As the technology of renewable energy marches on, the appeal to live off the electric grid is growing exponentially.

The burning question is which technology does one embrace.

Running on Waste
There are two brothers that own a dairy farm in Eastern Ontario. One of the brothers is an engineer and put his talents to work building a small scale anaerobic digester (AD) to transform the waste from all of their beasts to methane. Now they are supplying the entire farm using generators.

Dairy manure is well-suited for anaerobic digestion, having a relatively high dry matter content of about 12 percent. A dry matter content of 6 to 14 percent is considered the best range for digestion.

Anaerobic digestion is used in agricultural, municipal and industrial systems to treat organic materials. The process typically holds the material in an oxygen free environment for a 2 to 20 day period at a temperature of 30 degrees Celsius to 60 degrees Celsius. At this temperature and in the absence of oxygen, microorganisms break down the organic materials to produce biogas, consisting primarily of methane and carbon dioxide. Depending on the system design, the biogas can be combusted to run a generator producing electricity and heat, or it can be burned as a fuel in a boiler or other burner. In addition, the following advantages are usually found with AD systems:

• reduced odour and pathogen levels in the manure
• production of energy usually in the form of heat and electricity
• reduced greenhouse gas production from the farmstead, and
• improved fertilizer value of the manure through homogenization and mineralization.

The beauty of this operation is that they no longer have their $2500 monthly hydro bill.

A Cautionary Tale
My big brother has a farm north east of Toronto, Ontario. Not long ago, he asked me to look into the possibility of setting up three wind turbines with a view to supplying the farm and selling excess power into the grid.

I contacted a friend who is a high-ranking official at our provincial power system to feel him out on the prospects and challenges to be found in the exercise. He was very straightforward in his explanation. Assuming the energy company builds the turbines then my brother’s three acres or so then fall under the jurisdiction of the utility and therefore it becomes private property. Access roads must be built and maintained, vegetation management becomes a priority, fencing and security must be in place. In other words he could say goodbye to that property. The other thing my friend said was that having structures like this on the land could kill his resale value if he ever decided to sell. Cables must be sunk deep and there must be proper connections at the farm.

The expense would be extortionate. But the reward of supplying yourself with electricity is definitely a bonus. There’s no real guarantee the output of the wind mills would be profitable to the utility.

The Sunny Side of Life
My son is an electrician and has been installing more and more solar panels on residential and industrial units.

He is finding out how simple it is to generate solar power to offset use from the grid. Excess electricity produced can be exported to the grid where you receive a minimum of your retail rate.

Why lease power when you can own and produce it for less? By installing a solar PV system, one will be able to save on operating costs by producing your own power and hedging against volatile electricity prices. Protect the bottom line while protecting the environment.

Getting started
A detailed and comprehensive solar site assessment is a necessary component for any solar electric installation. A typical site assessment includes the following:

• Accurate measurements of roof or ground space including locations of plumbing stacks, chimneys, skylights, attic vents, etc
• Shading analysis from proposed location for solar (sometimes several points need to be analysed to determine the best location) – this data is used to provide accurate energy production estimates
• Discussion with home or business owner to determine route of cable from site of solar electric array to location of inverter/mains panel
• Determine location of inverter(s) and integration in to the building’s electrical system.

The installer can then provide a preliminary ballpark cost, energy production, and an economic analysis specific to your home/building through email as a first step. For new construction residential and commercial projects, the installation company can provide a design and quote directly from the drawings for the building.

Making the decision to switch to solar is an awesome one. However, getting started and understanding the process can often be fraught with uncertainty for those unfamiliar with the industry. A qualified electrical contractor can usually provide turnkey systems and take care of all of the permitting, grid connection application, etc. Here is a list of the steps for a typical residential installation:

1. Initial estimate – If high quality satellite images are available, accurate estimates for system size and energy production for your specific house can be provided.
2. Site assessment – The contractor visits the site to obtain detailed site specific information required for a solar installation including detailed roof measurements, electrical capacity of your electrical system and a shading analysis (if required). For a new construction home, a system right from the architectural drawings can be designed.
3. System design & quote – The contracting firm will design a system specific to your roof space, budget and electricity needs. This is an iterative process and multiple options can be presented.
4. Permitting and grid connection application – ALL the permitting required (Electrical, Building and/or Development permits) and the application to connect the system to the grid will be handled by the electrical company.
5. Installation and commissioning – Done by highly trained and experienced installation crews.
6. Final walk through with the homeowner and delivery of system manuals

How do grid tied systems work?

Residential Grid Tied Solar Electric Systems
Solar panels are typically installed on the roof of the home and/or garage. These photovoltaic (PV) cells convert sunlight into direct current (DC) power.

The inverter(s) convert DC electricity from the solar array to the AC electricity found in the building. The inverter feeds electricity into the electrical distribution system. The bidirectional meter which is supplied free of charge by the utility, keeps track of both the energy imported from the grid and the energy exported to the grid. Savings and export credits are reflected on your electricity bill.

If you own an electric car, you can charge it up with solar power generated on your own home.

Your home remains connected to the utility grid to supply you with electricity when you need more power than your system is producing, such as at night.

Commercial Grid Tied Solar Electric Systems
Photovoltaic (PV) modules convert sunlight into direct current (DC) power. The inverter(s) convert DC electricity from the solar array to the AC electricity found in the building.

The inverter feeds electricity into the electrical distribution system. The bidirectional meter which is supplied free of charge by the utility, keeps track of both the energy imported from the grid and the energy exported to the grid. Savings and export credits are reflected on your electricity bill.

Some customers require that a solar system be installed to run separate aspects of their building such as opening a large garage door in an apartment complex

It looks like the time is nigh to get on the renewables bandwagon. I’m very pleased that steps are being taken to save our planet and ourselves.