Components of the solar array at Companion Animal Hospital

Panels - (28) 215 Watt Sanyo HIT N modules. Total 4300 watts (4.3 Kw)
SANYO Energy (USA) Corp., a subsidiary of SANYO Electric Co. Ltd., has introduced the HIT Power N Series of solar panels featuring SANYO’s proprietary heterojunction with intrinsic thin-layer (HIT) technology. The new series features the latest technological improvements, including higher module output, lower voltage, space savings and lower installation costs, the company says. The HIT Power N Series solar panels will be available in North America from SANYO’s authorized representatives, including SunWize Technologies, Conergy and Focused Energy, beginning in April.

HIT solar cells are hybrid solar cells composed of single crystalline silicon wafers surrounded by ultra-thin amorphous silicon layers. According to the company, the unique structure minimizes defects within the p/n junction of the cell, producing highly efficient cells capable of achieving up to 17.1% module efficiency while producing more power at high temperatures.

Inverter – Fronius IG Plus 6000     
The IG Plus represents years of refinement of the existing Fronius IG series with
a significant number of improvements including higher efficiency, improved power harvest, easier installation, six circuit built in string combiner and programmable output voltage of 208, 240, and 277 volts all with the same output power (applies to inverters up to 10kW only) and power output available to 12kW in a single inverter (3 phase).

Additional features include anodized aluminum outdoor enclosure protection (Class IP44), a removable power stage for easy installation, and the ability to extend the standard 10-year warranty to 15 years for a nominal investment. All IG Plus are 96% maximum efficiency, UL listed and have a maximum input voltage of 600 Vdc @ 14 degrees F. Operational ambient temperature rating is-20°C to +50°C. Fuses for the string combiner are sold separately.

Racking – Unirac
SolarMount is the most versatile PV mounting rail system on the market today.  Unirac has engineered installer-friendly components for maximum flexibility, allowing you to solve virtually any PV mounting challenge. The universal SolarMount rail system has three options which can be assembled into a wide variety of PV mounting structures to accommodate any job site.  Unirac provides a technical support system complete with installation and code compliance documentation, an on-line estimator and design assistance to help you solve the toughest challenges.

Components of the solar thermal water system at Companion Animal Hospital

The animal hospital is using (5) Chromagen Flat Plate Collectors.  Chromagen has fine-tuned the design and manufacture of solar collectors to an art. Collectors are assembled using quality materials and advanced techniques, which result in highly efficient, durable products you can depend on for years to come. The products are environmentally friendly, remarkably versatile and offer high performance even in extreme environments. The wide range of solar collectors enables Chromagen to provide cost-effective solutions which comply with a variety of international standards, and fulfill different requirements.

With nearly 1/3 of the average electric bill devoted to heating water, a solar hot water system is the smart choice and best investment you can make for your house and for the environment. Solar hot water systems supply an average 70-100% of a household annual water heating needs!
           
SolarTEK Energy designed the system to serve two functions. The first is to provide all the domestic hot water needs the hospital would require. Those needs are met with a 120 gallon Solaraide storage tank and a 15 gallon “drainback” tank. The entire system is referred to as a drainback system because all of the fluid in the collectors drain back into this tank every night to prevent freezing. This drainback tank is where the heating element is located and the fluid that cycles into and out of the panels merely heat this copper coil without ever coming in contact with the potable water.
           
The 5 Chromagen panels provide approximately 160,000 BTUs of energy.  The second function of the system is to provide the heated water that flows through a radiant floor heating system. This system is designed with flexible “pex” tubing which is arranged in the subfloor. This tubing is then covered with concrete. The concrete provides “thermal mass” which means it retains heat very efficiently and can be used to heat an entire structure or just a single room like this rehabilitation room at Companion Animal Hospital.

Solar Thermal Components of Longstreet Drive.
    
EC30 Solar Thermal System
This house has solar collectors known as "evacuated tube", and it should be noted that these collectors work differently than the flat plate collectors.  

Evacuated tube solar collectors are well-suited to commercial and industrial heating applications and can be an effective alternative to flat-plate collectors for domestic space heating, especially in areas where it is often cloudy.

An evacuated-tube collector contains several rows of glass tubes connected to a header pipe.  Each tube has the air removed from it, creating a vacuum, to eliminate heat loss through convection and radiation. Inside the glass tube, a flat or curved aluminum or copper fin is attached to a metal pipe.  The fin is covered with a selective coating that transfers heat to the fluid that is circulating through the pipe.

This home represented a challenge because the homeowners asked us to provide hot water not only for their domestic needs, but also to heat their hot tub, and provide supplemental heat to the entire house during the cold months all with the power of the sun!  

In addition to the heat exchanger in the solar storage tank, there are two more in the solar loop.  One is a "water-to-air" heat exchanger which is installed in the HVAC ductwork.  It essentially acts as a large reverse radiator.  During the winter, the solar collectors will provide enough energy that only the fan in the heating system should turn on to blow across the "radiator" and into the house providing efficient heat.  There is also a "water to water" heat exchanger located beneath the spa which keeps the spa water at a constant temperature using the solar hot water.  No solar thermal system is guaranteed to work 100% of the time which is why a backup heat source is needed in every application.  In this case, a tankless Norritz system will heat the water only when the demand exceeds the capability of the solar collectors, which should only be a very rare occasion.

In addition to the EC30 Solar Thermal System, the homeowners started realizing savings as soon as SolarTEK Nashville installed a radiant barrier product called ThermaShield.  This is a product developed by NASA for use originally in the space program.  It is made of 99% pure aluminum and has a reflective rate of 97%.  We install this product right over our blown-in cellulose insulation for optimum energy savings.  Typical savings using the cellulose insulation in conjunction with ThermaShield often average between 12% - 17%. When you combine that with a solar hot water system, your monthly energy savings can reach 40% - 45%.

Components of the solar array at Woodland Pointe

Panels - (20) 215W Sanyo HIT N modules. Total 4300 watts (4.3 kW)
           
SANYO Energy (USA) Corp., a subsidiary of SANYO Electric Co. Ltd., has introduced the HIT Power N Series of solar panels featuring SANYO’s proprietary heterojunction with intrinsic thin-layer (HIT) technology. The new series features the latest technological improvements, including higher module output, lower voltage, space savings and lower installation costs, the company says. The HIT Power N Series solar panels will be available in North America from SANYO’s authorized representatives, including SunWize Technologies, Conergy and Focused Energy, beginning in April.

HIT solar cells are hybrid solar cells composed of single crystalline silicon wafers surrounded by ultra-thin amorphous silicon layers. According to the company, the unique structure minimizes defects within the p/n junction of the cell, producing highly efficient cells capable of achieving up to 17.1% module efficiency while producing more power at high temperatures.

Inverter – SMA Sunny Boy 4000
SMA inverters are available in sizes from 700 to 7000 watts, making them ideal for a wide range of applications from small residential to very large 3 phase industrial systems. All SMA inverters come standard with built in LCD digital monitors that display instantaneous power output, energy delivered during the current day, and the total energy produced since installation.

The SB 700US has 3 DC input voltage ranges with 120 Vac output. The SB3000 and SB4000 are auto sensing for 208 or 240 Vac applications. The SB 5000, 6000 and 7000 can be field configured for use in 208, 240 and 277 Vac applications. The SB 3000 through 7000 come with a DC disconnect switch with an integrated 4 input fused series string combiner.

The DC disconnect connects to the bottom of the inverter for easy installation or service. The SB 3000 through 7000 are field configurable for positive ground arrays. Indoor/outdoor NEMA 3R Enclosure, powder-coated aluminum (convection with regulated fan cooling). All sensitive electronic components are in a sealed compartment to ensure long life in harsh environments.

Ambient temperature range: -13°F, +114°F. All models have a 10-year standard warranty and are certified to the new UL-1741/IEEE 1547 standards.

Racking – Unirac

SolarMount is the most versatile PV mounting rail system on the market today, and has engineered installer-friendly components for maximum flexibility, allowing the solving of virtually any PV mounting challenge. The universal SolarMount rail system has three options which can be assembled into a wide variety of PV mounting structures to accommodate any job site.  

Unirac provides a technical support system complete with installation and code compliance documentation, an on-line estimator and design assistance to help you solve the toughest challenges.