Certified Solar Solutions

Energy from Moving Air

Wind is simply air in motion. It is caused by the uneven heating of the Earth’s surface by the sun. Because the Earth’s surface is made of very different types of land and water, it absorbs the sun’s heat at different rates. These different surfaces also shed the sun’s heat at night at different rates. This uneven heating and cooling creates the daily wind cycle.

The Daily Wind Cycle

During the day, the air above the land heats up more quickly than the air over water. The warm air over the land expands and rises, and the heavier, cooler air rushes in to take its place, creating wind. At night, the winds are reversed because the air cools more rapidly over land than over water.

In the same way, the atmospheric winds that circle the earth are created because the land near the Earth’s equator is heated more by the sun than the land near the North and South Poles.

Wind Energy for Electricity Generation

Today, wind energy is mainly used to generate electricity. Wind is a renewable energy source because the wind will blow as long as the sun shines.

Contact Us to find out how you can harness the wind resource in your area.

Want a heated pool without the extra energy expense?  A cold swimming pool often goes unused, and offers no return on investment.  Solar pool heating systems can save you money, enhances the enjoyment of a swimming pool and adds value to your home. A properly sized system with a life span of 15-20 years can actually pay for itself with energy savings in 2 to 3 years.

Pool heating is a very good solar application.  Pool systems usually use simple unglazed plastic collectors.  The pool itself is the thermal storage for the system, and the pump you already use for filtering your pool’s water will also circulate water through the solar collectors.

The major advantage of these systems is that because sunshine is free, they have no operating cost.  Another plus for environmentally-conscious pool owners is that solar energy is renewable and non-polluting, so these systems also reduce your greenhouse gas emissions.

Solar heating technology can be confusing to the average pool owner, though.  Contact Us to discuss your solar pool heating options!

At Certified Solar Solutions, our mission is to bring efficient and cost effective renewable energy to our clients, while being environmentally conscious. We strive to empower our clients to reduce their reliance on less sustainable electric utilities and lead the way into Green alternatives.

We use the process known as photovoltaic, with which you can harness the natural power of the sun’s rays to provide electricity, heat, and cooling for your property.

Contact Us For A Solar Evaluation Of Your Home, We Would Love To Help You.

Why Go Solar?

• Generate Your Own Power (Be More Self Sufficient)
• Cost Effective (Reduce Your Dependency On The Rising Rates Of Electric Companies)
• Act Now And Receive The Missouri Utility Rebates For Each Watt Installed
• Take a 30% Federal Tax Rebate Incentive also
• The Power Company Will Pay You For Excess Power Generated
• Better On The Environment–Cleaner & More Sustainable Energy Than Traditional Electric Power

CSS’s capabilities include:

Site evaluation for selection of optimum PV technology and best location on your property.

Determine PV capacity to optimize your use of electricity.

In-House Design and Engineering drawings with PE (Professional Engineer) sign off and in-house installation crews.

Extensive knowledge of Photovoltaic substrate technology, including: Crystalline and Amorphous Silicon, CIGS and Si string technology to match the best system to your needs.

Access to numerous module and BIPV (Building-Integrated Photovoltaic) designs to fit your needs.

PACE is a way for property owners to pay for efficiency upgrades and renewable energy systems on their property. It’s an ingenious program that achieves two benefits:

• provides access to secure loans backed by the property and the municipal bond that has made the funds available.
• allows the property to be sold, if necessary, before the upgrades or energy systems have paid for themselves.

How does PACE work?

PACE stands for “Property Assessed Clean Energy”. It’s called “property assessed” because it allows local communities to create a fund and loan it to propoerty owners who have agreed to pay it back through a “special assessment” on their property tax bill. It is completely voluntary and it’s not a tax. The only person’s tax bill that’s affected is the person who has borrowed the PACE funds. The property owner simply makes the payments to the city or county tax clerk who puts the money back into the fund so it can be loaned to someone else.

How Do I Apply?

PACE has just been passed by the Missouri Legislature. It has not been signed by the governor yet, but it will be very soon. Unfortunately, there will be a bit of a wait while local governments set up the “PACE Councils” that will authorize the bonds that jump-start the program. So, the short answer is “you can’t”. Not yet, at least. Could be 2011…could be 2012 before any programs are up and running. The billpassed by the legislature is simply “enabling” legislation. It says that this program is endorsed and suppported at the state level, and gives the general guidelines about how to set up the PACE councils.

The rest is up to us. Get in touch with your local representatives–County Commissioners, Aldermen, etc. and let them know you want PACE in your area. It may take some grass-roots work, but it will happen. This was the least contentious bill of the past legislative session. Anyone who is against it simply doesn’t understand it. Several counties are on record as supporting PACE and all it can do to help people reduce their usage and save money on energy. Go to Renew Missouri’s web site for more information.

I Rent My Home. Can PACE Help Me Reduce My Bills?

The first thing to remember is that efficiency and solar energy benefit whoever pays the utility bill. A rental tenant can certainly pay for efficiency upgrades or an alternative energy system, but they will only benefit if that tenant pays the utility bill _AND_ is able to live in the dwelling long enough to get through the “payback” period of the intial investment. However, they must also get the property owner’s agreement before making a major modification like that to the property.

A property owner who pays for an upgrade or a system can only benefit if they include utilities with their rents. In such a case, the tenants don’t see the change in electricity expenses. However, they will probably be aware that a solar electric system has been installed and might increase their usage since they think the landlord is now getting “free” electricity. The sunlight is free, for sure, but capturing and converting it to electricity isn’t. If the tenants don’t change their habits and continue to use the same amount of energy, then the property owner benefits. If the tenants do start using more energy, then the property owner will have to raise rents to compensate. In this scenario, no one benefits.

Reducing your carbon footprint or doing your part to clean up the noxious discharges from power plants are worthwhile whether you’re a renter or not. Due to the complexities highlighted above, though, there is little motivation for rental property owners to invest in efficiency or distributed generation (like a wind turbine or solar panels on the roof).

Because PACE’s primary mechanism is a lien on the property, PACE is exclusively for the property owner. A tenant can’t obligate their landlord to pay a property assessment. Trying to apply PACE to rental property is a bit like using a computer as a doorstop. Yes, it can be done, but it’s not what the tool was designed for.

Soryy about that. We really wish it were different. Perhaps a clever person will figure out how to make it work.

For the meantime, PACE is a way for property owners to install efficiency upgrades or renewable energy systems onto their properties. This tends to favor owner-occupied properties rather than rentals.

Contact Us to find out how PACE might be able to help you reduce your carbon footprint–and your utility bills–in a way that fits your needs.

NOTE: The original posting of this article is at the Vote Solar website.

Giving Albany a sign it's time for solar. Literally.

New York: Waiting on a sign

June 11th, 2010

It’s do-or-die time in Albany — the 5 GW New York Solar Jobs Act is in position to pass, but it needs to move before the session ends.

We just need to show the legislators a sign. A really big sign. Literally.

We’d like to buy space on an electronic billboard on the 787 Interstate–practically the driveway of the Capitol. We have some chuckle worthy messages that send a clear directive: Pass the Solar Jobs Act today.

There are two ways you can help make this happen:

First, can you donate to help cover the costs? At a minimum, we suggest 39 cents, which is the average monthly cost New Yorkers would be paying to jumpstart their new solar economy. But feel free to give more if you’d like.

Second, if you have your own clever suggestions for billboard tag lines, please share them in the comments. We’ll be updating our messages as the week unfolds.

To get your juices flowing, here’s our initial list of ideas (as suggested by our funnier friends):

When there is a huge solar energy spill, it’s just called “a nice day.”
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - –
We like The Egg…Sunny Side Up
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - –
Enough already with the fracking natural gas. Give solar a shot.
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - –
Solar Energy. The perfect combination of Woodstock and Wall Street
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - –
The Red Sox installed solar on their ball park. Just saying.
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - –
It’s the new energy economy, stupid.
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - –
The irony of the coal-powered billboard is not lost on us.
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - –
Solar: It’s actually a $30 billion global industry. Please do not tell the hippies.
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - –
NY Solar, what are you waiting for? A sign?
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - –
We could have a new energy economy for just 39 cents a month. Solar: It just makes cents.
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - –
Cost-effective solar energy is just around the corner… Really. This corner.
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - –
The sun’ll come out! Tomorrow! You can bet $20 billion dollars in increased wages. That…tomorrow! There’ll be sun!
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - –
Solar is 99.9% reliable in New York. You’re thinking of the moon-power panels. Those are useless.
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - –
Shovel Ready? You’re looking the wrong direction.
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - –
The Solar Industry does $1 billion a year of business in New Jersey.

A: 22,198

Coal power's carbon savior could double its water woes

 
Photo: Volker Hartmann/AFP/Getty Images BY Samuel K. Moore // June 2010

NOTE: this article originally apeared in the IEEE Spectrum Magazine online edition.  One of our founders is a long-time member of IEEE and we gratefully acknowledge their publication of this article.

Despite all the talk of moving to greener energy sources, coal will be with us for the foreseeable future. But if we’re really serious about cutting carbon dioxide emissions, coal plants everywhere will need to substantially reduce the billions of metric tons of CO2 they annually emit into the atmosphere. The big hope is that in the next few years the plants will begin capturing and storing a large portion of that CO2 deep underground, in the oceans, or in mineral form.

But the technology needed to capture carbon has a huge downside: It could nearly double the amount of water a plant uses for every kilowatt of electricity it delivers—easily erasing any gains from techniques aimed at conserving water and reducing thermal pollution.

"This technology was not developed in a water-constrained environment," says Jared Ciferno, technology manager for the existing plants program of the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). "The bottom line is that [carbon] capture takes energy, and that translates to additional water use."

Just how much water is pretty shocking. By 2030, the addition of carbon-capture technology would boost water consumption in the U.S. electricity sector by 80 percent, or about 7500 megaliters per day, according to research at NETL, which is operated by the U.S. Department of Energy. For plants in water-stressed areas, that’s a deal breaker. "It is not likely that there is enough water supply available to any of our plants to allow for double the water use," says John Coggins, manager of resource planning at Salt River Project, a water and energy utility in Arizona.

The 80 percent figure assumes that the electricity generation lost to powering the carbon-capture system is made up for by adding more water-cooled coal-fired power. In other words, for a 550-megawatt plant to both capture its carbon and still deliver 550 MW of electricity, it would need to add more than 125 MW of additional generating capability to cover the energy used in capture. If you don’t make up for the lost generation, or make it up in some way that requires no water and emits no carbon—with a wind farm, say—the additional water consumption is more like 40 to 50 percent, according to NETL’s Ciferno.

That’s still a lot of water. For coal power plants, the state-of-the-art carbon-capture technology is known as amine-based wet scrubbing [see "Catching Carbon," above]. It’s basically the technology that puts the fizz in your Fanta. First, the plant’s flue gas is scrubbed of sulfurous nasties; what’s left is a mixture of nitrogen, water vapor, and CO2. An amine solution then reacts with the CO2, yielding a gas stream of mostly nitrogen, which goes out the smokestack, and a CO2-rich amine solution. The solution is heated to strip the CO2 from the amines. The CO2 is then cooled and compressed for storage, and the amines cycle back to pick up more CO2.

Illustration: Emily Cooper

Catching Carbon: Today’s technology uses chemicals called amines to capture carbon dioxide. Water is used to cool the amines and help compress the captured CO2.

Why does this process demand so much water? It’s all about the cooling. The power plant’s cooling tower carries heat away by evaporating water. Cooling the amines for CO2 absorption—which generates heat in itself—leads to an additional load on the cooling tower, causing more water to be lost. And compressing the CO2 to the supercritical conditions needed for storage requires cooling, too.

—————————————————————————————————–

——————————————————————————————————

To really reduce CO2 emissions, says Ciferno, less thirsty forms of carbon capture will have to be developed. His lab is now focused on reducing the amount of energy involved, betting that this will take care of carbon capture’s water woes, too. With a budget of about US $50 million per year and 40 projects, NETL has perhaps the biggest R&D program in this area. The goal is commercial-scale technology by 2020 that can capture 90 percent of a coal plant’s CO2 while increasing the cost of generating electricity at that plant by less than 35 percent.

Industrial firms already have several pilot projects capturing small streams of CO2 at plants in Europe and the United States. However, none have yet been scaled up to the size that would make a noticeable difference in a plant’s water consumption. France’s Alstom Power, for one, uses chilled ammonia instead of amines, which the technology company says should be more energy and water efficient. Alstom tested the process last year with a 20-MW pilot plant at American Electric Power’s New Haven, W.Va., generating station. AEP now plans to use it to capture carbon from 235 MW of the New Haven plant’s 1300-MW capacity, starting in 2015.

Germany’s Siemens Energy has also developed an alternative technology, which relies on amino-acid salts instead of amines. Amino-acid salts pick up more carbon than amines do, so you need to pump and cool less material, says Tony DoVale, president of Siemens Environmental Systems and Services. So far the process has been demonstrated to capture carbon while leaching only 9 percent of a plant’s power, compared to amine technology’s typical 20 percent. That "would ultimately imply half the cooling load," says DoVale.

Of course, unless plant operators are compelled to capture carbon, these energy and water costs won’t be borne at all. "Why would you put on a piece of equipment that puts 10 percent of a plant’s output away if you didn’t have to?" says DoVale.

Carbon capture consumes extra energy to operate, reducing a plant's output and requiring even more fossil fuel to be burned. At best, it's a band-aid. Renewable energy is the long-term solution. Get a quote to find out how to go solar or get a geothermal system, make a positive impact on your carbon footprint, and avoid the rising costs of electricity.