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FAQ’s
(Frequently Asked Questions)
Owning a Clean Power System
* How does Clean
Power™ generate electricity?
* How do I use the electricity from my Clean Power
System?
* Will a system produce enough energy to handle
all my electricity needs?
* How much electricity will my Clean Power System
produce?
* Will I still need a utility provider? Do I need
to be connected to the grid?
* What will a Clean Power System look like on my
house?
* How will I know if my Clean Power System is working?
* What happens in utility electrical outages?
* How safe is a Clean Power System?
Operational Performance and Quality
* How durable is
a Clean Power System?
* How long does a Clean Power System last?
* What happens at night?
* What happens on cloudy days?
* In what temperatures will a Clean Power System
operate?
* What is the warranty on a Clean Power System?
Saving Money with a Clean Power System
* What is Net Metering?
* Are government incentives available in my area?
What about tax credits?
* Who will help me apply for the available incentives?
Purchasing & Installing a Clean Power System
* Will a Clean Power
System work with my home and roof type?
* What size system should I get?
* How much does a solar system cost?
* How do I purchase a Clean Power System?
* Will I need approval from my homeowners association?
* Can I increase the size of my solar system at
a later date?
* Can I add battery back-up at a later date?
* How long will it take to install?
How does a Clean Power System generate electricity?
A Clean Power System generates electricity
through the use of photovoltaic (PV) technology which turn the
sun's light energy directly into electric energy — for a
thorough description of the photovoltaic process, see 'How Solar
Works'.
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How do I use the electricity from my Clean
Power System?
The electricity generated by a Clean
Power System works just like the electricity delivered by your
local utility. After passing through a component called an inverter,
the direct current (DC) electricity generated by photovoltaic panels
is converted to alternating current (AC), the type of electricity
that you access through the outlets in your home.
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Will a system produce enough energy to handle
all my electricity needs?
Provided you have enough space, a
solar system can be appropriately sized to meet all of your electricity
needs, but in most cases it is not necessary for a system to cover
all of your needs in order to be cost-effective. For instance,
if your utility charges are based on a tiered rate structure, you
pay an incrementally higher rate for each kWh that you use; in
this case, simply eliminating the most expensive portion of your
consumption has a noticeable effect on your monthly utility bill.
Your Clean Power System solar consultant will assist you in deciding
what size system is best for your home.
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How much electricity will my Clean Power System
system produce?
The amount of electricity generated
by a Clean Power System is dependent upon several factors, primarily
system size and your local geographic and environmental conditions.
Our Solar Savings Estimator will factor in your local conditions
and provide you with an estimate of the amount of electricity that
a system will produce for your home. Use the Estimator to get a
general idea of how much electricity would be generated by a variety
of system sizes or, for a quote, fill out our Online Request Form
or call our toll free number 877-SOLAR-WISE (765-2794) to schedule
an appointment for a no-obligation, in-home quote.
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Will I still need a utility provider? Do I
need to be connected to the grid?
Unless you choose a stand-alone system with
batteries, you will still need to be connected to the grid through
your local utility. While you generate the bulk of your own electricity
during the peak hours of daylight and demand, your utility will
seamlessly take over and continue to supply your electricity at
night and on very cloudy days. For remote, off-grid applications
in which utility access is not feasible, stand-alone systems are
ideal.
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What will a Clean Power System look like on
my house?
Visit our Photo
Gallery to get an idea of what one of our systems
will look like on your home.
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How will I know if my Clean Power System is
working?
Since PV is a motionless and noiseless
technology, the exclusive BP Solar Home Solutions™ In-Home
Display will allow you to keep track of how much electricity your
system is producing at any given moment and cumulatively over time.
To learn more about the various functions of the Display, visit
the System Components page.
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What happens in utility electrical outages?
In any type of utility outage, only
those Clean Power Systems with battery backup will continue to
have power. By law, any solar electric system without battery backup
must shut down until utility power returns.
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How safe is a Clean Power System?
Since solar systems are generally
mounted in a low or no-traffic area, are virtually maintenance
free, and have no moving parts, they are very safe. Clean Power
System components carry all appropriate/recommended electrical
certifications, including Underwriters Laboratory (UL listed) and
IEC. As with any electrical appliance, you should always use proper
care when handling solar system components, but as an owner, you
will have no cause to do so - your Clean Power System solar consultant
will take care of everything for you.
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How durable is a Clean Power System?
Clean Power Systems are very durable.
BP Solar panels have passed a standard battery of tests and are
built to withstand winds of up to 125 miles per hour and 1 inch
balls of hail.
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How long does a Clean Power System last?
BP Solar modules typically last for
more than 30 years and your system inverter should last more than
10 years.
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What happens at night?
Since PV technology requires sunlight
to produce electricity, your system will not produce during the
dark hours of the night. Your local utility will continue to supply
your electricity at night unless you purchase a system with a battery
backup.
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What happens on cloudy days?
Since PV technology requires sunlight
to produce electricity, the bulk of your electricity production
will take place in sunny conditions. Output is directly proportionate
to the amount of sunlight available at any given moment, so systems
can generate 50 — 70% of their typical output under bright
overcast conditions but production will continue to diminish
as less light reaches the surface of the modules.
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In what temperatures will a Clean Power System
operate?
BP Solar modules operate in temperatures
ranging from -13 to 122 degrees F (-25 to 50 degrees C). Since
PV modules are electronic devices that generate electricity directly
from light, not heat, solar panels actually work better in cooler
temperatures.
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What is the warranty on a Clean Power System?
BP Solar modules are warranted for 25
years.
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What is Net Metering?
Net metering is a regulation that obliges
utilities to allow excess energy generated by PV systems to be
sent to the grid, thus spinning the meter backward. This arrangement
allows all electricity produced by your Clean Power System to
be used to offset the remaining portion of your utility bill.
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Are government incentives available in my
area? What about tax credits?
The State of California currently
has some of the best incentive plans for solar in the world.
For recognized systems, such as the Clean Power System, the California
Energy Commission will pay almost half of your system costs.
A 15% Federal tax credit is also available.
To view the costs and incentives of a solar system
in your area, use our Solar Savings Estimator.
To find the incentives
available in your state, visit www.dsireusa.org or
simply ask your Solar Power Specialist.
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Who will help me apply for the available
incentives?
Your Solar Power Specialist will
take care of the application process to secure these rebates
for you.
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Will a Clean Power System work with my home
and roof type?
To have solar panels installed on your
roof, you must own a home that has enough roof space free from
obstructions and is not shaded during the key sun hours of the
day. A southern orientation is ideal but east and west facing
roofs can still capture over 80% of the power of a true south-facing
roof. Both flat roofs and tilted roofs are fine. Ground mounted
systems are also available.
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What size system should I get?
The size you choose is a trade
off between the amount of money you want to invest and the amount
of electricity you want to produce. A typical US home uses 5
kWp of electricity or approximately 13,000 kWh per year. You
can ask your utility provider or you can look at your old electricity
bill to calculate how much electricity your home typically uses.
But remember, you do not need to cover all your electricity needs
with a solar system to add value to your home. Under the tiered
rate structure used by most utilities, the solar electricity
generated by the Clean Power System - even just a few kWp - can
remove you from a higher charge bracket.
The only other condition
in deciding proper system size is the amount of suitable space
available on your roof. To be suitable, you must have unobstructed,
non-shaded roof area, either flat or a sloped, at an orientation
other than North. You need roughly 100 square feet of roof space
for each kWp that you wish to produce.
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How much does a solar system cost?
The total cost for purchasing and installing
the solar system is based on the size of system you require,
the available incentives and subsidies that are available in
your area, and the specific details of the layout of your home.
Use our Solar Savings Estimator to calculate the cost of a Clean
Power System.
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How do I purchase a Clean Power System?
The Clean Power System must be
purchased though a BP Solar Certified Dealer. The best way to
contact a dealer is to provide us your contact information by
Requesting A Quote or call us at our toll free number: 877-SOLAR-WISE
(765-2794).
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Will I need approval from my homeowners association?
The State of California prohibits homeowner's
associations from restricting solar devices. If you live outside
California, you should review your homeowner's association bylaws.
You can also ask your dealer about state laws that prohibit the
restriction of solar devices.
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Can I increase the size of my Clean Power
System at a later date?
Yes, provided you have the available
roof space.
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Can I add battery back-up at a later
date?
Yes, if you start with some battery backup,
it is easy to add more. However, if you start without any backup,
it will be rather expensive to add batteries due to the high
cost of adding a different type of inverter. Systems without
battery-backup use a different inverter than those with battery
backup.
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How long will it take to install?
It will typically take two-to-three days
for a professional installation.
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