Off Grid
Grid-Tied and Grid-Interactive systems benefit from Net Metering, where excess energy created by renewable energy sources is sent back to the utility for credit. This option is available to all customers in Ohio who are located in territory served by the investor owned utilities American Electric Power (AEP), Duke Energy (Cinergy), FirstEnergy, and Dayton Power & Light. Net Metering is also available from many Ohio municipal and rural co-op utility companies. Net Metering is available in most other states, however, the rules governing net metering are set by each state and so are not consistent across states. Grid-Tied systems feed power directly to the building’s existing electrical breaker panel. Since the building remains tied to the utility grid, these system are capable of eliminating the need for a bank of batteries. If back-up is critical during power outage, Grid-Interactive systems with battery back-up (a.k.a. Utility Inoperative) divert some energy to keep the battery bank charged, and feed both the existing electrical breaker panel, as well as, a sub-panel for critical loads.
To learn more about how these Solar Photovoltaic systems work read this article provided courtesy of Home Power magazine: Solar Electric Basics (1.2MB pdf file) Visit our Live Solar Site Production Information page to see live and historical energy production information for a number of Dovetail installed solar electric systems.
A residential wind turbine is often added to create a wind/solar hybrid system for consistent year round production. Wind picks up during winter months while solar shines best during summer months. Check out our pricing for Solar PV systems Click here for information about Renewable Energy Investments and Incentives See our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section for more information. Or see Get Started to understand the next step. Also feel free to call or email, if you have other questions.
To begin to scope out and define your renewable energy system, simply contact one our offices (Contact Us) or send an email to: info@dovetailsolar.com.
We would be happy to review with you your energy usage, site characteristics, project scope and typical system costs. We are here to answer your questions or address any concerns you may have. It helps to have available a copy of your current electric bill when you call so that we can determine your current energy usage.
Solar power systems are modular, flexible, and scalable. Therefore, we can size a system in one of three ways: based on your energy production goals (percentage of electricity to supply), your available roof space, or your budget. It takes about 1 square foot of space per 9 to 12 watts. So a 3,000 watt residential system would require approximately 300 sq ft of roof space. Each 1,000 watts or 1kW of solar will produce approximately 100 kWH per month on average in the Ohio region.
If you want an off-grid system or a grid-interactive system that provides uninterrupted power during a grid failure, you will need a bank of batteries. Battery banks are a major sizing concern during the system design stage. Systems with battery back up are usually sized to run specific “critical loads” (such as a well pump, lights, blower fan and a refrigerator) for a certain amount of time. This is typically 3 to 5 days. When the battery bank size has been agreed upon, we size the solar array to ensure the batteries will be charged in a full day’s sun. If you also have a back-up generator, we can factor that into the system design. With Dovetail's many years of experience and a large set of components and options, we can design a solar system that is right for you.
Dovetail is committed to professional system designs and installations that comply with all applicable codes. We are proud to have a number of nationally certified installers working for us. Matt Bennett, David Leahy, Gabe Schnabel, Michael Yandrich, Nathan Young, and Daniel Young (no relation) are all NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installers™. We have additional employees that have earned the NABCEP Entry Level Certificate™. The North American Board of Certified Energy Practioners (NABCEP) is the national certification organization for professional installers in the field of renewable energy. NABCEP certifies individuals, not companies so Dovetail is not implying any endorsement or certfication of our firm by NABCEP.
See Get Started for the next step in evaluating a solar system at your locaton.
See our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section for more information. Also feel free to call or email, if you have other questions or concerns.
Dovetail can also provide technical assistance for "do it yourself " installations performed by a sufficiently skilled homeowner.