Fw: February Newsletter

[DAVID BRAY <davidliza@xxxxxxxxx>]

FYI.  Not long before we'll be back on the Island.
David Bray

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Backwoods Solar <Backwoods_Solar@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: davidliza@xxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wed, February 10, 2010 3:49:06 PM
Subject: February Newsletter

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	February 2010 Newsletter
Hello J. David, Happy New Year!! Backwoods has been busy with many new changes. Mid last year we brought on new partners, Julie Greene and Sequoya Cross, both with a wealth of knowledge working for one of the largest solar distributors in the country. We are also expanding our product line to offer more grid-tie products and systems for those with utility power. Our new catalog, due out in April/May, will be in full color and has been updated with the latest and greatest in renewable energy products. We look forward to a great new year with many wonderful opportunities in solar, wind, and hydro! Happy Reading   IN THIS ISSUE: DON'T FORGET: FEDERAL TAX CREDITS for 2010: SAVE 30% 10% OFF SALE ON SELECT ITEMS NEW GRID-TIE KITS AND PRODUCTS 2010 CATALOG COVER PHOTO CONTEST-EXTENDED A MICRO-HYDRO PRIMER DON'T FORGET FEDERAL TAX CREDITS for RESIDENTIAL and COMMERCIAL SOLAR INSTALLATIONS: SAVE 30% Today is the best time in history to purchase a commercial or residential solar electric system. The Federal Tax Credit for residential solar systems was extended and expanded, effective January 1, 2009. Previously, there was a $2000 cap on the tax credit but that cap has been lifted and the tax credit is now 30% of your system cost. Combined with State rebates the savings can be even greater. The system must be placed into service after December 31, 2008 The system does NOT have to be the taxpayer’s primary residence The bill allows taxpayers to use the credit to offset AMT liability Unused credits can be carried forward (see your tax adviser for details) Examples of how this works: If your PV system costs $9,000 & your tax liability for the year is $6,000 You would reduce your tax liability by $2,700 and only pay $3,300. If your PV System costs $6,000 & your tax liability for the year is $1,000 You would eliminate your tax liability for the year, and have the option to carry the remaining $800 credit over to the following year. Wind systems federal tax credit is 30% of installed cost. For more information on state rebates and incentive programs visit: www.dsireusa..org
10% OFF SALE ITEMS Through March 12th, 2010   LIGHTING LED GLOBE LIGHTS- Rated at 50,000 hours, these almost unbreakable lights will run on any inverter. As many as thirty of these light strings can be plugged into one another end to end to produce a 2100 LED string using the electricity of only two 60 watt bulbs!! Half inch round LED in all cobalt blue, or in all white LED. 70 LED strings draw 4.8 watts for the whole 24' . Each string is UL listed and INDOOR/OUTDOOR rated. 120VAC. Limited lifetime warranty. Blue Regularly: $18.00           SALE: $16.20 White Regularly: $22.00         SALE: $19.80   70 MIXED COLOR LEDs INDOOR and OUTDOOR approved; each string is UL listed. Limited lifetime warranty. NEW low cost light strings with 70 Red-Green-Gold-Blue-Orange LEDs.  Runs on any inverter, 4.8 watts AC for the whole 24' string! 120VAC Regularly: $16.00                  SALE: $14.40     Click here to visit the website to order our LED lights   120  VOLT AC COMPACT FLUORESCENT all have ELECTRONIC BALLASTS for greater efficiency than low cost magnetic ballasts, and no hum or flicker. Electronic ballast bulbs will usually start up an inverter idling in search mode. With 1/4 the watts, light brightness and quality matches (after 1 minute warm-up time) bulbs that use 4 times the wattage. These lights are not for use with dimmers. Available in 15W, 20W & 25W. 15W Regularly: $6.00             SALE: $5.40 20W Regularly: $6.00             SALE: $5.40 25W Regularly: $6.00             SALE: $5.40  Click here to visit the website to order our CFL bulbs   INVERTERS OUTBACK VFX INVERTERS STACKABLE FOR HIGHER POWER. 12, 24, OR 48 VOLT BATTERY The VFX Turbo is a true sine wave inverter with battery charger and 60 amp automatic AC transfer relay. Output is 2800 to 3600 watts continuous. Surge of 70 amps AC for 1msec each. These inverters can operate alone, or with up to eight together..  No-load power used is 3 watts when in automatic sleep-mode; or 20 watts if programmed to keep AC on full time. Peak efficiency is greater than 90%. Battery charging current ranges from 45 amps to 125 amps depending on the model. Automatic programmable generator start is included with purchase of Mate. These inverters REQUIRE THE MATE METER AND CONTROLLER to initially program features or to stack inverters together. Also see complete Outback power center system. 2 year Warranty. Outback VFX2812: Regularly: $2,295.00               SALE: $2,065.50 Outback VFX3524: Regularly: $2,295.00               SALE: $2,065.50 Outback VFX3648: Regularly: $2,295.00               SALE: $2,065.50 Shipping $40 each in lower 48 states   Visit the website for more details and ordering   XANTREX XW HYBRID INVERTER/CHARGER The XW Hybrid Inverter/Charger is a true sine wave inverter/charger that can be used for both residential and commercial applications; stand-alone, grid-backup, and grid-tie with battery energy storage. Capable of being grid-interactive or grid-independent, the XW Series will operate with generators and renewable energy sources to provide full-time or backup power. The SCP Control Panel is required for programming. Inverter click this link Xantrex XW 4548 Regularly: $3,240.00      SALE: $2,916.00 Xantrex XW 4024 Regularly: $3,240.00      SALE: $2,916.00 Xantrex XW 6048 Regularly: $3,950.00      SALE: $3,555.00  (Not available until March 2010, order now to lock in this price) Shipping $85 each in lower 48 states Visit the website for more details and ordering     Forward this email to a friend NEW GRID-TIE KITS AND PRODUCTS Backwoods Solar is proud to announce two lines of "grow as you go" grid-tie kits. These kits allow you to start small and then add to your system as time and budget allow. Because they use Enphase Micro-Inverter technology, complex string-sizing, high-voltage connections and wiring, as well as shading concerns are eliminated, allowing the homeowner to easily install their own system and add to it later with plug-and-play connections. Kits feature either SolarWorld or REC Solar modules, Enphase Inverters, with options for Pole or Roof Mounts. The Enphase Envoy Monitoring is an option that we highly recommend be added to all the kits that we feature. VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO SEE ALL OF THE COMBINATIONS AVAILABLE!! NOW OFFERING SMA STRING INVERTERS SUNNY BOY 2000HFUS / 2500HFUS / 3000HFUS Designed for easy installation, simple communication and maximum performance. With high efficiency, a slim-line enclosure and reduced weight, the Sunny Boy HF series of inverters can be mounted in between wall studs, making it perfect for new construction and space-constrained remodels. Installation is made simple by automatic grid detection, field configuration for positive ground and a wide input voltage range of 175 to 600 volts, which provides increased system flexibility. The graphic display and wireless Bluetooth® communication system also makes the new Sunny Boy easy to use. Available April/May 2010. SUNNY BOY 3000US/4000US (pictured on left) & SUNNY BOY 5000US/6000US/7000US (pictured right)   The Sunny Boy "US" have been updated with SMA's most advanced technology and are designed specifically to meet the new IEEE 1547 requirements. Their compact design makes them ideal for light commercial or residential use and the integrated DC disconnect makes installation more cost-effective. They are field configurable for positive ground systems making them more versatile than ever. Increased efficiency means better overall performance from your solar system. Each are engineered and built to last and come with a standard ten year warranty. Sunny Boy inverters are trusted worldwide for their reliability and longevity in many grid tie systems.     2010 CATALOG COVER PHOTO CONTEST We have extended the cover contest through April 30, 2010. The layout is “portrait” style which means it has a vertical orientation rather than horizontal. Please keep this layout in mind when choosing a photo to submit. The folks that submit the winning entry will receive a one time 10% discount on any single order (sale items not included) placed after the photo is selected and the end of 2010. You may submit a photo within the body of an email sent to davidliza@xxxxxxxxx or via a disk that you mail to us. (Photo courtesy of Lewis Cooper, Ashley National Forest in NE Utah) Back to Top  Forward this email to a friend   GETTING STARTED WITH MICRO-HYDRO If you are blessed to have flowing water on your property, you may benefit from a micro-hydro system that can provide power 24 hours a day. Water turbines steadily charge 12, 24, or 48 volt batteries, working around the clock. Compare this with solar modules that are in sunshine for at best six full-power hours a day, and that’s just on sunny days. A hydro generator producing 10 amperes around the clock matches the usable power generated by over 40 amps of solar modules. Micro-hydro is one of the most cost effective and reliable forms of renewable energy, but planning and site considerations can make the difference between success and failure. Late winter into early spring is a great time to start the planning process as snow begins to melt and water begins to flow into the foothills. The amount of power that your system will generate is dependent on the head, the amount of water flow, and the efficiency of the turbine generator. The head is the vertical drop over the distance of pipe to be utilized.  Head correlates with water pressure available since every 2.31 feet of vertical drop equals 1 psi. Flow is measured in gallons per minute (gpm). These variables will change throughout the stream, so it’s a good idea to take several measurements from areas that you are comfortable tapping, or are allowed to tap for energy production purposes. A calculation to figure the available power in watts follows: Multiply head in feet, times flow in gallons per minute (gpm), divided by 13.  Components to a Hydro-System: Intake: This is the area of the stream where you are beginning the pipeline or penstock for the system. The intake should utilize either natural elements of the stream, or a dam to direct the streams flow into the pipeline. Utilizing the narrowing of a stream, and building up rocks will allow a more natural look to your system without disturbing the existing ecological elements. A place where the stream drops naturally, is stable and would not alter its course over time is ideal. A screening product should be utilized to prevent debris from entering the pipe. Pipe or Penstock: This is the “fuel line” of the system. It is critical that the pipe is sized to minimize friction and “pipe loss”. Too small and you lose potential energy, too large and you are spending excess money for no significant gain in energy produced. There are many choices of pipe types; PVC, steel, HDPE, etc. The walls thickness determines the amount of pressure the pipe can handle before failure. What you choose will depend on your site, the amount of pressure required, the length of the pipeline, what is available locally, friction losses, and most important; budget.. Turbine: This is the “engine” of the system. There are many different turbines available, each designed for different site considerations. Backwoods has many techs that are very experienced and can guide you through choosing the right turbine for your site. Turbines are available with different nozzle choices which can regulate the flow during periods of time when the stream’s flow changes due to the season.  Turbines include a “runner” or wheel that utilizes the water’s kinetic energy to drive the alternator which generates the power. PERFORMANCE DEPENDS ON THE SITE more than on the cost. Greater water pressure at the nozzle, produced by more head (elevation change from the top end of pipe to the bottom), brings more power. Greater water volume (gallons per minute) onto the wheel can also bring more power. Sites with higher head are most desirable because they need less water, smaller pipe, fewer nozzles, cost less to install, and fare better in low water years. System Types: Stand-Alone System with Batteries: This system is very similar to an off-grid solar or wind system where the renewable energy source is charging batteries or a generator system that charges a battery bank. In addition, you will need a controller to protect the batteries from overcharging and a diversion load to accept excess energy when the batteries approach full charge. Battery based grid-tie system:  This is very similar to the above example, you will still need the additional components listed, but they will only be used in times of a power outage. When the grid is on, grid-power will take the lead in charging and regulating the batteries and any excess power generated by your hydro system will be back fed into the grid, reducing your electric bill. Batteryless grid-tied system:  Systems of this type use a turbine and controls to produce electricity that can be fed directly into utility lines. These can use either AC or DC generators. AC systems will use AC generators to sync directly with the grid. An approved interface device is needed to prevent the system from energizing the grid when the grid is out of action and under repair. DC systems will use a specific inverter to convert the output of a DC hydro turbine to grid-synchronous AC. The biggest drawback of batteryless systems is that when the utility is down, your electricity will be out too. When the grid fails, these systems are designed to automatically shut down. Let us help you Pipe size, number and size of nozzles and choice of alternator depend on measurements of your site. Since there are so many combinations of water volume and head, it is best to contact us and describe your creek site. Tell us specifically: ·   What elevation change (from intake to the turbine) over the length of the pipe? ·    How many gallons per minute flow, minimum and maximum? ·   What size, type, and length of pipe (if it is already installed)? ·    Wire distance from hydro plant (lower end of creek) to the home or power shed? Visit our website to see all of our Micro-Hydro components   Back to Top  Forward this email to a friend
Contact Information: Backwoods Solar Electric Systems 1589 Rapid Lightning Road Sandpoint, ID 83864 208.263.4290

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