September 2, 2010
Last weekend, I was in Minnesota, where I had the chance to visit the “Great Minnesota Get Together”, also known as the Minnesota State Fair. There was a lot of buzz around solar power and the excitement was absolutely infectious! If one thing was clear, it’s that people are extremely curious about new ways to get energy. Luckily, the number of available resources is quickly growing!
One of the main attractions at the Minnesota State Fair was an expo hall dedicated to smart homes, including homes powered by solar, called the Eco Experience Building. Inside the Eco Experience Building, there were several demo homes outfitted with smart solutions like cork flooring and no-VOC wallpaper. One of the demo homes also had an entire room dedicated to home solar, with presentations, displaying information about everything from solar monitoring to solar panel equipment to solar power inverters.
Here are some of the audience’s questions from one of the smart home sessions I attended:
Do solar panels work in the harsh winters?
Solar PV Panels depend on sunlight, not heat. Production does decrease in the winter because of the shorter length of the day, but this can be accounted for and planned for when you size your system. If the panels are covered in snow, that can slow or stop can stop production, but snow generally slides off the angled panels or melts when the sun shines. Professionally installed panels from a quality local installer will account for resistance to high winds if that is a threat. In extreme weather situation, if panels are damaged, sometimes that is covered by a warranty or if you purchase insurance.
Can I make money by selling extra power back to the grid?
Yes and no. Local utilities have varying policies on buying back power from residential customers. In Minnesota, utility customers with a grid-tied solar system earn credits from the utility company when they generate more electricity than they use. These credits are based on market value, and they reduce a customer’s electric bill. The concept of making a bunch of cash by putting in a big array and selling power back to the utility is a misconception in most cases.
Solar was featured in other parts of the Eco Experience Building, as well. There were displays from Fifty Lanterns International, a solar charity, an interactive area sponsored by the Minnesota Renewable Energy Society, as well as a solar boat on display! The curiosity and creativity buzzing around solar was thrilling; it was wonderful to see how solar technology is spreading across the country. The Minnesota State Fair ends this Labor day, September 6, so be sure to check it out and visit the Eco Experience Building this weekend!
Curious about going solar in your home? Check out our Solar By Location pages to learn more about solar in your state!
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Great seeing these solar technologies on display