SBS Solar - FAQs

When photons of light strike a solar cell, electrons are energized. Just as a dark surface in the sunlight heats from the electrons bouncing around from friction, the solar cell is designed to create a path for the electrons to flow. The flow of electrons is the definition of electricity. The inverter configures the power to what our homes and the utility grid require. This power flows to your home’s electrical loads or, if in excess to what your home requires, this power flows out to the electrical grid.  This leaves a credit on your meter which can be used in no sun periods.

Solar modules or panels, an inverter and a mounting structure make up the three major components of a system. Wiring, conduit and disconnects tie these components together for the typical solar system.

Yes, just as you enter a car on an overcast day and it is noticeably warmer, solar modules make power with these reduced light levels, just not as much as bright sunny days.

What will snow do to my power production?

The time of the year we can have snow cover our array are the lowest production months of the year.  Therefore, you can just let the snow melt naturally. This does not create a significant reduction in annual power production totals.

Yes, unless your roof area is limited, we can easily add more modules if your electrical loads increase. Increasing the size of your inverter at the initial installation is a smart hedge for future expansion.

The roof of your home or business is typically the lowest cost location for your solar array. This is because we are using the structure of your roof and do not have to create a whole separate structure as we do with a ground mount. Having the modules higher is many times an advantage from surrounding shading.

We take many measures to seal all penetrations with compounds and mounting feet. Intuitively, this seems like a problem yet in reality leaks from roof mounted solar modules is not a problem.

What maintenance is required?

One of the real advantages to solar photovoltaic modules are their lack of any moving parts. While the inverter has a few moving parts, they are minimal. Washing of the array with a garden hose will reduce occasional soiling yet most owners let the rain and snow handle this.  We do recommend checking your inverters LED status lights or your power bill occasionally to make sure the system is on.

The main advantage of adding batteries is it gives us backup power when the grid is down. At present, it is not economically advantageous to utilize batteries.  In other states with progressive utilities, they will buy our home power to support the grid.  Unfortunately, our Montana utilities do not allow this.

At present, adding batteries can double the cost of a grid-tied system.  Stay tuned as this will change in the future.

Solar energy pricing is at an all time low according to reports released by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). Installing a solar electric system on your home increases resale value.  A U.S. Department of Energy study  showed that buyers will pay up to $15,000 more for a home equipped with solar panels. Adding even more saving potential, government tax credits can offset the cost of a solar energy system with a  30% federal tax credit (currently through 2033). There are even more savings if your property is considered in the rural development area or if you run a non profit or public entity.

Montana is a great state for Solar.  Solar electric systems have been installed and working in Montana for over thirty-plus years.  Our first company Sunelco helped to make many of these systems possible.  We lived off grid and used the products that we sell every day.  That being said, the true game changer in Montana was net-metering system.  This allows Montanans to harness the sunshine generated on our long solar days in the summer time, feed back into the utility grid and use the power during our shorter winter days.  Solar irradiation levels vary across the United States, but every state receives enough sunlight to make solar a good investment. Solar panels will continue to produce a significant amount of energy even on overcast days. Germany has more solar than any other country in the world (and six times the installed capacity of the U.S.), yet Germany’s solar resource is roughly equivalent to that of Alaska.  Solar can work in almost any climate, as long as panels are properly installed in an un-shaded location. Solar panels work with light, not heat so it doesn’t matter how cold it gets outside. In fact, solar panels perform better in cooler temperatures than very hot temperatures.

Photovoltaic solar panels will produce energy on cloudy days. Although it might seem counter-intuitive, consider that solar panels on a rooftop in foggy San Francisco produce nearly the same as the ones in nearby sunny Sacramento. Consider too that Germany (with a climate not that different from Vancouver Canada) leads the world in residential solar right now, and it is generally an overcast climate.

Most solar panels are not attached directly to the roof itself, but rather to a mounted railing system. Solar engineers add sealants to fill in any gaps and often the mounts are surrounded by metal coverings that act as an extra barrier from the elements.

Solar panels are solid state, have no moving parts, do not require regular maintenance and come with a 25 year warranty. Dust and debris can collect on solar modules, but most panel owners never clean the panels and instead rely on the rain to do the job for them.  Generally when it comes to  snow our recommended action is wait for the sunshine.  In Western Montana, grid-tie, net-metered homes make a majority of their solar power in the summer months.  Winter power generation is a bonus, rather than a necessity.  The days are shorter, the sun is lower and the sky is often overcast.  This does not mean that we don’t generate any power, it just means that we generate significantly less in the months around winter solstice.  Modules are generally set at an angle that enough snow will begin to shed, temperatures permitting.  The cells are of dark colors that promote melting and with enough consecutive sunny days your modules will be generating power once again.

Nearly all modern solar panel systems are connected to the conventional electric utility grid. When this happens, your meter spins backwards and your utility company credits you for that power. This grid-tied method tends to be the most convenient for homeowners. This is ideal for us in Montana, because of our long solar days in the summer and shorter days in the winter time.  In Montana the utility company will not write you a check for excess energy that you produce.  So generally your system will be sized to accommodate your average annual usage.  (determined by your utility bill).  Each year the solar electric system generates power during peak season (summer), and you consume power during the darker, shorter days of winter.  The utility company (each one slightly different dates) resets once a year and the process begins again.

Solar is a mature technology, and there has never been a better time to install solar.  Basic solar photovoltaic technologies have been around for more than 30 years. While efficiencies have increased and costs have decreased, the basic solar electric panel is the same solar technology used in the 1960’s and 70s. The solar industry, like other electricity-generating industries, does not evolve as rapidly as the electronics industry has. (unlike computers or cellphones which experience dramatic improvements in short periods of time). When panels become more efficient, it simply means you wouldn’t need as many, because they’re better at converting. Given stable technology profile, with a 30% federal tax credit solar is more affordable than ever and makes sense right now. Once installed, the panels are solid state, with no moving parts and have a 25 year warranty.

 Solar Panels are durable and can resist golf ball sized hail at 100 mph.. Solar Modules are made with tempered glass like the windshield of your car. Solar panels are solid state, no moving parts and have a 25 year production warranty.

Solar panels work with light, not heat so it doesn’t matter how cold it gets outside. In fact, solar panels perform better in cooler temperatures than very hot temperatures.  Solar panels are built to withstand varying temperatures, and they can produce electricity from indirect light.

 Though tracking mechanisms can provide efficiency gains for your solar electric system, they typically do not increase efficiency enough to justify the additional expense and maintenance of moving parts in residential situations.   Generally a shade free, fixed roof mount system is he cost most effective installation.