clear, but people are surprised to find out that its often not a deciding factor. Why is this?

High Efficiency SunPower Solar Panels in Fort Myers, FL

Solar panel efficiency simply measures how much solar radiation it can convert per square meter to usable electricity based on a standardized test condition. A particular solar panel might produce a lot more power than another, but that does not necessarily mean it is more efficient. It may simply be larger.

More efficient solar panels are typically more expensive on a per-rated-watt basis. Getting more out of a solar cell of a given size is challenging. It makes sense for a manufacturer to work to increase cell efficiency up to a certain point because there are fixed component costs for a given module size (glass, frame, junction box, etc.) However, generally speaking, more efficiency means more cost.

As a result, it might not make the best sense to seek a highly efficient solar panel. You should probably be more concerned with cost efficiency – the lowest cost per watt. (Note: really you want the lowest cost for the amount of energy the system will produce over its lifetime, which is largely, but not totally based on the rated wattage).

One good reason to choose a highly efficient solar panel would be if the amount of space available for installation is a limiting factor. However, I find this is not usually a primary concern, and lower cost, lower efficiency solar modules are selected. Sometimes highly efficient solar panels, like SunPower, have other features that may make them a viable choice despite their higher dollars-per-watt price.

If you are comparing solar panel efficiencies, just be aware that higher efficiency solar panels are not necessarily better. There is more to consider, especially cost.

I thought April 15 would be a great day to talk about the tax benefits of solar electricity. However, I’m not really going to talk about the massive 30% tax credit you can take on a solar electric (solar photovoltaic or PV) system. I want to talk about the tax implications of the stream of income that follows an investment in solar energy.

The return you get on a solar energy investment isn’t usually dollars back in your pocket or bank account in the traditional sense of investing. Your return is the reduced electricity bills you will see for the next 40 years (yes, solar energy systems will still produce energy well after their 25 year warranties!) The beauty of this return on investment is that it comes tax-free!

Investment Return Required Compared to $1,000 Solar Investment Return

Right now you are paying your electricity bill with after-tax income. If you want to compare the solar investment return with other investment alternatives, you have to consider the taxes you would pay on those alternatives. For example, let’s say you have the choice to invest some amount of money that will reduce your electric bill by $1,000 in the first year and you are comparing this to a stock investment of the same amount that you expect to provide capital gains in one year. At 15% capital gains tax, your stock investment would have to return $1,176.47 to be equivalent. If you are lucky enough to be in the new 20% capital gains bracket, the comparable stock investment would need to return $1,250.00.

If you are comparing a solar investment to an alternative investment that will be taxed at your regular marginal income tax rate, the comparable investment return may need to be even higher – $1,655.63 if you are in the new 39.6% income tax bracket!

Note: There is a new medicare tax on investment income that is ignored from these examples, making solar even more attractive in relation.

Another way to look at this is to figure out how much more you would have to invest in an alternative to get the same after-tax return as solar energy. Using the top tax bracket as an example, you would have to invest 65.6% more to get the same after-tax return in dollar terms!

This is just the tip of the iceberg. As time goes on, solar electricity will presumably offset a larger dollar amount on your electricity bill as electricity rates increase. Therefore, your comparable investment return would need to continue to grow to keep pace. Also, presumably your income will continue to increase, putting you into higher tax brackets, further increasing the required comparable investment return. Finally, most American’s believe that today’s tax rates are not likely to remain as low as they are.

There are very few tax-free investment alternatives out there. Traditional tax-free investments like municipal bonds often provide paltry returns or significant risk (many states and municipalities are in financial trouble). Solar electricity is a tax-free investment that is very low risk and just gets better as inflation and higher taxes take hold.

Did I mention that you get a 30% tax credit in the tax year in which you install a solar electric system?

What is the ideal pool temperature in Southwest Florida? We ask people all the time, “what’s your desired pool temperature?” We get all kinds of answers, but usually it’s a number in degrees. I’d like to point out that it’s all relative!

An unheated pool today in Fort Myers was around 74°F. The outdoor temperature reached 84°F in clear sunny skies today. Getting into a 74°F pool might as well get you an honorary membership to the Polar Bear Club. Okay, maybe it’s not that bad, but a pool that is ten degrees cooler than the ambient temperature sure feels cold, especially at first. Even if you consider 74°F very comfortable, as my Canadian family might, the initial shock of a cold pool may make you think twice about enjoying your pool – and that’s a shame!

Naturally, this is the time of year that people start wanting to use their pools. Daytime temperatures are rising. Family and friends are visiting. Kids are on Spring Break. The disappointment of shockingly cold temperatures is enough to cause buyers remorse for that expensive pool in your backyard. The fact is, pool temperatures lag ambient air temperatures significantly, and most people do not get the enjoyment they want from “the most expensive room in their home” at the time when it’s more desirable to swim.

The solution, of course, is a solar pool heater. A typical solar heated pool in Southwest Florida today was 84°F - 89°F. Pools that remain covered when not in use are typically 5°F warmer. A customer told me today that his pool had reached 92 degrees and he had to turn his solar pool heater off for the first time this season already!

A solar pool heater remains important even into summer, especially for people who hate the initial shock of a relatively cool pool. Even an 85°F pool feels cold at first when it’s 95°F outside. It’s all relative!

P.S. A solar pool heater with an automated controller can actually cool your pool at night. If you like to really cool off on a hot summer’s day, we can make that relative temperature a reality, too!

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 local solar energy industry. For virtually all of the 38 years that my employer has been installing solar pool heaters, there have been no rebates or tax credits. There has always been a clear and attractive return on investment with solar pool heaters vs. gas or electric heat pumps without any incentives whatsoever.

Solar electricity has long been seen as out-of-reach technology for the masses, and was admittedly expensive in the recent past. What most people don’t realize is that solar electric systems have come down in price dramatically in the last few years. In fact, wholesale solar electric panel costs have come down over 80% in just the last three years! The total installed price of a system has come down by 60%. Here’s a key fact: The cost of purchasing a solar electric system today without incentives is less than the cost of the same system with incentives three years ago! I should mention that there is still a 30% Federal Tax Credit available for solar electric systems.

Some effective solar energy products like solar water heaters currently have great incentives available, but don’t garner much attention. Others like solar attic fans and solar tubular skylights may have no incentives, yet the price point makes them a popular entry-level solar energy product.

Incentives can be very disruptive. They skew the market and create the perception that the true cost of a product is too high for it to stand on its own. The FL State Solar Rebate program (which is long behind us) was underfunded by the Florida legislature and left the industry with a black eye. Incentives encourage sellers to artificially inflate selling prices. Limited incentive programs like some utility rebates create an unfair playing field for potential buyers and ultimately reduce the adoption of customer owned solar energy systems. The solar industry and its customers gladly embraced all available incentives over the years. The news and marketing message from the industry ingrained the public perception that incentives are a fundamental requirement for solar energy.

The local Southwest Florida solar energy consumer has little to worry about when it comes to net installed prices. This happens to be the most price competitive area in the nation for solar pool heating systems, brought on by fierce competition and strong demand. Typical solar electric prices locally are a full $1 per watt lower than the national average – about 20% lower than states that have healthy incentive programs. While incentives have helped spur demand for solar energy in many states, the demand is largely a result of a slew of leasing companies chasing rebates, which has the effect of reducing the dollar benefit to the ultimate consumer. Incentives are, and should be, a short-term stimulus to an emerging industry.

The solar industry has emerged. We shouldn’t worry about solar rebates anymore. The likelihood of expanded Federal programs or new State programs for distributed solar power generation are less than remote. Utility rebate programs currently in place are ineffective and should not be renewed, at least in their current form. The combination of plummeting component costs, a highly competitive local marketplace, and a growing demand for solar products nation- and world-wide is great for the industry. The misconception that solar energy needs incentives to be successful is old news. Hopefully we can put the myth to bed here tonight!”

Note: my actual speech may have varied slightly from what I had prepared.

Pool plumbing can be confusing. Solar pool heating valves can add to that confusion. If you want to learn how to turn off and isolate your solar pool heating system with manual valves, you’ve come to the right place. The images and videos below show you how to turn the valves correctly to change the flow of water in your system.

What’s pictured below is what we call a solar pool heating manifold. It is a system of valves to bypass and isolate your system. To prevent pump damage, you must bypass the solar loop before isolating the system for service or repair. This article focuses on high-quality two-way and three-way valves installed by Fafco Solar. It applies to valves made by Pentair, Praher, Jandy, and Hayward – all work basically the same way. Note that this does not apply to basic red, gray, or blue handled ball valves, which are far inferior to the valves shown. Ball valves have different handle orientations, so this article should not be followed for those systems.

(Click for Larger Images) Note – this manifold is shown with the 3-way valve on the right. In some systems this will be flipped and the 3-way valve will be on the left. The concept is the same, but you may click here for left bypass images.

Solar Pool Heat Valves Open

In this position, water is travelling through the 3-way valve to the solar panels and returning to the pool.

Solar Pool Heat Valves Bypassed

In this position, water is bypassing the solar, turning solar heating off.

Solar Pool Heat Valves Closed (Isolated)

In this position, water is bypassing the solar, turning solar heating off, and the isolation valves are closed, ensuring that no water can pass to or from the panels. It is critical that your 3-way (bypass) valve be in the proper position before isolating your system. Otherwise, the water would have nowhere to go, and you pump may be damaged.

Here is a video showing the procedure to go from solar on mode to bypass mode to isolation mode.

 

For more information on how these valves work, here is another video.

 

Note that the OFF tab on the valve handle always points to the pipe that is blocked. Your system may or may not have labels, but the important thing to remember is that the OFF tab is where the gate that stops water flow is located. In the picture below, the solar panels are bypassed, and water is returned to the pool without going to the roof.

Solar Pool Heating 3-Way Valve (Solar Bypassed)

 

Your valve configuration may be different, on the ground rather than the wall, or may not contain all of the pictured valves. If you have any questions about how to turn off and isolate your solar pool heating system, call Fafco Solar at (239) 574-1500.

 

 

 

Santa wants you to be good, which helps reduce fossil fuel (coal) usage.  :)

In all seriousness, I am seeing lots of interest in the gift that keeps on giving throughout the year(s) – especially solar pool heating, one of the best gifts you can give a family with a pool. Solar electric panels are like an annuity that keeps on putting money in the recipient’s pocket year after year.

Forget savings bonds, stocks, and CDs. Give the gift of solar panels for Christmas!

I spoke to about 100 fifth grade students at Tanglewood Elementary in Fort Myers today. After several questions about the cost of solar panels, one student asked, “How much do solar panels cost on Black Friday?”

Needless to say, my answer was prefaced by a long pause – I didn’t prepare for that one.

I fielded well over 30 questions by my estimation. The vast majority of questions were surprisingly keen and perceptive. I have spoken to kids before about solar energy, but a raucous crowd of ten year-old kids can really get excitable. As usual, three or four students had their hands straight up, as if they were trying to touch the sun, just about the entire presentation. I was definitely not one of those kids, preferring to sit in the back of the class, staying in the shade of the teacher’s visual range.

I don’t have children of my own. Occasional interaction with my nieces and nephew are the extent of my experience with kids. I was nervous about doing Q&A with such a large group, but the students turned out to be extremely respectful and kept on subject the entire time. Here are a few of the great questions asked:

• How many solar panels does it take to make power for a hotel?
• What about a condo? An apartment?
• Can the solar panels get broken? Can you change just one solar panel if it breaks?
• What happens in a hurricane? What if a solar panel comes off the roof?
• How much does a solar panel cost?
• How big can a solar panel be?
• Why don’t cars have solar panels on them?
• How small can a solar panel be?
• Do solar panels come in different colors?
• Why would you want a solar water heating panel instead of a solar electric panel?
• How does the water get from the pipes (headers) into the small tubes in a solar pool heating panel?
• How does a solar pool heating panel get put together?

I had a good answer for the last one having just returned from the FAFCO factory in Chico, California. I was so excited to share how they put together the solar pool heating panels.

What’s struck me the most is how similar the questions are to those asked by adults – customers! I get the sense that kids just “get it.” Perhaps they have been taught about solar panels or have seen them on TV or the Internet. They are growing up understanding that we have a great selection of energy choices, and we don’t need to accept the status quo. They have a great sense about relationship between energy, money, and sustainability.

The greatest challenge for my industry, particularly here in Florida, is educating the public about how the products my company sells work. The next generations may not need the same degree of education to embrace solar energy. For now, I’m relying on the “Burrowing Owls” of Tanglewood Elementary to take the message home to their families!

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.
• Specialized parts are not available for purchase locally or require long lead times.
• Some parts seem inexplicably high in price, so cheaper alternatives are used.

The picture below (left) shows a strain relief fitting that is not listed for the environment in which it is installed, and is intended for a single wire to pass into an electrical enclosure. The rubber seal is cracking and the metal parts are clearly corroding. Most importantly, water can get into this enclosure because the seal is intended to tighten against one cable or wire.

It’s an easy mistake to make. Multiple hole strain relief fittings are available, but are certainly not well known, and are not widely available, at least in Southwest Florida. Some local electrical supply houses do carry single and multiple conductor strain reliefs, but they are often the wrong size (usually to large) to handle small wires from photovoltaic panels. Strain relief fittings made from nylon with up to 13 holes are not hard to find online, but are not common in local stores.

Part procurement takes a lot of planning, and local solar contractors need to carry an inventory of common parts that are needed in solar electric installations. Knowledge of the availability and suitability of the right parts for solar is key to a long lasting solar energy installation.

It’s just one more reason to hire a Southwest Florida licensed solar contracting professional that does solar installations as a primary line of business.

As if FPL’s solar rebate program didn’t run out of funds fast enough the last time around, Tampa Electric’s Solar Photovoltaic allotment of rebates evaporated in one minute – less time than FPL applicants found themselves having to secure a lucrative rebate. TECO’s solar rebate program, which released funds this morning at 10 am, was expected to run out of funds on the first day like the FPL program, but this is a record time for rebates to be snatched up.

This is NOT a “first-come, first served” application process like the utility companies would have you believe. It is basically a lottery, but a lottery that can legally be rigged by companies who have figured out the technology required to get a leg up when the rebate application system goes live.

The process is senseless. The utilities are hoodwinking the public. The real goal is not to “help utility customers get into solar energy.” If it were, the rebate amounts would be sensible, and the programs would benefit a broader customer base than the lucky few who get a windfall rebate approval.

The next round of funding is coming for FPL customers in Southwest Florida. If you live in Naples, Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, or any of FPL’s SWFL service area, I highly advise that you contact your solar dealer urgently and try your hand at getting a solar rebate. The rebate could pay for half of your system, and the Federal Tax Credit can cover a big chunk of what’s left. You need to act NOW!

P.S. Fafco Solar is a good choice for a licensed local solar dealer!    (239) 574-1500.

License: CVC56701