Solar and Wind Energy? ESS can help!

Looking at installing your first renewable energy system?

Well, if the system is designed, installed, and maintained properly, like we do at Electrical Systems and Services, it should be your only renewable energy system! I guess it comes down to this: There are many reasons not to generate your own electricity from the wind & sun, including significant economic, utility, and zoning barriers. But at the end of the day, we face certain truths: Fossil fuels are a limited energy resource, our current electric generation methods are compromising the rights of our future generations to inherit a healthy planet, and the cost of grid electricity will continue to go up.

Renewable energy gives us the ability to change this balance of power. We can make and use clean energy in our neighborhoods, on our farms, and at our businesses.

We  know that when all the costs are factored in, renewable energies are more economical than burning coal or splitting atoms, and we can feel good about it.

If you’re considering any renewable energy, I say great!

Wind & Solar energy are both remarkably simple and amazingly complex.


So do your homework. We can help, contact us at Electrical Systems and Services. We have all the resources to inform you with all you need to know about renewable energy projects.

An educated  consumer is the renewable energy dealer’s best friend.  And when your
system is up and running, you can take the time to sit back and enjoy.

MOTION OR OCCUPANCY SENSORS

 Motion or Occupancy Sensor Light Switch


Fit a motion sensor light switch to automatically switch off lights when a room is empty

• The Motion Sensor Light Switch  is a new product which will only turn lights on in a room when it is occupied. By automatically turning off the lights when no-one is in the room, the manufacturers claim that an average of 128 hours per year of unnecessary lighting will be avoided, reducing electricity consumption for the lighting by 10%.

• The light switch is sold as a complete, easy to install unit which can be quickly fitted as a direct replacement for a standard (non-dimmer, single way) switch. A manual switch is provided so that lights can be switched ON or OFF, or to enter AUTO mode. When in AUTO mode, the fitted PIR sensor (which covers 110 degrees with a range of 5 metres) detects if someone is in the room. A second adjustable light sensor ensures that the lights are only turned on when it is dark

• A delay time setting (8 secs to 6 mins) is provided so that you can set how often you want the motion detector to check the room for inhabitants. The longer this time is set, the longer the lights will remain on after you leave the room. The shorter the time, the more likely it is that the lights will turn off while you are still in the room - potentially a problem if you are sat in an armchair not moving or walking backwards and forwards directly towards the motion sensor.

Contact ESS for more information on how we can install these money saving devices in your office or plant.

SOLAR FACTS

Here are the five most practical and popular ways that solar energy is used:


1. Small portable solar photovoltaic systems. We see these used everywhere, from calculators to solar garden products. Portable units can be used for everything from RV appliances while single panel systems are used for traffic signs and remote monitoring stations.

2. Solar pool heating. Running water in direct circulation systems through a solar collector is a very practical way to heat water for your pool or hot tub.

3. Thermal glycol energy to heat water. In this method (indirect circulation), glycol is heated by the sun's rays and the heat is then transferred to water in a hot water tank.

This method of collecting the sun's energy is more practical now than ever. In areas as far north as Edmonton, Alberta, solar thermal to heat water is economically sound. It can pay for itself in three years or less.

 4. Integrating solar photovoltaic energy into your home or business power. In many parts of the world, solar photovoltaics is an economically feasible way to supplement the power of your home. In Japan, photovoltaics are competitive with other forms of power. In the US, new incentive programs make this form of solar energy ever more viable in many states. An increasingly popular and practical way of integrating solar energy into the power of your home or business is through the use of building integrated solar photovoltaics.

5. Large independent photovoltaic systems. If you have enough sun power at your site, you may be able to go off grid. You may also integrate or hybridize your solar energy system with wind power or other forms of renewable energy to stay 'off the grid.'

GIFFORD SCHOOL - OFF GRID SOLAR POLE LIGHTS

GIFFORD SCHOOL GOES GREEN

Next time you find yourself traveling on Highway K thru Franksville, check out the 2 Solar Pole Lights at the west entrance to the Gifford School parking lot. The project was a part of the overall parking lot restructure. The off - grid lights were installed instead of using the old "wired to the grid" lighting system that uses electricity supplied by WE Energies. Working with Racine Unified School District, ESS located, assembled and installed the lights. The LED lights use only solar power to light the entrance to the school parking lot.

Great Job RUSD & Gifford School.

All of your current and past students, teachers & staff can be proud of the fact that Gifford School is doing its part to go "GREEN"

SAVE MONEY WITH SOLAR WATER HEATERS

Solar Water Heaters


Solar water heaters—also called solar domestic hot water systems—can be a cost-effective way to generate hot water for your home. They can be used in any climate, and the fuel they use—sunshine—is free.

How They Work

Solar water heating systems include storage tanks and solar collectors. There are two types of solar water heating systems: active, which have circulating pumps and controls, and passive, which don't.

Most solar water heaters require a well-insulated storage tank. Solar storage tanks have an additional outlet and inlet connected to and from the collector. In two-tank systems, the solar water heater preheats water before it enters the conventional water heater. In one-tank systems, the back-up heater is combined with the solar storage in one tank.

Pumps circulate a non-freezing, heat-transfer fluid through the collectors and a heat exchanger. This heats the water that then flows into the home. They are popular in climates prone to freezing temperatures.





Passive solar water heating systems are typically less expensive than active systems, but they're usually not as efficient. However, passive systems can be more reliable and may last longer. There are two basic types of passive systems:

• Integral collector-storage passive systems

These work best in areas where temperatures rarely fall below freezing. They also work well in households with significant daytime and evening hot-water needs.

• Thermosyphon systems

Water flows through the system when warm water rises as cooler water sinks. The collector must be installed below the storage tank so that warm water will rise into the tank. These systems are reliable, but contractors must pay careful attention to the roof design because of the heavy storage tank. They are usually more expensive than integral collector-storage passive systems.


Solar water heating systems almost always require a backup system for cloudy days and times of increased demand. Conventional storage water heaters usually provide backup and may already be part of the solar system package. A backup system may also be part of the solar collector, such as rooftop tanks with thermosyphon systems. Since an integral-collector storage system already stores hot water in addition to collecting solar heat, it may be packaged with a demand (tankless or instantaneous) water heater for backup.

Gateway Technical Institute adds 3 Windspire wind turbines

For those of you that have driven or walked around the Racine Gateway Campus you have probably noticed the newly installed Windspire wind turbines. ESS installed the three units and they are now producing electricity for the campus. The units are located on the east side of the building and are very easy to see.

Just another way Gateway is looking to improve the look of the campus for the students and to help offset  the rising energy costs.



SITING YOUR SOLAR MODULES

The two basic issues with the siting of a solar energy system are :




1. Face panels to the south

2, Avoid shade from trees, buildings or hills.

It is important to carefully site PV systems, especially those that use crystalline cells. A shadow across just part of a crystalline cell based PV system can virtually turn it off, while a shadow across a thin film cell based PV system or a solar thermal system will simply reduce its output.



Think about both the sun’s daily path and its annual path when considering how objects may shade the solar panels. Shading may result from trees, dormers, chimneys, and neighboring buildings. Remember - trees grow, and neighbors may build additional structures that block the sun. However, Wisconsin has a solar rights law that guarantees your right to solar access.

 Axis trackers adds installation cost, but increases efficiency of modules significantly. These arrays will track the sun throughout the course of the day and the racking itself will physically move from east to west every day.




Single axis tracking systems


Solar panels with single axis tracking systems. The panels can turn around the centre axis. ESS can provide the actuators that tilt the panels.

Dual axis tracking systems


Dual axis tracking is typically used to orient a mirror, to redirect sunlight along a fixed axis towards a stationary target or receiver, however you can also gain extra yield on you PV cells. ESS can provide you with quality actuators that move your panels.

DREAM WITH THE WIND

Why Small Wind?


For homeowners, farmers, small businesses, and public facilities, a wind turbine is a smart investment that will lower your monthly expenses, increase your net worth, and help support manufacturing jobs. At the same time it will help clean the air, slow climate change, and move us towards energy independence.

For remote sites without grid power, a wind turbine can significantly lower operating costs over a diesel generator and provide sustainable power where the power grid cannot reach.

Electrical Systems and Services, Inc. is an authorized dealer of Bergey Wind Turbines




Why Bergey?

Bergey Windpower is the oldest and most experienced manufacturer of residential-sized wind turbines in the world.

Thirty years ago Bergey pioneered the radically-simple “Bergey design” that has proven to provide the best reliability, performance, service life, and value of all of the hundreds of competitive products that have come and gone in that time. With only three moving parts and no scheduled maintenance necessary, the Bergey 10 kW has compiled a service record that no other wind turbine can match. We back it up with the longest warranty in the industry.

There are now many new small wind products on the market. Though sometimes heavily promoted, these new entrants lack the track record that provides confidence as a sound investment. Over the years Bergey wind turbines have often replaced unsuccessful competitive products. The bottom line is that wind turbines are a big investment, and Bergey is the wise choice.

HERE ARE SOME NUMBERS ON SOLAR GROWTH

US Solar Energy Industry Experiences Record-Breaking Growth in 2010




Photovoltaic installations double over 2009; Largest concentrating solar power plant in 20 years comes online; Solar heating and cooling reverses trend and expands



WASHINGTON, D.C., and CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — The U.S. solar energy industry had a banner year in 2010 with the industry’s total market value growing 67 percent from $3.6 billion in 2009 to $6.0 billion in 2010, according to the U.S. Solar Market InsightTM: Year-in-Review 2010 released today by the Solar Energy Industries Association® (SEIA®) and GTM Research. Solar was a bright spot in the U.S. economy last year as the fastest growing energy sector, contrasting overall U.S. GDP growth of less than 3 percent.



In total, 878 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaic (PV) capacity and 78 MW of concentrating solar power (CSP) were installed in the U.S. in 2010, enough to power roughly 200,000 homes. In addition, more than 65,000 homes and businesses added solar water heating (SWH) or solar pool heating (SPH) systems.



The U.S. PV market made the most significant strides in 2010, more than doubling installation totals from 2009 according to the latest U.S. Solar Market InsightTM report. This expansion was driven by the Federal section 1603 Treasury program, completion of significant utility-scale projects, expansion of new state markets and declining technology costs.



The section 1603 Treasury program helped fourth-quarter installations surge to a record 359 MW and was critical in allowing the solar industry to employ more than 93,000 Americans in 2010. Originally set to expire at the end of 2010, the 1603 Treasury program was ultimately extended through 2011.



In addition, market diversification was a distinguishing characteristic of U.S. solar energy development in 2010. Sixteen states each installed more than 10 MW of PV in 2010, up from only four in 2007. The top 10 states for PV installation in 2010 were: California, New Jersey, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Florida, North Carolina and Texas.



Cost declines were also an important factor in the 2010 solar expansion, as technology costs fell and the industry matured further, capitalizing on greater economies of scale and improved installation practices. In the residential and commercial-property segments, installed annual PV system cost declines of 8 percent and 11 percent respectively spurred record build-out.

More Solar PV Information

Solar Electric (Photovoltaic)

• Photovoltaic (PV) devices generate electricity directly from sunlight via an electronic process that occurs naturally in certain types of material, called semiconductors. Electrons in these materials are freed by solar energy and can be induced to travel through an electrical circuit, powering electrical devices or sending electricity to the grid.

• PV devices can be used to power anything from small electronics such as calculators and road signs up to homes and large commercial businesses.

History

• The PV effect was observed as early as 1890 by Henri Becquerel, and was the subject of scientific inquiry through the early twentieth century. In 1954, Bell Labs in the U.S. introduced the first solar PV device that produced a useable amount of electricity, and by 1958, solar cells were being used in a variety of small-scale scientific and commercial applications.

• The energy crisis of the 1970s saw the beginning of major interest in using solar cells to produce electricity in homes and businesses, but prohibitive prices (nearly 30 times higher than the current price) made large-scale applications impractical.

• Industry developments and research in the following years made PV devices more feasible and a cycle of increasing production and decreasing costs began which continues even today.

Present Status

• The cost of PV has dropped dramatically as the industry has scaled up manufacturing and incrementally improved the technology with new materials. Installation costs have come down too with more expereinced and trained installers. However, the U.S. still remains behind other nations that have stronger national policies to shift energy use from fossil fuels to solar. Globally, the U.S. is the fourth largest market for PV installations behind world leaders Germany, Japan and Spain.

• Most modern solar cells are made from either crystalline silicon or thin-film semiconductor material. Silicon cells are more efficient at converting sunlight to electricity, but generally have higher manufacturing costs. Thin-film materials typically have lower efficiencies, but are simpler and less costly to manufacture. A specialized category of solar cells - called multi-junction or tandem cells - are used in applications requiring very low weight and very high efficiencies, such as satellites and military applications.

SOLAR POSSIBILITIES

Windspire catches the wind

Another area of renewable energy ESS is currently involved in is wind power. We have many installations of the Windspire wind turbine in very visable locations. Here is some basic information on the Windpsire wind turbine.

About Windspire


The Windspire Wind Turbine is a radically designed, low-cost, low-noise, attractive wind power turbine for use in urban, suburban, rural and remote locations. Windspire is a propeller-free, vertical-axis design that features patented technology that maximizes energy conversion from wind into electric power, regardless of changing wind speed and direction. Electricity is generated with vertical airfoils that rotate around a center shaft, which will offset energy consumed from the utility. Thus reducing your electric bill and also reducing your impact on the environment. Windspire is designed & engineered in the US and is 100% made in Michigan at a former automotive facility, putting laid off auto-workers back to work. The Windspire has been featured in Fortune, Popular Mechanics, Popular Science, and on “20/20”, CNN and NPR. Electrical Systems and Service, Inc. (ESS) is Southeastern Wisconsin’s Authorized Windspire Dealer and will perform a free site assessment and proposal for your Wind Turbine System.

SOME "GREEN" NUMBERS TO SAVE YOU SOME "GREEN"

Be Seen with Green

“Focus On Energy” Rebate Offer for LED Retrofit Fixtures


We are excited to show you how in just a few minutes you can go green and start saving money and energy. And with the current Wisconsin “Focus on Energy” Rebate offers, going green has never been so easy.
It’s as simple as taking out your old incandescent light bulb, and replacing it with a LED Retrofit Fixture and start being seen with green. These LED lights are cutting edge technology, which will increase your energy profile in the eyes of your customers; providing them with a first-hand example of leading energy efficiency technology. These lights install directly into, your existing Edison-base sockets, and can be self- installed; eliminating all installation costs.

How simple is it to save money and energv by simply installing LED retrofit fixtures?

•  Let’s assume you have 25, 75 watt incandescent lights that run for an average of 12 hours 
•  That means those lights consume (25 x 75 x 12) 22,500 Watts every day.
•  This leads to 675,000 Watts every month!
• At $0.16 per kW, it costs you $108.00 every month on your electric bill.

•  Now let’s assume you replace those incandescent lights with a 12 watt LED retrofit fixture.
•  The LED lights consume (25 x 12 x 12) 3,600 Watts per day.
• This leads to 108,000 watts per month.
•  At $0.16 per kW, it only costs $17.28 per month

•  That’s an energy savings of $90.72 each and every month by just taking a few minutes to install the new 12 Watt LED Retrofit fixture.

The savings are not over yet:

• The average Life of an incandescent bulb is 750-1000 hrs.
• Based on an estimated 12 hours per day of use, your average light bulb lasts 84 days.
•  This means that each bulb needs to be replaced 4 times per year per fixture.
•  That is 100 new light bulbs each and every year!
•  At an average of $2.00 per bulb and add a labor cost of $2.00 per bulb installed, you will spend $400.00 per year just on new bulbs and installation.
• This averages out to be a cost of $33.33 each month on old inefficient light bulbs.
• The manufacturers stated lifespan of the LED down light retrofit fixture is 50,000 hrs.
•  Based on your estimated 12 hours per day of use, your LED down light retrofit fixture will last 4167 days, or 11.4 years,
• This fixture requires no maintenance, which means no additional cost every month.

Now let’s look at your savings every month:

•  Your energy saving per month is $90.72.
•  Your material and labor savings is $33.33 per month.
•  This is a total savings per month of $124.05.
•  This means in only 15.1 months, based on the total savings per month, the LED Retrofit Fixtures will have paid for themselves.

DID YOU KNOW?

Facts About Solar Energy



Myth: Solar Energy works well in only warm, sunny climates.

Reality: Solar technologies work efficiently even in cloudy climates. Proper design allows for solar systems to function up to 30 consecutive days without sunlight.

Myth: Solar Energy is too costly.

Reality: There are hundreds of applications where solar is the least expensive method for delivering power. Every solar system will save money over its lifecycle.

Myth: Solar Energy is not as reliable as conventional energy technologies.

Reality: Solar is often more reliable than other energy sources. The National Renewable Energy laboratory had found photovoltaics to be “the most reliable source of electric power ever invented.” Solar Energy is reliable since it is not subject to power blackouts or breaks in a systems network.

Flip the Switch to better lighting !

Lighting Services—Indoor & Outdoor

Experts in troubleshooting & solving lighting problems– Fast & Reliable

Contact Us if you have these or any other lighting issues :

Ballast Replacement and Disposal
Fixture Cleaning and Repair

Complete Lighting Maintenance Services      

Sign Installation and Repair

Parking Lot and Area Lighting Services         
Emergency and Exit Lighting

    Interior and Exterior Lighting Systems
LED Lighting Systems

Save Energy and Money too !

At ESS ,we continue to find ways to help our customers save energy and money by designing and installing energy saving projects. Read the letter we received from Wisconsin Focus on Energy.

Solar Systems - Grant Money available in 2011

· Currently WE Energies is providing Grant money ranging up to $100,000 for customer owned (NFP) renewable energy projects. Also, Federal/State  incentives are available.

· These can save you 50% of the cost: A $15,000 system may cost less than $7500.

· Today’s Solar systems are efficient, can be installed fast, last 30 plus years and can reduce your electric bills significantly. Also, they are good for the environment.

· Electrical Systems and Services, Inc will engineer, design and install your solar

      System. We will work with WE Energies & the State to get your grant approvals.