Solar Electricity in Southern Alberta
We received a door to door call from a company that provides solar electricity in Lethbridge, and throughout Southern and Northern Alberta. The company had its roots in Edmonton and Calgary but started beating the pavement in Lethbridge. This companies sctick was they had superior engineering which was reliable and is able to supply the Lethbridge Homeowner’s the system they require. We were open to the discussion. The superior engineering was the repeated advertising message.
As architects, we have to coordinate the systems, and while we have basic engineering knowledge regarding photovoltaic photocells, the discussion was a good reminder of the systems and components. We have been interested in solar power for a number of years. While I know about ‘just enough Engineering to be dangerous’, I didn’t know about some of the billing practises. I didn’t realize that many of the administration fees and riders are a percentage based fee based on your usage. So therefore if your usage goes down, so do the administration fees. It was a good conversation.
We first saw real numbers for solar efficacy for sustainability in 2001. Dialogue Architecture (offices in Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver) issued a costs benefit analysis for environmental strategies. Building Insulation was (and still is in our opinion) the ‘best bang for your buck’ with a cost payback of 5-7 years. Back then, Solar electricity was a 99 year return on investment. In approximately 20years the equation has changed. Suppliers and installers are claiming 7-10 year payback on solar(with government subsidy). Advances in technology have both extended the lifespan of panels and brought down manufacturing costs. Anyways, back to my story….
This Calgary/Edmonton company walked us through their process to provide solar electricity. First they took our power bill to determine usage. Not quite engineering perse, but in their defence- an individual’s lifestyle in Lethbridge makes a difference. Two households approximately the same size, make up and residence will have different power expectations. We have newer appliances and low voltage LED lighting, no electric vehicles yet, however we have a hot-tub we cannot part with. The hot-tub is really our big lifestyle choice that impacts our power-the rest is need to have usage. Our annual power usage of our lifestyle of a family or four is 9.4 Kw or 9,400 watts per year.
The Calgary / Edmonton Solar Company then sized the solar array to evaluate how close they can come to meeting our usage. Grid-tied solar systems in Alberta (no batteries are required) are not permitted to over generate so that the electrical grid is not overloaded. Also, according to Alberta regulation, you cannot over size your system for anticipated usage, only actual. So if there is an electric vehicle in your future-you have to provide the additional panels after the fact.
Next the Calgary / Edmonton Solar company used a Google Maps Satellite images from our property to evaluate the solar orientation and whether there are any impediments to solar gain (shadowing of trees and neighbour’s houses for example). Contrary to the companies marketing message, you don’t need to be an engineer for this-just common sense.
Lastly, the Calgary / Edmonton solar company did some grade 7 math. They took our annual usage, then divided by the amount of solar panels required. The watts shown on a solar panel is the annual production of energy for a year (best case of course). Therefore our 9.5 kw of power needs (19) 500 watt panels to be fully power neutral. Each panel has a physical dimension.
The process roughly calculates the area of available roof surface by the physical area of the panel. For example, for our Lethbridge home, while we require 9.5kw of power, we seem to only be able to fit (11-12) 500 watt panels which will place us at a 60%+/- power recovery.
So the Calgary/ Edmonton solar panel company gave us a price of $22.5k for our system plus a couple small fees. The Greener homes grant offered by the Canadian government will knock off $5k of this which brings us down to $17.5k for our system. Another feature of the Greener Homes grant is it offers a 0% interest feature over 10years. This more or less allows you to pay for your system from money that would ordinarily go to the power company. What people also don’t realize is the administration fees on your bill relate to usage. Again, the less you use, the less administration fees you also don’t pay. It seemed quite positive.
Win win right? Nope.
Something didn’t sit right. The Travelling power company was really pushy to get us to commit. Something smelled fowl.
My gut sense is fairly accurate- so we decided to search out a second cost. This time from Energy Smart in Lethbridge. Energy Smart were early adopters in the solar technology and provide solution both in Lethbridge and all over Southern Alberta. They used essentially the same approach, their quote provided the same sized system, for a base price of $17k less the $5k in grant money for a final cost of $13k over 10 years. The Calgary/ Edmonton solar company were charging a 30% premium. I never provided the original solar company quote to Energy Smart. The $13k system is legitimately what Energy Smart offered-free of collusion. Keep in mind, I’m certain Energy Smart is still making a profit on the cost they provided us. Compare the quotes for yourself:
This is the end of the Calgary Edmonton Solar Providers Proposal. Below is Energy Smart’s:
I have edited the Calgary Edmonton Proposal to remover their names. The only thing I didn’t care for about the proposal was a bit of high pressure and the fact it was quite a bit more than Energy Smart’s proposal. The Calgary Edmonton Solar proposal was more slick, very thorough and convincing. It was very professional and I have seen solar installations of this company. They do a nice job.
The Energy Smart Proposal was less slick but the right price. When comparing the scope and materials they were very comparable. I’ve dealt with Energy smart over 4-5 personal transactions and they have never done wrong by me. I nor my company gets and favours or kick-backs by recommending Energy Smart. I suggest anyone in the market for their products or services at least give Energy Smart fair consideration.
A little more background information……Alberta, Southern Alberta specifically in many ways is ideal for solar panels. Consider the daylight hours we get vs. other locations:
Lethbridge (Including Taber, Pincher Creek, Ft MacLeod, and Medicine Hat, Hours
Central Alberta-Calgary (Including Airdrie, Red Deer, Dumheller Hanna, Lacombe and Strathmore) Hours
Northern Alberta-Edmonton (Including Sherwood Park, Stony Plain Lloydminster, Vegreville and alike) Hours
Nearby locations with More Proximity to the mountains (Banff, Canmore Crowsnest Pass and Jasper) don’t benefit quite as much, Hours
Consider these daylight hours to other locations with environmental leanings:
Vancouver (Including Chilliwack, Abbotsford, Surrey and Richmond) Hours
San Fransisco (and the tri-cities Oakland and San Jose) Hours of Daylight.
In general, solar panels are most effective when they are oriented to maximize sun exposure and energy production. Here are some guidelines:
Tilt Angle: In most fixed installations, the ideal tilt angle for solar panels is equal to the latitude of the location. For example, if the installation is in a location at 45 degrees latitude, the panels should be tilted at an angle of 45 degrees from the horizontal. This angle helps optimize energy capture throughout the year.
Direction/Facing: In the Northern Hemisphere (like Canada), solar panels should generally face south to capture the most sunlight during the day. In the Southern Hemisphere, they should face north. This orientation ensures the panels receive the most direct sunlight when the sun is at its highest position in the sky.
Exceptions: There might be specific cases where a different orientation is chosen due to site limitations, shading issues, or other factors. For instance, on some residential rooftops, the best available space might face east or west instead of south.
Seasonal Adjustments: In some locations, seasonal adjustments can be made to optimize energy capture throughout the year. For example, panels could be adjusted to a steeper angle during the winter months when the sun is lower in the sky. Distance from the sun also appears to be a factor. Winter months we are farther away. The most effective sun angle for Lethbridge is 22 degrees.