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OUC Provides Solar Energy Rates & Credits
By using solar power and other renewable energy sources — commonly called "green power" — people can help the environment while reducing their electric bills. According to estimates, the typical residential customer using 1,100 kilowatt hours of electricity a month could save up to 23 percent on their annual electric costs by installing a photovoltaic generation system with a capacity of 1 kilowatt. Installing this amount of photovoltaic generation would require a one-time expenditure of between $6,000 and $10,000. For more details on photovoltaic costs and system installers, please visit The Florida Solar Energy Center. To take advantage of OUC's solar energy rate program, customers with photovoltaic generation would purchase electricity through OUC's Standby Service and then receive monthly credits on their utility bills as well as "energy buyback credits" through the Photovoltaic Generation Pilot Program Rider. These buyback credits are provided when unused solar energy is transferred to the OUC electric distribution system for use elsewhere in the community. For more information about OUC's solar energy rates, please contact Shawn Spriggs. Introduction To Photovoltaics: Questions & Answers Q: What are photovoltaics (PV)? A: Photovoltaics ("photo" = light, "voltaic" = electricity) convert sunlight into direct-current electricity. The heart of a PV system are cells made of semiconductor materials similar to those used in computer chips. When sunlight hits these PV cells, electrons on the surface of the cells create a current that can be harnessed to power electric loads. Of all the solar energy technologies, photovoltaics show the greatest promise for worldwide acceptance and application. PV systems are different from solar thermal systems, which are commonly used to heat swimming pools and water for domestic use.
Q: How are photovoltaics used to provide electricity for residential or commercial use? A: Multiple PV cells are wired together in a series/parallel fashion and placed in a glass-covered housing called a "module." Modules can then be wired together into "arrays." PV arrays can produce as much direct-current electricity as desired through the addition of more modules. Because most appliances are powered by alternating-current electricity, PV-generated electricity must be converted. This is accomplished by an "inverter." Q: How reliable are photovoltaic modules and what is their useful lifetime? A: Photovoltaic modules that meet IEEE 1262 or equivalent qualification test standards are extremely reliable products with projected life spans of 20 to 30 years. Some major manufacturers offer module warranties of 20 or more years for maintaining a certain percentage of initial rated power output. Look for the qualification test and warranty information in module manufacturers' specifications. Q: How much do photovoltaic modules cost, and on what basis is price determined? A: Typical costs for PV modules vary between $4 and $10 per peak watt, depending on the size and quantity of modules purchased. For example, a 75-watt PV module priced at $6 per peak watt would cost $450. Q: Why aren't photovoltaics in widespread use? A: PV modules are currently too expensive to be cost-competitive with readily available utility power. However, PV costs are decreasing. When module costs drop to about $1 per peak watt, they will be competitive for electricity production in residential settings. At that price, an installed PV system large enough to provide substantial amounts of residential power would cost about $10,000 - a great deal of money, but not too much for a power system with at least a 20-year life span and a probable payback time of about 10 years. Q: What are some of the current uses of photovoltaics? A: To give students hands-on experience with renewable energy, OUC has installed PV modules at five local schools, one in each of Orange County’s five learning districts (Edgewater High School, Colonial High School, Robinswood Middle School, Dr. Phillips High School and Boone High School). The installations power concession stands, an auto mechanics building and a science building. During a typical week, each set of panels provides 75 percent of the energy needed to run a small home. PV modules are generating power for traffic control systems, crop irrigation systems, bridge corrosion inhibitors and radio relay stations. They are also providing electricity to remote cabins, villages, medical centers and other isolated sites where the cost of photovoltaics is less than the expense of extending cables from utility power grids. Q: What future applications of photovoltaics are expected? A: Residences may have their south-facing roofs covered with PV modules, either as an integral part of the roof structure or mounted on supports designed for that purpose. Such residential PV systems may be connected to the utility grid as well as the home. That way, excess power is sent onto the grid for credit during sunny periods, and power is drawn from the utility at night and on cloudy days. Federal legislation has been enacted to allow for such grid-interactive residential power systems, and OUC is already doing this with a few customers. Source: Florida Solar Energy Center
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To
encourage the use of solar energy, OUC offers special rates to customers who use
photovoltaic (PV) panels to generate electricity that supplements power
delivered by OUC.
