A Photovoltaic solar power system must be able to function efficiently for 25-30 years in all weather conditions and under the hot summer sun.

Grounding Hardware

What is commonly called in the Photovoltaic  industry “BOS” (Balance of System), i.e. the “rest of the system” (rails, grounding, surge protection, wire, cables, etc.), plays a very important role in ensuring that you and your home or building are properly protected and have adequate power production for many years to come.

From an economic viewpoint, it is even more important for each individual component of a solar power system to be chosen on the basis of the warranties provided by the product and its manufacturer than for a normal electric system. Why? Because the operating specifications of each device must remain unchanged throughout the entire life cycle of your system and investment.

Sun City Solar Energy is dedicated to providing reliable products from the direct current (DC) side through to the Alternate Current grid connected point. In fact, the solar panel we suggest, after careful research, has a 30 year unprecedented warranty!

For convenience, hosing off the solar panels should get them clean enough to improve efficiency. However, if cleaning the solar panels requires more than a hose (for bird droppings and such), you will need to manually clean the solar panels with a brush and water.

To clean your solar panels manually, here are some factors to consider:

• It is recommended you NOT use soap and use SOFT water where possible. Hard water (with a high mineral content) can eventually build up heavy deposits.
• Never climb onto the array – use a soft brush with an extension pole. Boat cleaning brushes (around $30) are the best.  Boat cleaning brushes are designed not to scratch and offer flow-through handles which deliver water right to the bristles.
• If chemical cleaning is required, use a detergent that will not damage aluminum. Many domestic detergents can damage panel frames and clamps.
• For large arrays, a commercial window cleaning system is advised. These brushes can extend up to 30′ and will deliver deionized water directly to the glass surface to remove dirt and leave no deposits.
• Never power wash the solar panels.  The high pressure may dislodge wiring or damage the shingles around the roof mounts.

Solar panels benefit from natural cleaning from rain which usually removes most of the dirt and grime. How often you clean your panels is determined by the weather in your part of the country. For areas with less dirt, it is recommended to wash them around 1-2 times a year.

There is no set time to wash your solar panels, but you may want to include the maintenance with other seasonal chores, such as cleaning the gutters or washing windows.  Clean solar panels will definitely improve your energy output and put more money in your pocket. Call Sun City Solar Energy and, for a nominal fee, we will be happy to wash your panels for you.

This ranking does not say anything about the module cost per Watt, nor about the most important concern, the cost per produced solar kWh. It could mean that a module of lower efficiency is so much cheaper that the extra cost for other system components (more frame, cables, installation work) can easily be covered by the money saved on the modules. Also, some modules perform better in real life conditions rather than in the standard test condition as mentioned on the their certified datasheet.

All but one of the  the top 10  modules are manufactured in Asia.  The number one, Sunpower, is from the US, but their cells and modules are manufactured in the Philipines.   Several well known brands did not make it into the Top-10 as most are  young and unknown brands.It will be interesting to see what market position these young companies obtain.   The future will tell as the top 10 listings  will continue to change.

It takes decades to install one nuclear power plant. Solar, a modular technology, can be produced and installed at a pace far faster than most energy technologies.

This year, the U.S. industry may install 2 gigawatts of solar. The last nuclear power plant to come online in the U.S., Watts Bar 1, has a capacity of 1.1 gigawatts — but that took 23 years to complete, not two years.

Natural gas peaker plants, which are idle most of the day are an expensive option for utilities.

Over the last few years, 153 coal plants have been abandoned, in large part due to uncertainty over environmental regulations.

So what does all this mean? It means that the notion that “solar is too expensive” doesn’t hold up anymore. When financing providers can offer a home or business owner solar electricity for less than the cost of their current services; when utilities start investing in solar themselves to reduce operating costs; and when the technology starts moving into the range of new nuclear and new coal, it’s impossible to ignore.

According to SunPower’s Tom Dinwoodie: “The cross-over has occurred.”

The Tulsa Technology Center and Sun City Solar Energy have formed a work-based program for the Technology Center’s electrical students. Master Electrician Larry Batson from Tulsa Technology and Installation Manager Garret Roth of Sun City Solar Energy will teach students how to install solar electric systems on actual solar installation projects.  The program will allow students to work in a hands-on environment. Students will have the opportunity to learn solar electrical concepts for several different solar electric system applications.

The Solar Installation program will provide needed job skills for the students and serve as a resource for the growing solar energy industry. The students will be evaluated on a regular basis by Sun City Solar professionals to ensure compliance with industry standards.  The program was developed by Tulsa Technology and Sun City Solar Energy jointly.

For more information about this program, contact:

Garret Roth, Installation Manager, Sun City Solar Energy at 918-494-0886

Larry Batson, Master Electrician and teacher at Tulsa Technology Center 918-955-0047

An array of 48 solar panels is now installed on the roof of the Health, Physical Education and Recreation Building at the University of Arkansas. The solar heating system will provide over half of the energy needed to heat the building’s Olympic-sized swimming pool, which is heated year around.

The 1,920-square-foot solar hot water array on the roof is connected to a heat exchanger that provides supplemental heat to the pool. The system is designed to provide all of the heat for the water in the 730,000-gallon pool during the summer and to pre-heat water on cloudy days and in the winter. The solar panels harvest over 2 million BTUs of heat energy per day. The system is expected to reduce utility bills in the HPER Building significantly while cutting greenhouse gas emissions by about 30 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually.

The HPER solar installation is part of the campuswide RazorsEDGE energy savings program, which enables the university to invest in energy conservation and renewable energy projects. The university has a $23.9 million energy savings performance contract with Energy Systems Group, an energy services provider. The RazorsEDGE program is designed to reduce annual energy consumption in buildings across campus, with a guarantee that energy savings over a 13-year period that will cover the cost of all building improvements.

Energy Systems Group is the general contractor for RazorsEDGE and partnered with Sun City Solar Commercial Energy LLC, which designed and installed the innovative solar panel heating system on the HPER Building.

“Solar heating is ideal for swimming pool applications,” said John Gerrard, GM for Sun City. “It’s a relatively low temperature requirement and can take advantage of solar radiation all year.”

Nick Brown, the University of Arkansas director for campus sustainability, said that this solar thermal system matches a dependable solar resource to a constant energy demand.

“Because energy is needed year around to heat this pool to 80 degrees, we can take advantage of available solar energy in warm months as well as cool ones,” he said. “To our knowledge, this is the largest solar thermal energy system in the state of Arkansas. This project helps move us toward our goal of becoming a carbon neutral campus by the year 2040.”

Paul Gandy, construction manager for Energy Systems Group, said his company and Sun City worked seamlessly with the university to develop an innovative installation that will save energy and money, at the same time raising the profile of solar hot water systems as a viable alternative energy source for some applications.

The HPER Building and its pool are currently heated with a natural gas-fired steam system. Scott Turley, director of utilities for the university, estimates that the solar energy system will reduce the building’s energy bill by about $4,000 per year at today’s energy prices.

“Gas costs have fluctuated wildly over the past couple of years,” said Turley, “but if prices return to the level they were in spring 2008, we’ll save $10,000 per year or more.”

Last year the HPER Building pool had a total of 55,000 users. In addition to university students, faculty and staff, the pool is the site of collegiate and high school swim and dive meets, it serves as a practice facility for several swim clubs and teams, and it is used for swimming instruction, group exercise programs and entertainment, such as the popular “dive-in” movies at the pool.

The university’s College of Education and Health Professions, which includes academic programs for health science, kinesiology, recreation, and dance, manages the HPER Building operations. Intramural and recreational sports and fitness programs for campus users and alumni are also operated from the building.

When Americans take advantage of the tax credits available for investing in solar energy, an increase in the conversion to a renewable energy source makes a difference to our planet.  There is no easy or short answer to energy.   If every household in the US installed a solar hot water heater, a solar electric power system, or a solar pool heater on their home, there would be a significant decrease in the amount of carbon dioxide and other pollutants in the air.  Add the cumulative effect of using solar over the coming decades to replace the pollution generated by coal fired power plants, and there would be a phenomenal reduction of green house gases.

There are consequences if we ignore what is happening to our planet.  The spill in the Gulf of Mexico is a sad example.  Americans as a whole enjoy one of the best standards of living in the world.  We take for granted the comforts afforded by our high standard of living. Many people do not see a problem with our current energy use and are not concerned about the state of the environment.  Those that are concerned feel they can do little to improve the quality of our air, land and water.  At what point should we, as inhabitants of the planet, make an effort to allow our progeny to enjoy a quality of life that does not include the increase of environmentally induced disease, destruction of our natural habitats, extinction of species, rampant overproduction of invasive species, contaminated food and polluted water? 

If you look at the global picture, it can seem overwhelming, and the prospect for change seems slim.  But you CAN make a real difference.  You can invest in a solar water heater, a solar electric system, a solar pool heater, even a solar electric attic fan.  All of these things make a difference to your community, your state, our country and to the planet as a whole. Thoughtful consumerism and changes to our lifestyles can make a difference.  Investing in clean solar energy will make a difference.

If we all do our part, we will be able to maintain our lifestyle and allow the natural world to thrive.  Visit SunCityEnergy.com  to learn how you can save money and help our future generations by owning a Sun City Solar  Energy System.

With all the publicity about the push for energy independence and “going green,” it is easy to assume that solar energy products practically sell themselves.  This may hold true on the West coast, or in states with added incentives to encourage solar investment, but not in our part of the country.

The misconceptions may stem in part from the 30% tax credit offered by the Federal government for investing in solar energy.  These rebates directly benefit the consumer.¹ There are no rebates offered to those of us marketing solar energy products.   As a matter of fact, the company must pay excise tax on all solar energy equipment delivered from another state.  Most solar equipment is manufactured in California and the cost to ship products to the middle of the country remains high, not to mention the overhead required to operate a small business.  Add costs for marketing, insurance and labor and you can see how the costs can add up in a hurry.  In a global economy, even small business must keep their profit margins low in order to remain competitive.

Sun City Solar Energy has been in business since 1983, and the company is proud to be the most experienced and knowledgeable provider and installer of quality solar equipment in the area.  As such, Sun City Solar is contacted on a regular basis by individuals, architects, engineers, municipalities, electricians, plumbers and other professionals seeking information about the proper design, layout, equipment specifications, sizing and numerous other questions about solar energy.  Although we are happy to promote solar energy, giving this information to individuals, companies, agencies and design professionals for free does nothing to keep our doors open.

Small businesses new to solar have a very steep learning curve, especially if the owners believe they can take advantage of stimulus money available for renewable energy.  As taxpayers, we are grateful the government accepts only the lowest bid for the solar applications for local, state and federal government projects.  The bottom line is that only large companies able to buy equipment in bulk at discount prices will be able to win a low bid government project.  And there is no guarantee that because a company is large, the margin for error decreases.  Sun City has been able to capitalize on redesign and repair of systems installed by companies both large and small.

There are the programs funded by the ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009), which are publicized specifically to benefit small businesses.  These programs have fallen far short of their intentions.  Solar is a relatively new technology, and some of the government projects sent out to bid are not properly designed or do not specify correct equipment.  Small businesses that win a low bid further complicate the problem because they do not have the knowledge or experience to properly execute the project.  The end result is that a small business may win the battle, but lose the war.  In other words, the small business will win the bid and add revenue to their bottom line, but go out of business because they are not profitable. Also, a company that bids the job too low ends up substituting inferior products in an effort to keep the overall cost within the amount bid.  Often, this ends up being a lose / lose situation for small businesses and the government.  The government ends up getting an inferior product and the small business loses money because they are not familiar with the equipment and/or installation. The bid did not include all the system products or the business is unable to provide the extensive warranties required by the government.

A recent study ranking 160 countries according to their dedication to the promotion of environmental stewardship ranked the US 61^st on the list.  As a whole, Americans are not willing to change their lifestyle for short or long term benefits.  Sun City Solar Energy has devoted many decades to promoting, encouraging and providing quality solar energy systems to improve the quality of life for our customers and future generations.  It has been a challenging, interesting and rewarding journey.  We encourage you to learn about the benefits of solar and become part of the solution for energy independence at SunCityEnergy.com.

“What’s the use of a fine house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on?”
- Henry David Thoreau

The advent of sunshine and warmer days should lead to thoughts of caring for Mother Earth.  The Tulsa, Oklahoma area is called “Green Country,” a tribute to all the trees, bushes and flowers we all enjoy.  Several organizations, like the Arbor Day Foundation, encourage planting trees to replace the ones removed to make way for “progress.”  One of the best ways to show respect for our planet is to add a solar system to your home or business.  A solar hot water system, considered the most viable solar application for most families, would save 7,200 pounds of CO₂ (Carbon Dioxide) and other greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere and is the equivalent of planting one acre of trees.  If you’ve already invested in solar, you can visualize all those trees surrounding your home, making the air and our planet a better place for everyone.

Earth Day is April 22. Why not do something special for yourself, the earth and generations to come by investing in a solar energy system?   Solar is clean, non-polluting, and uses free energy from the sun.  To encourage you to hop on by our showroom in Tulsa for a free quote, you will receive a free gift.  Find out how you can be kind to the earth, own your own utility company and get a tax credit in your Easter basket, courtesy of the Federal government.

There is still time to take advantage of our $200 discount on a solar pool heater. Click or call Sun City Solar at (866) 407-0527 and start saving today!

When you subtract the initial cost and add up the benefits, installing a solar system was one of the best decisions you made last year.  Think of the health benefits to your budget and the planet if you had the forethought to install a solar energy system five, ten, or even twenty years ago.  Think of all the extra money you would have for food, clothing, mortgage payment, vacations, college, – whatever you need to ensure a long and healthy life.  And investing in solar will only get better because. . .

Yes, Virginia, the New Year started with yet another rate hike from the local utility in Oklahoma. If Santa came down the chimney, he probably ate all the cookies because he needs to store energy for the long winters at the North Pole. Those of us that depend on gas and electricity for our heating and cooling don’t have the same luxury. We don’t get free “cookies.”  Some of us may even toss our cookies when we get our utility bills after the blizzard of 2009.

If you haven’t received a rate increase where you live, chances are, there is one in the works.  When you invest in a solar system, you own your own utility company.  Money you will pay to the utility company will be applied to a power system that uses free, non-polluting energy from the sun. All those utility rate hikes continue to enhance the value of your solar energy investment.

Sun City Solar has been helping people in the Midwest and Mid South with solar energy applications since 1983. If you want to become a lean, mean energy consumption fighting machine, call one of the solar consultants at Sun City Solar. The professionals are well-versed in the technology, market trends and are ready, willing and able to answer your questions. Our solar experts will identify the best system under the sun to fit your needs. Stop by one of our showrooms today and learn how you, too, can be a part of the solution. Call 918-494-0886 today, and become energy fit for the future.