1. Birth and Death of a Solar Electron
Baby Minus
He was always
so negative
Dave Strenski
January 2017

2. Could add $22.6 billon to Michigan’s economy every year!
Michigan Energy Overview Michigan Public Service Commission, LARA, October 2011
Michigan is relatively limited in most energy resources and imports 97% of its petroleum needs, 82% of its natural gas and 100% of coal and nuclear fuel from other states and nations. These imports account for about 72 cents of every dollar spent for energy by Michigan’s citizens and businesses. Michigan spent a total of $31.3 billion on all forms of energy in 2009 and of that amount $22.6 billion was for the energy resources imported from other states and nations.
Could add $22.6 billon to Michigan’s economy every year!
Slide 2

3. sun photovoltaic panels disconnect inverter utility meters
2005
2005
2005
2005
2007
2008
photovoltaic panels
2008
2008
2008
2008
2008
2008
Sunny
Boy
325
Reverse
Meter
Forward
Meter
disconnect
inverter
KWH
KWH
100
9885
534
327
utility meters
KWH
Gen Meter
store meters
breaker panel

5. Tracking systems
Seasonal fixed panels
Fixed panels
Steeper for more uniform annual power
Flatter for maximum annual power

6. Silicon [Si] + n shell 3 14 protons 14 neutrons shell 1 shell 2
valence electrons

7. Silicon [Si] + n shell 3 14 protons 14 neutrons shell 1 shell 2
valence electrons

8. silicon doped with phosphorus (few extra electrons)
Building a Solar Cell
wires on the top
silicon doped with phosphorus
(few extra electrons)
silicon doped with boron
(holes, few less electrons)
wires on the bottom

9. electrons
migrate up
photons
holes migrate down

10. Mono and Polycrystalline Silicon
Amorphous Silicon
Uni-solar
Made in Michigan

12. sun photovoltaic panels disconnect inverter utility meters
2005
2005
2005
2005
2007
2008
photovoltaic panels
2008
2008
2008
2008
2008
2008
Sunny
Boy
325
Reverse
Meter
Forward
Meter
disconnect
inverter
KWH
KWH
100
9885
534
327
utility meters
KWH
Gen Meter
store meters
breaker panel

13. Shuts offs if grid is down Displays power generated
time
voltage AC DC
UL listed
Clean power
Shuts offs if grid is down
Powered by solar
Quite and Cool
Displays power generated
AC out
DC in

14. Standard breaker
240 volt, 20 amp
back fed

15. 4:00 am
forwards
OFF

16. 8:00 am
forwards
direct
current
alternating
current

17. 11:00 am
forwards
direct
current
alternating
current

18. 1:00 pm
backwards
direct
current
alternating
current

19. Power is distributed to the neighborhood
Utility supplies power to the transmission lines
Solar panels start generating power

20. One less shovelful of coal is needed at the utility power plant
Power is distributed to the neighborhood
Utility supplies power to the transmission lines
Solar panels start generating power

22. Solar Economics 2000 sq. ft. home 440 KWH/month (average)
18c per KWH (2015)
440/30 = 14.7 KWH (day), round up to 15 KWH per day on average
Solar Economics

23. Solar Economics 2000 sq. ft. home 440 KWH/month (average)
18c per KWH (2015)
440/30 = 14.7 KWH (day), round up to 15 KWH per day on average
Solar Economics
4 hour of sun per day, assumes panels are facing south tilted at latitude.
Assume 80% system efficiency
15 KWH / 4 hr * 1.2 = 4.5 KW (added 20% for efficiency)
4500 watt would be about 18 solar panels at 250w per panel.

25. Solar Economics 2000 sq. ft. home 440 KWH/month (average)
18c per KWH (2015)
440/30 = 14.7 KWH (day), round up to 15 KWH per day on average
Solar Economics
4 hour of sun per day, assumes panels are facing south tilted at latitude.
Assume 80% system efficiency
15 KWH / 4 hr * 1.2 = 4.5 KW (added 20% for efficiency)
4500 watt would be about 18 solar panels at 250w per panel.
Solar installation cost = $3 per watt
4500w * $3/w = $13500
$13,500 * 0.3 = -$ % Federal tax credit
$ (price of a used car)
Cost of electricity for 440kwh/month
= ¢
= 18.0 * 1.05 = 18.9¢
= 18.9 * 1.05 = 19.8¢
= 19.8 * 1.05 = 20.8¢
= 20.8 * 1.05 = 21.9¢
= 21.9 * 1.05 = 23.0¢
= 23.0 * 1.05 = 24.1¢
= 24.1 * 1.05 = 25.3¢
= 25.3 * 1.05 = 26.6¢
= 26.6 * 1.05 = 27.9¢
yrs
18¢
20¢
22¢
24¢
26¢ 2
$1,901
$2,112
$2,323
$2,534
$2,746 4
$3,802
$4,224
$4,646
$5,069
$5,491 6
$5,702
$6,336
$6,970
$7,603
$8,237 8
$8,448
$9,293
$10,137
$10,982 10
$9,504
$10,560
$11,616
$12,672
$13,728

26. 30% Federal Tax Credit for PV
2017 to 2019 – 30%
2020 – 26%
2021 – 22%
Beginning in 2022
10% for commercial and third party- owned residential
0% for host-owned residential

27. Solar Economics

28. Economics of Scale Intel 80486 PC Purchased in 1990 for $2000
16 MB of Memory, 50 MHz clock
50 pounds and BIG.
Samsung Galaxy Nexus
2013 for $200
32 GB , 1.2 GHz clock, dual-core
5 ounces and fits in your pocket
23 years = 10x cheaper, 2000x memory, 48x faster, 160x lighter

29. 33% use
67% lost
79% lost
21% use

31. Ypsilanti Solar Photovoltaic Case Studies

33. Solar Ypsilanti: SolarYpsi.org
Ypsilanti Food Cooperative: YpsiFoodCoop.org
City of Ypsilanti: CityofYpsilanti.com
Federal Tax Incentives:
DTE Energy Solar Currents:
Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association:
Midwest Renewable Energy Association:
HomePower magazine:
Solar Today magazine:
Solar Tour: