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Issue #210 January 2008
INTELLIGENT ENERGY SOLUTIONS
Solar-Powering the Circuit Cellar
Part 2: From the Ground Up
by Steve Ciarcia
Start | Problem Solved | Pole Mounts | Under Construction | Success at Last | Sources & PDF
PROBLEM SOLVED
I know it sounds ridiculous, but I needed an excuse that justified someone else putting in my PV system. The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund rebate program solved my problem. If I discount the substantial cost of tree removal that would have been done no matter what, it is my opinion that the post-rebate cost of my installed 11.76-kW system is about the same as it would have been if I had bought and installed all of the same components, panels, and pole mounts. Basically, DIY is about $5 a watt these days. Professional installation here in Connecticut is about $10/W, but there is a $5/W rebate. I just did the math and decided to let somebody else fall off the roof instead of me.
For the most part, professionally installed solar systems are turnkey and that was the basic deal with my installer, Sunlight Solar Energy. Their job was to configure the system, order all of the components, and put the team in place to complete the installation, including erecting the pole mounts and pouring the concrete. The only caveat in the contract was that I would be responsible for digging the conduit trench from the arrays around the house into the garage where the inverters were to be located. That was OK. A little sweat equity was a good idea. Besides, if Sunlight Solar Energy wanted to put in the pole mounts, who was I to rain on their picnic? ;-)
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