Water batteries? 

Let’s dive in…

While hiking up near Lake Spaulding I noticed a shiny metal pipe running down the mountain next to the dam. What is that? What is it’s use? Is it releasing water down or pumping it up? Is that pumped water storage?

The true question should be why I was thinking about electricity while hiking in nature.

Well…

#1. I am an energy geek.

#2. We need out of the box thinking to meet our energy needs in a sustainable, non-polluting way, so that future generations can enjoy this beauty too. 

As many solar energy advocates and customers may already know, Solar PV produces energy only when the sun is shining. Then with programs like Net Energy Metering, the extra energy passed to the grid during the day earns  credits to offset the energy needed at night. If designed for a full offset, solar customers can end up “zeroing” out their bills at the end of the billing year.

Sounds perfect right? Well, almost… 

As you can see in the chart below the lines represent our energy needs or demand. Solar power makes the demand curve downward during the day, but then demand jumps up once the sun goes down.

Right now the challenge is how to fulfill that energy need during the spike and while the sun is down after the spike.

Because our energy generating facilities are slowed down during the day, that need to ramp up fast to meet demand. A lot of fuel is burned to ramp up production of energy. Peaker power plants are built to help with this. Energy costs go up during this time as well because of this need to get a lot of energy in the grid in a short amount of time. 

In order to burn less fossil fuels we will need alternate ways to produce energy. We need energy production to go from 0-60mph, very fast. Which cars are becoming the fastest these days? The ones powered by batteries and electric motors.

As we continue to install more solar, we will have surplus energy.  Already we are seeing that the solar energy is cheaper during the day as it takes less to produce it. Our solar panels are great workers!

Pumped water storage is a way to use that extra “cheaper” daytime energy to pump water up to a reservoir, to then let if flow down at night creating clean energy when we need it most. 

Image: University of Michigan

 

Fun Fact: Pumped water storage makes up about 92% of energy storage in the U.S. and 96% worldwide. Yes, 96%! 

As you can see in the image below a water reservoir on a hill can become a “water battery” as it passes by turbines on it’s way to the lower reservoir. 

 

The problem, better yet, the opportunity.

Adding massive amounts of solar to the grid will create extra energy and it will eventually and already is in some cases creating a surplus of energy that cannot be used in the day. When the sun goes down and energy is needed most we will need a lot of energy to power the grid, fast. Then we will need sustained amount throughout the night. 

Pumped water storage concepts can play are role for large amounts of sustained energy and easier to ramp up quickly batteries like lithium will be needed at sundown. 

How can we store energy with the least amount of negative impact to the environment at the highest efficiency and best cost possible. 

Here are some concerns using water pumped water storage as an example:

#1. Where does the water come from initially? When the water evaporates how do we refill and from where?

#2. Where do you build the reservoirs so that they don’t damage ecosystems.

#3. How far away do you have to transport that energy and what infrastructure is needed to so? How much will it cost?

#3. Will the system be Open Loop (attached to a river) or Closed Loop?

 

#4. With a finite amount of land on earth, only so many places will “great” locations for water batteries and others “not so great” based on a multitude of factors, one being limited water availability. 

Pumped water storage is not the only concept that is being developed for the clean energy we need when the sun goes down.  At the moment electro-chemical battery solutions (like lithium ion) are being developed faster with thermal storage also seeing a surge. 

Each type of energy storage has it’s own challenges and we need out of the box thinkers to help usher us a cleaner energy reality.

What does this mean to you, in Northern California as a homeowner dealing with power outages?

For most of homeowners and commercial businesses in Northern California all of these large batteries aka energy storage systems sound great for the big picture, but considering that most will still be built many miles away from our homes and businesses we will still have power outages due to fires, PSPS and other power failures.

Therefore, it seems that home battery systems and/or generators are still the best solution to avoiding power outages where we live and work. We need to take energy into our own hands.

World view, we need huge “batteries” to transition away from burning fossil fuels at night.

Local view, we need batteries (and generators) close to our homes and businesses to avoid power outages.

In conclusion: 

Since we all don’t have huge amounts of land and enough money or ability to implement larger scale systems, lithium ion batteries are still the best available choice for energy storage at home.  Their high density and excellent efficiency make them a “best bet”… for now. 

Water batteries, compressed air batteries, gravity batteries, hydrogen, and alternative battery chemistries are on their way for home use, but are not truly feasible yet. Local micro-grids are making headway but not everyone can band together to make them happen.

With all of these options being “almost here” we must continue dreaming and innovating and we must do it in a way that will make our children proud. Believe I won’t judge you if you are looking at a dam on your next hike and wondering, “how can we do this even better.”

We must continue thinking about how we can usher in a reality that is ready to be created, and we must do it with an urgency to make our children proud. 

What idea can you think of as a possible solution to this monumental opportunity for energy storage?   

—

P.S. I never did find out if the metal pipe at Lake Spaulding was for pumped energy storage, but I did find out that we truly have about 6 pumped energy storage large scale projects in California that you can read about here.

You can also see many of the pumped storage plants worldwide and one that are planned here>> (China is building A LOT!)

Is it possible to have pumped energy storage at home?  So far many feel it’s not that efficient or feasible, but anything is possible, if we can dream it.  

Great Article >> Sustainable pumped-hydro across 616,818 sites

Read a fun article about 10 Reasons to love Water Batteries here >> 

 

 

 

 

What does that even mean and why SEG at a solar and energy company even want to know. 

If you have not noticed lately, home batteries are having supply issues as demand is increasing from all sides. Large commercial projects want batteries, all the car companies want batteries, and with all the power outages home owners want batteries too.  We may have though Lithium availability would be an issue but what stuck us this time was the semiconductor chips needed for the batteries to operate are not being made fast enough after COVID shutdown many facilities overseas which is where the majority of our chips come from.

Why did we need batteries to begin with when we have solar?  As well know when the sun goes down most of our lights go on, but we no longer collect energy from the sun. So how to we get our energy then? Right now it’s mostly with fossil fuels like gas, oil and coal and nuclear. 

Without  

Before starting this article, Pumped water storage was a full YES and as I researched more I found it has a bit of controversy wrapped into it. The reason why? Water.

Before we get into why pumped water storage can be a bit controversial let’s first understand what it is and how it works.

The post Battery Shortage? How about water batteries? appeared first on Sustainable Energy Group.

Sustainable living in the age of COVID-19 and power outages.

I don’t know about you, but my family has been pretty stressed out lately. We have two physicians in the family on the frontlines of this pandemic, each with older parents who are vulnerable to the virus and two small children as well.

This is a time where every little comfort makes a big difference and, in our case, sustainable living practices have been huge.

It all comes down to security. Why might surprise you, so I’ll share the backstory.

Energy security

The early March snowstorm dropped 30” of snow over four days on my little foothill community. Not much by high country standards, but challenging for us here at 3400 feet elevation. Homes went dark, refrigerators stopped working, well pumps stopped working, furnaces stopped working, everything stopped working! A few homes had generators going 24/7, but most people huddled under blankets in candlelight, anxiously checking their cell phones for word on when the power would come back on and waiting for snowplows to come to the rescue.

I woke up to a text alert from PG&E a little after midnight on the 15^th telling me our power was out due to fallen trees. It was comforting to say the least, having a solar system with batteries charged up and ready go when the text came through. Another text later that day assured me that crews were on the way and power would be restored shortly. I received that same text every day for 6 days.

When the sun was out, we relied on our solar to power us during the day and charge the batteries for electricity overnight. During cloudy periods we only had to run our generator for a few hours to charge the batteries, not constantly like our neighbors.

Comparatively, during last summer’s outages, the sun alone powered us. The sun charged us up during the day and we coasted through the night on batteries.

Heating and cooling security

Along with electricity, light and appliances, we had heat unlike other homes in our community with gas furnaces and no backup, which just went cold. Those same homes were uncomfortably hot during last summer’s outages.

Financial security

COVID-19 is having serious economic impacts. So it matters that our solar system covers nearly 100% of our annual electricity. We only pay a $10 fee to PG&E each month. Many folk’s immediate reaction is “sounds great for you, but I can’t afford solar.” Yet, in most cases, solar is cheaper than PG&E the very day it’s operational. How’s that possible? Because the fixed monthly solar payments are less than ever-increasing PG&E bills.

Water security

Solar plus battery backup provides people well water when power goes out, and there are generous incentives for people with wells to install battery storage due to being in a high fire risk area.

Food security

We do our best to provide for ourselves what we can. Right now, we can harvest salad greens and carrots from a small raised bed. “Sheltering in place” and “social distancing” is giving us a head start on our garden this year. Additionally, we make our own compost from food scraps and organic matter from our yard, creating a closed-loop between our garden and kitchen.

The bottom line

It has been said many times before that our basic needs are food, water and shelter. And let’s face it, all those rely on energy and money. COVID-19 is stressful enough, so take note.

This is my first-hand account and a takeaway for you: sustainable living goes along a long way towards making my family’s life more comfortable and secure!

The post Security and Comfort amidst COVID-19 appeared first on Sustainable Energy Group.

Energy Expert & Founder of Sustainable Energy Group in Grass Valley, CA, Ray Darby gives helpful information about the PG&E Power Shutoffs with Martin Webb on his radio show the Energy Report on 89.5 KVMR, Nevada City.

+ Learn about backup power solutions in the reality of continuing PG&E Power Outages (PSPS) in California and other high fire risk areas across the globe.

Sustainable Energy Group (SEG) is a contractor based in Grass Valley, California for over 15 years where they install residential and commercial solar, generators and battery backups and more.

Read all of the articles on backup power here: www.sustainableenergygroup.com/category/power-backups-batteries/

See all of Ray Darby’s articles here: www.sustainableenergygroup.com/author/raydarby/

The post Expert Corner: Talk on Power Shutdowns by PG&E (PSPS) with SEG Founder Ray Darby on KVMR – 89.5. appeared first on Sustainable Energy Group.

Now that the power outage stress has calmed down, at least for today, take a moment to understand generators, how much they cost to run, how to make sure they will run next year and so much more.

Meet and learn practical generator information from expert, local, licensed lead electrician Keith Scott from Sustainable Energy Group – www.seg.energy based in Grass Valley, California.

We are so lucky to have such intelligent professionals in our community and Keith Scott is one of the best. Thank you Keith!

The post Expert Corner: Tips only an experienced Electrician can give about Generators appeared first on Sustainable Energy Group.

Portable Generator Tips & Community Resource links

1. Safety Alert! Portable generators come with a number of dangers and great care is required when operating one. There have been several instances lately of them causing fires, and you don’t want to be the one held responsible for burning down your neighborhood or worse, the community!
2. For a variety of safety-related reasons, a portable generator should be tied into an electrical subpanel, dedicated to critical circuits, operated via a transfer switch. Running a bunch of extension cords from the generator outside into your building is not recommended for the types of multiple-day power outages we’ve had and are likely to see many more of in the future. See this month’s companion article on generator selection for more on this.
3. Be very careful when filling up the generator. Spilled gas is a fire risk. TAKE GREAT CARE TO AVOID SPILLING *ANY* GAS. We’ve found the “no spill” type works best (see picture). You can “meter” the flow with the push button opposite the spout and better avoid overflows. Be sure the generator is turned off and cool before fueling it.
4. If you use a rag to wipe up gas, do not crumple it up or pack it into a trash can as it can ignite through spontaneous combustion. Until the gas evaporates that rag is highly flammable. The best solution? See #3 above!
5. Place your gas can away from your generator, and have a gasoline rated fire extinguisher available close by, but not close enough to where a fire could prevent you from getting to it.
6. Generator exhaust gives off deadly carbon monoxide fumes and other harmful byproducts of combustion. Operate it outdoors in an area with plenty of ventilation. Never run a generator in a home, garage or outside a window or anywhere else where fumes might potentially enter a building.
7. Never plug a generator into a wall outlet or connect it to your electrical panel (except as described in item 2 above).
8. Use heavy-duty extension cords to connect appliances to the outlets on the generator. Here’s a link covering many of the safety issues related to them as well as tips for selecting the right size –https://www.ius.edu/environmental-health-safety/files/power-cord-safety.pdf
9. Do not use a damaged extension cord, they could spark and cause a fire or electrocute someone. Do not use a cord that’s missing the ground prong. Do not cover cords or pinch them in a door or window, they can heat up and burn; if you think about it, this is a big drawback to running extension cords into a building. Leaving a door or window ajar will let in hot or cold air, depending on the time of year, bugs, etc. Also check your generator manual for requirements related to grounding your generator.
10. Extension cords are intended to be exposed to open air. The more they’re covered up the hotter they’ll get. A small enough cord with enough power going through it can heat up and burn if it’s covered up. A coiled-up extension cord can heat up and burn too.
11. Turn the generator on before plugging appliances to it. Once the generator is running, turn your appliances and lights on one at a time to avoid overloading the unit. Remember, generators are for temporary usage; prioritize your needs.
12. Keep children and pets away from portable generators. Many generator components are hot enough to burn you during operation.
13. Follow the maintenance requirements described in your generator’s manual. A number of people went to fire up their generator during the outages and found they didn’t work. Maintenance saves you costly repairs down the road as well. It may also void the warranty.

Some extra thoughts…

1. Help neighbors charge their devices in case they need to reach out in an emergency.
2. If you have water, do your neighbors need any?

Links to critical information:

• Sign up for Code Red alerts: https://www.mynevadacounty.com/1293/CodeRED-Emergency-Alerts
• For more info on how to prepare for PSPS: www.pge.com/psps
• For the latest PSPS updates: www.pge.com/pspsupdates
• Update your contact info for alerts at: www.pge.com/mywildfirealerts
• PG&E weather webpage: www.pge.com/weather
• PG&E Press Releases: https://www.pgecurrents.com/
• Current Press Release: https://www.pgecurrents.com/…/pg-may-need-to-proactively-t…/

COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER
If PG&E determines they will turn power off, they will activate a Community Resource Center to provide restrooms, bottled water, electronic device charging and air-conditioned seating which will be open from 8:00AM – 8:00PM beginning on Thursday, October 24, 2019.

The centers in Nevada County are located at:

• Nevada City Elks Lodge: 518 CA-49, Nevada City, CA
• Sierra College: 250 Sierra College Dr, Grass Valley, CA
• Former Penn Valley Community Church: 11739 Spenceville Road, Penn Valley, CA
• Gold Country Fairgrounds: 209 Fairgate Rd, Auburn, CA

The post Portable Generator Tips from the Experts! appeared first on Sustainable Energy Group.

Crucial Generator Selection Information

Did you rush out and buy a generator?

Are you planning on buying a generator?

In either case you’ll want to read this article and the four that preceded it. The goal of these articles is to help people better understand their best options and stay safe. If you haven’t already, or for a refresher, I recommend reading the previous articles Parts 1 through 4 of this series, all available from this link – http://sustainableenergygroup.com/community/power-outages/

So far we have –

Part 1 – What are your options?

Part 2 – Practical Considerations for Power Outages

Part 3 – Solar with battery backup vs generator, advantages and disadvantages

Part 4 – Adding battery storage to an existing solar system

I’m not going to duplicate the information covered in Parts 1 and 2, but both have criteria relevant to generator selection. If you’re considering or already have solar, Parts 3 and 4 are relevant.

A “do it yourself” guide to picking the right generator is beyond the scope of this article. Those of us with extensive training and experience in power generation know the many important considerations and unusual circumstances that can arise. Certain considerations, especially those with motors, have power requirements that can be really tough to identify accurately, and accuracy is important for reasons I’ll cover below. There are online resources but none are a substitute for an experienced, licensed electrician that has assessed a building’s electrical system when it comes to proper sizing and installation.

Portable generators may be the only affordable option for many people. In general, running extension cords into your home isn’t something we recommend for many reasons, one of which is safety, as too many things can go wrong. Refer to our companion article “Portable Generator Tips”.

If you have a small budget and all you can afford is a portable generator we recommend having a small “critical load” panel and transfer switch installed (see Part 2 of our outage series). For safety and other reasons, hire a licensed electrician with a strong generator background. Have it sized properly (Part 2 delves into this). Be sure your electrician includes a permit.

Why is it important to get a permit? There are many, I’ll touch on a few with some recent examples. We had to turn away a potential solar customer because a licensed “generator company” didn’t get a permit and violated several code requirements. We had to tell them we couldn’t install a solar system until the issues with the generator were resolved and permitted. The generator was installed in an illegal location and, because solar permit sign-offs are required for interconnecting to the grid, the County would red-tag the generator during our solar inspection. They would then be required to create and submit permit documents, move the generator, and assure it was all code-compliant. This installation not only encroached into the setback to their property line, it was right under an operable window, right next to an HVAC condensing unit (within exhaust clearance requirements). We’ve seen other generator companies not properly size the propane or natural gas piping to the generator, which can starve other gas appliances causing safety issues (gas pipe sizing is required for a permit). If there’s a fire and your insurance company discovers there were electrical and/or gas modifications done without a permit, you may have issues with your claim. If you decide to sell your home you need to disclose things like unpermitted work which could make it less salable. Yes, a permit adds cost, but consider it insurance against issues like these.

For those considering one of those little battery-powered, solar optional “generators”, please be aware of the limitations before you invest. For more on this –

https://www.solarreviews.com/blog/what-are-the-pros-and-cons-of-a-solar-generator-are-they-a-bit-of-a-gimmick

For those looking to get solar here’s some food for thought. Is the cost of a system with battery backup worth it? The correct answer is “it depends” but it might make more sense than other options in some cases. One of the aforementioned “generators” that come with solar panels can cost as much as adding battery backup after accounting for the solar tax credit.

If sized to accommodate your nightly usage and the sun’s coming out every day during an outage lasting multiple days as it did recently, adding batteries to a new solar system you’re considering or an existing system it may be cheaper than installing a generator, especially so if you’re just backing up small critical loads and not an entire home. A generator doesn’t qualify for the tax credit and, after accounting for the cost of your generator, maintenance costs, and fuel costs, adding battery backup to a new solar system or an existing system may be less costly. Opting for a battery backup inverter and batteries may be less costly as the expenditures would qualify for the tax credit. This is covered in an IRS ruling available here – https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-wd/201809003.pdf

Here are some important points I have to make. First, my empathy meter as well as SEG’s capability to respond to everyone’s PSPS-related needs has been “pegged” (and then some) ever since they began earlier this month. The fear, frustration, anger and desperation is completely overwhelming for everyone involved. We’re so busy just answering phone calls, emails, texts, etc., it’s increasingly challenging to meet previous commitments and get anything else done.

PG&E announced months ago this would be coming, which is why I began writing these monthly articles and publishing them on our blog back in June. What concerns me today is the number of people that knew this was coming but waited until the 36-48 notice or, worse, until the outage was upon them, to prepare. In the last-minute rush, many bad decisions have been made. Money has been mis-spent and an overwhelming amount of well-intentioned but really bad advice has appeared on social media.

I understand people are overwhelmed and desperate for quick solutions but anticipate there will be a lot of little portable “battery backup units” and generators, found insufficient to meet people’s needs, for sale at discount prices after this. I encourage people to share these articles or at least the information you’ve gleaned from them. Between now and the next PSPS event – hopefully not until next fall – give Sustainable Energy Group or another local, reputable solar or generator company the time to assure things are done right!

Some extra thoughts…
1. Help neighbors charge their devices in case they need to reach out in an emergency.
2. If you have water, do your neighbors need any?

Links to critical information:

• Sign up for Code Red alerts: https://www.mynevadacounty.com/1293/CodeRED-Emergency-Alerts
• For more info on how to prepare for PSPS: www.pge.com/psps
• For the latest PSPS updates: www.pge.com/pspsupdates
• Update your contact info for alerts at: www.pge.com/mywildfirealerts
• PG&E weather webpage: www.pge.com/weather
• PG&E Press Releases: https://www.pgecurrents.com/
• Current Press Release: https://www.pgecurrents.com/…/pg-may-need-to-proactively-t…/

COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER
If PG&E determines they will turn power off, they will activate a Community Resource Center to provide restrooms, bottled water, electronic device charging and air-conditioned seating which will be open from 8:00AM – 8:00PM beginning on Thursday, October 24, 2019.

The centers in Nevada County are located at:

• Nevada City Elks Lodge: 518 CA-49, Nevada City, CA
• Sierra College: 250 Sierra College Dr, Grass Valley, CA
• Former Penn Valley Community Church: 11739 Spenceville Road, Penn Valley, CA
• Gold Country Fairgrounds: 209 Fairgate Rd, Auburn, CA

The post Power Outages Part 5 Crucial Generator Selection Information appeared first on Sustainable Energy Group.

Adding Battery Storage To An Existing Solar System

As covered in Parts 1 through 3 of this series, there are all kinds of options to serve your backup power needs in the event of a power outage. To the uninitiated, adding battery storage to an existing solar system might seem straightforward – just buy some batteries and plug them in. However, to those of us with experience in this area it’s not at all straightforward in most cases. The answer depends on a whole host of questions over and above those covered in Parts 1-3 of this series, read them here ->

First off your existing solar panels don’t need to be replaced. In most cases your solar grid-tie inverter (GTI), the equipment that converts the DC power from your panels into AC power doesn’t know how to deal with batteries.

There are two basic options – replace your inverter with one that knows how to play nice with batteries or add an extra battery-based inverter (BBI) that does.

By “play nice” we need to keep in mind your solar system will sometimes be capable of making more power than you or your batteries need. If that happens when you’ve lost utility power the solar panels need to turn off. Overcharging batteries can be an explosive experience so, to avoid that, the inverter needs to know to turn them off. If you haven’t lost utility power and your panels are making more power than you’re using, the excess is sent back to the utility for a credit.

The following will be as non-technical as possible while still giving some insight into the two main options, referred to as “DC Coupling” and “AC Coupling”. There are a whole host of compatibility and system design issues beyond the scope of this article that are best left to your solar company.

With DC Coupling, your existing Grid Tie Inverter (GTI) is replaced by a Battery Based Inverter (BBI.) These inverters are used in off-grid as well as grid-tied systems when battery backup is desired. The battery can be charged by your solar energy system, your utility or a generator depending on which is available.

The DC power from your solar panels passes through a “charge controller” on its way to your battery. As the name implies, its role is to control the charging of your batteries. Proper battery charging is important for extending the life of the battery and it’ll stop charging the battery when it’s full as well, preventing them from being overcharged. From the charge controller, the DC power goes to the BBI where it’s converted into AC power for your use in your home or business whether the utility is available or not.

DC Coupling loses less of the energy produced by your panels because the conversion from DC to AC power only happens once.

It also makes sense for people with older “string inverters” that are close to the end of their useful life of 10 to 15 years. A battery-based inverter also allows for a wider range of battery sizes.

If you have a newer system that uses micro-inverters (like Enphase) or a power optimizer-based inverter (like SolarEdge), AC Coupling may make more sense. This is especially true if you have any significant shade moving over your panels, which was probably one of the reasons you went with one of these inverters in the first place.

With AC Coupling you can use your existing inverter and simply add a BBI, as they know how to handle a battery.

The DC power produced by your panels goes to your existing GTI and is converted to AC power as usual. From there, the inverter sends it to your BBI.

During a power outage the BBI stays safely disconnected from the utility to protect repairmen, just as a regular GTI is required to do. The battery inverter converts battery power to AC power for your use.

AC Coupling has some advantages and disadvantages. It can work with a variety of existing inverters and may be the easiest way to retrofit your existing system. In terms of disadvantages, it can be slightly less efficient because power from the GTI is AC, but batteries store DC power. For the battery to charge and discharge, the AC power from your GTI  must be converted to DC for the battery, then back to AC for your use.  This extra step causes more energy to be lost compared to DC Coupling.

There can be some limitations as to how much of your existing system you can use this way too if it’s bigger than the battery inverter and the battery. They typically cost more up front in equipment and labor too.

Retrofitting your existing system can be challenging, but an increasing array of options are coming out from several companies aiming to make the process simpler and more “plug and play”.

In addition to having battery backup for power outages, these systems can also help reduce the price you pay for power. With solar, the price you pay for the power you use, or the credit you earn for the excess power you make, depends on the time of day. When electricity demand is higher in the afternoon and early evening you pay a higher rate than what you do at other times.  If you have a battery on your solar system you can use that power when the rates are high and save money. While that alone doesn’t typically justify adding batteries, it can be an added bonus

While batteries are quickly coming down in price, there are cheaper backup options for short term outages, but it depends on how much you need to back up and for how long. For long term outages generators may be undesirable due to fuel consumption and noise. In such cases a solar system with battery storage, possibly a generator option as well for occasional recharging if solar isn’t enough, can provide a complete solution.

This four-part series has been designed to help you understand your backup options in our Area of Nevada, Placer, El Dorado Counties as well as the surrounding area of Northern California.

I recommend you read the previous three articles on battery storage, generators, power outages with PG & E   prior to making any decisions on how to proceed. In the meantime, please check out these links for important information about how to be prepared in the event of a utility outage in California and Nationwide:

Public Safety Power Shutoff tips – https://prepareforpowerdown.com/

The Safety Action Center contains helpful information about wildfire risks and what you can do before, during and after an emergency to keep your family safe.

https://www.safetyactioncenter.pge.com

SEG has a team of electricians who can install generators and automatic and manual transfer switches and have been doing so for over 15 years. Call us for a consultation on how to build this into your home or business.  We hope this series of articles on backup power during PG&E power outages help you decide what works best for you in your situation. Give us a call today and find out how we can help with energy backups during power outages for Nevada County, Grass Valley, Nevada City, Penn Valley, North San Juan, Auburn and surrounding Placer and El Dorado Counties.

The post Power Outages – Part 4, Adding Battery Storage To An Existing Solar System appeared first on Sustainable Energy Group.

Solar with Battery Backup Vs Generator, Advantages & Disadvantages 

There are all kinds of options to serve your backup power needs in the event of a power outage. They can serve either a portion of your electrical circuits through a subpanel as covered in a previous article, or your entire building.  We’ll review the advantages and disadvantages of the “larger options” below. Other options can include things you might plug just a single item or small power strip into, such as a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) or portable battery units like those made by Goal Zero (www.goalzero.com) and other companies.

Grid-tied solar system with battery backup

There are three major types of solar systems. Grid-tied (connected to a utility like PG&E) make up close to 100% of the systems being installed these days. For safety reasons , grid-tied solar systems do not provide power to the home even when the sun is still shining. If they didn’t disconnect they could harm utility workers trying to fix power lines, which they need de-energized to work on safely.

The second type is an off-grid system, with no connection to the utility grid. They use different equipment and include batteries to supply the power needed when there’s not enough sun available or at night.

The third type is a grid-tied solar system with battery backup.

With those fine points out of the way, here are some advantages and disadvantages to battery backup systems.

Advantages:

• No interruption of service, your system switches to batteries automatically.

Power can be available for 3 – 5 days during extended cloudy weather, depending on power use and battery size. A generator may be required if the need for power exceeds what the sun can provide.

• The Investment Tax Credit (Federal Solar Tax Credit) of 30% helps reduce the total cost.
• An automatic generator start unit can be used in conjunction with a generator to help reduce the size and cost of the batteries needed. If the batteries get too low it automatically fires up the generator.

Disadvantages:

• Compared to the common grid-tied system their efficiency is a little lower. This means less savings which, along with a higher installation cost, reduces the economic benefits.
• The batteries & battery box requires additional space and may need to be vented to the outdoors, which is part of the added cost.

– Lead-acid batteries – “Flooded” lead acid batteries – the ones with caps that allow you to periodically add distilled water – require monthly to bi-monthly attention to maintain the water level. “Sealed” lead-acid (no-maintenance) batteries cost roughly twice as much, and lithium ion batteries can be roughly four times the cost for the same storage capacity.

• Battery warranties are typically one year, but for larger more expensive “industrial” batteries or lithium ion batteries it’s up to 10 years. It should also be noted that lithium ion batteries can cycle (charge and discharge) hundreds of times more than lead-acid batteries before needing to be replaced, which is part of the justification for their higher price. They are also more efficient, losing less energy when cycling.
• A “critical load subpanel” must be installed and this adds cost. This panel is powered by the batteries when the power goes out. Given the cost of batteries it often excludes non-critical loads such as air conditioning and electric clothes dryers. Including them would require larger (more expensive) batteries, a larger inverter and possibly more solar panels to charge the batteries to achieve the same amount of backup time. While it’s possible to provide backup power for everything in the house, having a few circuits that aren’t backed up lets you know when there’s an outage. These non-powered circuits help inform you the power is out which signals you to conserve more energy, extending the time your batteries will last (unless you also have a generator, this is covered below).
• In addition to extra space and venting for the batteries, more space is required for the equipment, the inverter and the power distribution panel (switch gear).
• The labor cost is also higher due to the need to install batteries and other additional components & wiring.
• From our experience we’ve sometimes found people accustomed to living on the grid have a tough time conserving the power necessary to function with batteries alone for extended periods of time. Larger more expensive batteries would help of course, but cost is always a major issue.

Generator Backup

Advantages:

• Usually a more affordable power supply for short term outages.

– You don’t need any sun to make your power, just an ample supply of fresh fuel.

Disadvantages:

• There’s a short power interruption in between the time the power goes off and the generator powers up.
• They’re great for short-term outages, but most people (and neighbors) would rather not have the noise from a generator droning on for days on end.
• They consume a disproportionately high amount of fuel when power needs are small. For example if you’re only using 50% of the generator’s power it could be consuming between 60% to 85% of the fuel it would be using if fully loaded. This problem is largely eliminated when charging batteries, however, because full generator power can be used.
• Some generators use gasoline which may be hard to supply during a widespread outage, and also goes bad after a few months. This is why many people choose a propane or natural gas fueled generator.

– They require periodic “exercising”, which means the generator needs to run every so often, and requires maintenance on things like air filters, oil filters, and oil changes.

Conclusion

Of course the best of both worlds for longer term outages would be a combination system, a solar battery backup system with a generator tied into it.  Combining the two means your generator will use less fuel and only run periodically for shorter periods of time. You could take the generous 30% solar tax credit on everything but the generator and have a system that will eventually pay for itself.

A large combination system like this with no-maintenance batteries could cost $65,000 installed, not including the cost of the generator, or $45,500 after the tax credit. It could supply 14.4 kW of electric load, enough to run an entire energy-efficient home. It would include a very large 60 kWh battery storage, one that could keep everything running for 3 days without power and no sun before you’d need to run the generator in the winter months. In summer months you likely wouldn’t need the generator at all. For comparisons sake, a common grid-tied system with the same solar panels would cost $26,000 installed, or about $18,200 after the tax credit. In this case the added cost of the battery backup is $27,300.

For another example, a solar system with a smaller 10 kWh Lithium-Ion battery storage and enough solar panels to wipe out an electric bill averaging over $200/mo (about the average home’s 28 kWh/day usage) without a generator could be installed for about $41,500, or $29,050 after the tax credit. The batteries could supply 5 kW of electrical load, capable of running pretty much everything in the house during an outage other than big loads like a well pump or air conditioner.

For comparisons sake, a common grid-tied system with the same solar panels would cost $29,000, or $20,300 after the tax credit. In this case the added cost of the battery backup is $8,750.

Of course these are just two examples, the cost to add battery backup to a new solar installation depends on so many things: how much power will you be using, how many things might you be running at the same time, how many days do you want to go without the grid or a generator available (winter vs summer), the size and type of the generator, and other factors. There are almost limitless examples! Adding battery backup to an existing grid-tie system is a different topic, we’ll cover this in Part 4 of this series. In every case it’s a matter of being sure to address the practical considerations we covered in Part 2 of this series – “Power Outages – Part 2 – Practical Considerations” before giving us a call.

In the meantime, please check out these links for important information about how to be prepared in the event of a utility outage in California and Nationwide:

Public Safety Power Shutoff tips – https://prepareforpowerdown.com/

The Safety Action Center contains helpful information about wildfire risks and what you can do before, during and after an emergency to keep your family safe.

https://www.safetyactioncenter.pge.com

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Continue to – PART 4 – POWER OUTAGES  – Adding Battery Storage to an existing solar system

For more on your backup options during a power outage, sign up to receive our monthly newsletter.

Power backups using batteries and generators in Northern California are a major issue and topic of conversation our community. PG&E is proposing power outages for Nevada County, Grass Valley, Nevada City, Penn Valley, North San Juan, Auburn and surrounding Placer and El Dorado Counties. Not only will PG&E by shutting down power for maintenance in Northern California, they may also shut down full power lines due to fires and other public safety issues. Stay tuned for more information on power outages in California, Nevada County and Surrounding areas.

What is the best option for a power outage in Northern California, batteries, generators or a combination of the two? I hope this article helped in that important decision. Thank you for reading part 3 of our series and stay posted for great local CA news.

Sign up to receive all of these local articles, news, tips and suggestions to your inbox by entering your email and friends and families emails in the right and bottom sides of this page. 

The post Power Outages Part 3 : Solar with Battery Backup Vs. Generators – Advantages & Disadvantages appeared first on Sustainable Energy Group.

How much would a generator cost? How much would batteries cost? There are plenty of online tools and other resources available to give you relatively quick answers, but are they the right answers? Backup power systems can run from several hundred to tens of thousands of dollars, so it’s crucial to know that your investment will meet your needs.

I subscribe to the adage “you can have it fast, you can have it cheap, you can have it done right – pick two”. Many will tend to gravitate towards “cheap”, although I’m finding “fast” is increasingly popular thanks to PG&E’s periodic announcements. Of course being in a hurry and wanting something cheap can backfire. I’m sure anyone reading this can think of at least one such example in their lives.

Backing up your home or even just a few of your home’s electrical needs doesn’t come cheap, so I can’t emphasize enough that you spend the time to make the right choice instead of spending the money to make the wrong one.

Inevitably “done right” and “affordable” depends on being completely clear about these three things –

What’s your budget? This is where differentiating between “wants” and “needs” comes in and it’s the best place to start. It can take a lot of time to identify and add up all the electric loads in a home, select and price all the components, and design a backup system. It’s a drag when you find out a system is more than you have or want to spend.

What do you want or need to keep running, when PG&E shuts off the power? Very often I’ve found what people want is overridden by what they decide they really need when the cost comes in. So, you can save a lot of time by creating a list of what you absolutely need first, followed by a prioritized list of what you’d like to back up if your budget allows.

How long do you want or need to remain autonomous, and during what time of year? This is most relevant if you’re thinking of battery backup, with or without solar. But it also applies to generators insomuch as some people (or their neighbors) might not want to have a generator roaring away for more than a few hours.

Doing it right can involve a substantial investment of time simply because of the variability associated with the individual electrical items that you’ll be operating during an outage.

Doing it right also depends on what it’s going to take from an installation point of view to power up the items you need to run.

Here are some typical items we’ve had people run without utility power and a brief note about each. There’s quite a bit more to know, but this will give you at least a head start.

• Well pump – how much horsepower is it, and how many hours are you going to run it every day? This horsepower rating can give you a ballpark idea, but measurements are best, both for running watts and “surge watts” as the motors and the controllers used will vary. You may find a website or online forum where someone says, it’s simple, 1 horsepower = 746 watts. There’s actually more to it than that, but I’ll begin by saying “it depends on the pump” and add “that one horsepower pump is more likely running at 2000 watts with a starting surge of 6000 watts”.
• Refrigerator(s) and freezer(s). The amount of power they use varies a LOT with their size and age. I’ve seen sellers of Portable Power Units give overly-generalized information as to how long one of their units will power things. For example, I have a friend who purchased a portable unit that was said to run a refrigerator for 23+ hours, but it will only last for 15.5 hours. How much power your fridge uses relative to how much power a Portable Power Unit can actually deliver are good things to know before you spend several thousand dollars on a unit like the one my friend purchased.

There’s a couple ways to go about figuring out how much power you use.

One way is to use a handy little plug-in unit called a kill-a-watt available for about $25, to measure your fridge or anything with a standard outlet plug. The directions describe how to use it to see how much power your unit uses in a day.

Another way is to estimate your daily power use by knowing the size (cubic feet or dimensions) and the date your fridge was manufactured, which is typically on a label inside. They’ll often have a “FLA” (full load amps) on the label too, which indicates how much power it’ll use when it first turns on (amps times 120 volts = surge power). Like most anything with a motor there’s a brief “surge” in power when it first turns on. The surge power can be important to know as it’s possible it can overload a backup power source if it’s not properly accounted for.

• Water heater. If it’s electric it’s likely rated at 4,500 watts. But even if it’s gas it may not work without power. Most on-demand gas water heaters need fans to operate. If it’s gas and plugs into a wall outlet it’ll need electricity to function.
• Furnaces, heat pumps, and air conditioners. The power usage can vary quite a bit with the type, size and age. Labels are helpful, but measurements are always best.
• Clothes washers and dryers. The power usage can vary quite a bit with the size and age. Because each has a motor, and motors use more power than other things, it’s important to get these right. Electric dryers also have electric heaters in addition to motor power, while a gas dryer will have just the motor power.
• Oven and range-top. Electric stovetops and ovens use a lot of power. All-gas units typically require electricity to run the clock as well as start a burner.
• What other items do you want powered up? For example, what particular lights and plugs should be on the generator? Maybe you need to rely on a CPAP machine, a computer, internet router, cable box, TV, or a garage door opener? Having a complete list is important, as is getting the electrical ratings from the label.

How much you might pay for a battery, generator or both will depend heavily on what you choose to live without during an outage.

It’s not uncommon for someone to start out wanting to back up everything, and that’s sometimes the solution, but the cost of the equipment to serve an entire home may be too high. In this case a portion of the circuits, what we call the “critical load” are moved into a separate subpanel (see picture). Anything with a motor is going to be a big power user, and the less essential it is the more likely you may end up taking it off the list. For example, the clothes dryer might be first to go and be replaced by a clothes line, followed by the furnace or heat pump, especially if the home has a wood stove.

Another really important thing to know is that the circuits you back up are going to be moved to a new “critical load panel”.

If that new panel can be placed right next to your existing panel where your meter is it’s going to be easier (and cheaper) to extend the wiring over to it. But, what if you have circuits off in a different more remote panel somewhere we call a “subpanel”?

Maybe it’s where your well pump circuit breakers are located, and it’s really important that you have water during an outage! If that’s the case, the well pump wiring would need to be extended back to the critical load panel in which case, it’ll be a little more involved. Do you know which breaker switches are associated with particular outlets or light switches? They may not be clearly indicated, but it will be important to know which circuits will be moved over to the critical load panel, so a well-labeled panel is recommended.

Knowledge is power and money doesn’t grow on trees, so I trust this article will be helpful in understanding some of the basics involved in getting yourself a backup power system.

For more on your backup options during a power outage see Part 3, Battery Vs Generator, Advantages & Disadvantages, coming up in our August newsletter. In the meantime, please check out this link for

Public Safety Power Shutoff tips – https://prepareforpowerdown.com/

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Continue to  Part 3 – POWER OUTAGES – Solar with Battery Backup Vs Generator, Advantages & Disadvantages 

For more on your backup options during a power outage, sign up to receive our monthly newsletter.

Power backups using batteries and generators in Northern California are a major issue and topic of conversation our community. PG&E is proposing power outages for Nevada County, Grass Valley, Nevada City, Penn Valley, North San Juan, Auburn and surrounding Placer and El Dorado Counties. Not only will PG&E by shutting down power for maintenance in Northern California, they may also shut down full power lines due to fires and other public safety issues. Stay tuned for more information on power outages in California, Nevada County and Surrounding areas.

The post Power Outages Part 2 : How much do battery backup and generator installations cost? appeared first on Sustainable Energy Group.

WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS?

Ever since PG&E announced they may be shutting off power for two days or more during extreme weather events, we’ve been getting lots of calls and emails asking about batteries and generators.

“How much will it cost to add batteries to my solar system? How much does a generator cost”? These are questions we’re hearing a lot these days. 

The answer to either question is “it depends”, and on a lot more things than you might imagine!

The short answers are –

• The cost to add battery backup to a solar system depends on how much is being backed up, for how long, and whether it’s a brand new or an existing solar system. For instance, adding batteries to a new solar system to power a refrigerator, lights and some outlets for a TV and internet service for four days with no sun could add $12,000 to the total installation cost. Details matter. For just one example, a 1991 20 cubic foot refrigerator/freezer will use six times more electricity than a new Energy Star model so, if that’s what you have, you’ve reduced your days of autonomy in this example from four days to less than two. Adding additional refrigerators or freezers, air conditioning, a well pump, and laundry equipment could increase the cost by $50,000 or more, depending on the type of batteries used.

It takes different, more costly equipment to work with batteries, so it costs less to add battery backup capability to a new solar system than an existing one because you don’t need any new or additional equipment.

• A generator is typically the cheaper option but, like battery backup, the cost depends on what you want running when your power gets shut off. What you’d need might range in price from a few hundred dollars for a small gasoline generator and some extension cords to $20,000 or more for a whole-house propane or natural gas-powered generator. There are also UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply) units that can provide immediate power to small critical loads such as computers or life-safety devices.

Don’t fall for quick and easy answers. A knowledgeable expert will take the time to make sure you’re getting what you need, no more, no less.

Extra Resources:  Public Safety Power Shutoff tips – https://prepareforpowerdown.com/

– – – –

Continue to Part 2 – Practical Considerations for Power Outages

For more on your backup options during a power outage, sign up to receive our monthly newsletter.

Power backups using batteries and generators in Northern California are a major issue and topic of conversation our community. PG&E is proposing power outages for Nevada County, Grass Valley, Nevada City, Penn Valley, North San Juan, Auburn and surrounding Placer and El Dorado Counties. Not only will PG&E by shutting down power for maintenance in Northern California, they may also shut down full power lines due to fires and other public safety issues. Stay tuned for more information on power outages in California, Nevada County and Surrounding areas.

The post Power Outages – Part 1 : What are you options for backup power? appeared first on Sustainable Energy Group.