| If you are interested in becoming a Partner or if you would like to be listed in our directory, please use the contact us link to let us know 
| 
Serving San Diego County for 21+ Years
Milholland Electric is San Diego's power expert. As a veteran owned small business enterprise located in central San Diego, we specialize in both conventional electrical and solar power for your home, business or factory. From simple repairs to additions, upgrades and new construction, we have a proven history for being on time and within budget.
 San Diego Blackout - What's up with my Solar?
Article in response to customer inquiries- We had many inquiries from solar system owners, both our customers and even those who were not. The resounding question was why did my solar system not produce power during the power outage? The short answer is that when you purchased your solar system you elected to be tied to the electrical grid due to its many benefits instead of using a solar battery system. SDG&E requires that the inverter turn off when it does not sense power from the grid. This is part of your NEM agreement to sell power back to SDG&E. To generate your own power and still be in accord with the NEM agreement during an outage, you must install a battery backup system that automatically takes over when the utility power goes off.
Other than a place to store excess power for later use, the primary reason for needing a battery system when the power grid goes down is that a solar system can not produce power at the exact constant rate needed for your home or business. Simply put, the solar system and inverter will burn up all of your electrical appliances if you don’t have a buffer between the inverter and the appliances using power.
This is due to the fluctuation in the output of the power source (the PV System,) which is caused by cloudy days, angle of the sun and many other factors.
To remove this fluctuation and allow the power to continue to be safely sent to your home or business you need batteries, battery chargers, an automatic transfer switch, and an islanding inverter or two.
If you are interested in learning more about backup systems, please do not hesitate to contact us as there are several options available.
SunPower Prepaid Lease Program Going Strong
...SunPower does not increase the cost per watt of your solar system under this program like some other solar manufacturers are doing. This leasing program is designed to help you go solar. Where else can you literally cut the cost of your new solar system by more than 50%? That is more than half off the cost and you completely own the system in just 7 years. This program is also especially valuable for those who do not have the tax liability that would enable them to deduct the 30% federal tax credit. This program allows the 30% tax credit to be deducted up front and right off the cost. Call us at 858 541-1097 for details or email us info@milhollandelectric.com.
Solar Lease Company's Federal Tax Harvest Based on Deceptive Pricing
Source:energyselfreliantstates.org
September 21, 2011 - John Farrell.com
Solar leasing company SolarCity is reporting artificially high costs on California solar projects, inflating the value of the 30% federal tax credit to the tune of tens of millions of dollars. Solar leasing lowers the barrier to entry for many people, allowing them to get solar on their rooftop without enormous up front costs or the necessity of navigating local, state and federal incentives. But should U.S. taxpayers have to pay extra for solar projects that are leased instead of owned? full article...
New Report Shows U.S. Solar Outpaces Global Market:
Source:smartenergyportal.net
August 26, 2011 | By Paul Mauldin
New Report Shows U.S. Solar Outpaces Global Market: PV Demand Grows 69 Percent Year-Over-Year
The U.S. solar energy industry continued its rapid growth through the second quarter of this year, gaining a greater share of the total global market according to GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)'s latest quarterly U.S. Solar Market Insight report. Leading the way was the U.S. solar photovoltaics (PV) market, which installed 314 megawatts in the second quarter, 69 percent more than the same period last year and 17 percent more than the first quarter of 2011. The U.S. remains poised to install 1,750 megawatts of PV in 2011, double last year's total and enough to power 350,000 homes. "The second quarter data illustrates that the U.S. solar industry continues to be one of the fastest growing in America," said Rhone Resch, president and CEO of SEIA. "More than 100,000 Americans are employed in solar, twice as many as in 2009. They work at more than 5,000 companies - the vast majority being small businesses - across all 50 states."
17GW in the Pipeline!
Source: Solarbuzz, part of The NPD Group.
...Amount of gigawatts (GW) currently in the U.S. non-residential photovoltaic pipeline, according to the July 2011 edition of the United State Deal Tracker database recently released by Solarbuzz. This total comprises 601 projects-ranging from 50kw to 500mz in size-with planned installation dates from now through 2015. California currently amounts for 62% of the total U.S. project pipeline, stimulated by the state's aggressive 33% Renewal Portfolio Standard target. The top sis state pipelines in megawatt terms are California, Arizona, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico and Texas; however, 40 states contribute the the total.
The Real Solyndra Scandal
Source:Industryweek.com
By Alan Tonelson, U.S. Business & Industry Educational Foundation
Sept. 26, 2011
The scandal's effects could well greatly transcend the American solar power industry or even the entire embryonic green energy sector full article...
-No Money Down- Solar system lease option may be the best way to get you into a new solar system and provide you with low cost electricity. Generate Electricity for Generations. Want more info - click here Solar Leasing to send us an email. Contact us at our San Diego or Arizona offices for a free Solar Electric Evaluation. Let us show you how you can produce your own electricity with renewable energy efficient solar roof panels and spin your meter backwards.
When was your last Solar Panel Cleaning? Call us for a free quotation!
If you are interested in being in our contractor or partner directory send us an email. |
Existing Customers- A referral that results in a Solar System sale will be rewarded with $100 gift card or a free solar panel cleaning. Be sure that your name is mentioned or drop us an email yourself.
Reusing Old Electric Vehicle Battery Systems
Source:ecmag-9/11
The Expected Growth In Vehicle electrification poses a challenge: What will happen to the battery systems after they reach the end of useful life in a vehicle?
Earlier this year, General Motors (GM) signed an agreement with the ABB Group to identify joint research and development projects that would reuse Chevrolet Volt battery systems, which are estimated to have up to 70% of their life remaining after their automotive use is exhausted.
Recent research conducted by GM predicts that secondary use of the 33 volt batteries will have enough storage capacity to power up to 50 homes for about four hours during a power outage.
GM and ABB have already demonstrated an energy storage system that combines a proven electric battery technology and a proven grid-tied electric power inverter. The two companies are building a prototype that could lead to Volt battery packs being used to store energy - including electricity generated from renewals such as wind and solar - then feed it back in the grid to help even out demand.
The system could store electric from the grid during peak times of low usage to be used during periods of peak demand, saving customers and utilities money. The battery packs could also be used as backup power sources during outages and brownouts.
Using Volt battery cells, the ABB and GM team is building a prototype system for 25 kilowatt-hour/50-kilowatt-hour applications, about the same power consumption of five U.S. homes or small retail and industrial facilities.
ABB has determined its existing power quality filter inverter can be used to charge and discharge the Volt battery pack to take full advantage of the system and enable utilities to reduce the cost of peak-load conditions. The system can also reduce utilities' needs for power control, protection and additional monitoring equipment. The team will soon test the system for backup power applications. Plans are in the works for the next major step - testing a larger prototype on an actual electric distribution system.
Solar-Energy-Savings
Solar System Owners - Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) produced from solar systems in the state of California are expected to have monetary value soon. One REC is created for every 1 MWh (or 1,000 kWh) of renewable electricity generation, regardless of what is consumed. Recently approved legislation will allow utilities to purchase RECs from your solar customers in order to comply with their Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requirements.
Renewable Energy Credits
Milholland Electric has partnered with the Leaf Exchange who provides REC market education, WREGIS registration services, and provides a simple way for customers to sell their RECs for income.
Solar facts and Info
- A 1-kilowatt home solar system will prevent approximately 170 lbs. of cola from being burned, 300 lbs. of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere and 105 gallons of water from being consumed each month!
- 1 kilowatt-hour (kWh) = the amount of electricity required to burn a 100 watt light bulb for 10 hours.
- The sun is also the main source of non-renewable fossil fuels (coal, gas and petroleum), which began life as plants or animals whose energy came from the sun millions of years ago.
|
