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Solar is a key component of our national strategy. Our goal is to make solar photovoltaic-based electricity cost-competitive nationwide by 2015 – and sooner in some states. Secretary Samuel W. Bodman, DOE 2008
Another pathway for Texas solar energy development is through installations of small- scale renewable energy systems. Photovoltaics (PV) in particular represent a significant opportunity for low-impact installations on existing structures already used for other purposes, thereby circumventing the need for dedicated land to produce energy. If they include storage devices, PV systems may eliminate the need to connect to the
electric grid.
Year 2008 promises to be another record-breaking year for PV installations in the United States. According to a March 2007 report by Solarbuzz, the installation of solar photovoltaic devices in the United States increased by about 33 percent in 2006. The green pricing policies of electricity service providers and the expansion of federal income tax
credits for commercial and residential solar energy
projects has stimulated the U.S. solar industry’s rapid
growth, but the federal tax credits will expire at the end of 2008, and
were not extended by Congress in 2007.
In June 2007, the University of Texas at Austin produced a study, Opportunity on the Horizon: Photovoltaics in Texas Solar, which suggests that by 2020 the solar industry could create 123,000 new jobs in advanced technology, manufacturing and electrical services while reducing the cost of solar power from the current unrebated average retail price
of $.21 per kilowatt hour to $0.10 per kilowatt-hour
by 2010. Texans currently pay close to 13 cents per kilowatt hour for electricity. The study suggests that by 2010, solar-generated electricity will be highly competitive with electric power generated by other methods.
To respond to the increasing demand for PV installations, additional certified installers have become a critical need in the industry (see this article, Who will install a million solar roofs?).
Distributed Generation (a PUC page with all the policies that are in place)
List of Distributed Generation Contact Persons in the Utilities
PV Resources
SECO's PV Projects
How Does PV Work?
Hybrid Electric Systems
Flat-plate
and Concentrator Systems
Solar America Board of Codes and Standards
How Does PV Work?
Photovoltaic (PV) systems convert light (photo) into electric voltage (voltaic). The basic building block of a PV system is the solar cell. When sunlight strikes PV cells, electrons are released
and then gathered to create an electrical current. A thin silicon cell, four inches
across, can produce about one watt of direct current electrical power in full
sunlight. The direct current is converted into alternating current to operate household appliances. One PV cell alone may not produce much power, but a number of photovoltaic cells are grouped together into arrays, large panels or sheets that collectively form a solar collector system.
PV solar parts have no moving parts, do not require water, do not make noise or produce any wastes or emissions. Solar electric systems can be connected to local utility grids in urban areas to reduce costs or they can be off-grid, stand alone systems. Some electricity providers offer consumers credit for excess power produced by the system. View this short video from the U.S. Department of Energy to learn more about how solar panels work.
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Source: U. S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
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Some of PV's Many Uses
PV technologies already touch our lives in diverse ways such as
water pumps, highway signs, communications equipment, satellites, wrist watches,
calculators, medical equipment, water
purifiers, streetlights,
lighting homes and running appliances. Integrated into buildings and other urban settings, photovoltaics could satisfy a large portion of Texas’ future energy needs.
PV panels can be packaged in any size desired and can be installed on existing homes or structures already used for other purposes, thereby circumventing the need for dedicated land to produce energy or requiring the huge expense of extending miles and miles of electric transmission lines. Smaller PV panels are used for a variety of purposes. A great number of arrays can be grouped together on solar farms that stretch across many acres of land. All this makes photovoltaics a particularly promising technology for Texas, Land of the Sun, although PV systems work well in cold or hot weather. See How Solar Photovoltaic Cells Work, a Futures Channel movie.
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Flat-plate
and Concentrator Systems
A PV system's size and cost depends on the amount and efficiency
of the electrical devices that are planned for the home. PV
systems can be classified into two general categories: flat-plate
systems or concentrator systems.
Flat-plate
system
The most common array design
uses flat-plate PV modules or panels. These panels can either
be fixed in place or allowed to track the movement of the
sun. This photo shows the flat-plate system designed by University of Texas at Austin students. The UT solar decathlon team won the award for best design and livability. |
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Flat stand-alone system
PV arrays for stand-alone systems are used in many ways, such as this PV powered lighting for a parking lot. The PV array must be solidly mounted and able last for many years in all kinds of weather and the should be designed to meet the wind load requirements of the region. |
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Concentrator photovoltaics (CPV)
A CPV system concentrates sunlight by means of mirrors and lenses. It uses less solar cell material and relatively inexpensive materials such as plastic
lenses and metal housings to capture the solar energy shining
on a fairly large area. It then focuses that energy onto a smaller
area, where the solar cell is located. |
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The following DOE web pages describe the various systems at work:
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Hybrid Electric Systems
Hybrid systems can be designed to achieve desired attributes at the lowest possible cost. Hybrid electric systems combine wind and PV systems to make the most of the area's seasonal wind and solar resources, with wind relatively more available in winter months and solar relatively more available in summer months.
These systems are often stand-alone, distributed energy generators.
This is a U.S. Department of Energy diagram of a hybrid power system. The wind supplies energy through a wind turbine, and the sun supplies energy through a PV system. Four batteries back up the hybrid system with non-intermittent electric power.
For the times when neither system is producing enough electric power, most hybrid systems have backup power through batteries and/or an engine generator powered by conventional fuels, such as diesel. |
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Hybrid systems combining wind and solar technologies are especially attractive for rural electrification projects in remote areas far from the power grid. This photos shows a stand-alone hybrid system used by a rural homeowner for electrical power.
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The use of small PV/wind hybrid systems for household electricity is attractive because of the complementary seasonal solar and wind resources. This photo shows a grid-connected hybrid system used by a homeowner for electrical power.
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Solar America Board of Codes and Standards (SolarABCs)
SolarABCs works within the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar America Initiative to to address code development and outreach activities in areas of solar market penetration, such as building electrical codes, product safety, interconnection procedures and standards that facilitate the installation of high quality, safe photovoltaic systems.
SECO's PV Projects
SECO's Renewable
Energy Demonstration Program promotes new technological developments which
use photovoltaic systems, as demonstrated by the following
projects:
Renewable
Energy at Work - Pflugerville
This
Renewable Energy at Work project includes a demonstration of renewable energy
for a City of Pflugerville's Park and Recreation setting. The installation will
provide electricity to a new barn and light one half mile of hike and bike trail.
The trail will have a solar/wind system located on a picnic shelter sub-station.
The barn will employ a PV system and wind generation. The City of Pflugerville
will provide active and static renewable energy educational programs to the general
public through the Pflugerville school district.
Renewable
Energy at Work - Nolan Creek
This
Renewable Energy at Work project provides the design and installation of solar
lighting technology at the Nolan Creek Hike and Bike trails parking area. The
installation provides solar lighting for the parking areas in and around the hike
and bike trail. The installation process was documented as a learning tool for
the community outreach and educational component.
Renewable
Energy Technologies Demonstration
West Texas A & M University (WTAMU), Alternative Energy
Institute is designing, procuring, and installing solar
PV energy systems, solar hot water systems, wind energy
system, geothermal energy system and data acquisition systems
at at Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's (TPWD) Sheldon
Lake Environmental Center. TPWD is coordinating and providing
staff assistance to WTAMU on the design, site specifications,
and installation preparation of each of the renewable energy
technologies. The site is designated as a renewable energy
technologies demonstration and educational site.
Texas Solar for Schools
Program: Sun Power Lighting Schools, Teaching Students
SECO has funded 11small-scale solar energy systems to school
districts across the state. Each school receives a nominal
1 kW system, a computer-based monitoring system, and several
additional hands-on learning tools to enhance the educational
component of the project as well as student and staff training.
During the installation, students are encouraged to participate
as they are introduced to educational materials developed
as part of the statewide campaign to educate Texans about
renewable energy resources. SECO assists teachers by providing
lesson plans that correspond to the renewable energy fact
sheets. The lesson plans provide additional ideas for hands-on
projects that use readily available materials and cover several
areas of study. For additional information see Texas
Solar for Schools.
Small
Scale Solar PV Systems in Public School Districts
SECO provided cost share funding for the installation of small
scale solar PV systems in public school districts (ISD) in
the City of Austin - Austin Energy's electric utility area.
The project provides on-site operation and maintenance training
for school staff; assists the ISD's in identifying community
outreach partners; develops procedures for ISDs to conduct
tours and visitor logs of the solar energy system; and assists
the selected ISDs in the development and implementation of
a community outreach program that describes the economics
and environmental benefits of renewable energy and its improving
technologies.
University
of Texas/Houston Health Science Center
The center has installed a 20kW
photovoltaic (PV) installation atop their six-floor garage. The system will
generate enough electricity to power the garage. SECO's partnership in this
project will enable a university student to collect and monitor PV data, as well
as provide training for UT/Houston personnel in PV systems.
Stand-Alone
Photovoltaic (PV)
The stand-alone PV for Electric Cooperatives in Texas,
which educates rural electric cooperatives about the benefits of photovoltaic
(PV) energy systems, has been highly successful. The goals of the project include
education and training, technical support, and purchasing and installation support
of PV for rural electric cooperatives in Texas. Since 1997, nine workshops for
member electric cooperatives have been held, reaching more than 50% of the 75
cooperatives in Texas and providing Texas Electric Cooperative member utilities
with greater confidence to use the technology. To date, more than 9,000 watts
of PV have been installed, primarily for water pumping.
PV Resources
Renewable Energy Education in Texas - Universities and Organizations
This is a list of Texas universities and organizations that offer programs involving renewable energy.
Austin Energy - Solar PV Rebate Program
Austin Community College (ACC) Solar Energy Installer Training
SECO and Austin Community College (ACC) Workforce Development Center offers the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) Entry Level Certificate Program. For additional information, see the ACC Course Schedule and these videos of students working on PV panel installations. 2008 Syllabus for Solar Electric Systems, Entry-Level.
Austin Community College (ACC) Advanced Solar Photovoltaic Installer
An advanced course in the proper design and installation of NEC code-compliant solar photovoltaic (PV) systems for use on residential and commercial buildings. Course includes: sizing of solar electric systems; specification of system components; and sizing of DC/AC wiring. Prepares students for the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) Solar Photovoltaic (PV) System Installer certification exam after meeting all of the experience requirements. This course is designed for those involved in the solar industry or a related field and is intended for licensed electricians, contractors, or those with a strong understanding of solar electric systems and electrical principles. See the Course Syllabus and these videos of ACC students working on PV panel installations.
These fact sheets can be found on SECO's Infinite Power of Texas web site:
Farm Tests Solar-Powered Irrigation System August 2007
An experiment conducted by the Cape Girardeau County office of the USDA's Natural Resource Conservation Service is capturing the power of sunlight to provide fuel for irrigation. So far, the results have exceeded expectations, a local NRCS engineer said.
Connecting to the Grid Guide 2007
The Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) has published a new edition of its Connecting to the Grid guide. The fifth edition of this guide, published in July 2007, addresses new and lingering interconnection issues that are relevant to all distributed generation technologies, including renewables, fuel cells, microturbines, and reciprocating engines. Because the interconnection of small distributed generators remains largely in the domain of states, the guide targets state regulators, other government officials, and utility representatives.
Distributed Generation Interconnection Manual
The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) prepared this manual to guide
the inclusion of distributed generation (DG) into the Texas electric system. It is intended for use by utility engineers processing distributed generation interconnection applications, as well as those considering the interconnection of distributed generation with a transmission and distribution utility. The manual includes a review of safety and technical requirements of DG installations; a copy of applicable rules, application procedures and forms; Texas utility contacts and equipment pre-certification requirements.
Photovoltaics - Attaching to the Electric Grid
A Texas Solar Energy Society web page.
Making the Utility Connection for Larger Systems
This is a DOE-funded article prepared by the Southwest Technology Development Institute and published in STWI's Code Corner.
Going off the Grid - Making
Your Own Clean Electricity
This DOE web site discusses generating electricity using your own small renewable energy
system fits the circumstances and values of some home and
small-business owners. Although it takes time and money to
research, buy, and maintain a system, many people enjoy the
independence they gain and the knowledge that their actions
are helping the environment. renewable energy system can be
used to supply some or all of your electricity needs. Some
people, especially those in remote areas, use the electricity
from their systems in place of electricity supplied to them by
power providers (i.e. electric utilities). These are called stand-alone
(off-grid) systems
Installing and Maintaining a Small Solar Electric System
This U.S. Department of Energy web site gives information about how proper installation and maintenance of your small solar electric or photovoltaic (PV) system is essential for maximizing its energy performance.
Off-Grid
PV Fact Sheet
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PV powered water pump.
PV powered race car.
