- How a Solar Electric System Works
- Cost Effective Solar Electricity
- 25 Year Life Expectancy
- Do You Have a Good Solar Site?
- Rebates and Tax Credits
- Sample Systems
- Site Visit and Analysis
- About CESCO Solar
- Contact us
How a Solar Electric System Works
Photovoltaic cells produce DC, or direct-current electricity, when they are exposed to light. In a solar-electric, photovoltaic or PV system, many cells are wired together and encapsulated behind a piece of tempered glass that is bound by an aluminum frame for strength. This approximately 3ft. by 5ft. unit is called a PV module.
PV modules have no moving parts and require little or no maintenance over their entire life. Multiple PV modules are wired together in series on a roof to form a PV array.
An inverter transforms the DC, PV array electricity to 240V AC, alternating current. This is the proper type of electricity to power a home or business, and or, send back to the utility company.
The inverter will not function unless there is power from the array. When the sun shines the inverter supplies electricity to the main service panel. This powers the loads in the home or business. If the loads are greater than the PV electricity, the remainder is powered by the utility company and recorded on the meter on the exterior of the building. If the loads are less, the extra PV electricity exits the home or business out to the power line to your neighbors. As it passes out of the building, the excess power effectively turns the meter backwards and reduces your monthly bill.
Cost effective Solar Electricity
The average residential system with a PV array under 5000 watts, and with the average ability to receive Massachusetts PV rebates, MA tax credits, and federal tax credits, will only cost about half of the regular installed price. At a 5% per year increase in the homeowners electric bill, the system will pay for itself in 12-14 years. The system is expected to last 25 years. This is a generalized estimate. Please consult with us for a specific estimate.
The average commercial system with a PV array under 10,000 watts, and with the average ability to receive Massachusetts PV rebates and federal tax credits, will only cost about half of the regular installed price. At a 5% per year increase in the homeowner's electric bill, the system will pay for itself in 12-14 years. The system is expected to last 25 years. This is a generalized estimate. Please consult with us for a specific estimate.
PV systems become an even better deal if you combine them with energy conservation. We urge you to do an energy audit, employ some of it’s recommendations to conserve electricity, and thus decrease your monthly bill. Then we can install a smaller and less expensive PV system to meet the budget of this smaller bill.
25 Year System Life Expectancy
Solar-electric modules have an expected life span of over 25 years. They are warranteed for defects of workmanship for five years, to produce 90% of their rated output for 10 years, and to produce 80% of their rated output for 25 years. They may in fact last much longer. The inverter, the other major component, is warranteed for 10 years. For a period of five years, CESCO Solar will replace any failed component at no additional charge.
Do You Have a Good Solar Site?
A good site for solar electricity must receive six hours of sunlight per day, with no shading, throughout the year. Sunlight that passes through branches after the leaves have fallen in autumn is not sufficient. Modules are normally mounted on a south-facing roof, a few inches above the roof, and in the same plane. Southeasterly or southwesterly orientations are acceptable. Most common roof pitches are workable. Modules may also be mounted on a pole or a rack on the ground, at a distance, if this improves the solar exposure.
Rebates and Tax Credits
The Massachusetts rebate program requires CESCO Solar to provide a turnkey installation for the owner to receive rebates. CESCO Solar must design the PV system, enter in an approved contract with the customer, complete the customer’s application for rebates, take out all permits, facilitate inspections, maintain an insurance policy, and complete the connection to the utility company. CESCO Solar must also warranty the system for parts and labor for 5 years, using an inverter with a 10 year warranty and PV modules with a 20 year warranty.
Massachusetts has some of the best PV system rebates in the country. Massachusetts also has a $1000 state income tax credit for residential systems. Additionally the federal government recently enacted a 30% tax credit for the balance of the system cost after rebates. There are two different rebate applications depending on whether you have a residential utility account or a commercial utility account.
Sample Systems
A solar-electric system is sized to produce no more than 90% of the kilowatt-hours you use each year. Please remember you may choose a system that produces any amount up to the 90%. The system size should fit on your roof and fit in your budget. Any size system is making our world a greener place.
Our solar electric systems must be custom-designed and appropriately quoted. System installations are subject to conditions of the specific site. However, we can approximate the price based on the size of the system. The final cost is vastly reduced by the owner’s ability to qualify for Massachusetts PV rebates (a direct payment to owner), MA income tax credits, and federal income tax credits. There are different levels of benefit depending on income and home value. Please click more info below to see some sample systems. These systems give you the highest and lowest levels state and federal benefits.
Site Visit and Analysis
Before we do a site visit, we will ask you a few questions about your potential for solar electricity. It will be very helpful if you have familiarized yourself with the information on this website first. Our questions will cover your solar exposure, your potential PV array location, your monthly kilowatt-hour usage (please have your bill ready), and what size system you might afford. Before we visit your site we view your site via satellite (using Google Earth on the internet) to examine your potential for solar electricity.
At a site visit we record data to be fed into a computer program, which will yield a comprehensive analysis of your site to produce solar electricity. We can choose a system size and accurately predict its production. This analysis is required for the application for Massachusetts rebates. Additionally, we fill in a two-page fact sheet and record many photos. This information will also be used to file the comprehensive rebate application that we must process for you to be awarded rebates. During the site visit, we answer questions and educate you about potential system sizes and installations. This whole visit will last one to two hours.
About CESCO Solar
CESCO Solar is a division of CESCO Plumbing & Heating, Inc. headed by Chris Swindlehurst, president, and his brother Jack Swindlehurst. Chris founded CESCO Plumbing & Heating, Inc. in 1986 as a full-service plumbing and heating company. In 2001, Chris purchased Brown Oil Company and added it as a division of the parent company.
Chris and Jack have been involved in alternative energy for decades. Since the birth of Chris’s two young daughters, he has decided to follow his heart, channel his ideals into a renewable energy component to his business, and help make the world a greener place for his children. He has hired Jack Swindlehurst, a long time technology professional and a trained PV designer and installer, to design and install PV systems in the Berkshires.
CESCO Plumbing & Heating, Inc., CESCO Solar, and Brown Oil Company, are a family-owned business that employs local employees. They will be here to service your needs.
- How a Solar Electric System Works
- Cost Effective Solar Electricity
- 25 Year Life Expectancy
- Do You Have a Good Solar Site?
- Rebates and Tax Credits
- Sample Systems
- Site Visit and Analysis
- About CESCO Solar