| Utility-Interactive PV Systems |
CI SolarSuppliesCo On-Line Catalog |
| SOLAR ELECTRICITY Anyone can help clean up the environment by producing electricity from sunlight with a home or business solar system. BP Solarex solar electric generators produce absolutely no noise or air pollution. This clean electricity will displace electricity that would otherwise be generated from the burning of fossil fuels such as coal and oil that produce acid rain, smog, and the greenhouse gases that are responsible for global warming.By investing in your own BP Solarex solar electric generator, you are demonstrating to your family, neighbors, and community that you recognize the problems associated with greenhouse gases and the consequences of doing business as usual. This is a statement that you are caring and doing something. |
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| THE ENVIRONMENT
The extreme weather patterns of the last few years have left little doubt that continuing to produce greenhouse gases by burning fossil fuel is affecting the earth's climate. The environmental consequences of polluted air are becoming more evident as time goes on. It is imperative that those of us who care for the quality of our environment and the future of our children, and grandchildren, lead by example. If we take action today, it is still possible to stop this trend. |
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| WHICH SYSTEM? We offer three types of systems, each in several sizes:
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 Amorphous
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Crystalline |
| Amorphous Series | BP Solarex Millenium or UniSolar thin film solar panels produce about 5 watts per square foot in full sunlight, and can be the least cost option. See UniSolar Catalog | |
| BP Solarex UT Series | BP Solarex crystalline solar panels produce10Watts per square foot in full sunlight. These systems require about half the surface area as compared to thin film panels, but cost slightly more per Watt. | |
| Solarex UTB Series | Expanded version of the UT series that includes batteries to provide you with back up power in the event of a utility powerfailure or black out. Depending on the size of your system and your electricdemand,you can power all or some of your electrical needs, even during extended periods of power outage, lasting days or weeks. Can also be combined with wind or water power. Also used for remote homes that are not on grid. | |
| DO I HAVE A SUITABLE SITE FOR SOLAR?
The best place for solar panels is a sloped asphalt shingled roof facing south andfree of shade from 9AM to 4PM. The fewer obstacles like vents andchimneys, the better. The roof covering should be in good condition with at least a 3/4 inch wood underlayment. If your roof does not meet these criteria,wecan still work with you to see if the panels can be mounted on otherstructures near the house, or they can be pole mounted. |
| HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? About $5 per Watt. The size and type of the system you choose will depend on the amount of electricity you use, the size of your south-facing roof, and how much you wish to invest. Systems can be sized to provide 10% to 100% of your total power needs. The US Federal Government and many state governments are encouraging people to purchase their own pollution- free electric generators. The State of California is offering $4.50 per watt through the California Energy Commission's buydown program, if you are in the service territory of PG&E, SCE, or SDG&E. If you decide to sign a purchase agreement and make a 25% deposit, we will make a buy down reservation for you with the California Energy Commission and schedule the installation of your BP Solarex system for a time that is convenient for you. Typical buyback(rebates) listed in the table below are for California and may apply to some other states. The installation can usually be accomplished in one or two days. A building permit and final inspection are required for the buy-down payment. Do it yourself or our licensed installers will obtain the required building permit and will make sure the project passes final inspection. This will be your assurance that the system is installed properly and meets all the electrical and safety codes.YES,WE PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER-APPROVED (Stamped) PLANS/td> |
| GRID-TIE BASICS. A utility grid-tie generating system puts power into the grid and slows or reverses your electric meter. The DC-to-AC inverter is synchronous with utility power. California is presently offering a large rebate on grid-tie (limited to 10kW for homes). Some states allow net metering (map). Most states will limit solar/wind energy production to 10kW per customer (because that is all that some 120/240V neighborhood transformers will handle). |
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| State by State Listings. Click for details: USA Incentives |
| Power Inverter System Overview:
The heart of any of these systems is a grid-interactive inverter such as the SW or SunTie models by Trace Technologies. The inverter takes electrical power generated by solar cells, converts it from direct current(DC) to alternating current (AC), and supplies it for household use.Excess power generated during the daytime hours is fed back into the utility power grid for use at other utility locations. If the amount of power generated by the solar panels is insufficient for the home's needs,the system draws neededenergy from the utility power network (or from the batteries, in the UTB series,if the grid is down). |
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| Grid Interactive Inverters: Trace grid interactive inverters and converters provide the critical interface between energy systems that produce or store electric energy in DC form and transfer that energy as AC power to the home and utility grid. Unique software control allows Trace Technologies' inverters to be easily connected to various power sources such as solar photovoltaics, wind electric generators, hydroelectric generators, batteries, and fuel cells. | |
| Trace's SW series inverter has taken the concept
of "Your Own Power Company" to new heights. Now you can start your own
small-scaleutility, powered by solar (or wind or hydro), and safely interconnect
withthe local power company. (Check with local authorities for any restrictions.)
At night, when solar power is unavailable, or when load demands exceedthe
capacity of your renewable generating system, utility power is automatically
supplied through the Trace inverter. Designed for exacting utility standards,
the SW series inverter automatically synchronizes with the utilities' power
to produce a waveform suitable to feed into the electrical grid. Some users
with large solar (PV) systems actually get monthly checks, instead of bills,
from their local utilities, because their power demands are less than they
generate.
Trace builds a sinewave, grid-tie inverter that does not require batteries.These are called the SunTie models. Safety is a key feature of all of these unique inverters. If a power outage occurs, the Trace inverter immediately stops sending electricity to the grid in order to protect service personnel who may be working on the lines. Options for these utility tie systems include ground-fault interruption for PV array, weather-proof enclosure for the inverter, and fully code approved AC and DC disconnects. Battery Backup System. Trace inverters can also be used in battery-backed applications, either tied to the utility grid,as in our UTB series listed above, or in standalone, remote power systems. WIND POWER. A wind turbine generator may be lower cost in your area, particularly in prarie states and provinces or in coastal regions.Can be either grid-tied or standalone. Refer to our separate information onwind electric power. |
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| Prices - - BP Solarex UB Utility-Tie Solar Electric Generators with Battery Backup | |||||||
| The following listed BP Solarex systems includetheTrace Sinewave Inverter. The system uses the power from the solar panels to charge the battery bank and once fully charged will automatically sell the excess power you generate to the utility company, by reversing your electric meter. When there is a power failure, the system wil lpower,via the inverter, the selected loads that are connected to a sub panel. During the blackout, solar power will replenish the battery on daily basis as long as your electricgeneration matches your consumption. When utility power is restored,the loads will be transferred to utility power and the batteries will charge from a combination of solar and utility power; then the inverter will resume selling excess power to the utility company. Input voltage 48VDC, output voltage120VAC. Selling power back to the grid requires authorization by your utility company. Average installation cost will vary from $600 to $2500,depending on the size of the system andlocation. The installation is more difficult than the UT series, below. | |||||||
| BP Solarex UTBSystems | |||||||
| Model No. | UTB 1000 | UTB 1500 | UTB 2000 | UTB 2500 | UTB 3000 | UTB 4000 | UTB 5000 |
| PV Peak Power (WattsDC)STC | 1200 | 1920 | 2400 | 2900 | 3600 | 4800 | 6000 |
| PV Peak Power (WattsAC)PTC | 987 | 1579 | 1974 | 2369 | 2961 | 3948 | 4987 |
| PV Area (Sq Ft) | 120 | 190 | 240 | 290 | 360 | 480 | 600 |
| Annual Output (KWH/Year) | 1800 | 2880 | 3600 | 4320 | 5400 | 7200 | 9100 |
| Inverter Size(WattsContinuous) | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 | 5500 |
| Battery Capacity ( KWH) | 4.8 | 4.8 | 10.8 | 10.8 | 21.6 | 21.6 | 21.6 |
| List Price | $15,160 | $19,905 | $23,966 | $27,188 | $33,539 | $41,872 | $50,439 |
| Owner-Builder Price | $13,248 | $17,385 | $20,954 | $23,737 | $27,928 | $36,547 | $44,013 |
| California Rebate (@$4.5/Watt) | $4,441 | $7,105 | $8,883 | $10,660 | $13,324 | $17,766 | $22,441 |
| Prices - - BP Solarex UT Utility-Tie Solar Electric Generators without BatteryBackup | ||||||
| BP SOLAREX UT Utility-Tie Systems which incorporate the Trace SunTie inverter will reverse the spin on your utility meter during the day, thus lowering your electric consumption from the utility company. Input voltage is 48VDC nominal; output voltage 240VAC. The inverter has a display panel that shows cumulative kWH production per day. All of these systems include the optional rainshield forthe inverter, all required AC and DC disconnects and overcurrent protection including array ground fault protection. These systems include flush mount (at rooftilt) for the BP Solarex SX120 Solar modules. All systems come with a 5-year warranty on the inverter and a 20-year warranty on the modules, and a 5-year guarantee on the balance, issued by CI. You should also get a 5-year installation warranty from yourinstaller whether done by CI's installer or your local installer. Labor guarantee is not required if you do most of the work yourself (owner-builder)). Easy to install - - if you have installed electrical cable and can work safely on a roof. | ||||||
| BP Solarex UT Systems | ||||||
| Model No. | UT 1000 | UT 1500 | UT 2000 | UT 2500 | UT 4000 | UT 5000 |
| PV Peak Power (WattsDC)STC | 1200 | 1920 | 2400 | 2900 | 4800 | 6000 |
| PV Peak Power (WattsAC)PTC | 956 | 1529 | 1953 | 2344 | 3906 | 4688 |
| PV Area (Sq Ft) | 120 | 190 | 240 | 290 | 480 | 580 |
| Annual Output in KWH/Year | 1745 | 2790 | 3564 | 4278 | 7130 | 8556 |
| Inverter Size (WattsContinuous) | 1000 | 1500 | 2000 | 2500 | 4000 | 5000 |
| List Price | $10,920 | $15,392 | $19,283 | $22,354 | $38,566 | $44,708 |
| Owner-Builder Price | $9,538 | $13,433 | $16,825 | $19,500 | $33,651 | $39,001 |
| California Rebate (@$4.5/Watt) | $4,302 | $6,880 | $8,788 | $10,548 | $17,577 | $21,096 |
| Prices-BP SolarexUT Utility-Tie SunnyBoy Solar Electric Generators without Battery Backup | ||||
| BP SOLAREX UT Utility-Tie Systems similar to above but which incorporate the Sunny Boyinverter. Input voltage 400VDC nominal, output voltage 240VAC. Larger systems are made by using two, three, or more 2500-Watt kits. | ||||
| Solarex UT Systems | ||||
| Model No. | UT 1500SBoy | UT 2000SBoy | UT 2400SBoy | UT 2500SBoy |
| PV Peak Power (WattsDC)STC | 1800 | 2400 | 2880 | 3000 |
| PV Peak Power (WattsAC)CEC | 1479 | 1966 | 2360 | 2464 |
| Number of Modules |
12@150W
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20@120W
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24@120W
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20@150W
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| PV Area (Sq Ft) | 165 | 240 | 290 | 275 |
| Annual Output in KWH/Year | 2700 | 3590 | 4304 | 4500 |
| Inverter Size (WattsContinuous) | 2500 | 2500 | 2500 | 2500 |
| List Price | $15,373 | $19,623 | $22,948 | $28,641 |
| Owner-Builder Price | $13,835 | $17,660 | $20,653 | $25776 |
| California Rebate (@$4.50/Watt) | $6656 | $8847 | $10,620 | $11,088 |
NOTES: 1. List prices listed above are typical prices charged by
contractor or dealer. He usually will discount these prices.
Owner-Builder Price: When equipment is purchased by homeowner directly
from CI this price is applicable.
Dealer discount: Please request dealer discount.
2. Sinewave inverters (Trace) used here are synchronous with the utility line frequency.
For lower system cost, quasi-sinewave inverters can be used instead of SW. Quasi-sinewave
inverters are not synchronous (but are crystal frequency controlled)
- - these must be wired to ac loads that are separated from loads on
the utility line.
3. Inverters also available with 120/240V, 60Hz or 230V, 50Hz output. Also
available with 3-phase output. See subsequent catalog page for larger sets,
to 300kW.
Need Installation Help? e-mail John Clothier for doityourself
advice or name of recommended installation contractor.
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USING FEDERAL BUSINESS INVESTMENT TAX CREDIT AND CALIFORNIA STATE REBATE |
| The Federal Government has a permanent 10% Business
Energy Tax Credit for Renewable Energy Equipment, which includes solar electric,
solar thermal, and wind power systems. In addition, this Federal
Business Tax Credit also includes an Accelerated 5-Year Full Depreciation
Schedule which allows 100% of the system cost to be subtracted from your
taxable income over the first 5 years. (Applies to commercial only, which
can include home businesses). Some states, including NY and California, offer
a CASH rebate that pays about 1/3 to 1/2 of the total cost!
Let's look at an example for the purchase of a 5 kilowatt (AC) solar electric power system in California for someone in a 34% federal income tax bracket. Assumeyour cost for a BP Solarex UT5000 packaged system is $39,660. Typical installationcost for such a system is about $1500, for a carefully selected installer.But let's assume worst case installation of $2,000, for a total installedcost of $41,660. |
| 1. Equipment Cost PV System cost $41,660, before rebate and allowances 2. Depreciation Allowance 3. State of California Cash Rebate <$21,096> 4. Installed cost after rebates and credits (after year 5) $37,494 - 10,198 - 21,096 = $6,200 5. Value of electricity generated: 6. VALUE OF POWER GENERATED (Over 5 years) =$8,556 7. NET COST AFTER YEAR 5 = $6200 - $8556 = 2356 (positive cash) 8. POSITIVE CASH FLOW AFTER PAYBACK = $1,711/year 9. PAYBACK POINT: $6,200/ $1,711 = under 4 years
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Prices - - BP Solarex/Trace
Commercial Photovoltaic Systems 2000-2001 |
| System Size | 10 kW | 50kW | 100kW | 300kW |
| No. of SX120 Panels Required | 100 | 500 | 1000 | 3000 |
| DC kW | 12 | 60 | 120 | 360 |
| AC kW, Peak | 10 | 50 | 100 | 300 |
| Inverter | PV-10 | PV-50 | PV-100 | PV-300 |
| Array Area, sq.ft. | 1200 | 6000 | 12000 | 36000 |
| Yearly Output, MWh1 | 18 | 90 | 180 | 540 |
| Annual Value of Electricity2 | $2,700 | $13,500 | $27,000 | $81,000 |
| Installed Cost | $75,000 | $330,000 | $625,000 | $1,800,000 |
| CA Rebate3 FETC (10%)4 |
$25,000 $ 7,500 |
$125,000 $ 33,000 |
$250,000 $ 62,500 |
$750,000 $180,000 |
| Advance 5 yr Depreciation 5 | $24,800 | $ 99,000 | $186,000 | $540,000 |
| Net Cost After 1 Year | $34,840 | $138,700 | $248,300 | $681,000 |
| Net Cost After 5 years | $ 4,200 | $5,500 | +$8,500 | +$75,000 |
| Net Return After 10 years | +$9,300 | +$62,000 | +$143,500 | +$480,000 |
| Net Return After 25 Years (Warranty) | +$49,800 | +$264,500 | +$548,500 | +$1,695,000 |
1 Estimated sun hours (esh) is assumed for total
average yearly insolation (SF/LA / SD)
2 The value of peak (7 am-7pm)electricity
generated is approximated at 150$/MWh; see www.CAISO.com for
latest wholesale prices as determined by the
CA public exchange (PX)
3 The CEC rebate ($2500/ kW) applies
to those systems in the PG&E, SCE or SDG&E service areas; many
other
utilities also have programs--check with CI
or your local service provider for information and interconnection standards.
4 This is a solar energy federal tax credit
of 10%; any business or corporation that pays taxes qualifies.
5 5-year value, assuming a 33% corporate
tax liability; in conjuction with and has same qualifications
as the
federal tax credit. Home based businesses
qualify; consult with your tax attorney about your eligibility.
CI Solar Supplies Co PO Box 2805 Chino,CA 91710 (909) 628-6440 jclothi@attglobal.net