Development of wind power stations is part of any realistic energy plan for the United States.  However, land-based wind farms have a singular disadvantage.  Even in the Midwest, the frequency and strength of breezes is highly variable.  There is a solution, however.  Offshore winds are strong and steady, offering huge potential for meeting America’s energy needs.

The advantages of offshore wind farming include:

1. Freedom from land use and other legal disputes – Proposals to build massive wind farms in the US have run into a multitude of legal challenges and issues, caused by private property rights and other factors.  Waters within 100 miles of the shoreline, however, fall under the direct jurisdiction of the federal government, making such problems non-existent.

2. Return on investment  (ROI) – Estimates of the amount of electricity that can be generated from land-based wind farms show that they could meet around 20% of the country’s needs.  That’s assuming that the power could be transmitted from the isolated rural places such farms will be located in to urban areas.  Offshore farms, on the other hand, could supply up to 80% of the electricity the nation uses.  Even better, the largest consumers of electrical power in the US are cities located near coastlines or the Great Lakes, where offshore winds are strongest.  Therefore, the lines needed to deliver energy to them would be relatively short, saving billions of dollars in infrastructure costs.

3. Benefits to marine life – Numerous studies have shown that offshore wind farms act as reefs for sea creatures, encouraging population growth for blue mussels, barnacles, crabs, and various types of fish. The farms could even be designed to favor the growth of endangered and environmentally important sea life, helping to counteract the effects of over-fishing.

The enormous potential for both energy production and environmental benefits is more than enough reason for private and public agencies to create offshore wind farms along American coastlines. Citizens should do all they can to encourage both government and business agencies to aggressively pursue their development.

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Efforts to create electrical power from the sun’s rays have been underway since the early 20^th century.  Historically, though, solar energy has been prohibitively expensive.  Reducing its cost is a top priority of renewable energy researchers, who have focused most of their efforts on improving the output of photovoltaic panels.  However, researchers at Stanford University are taking a different approach.  They are working to boost the efficiency of quantum dot solar cells.

Silicon surfaces have been used to generate electrical power since the 1950s, but they are limited by the fact that conventional materials can only absorb a particular wavelength of light.  Due to this, their maximum theoretical efficiency rating is 31%.

To get around this problem, quantum dots were developed.  They’re made from minute semiconductor particles.  Since the light wavelength they can absorb varies according to their size, they can potentially convert up to 65% of the solar power that reaches them into electricity.  They are also cheaper to produce than traditional panels, as they are made from simple chemical reactions easily created in laboratories or industrial settings.

Unfortunately, research into quantum dot solar technology has lagged behind that of other approaches.  Hence, they remain inefficient in terms of real-world results.  Stanford professor of chemical engineering, Stacey Bent, was pondering this when she hit upon an idea.  “I wondered if we could use our knowledge of chemistry to improve their (quantum dots) efficiency,” she said in a recent interview.

To that end, she and a group of research assistants applied a layer of organic molecules to a group of quantum dots.  When they did so, their efficiency tripled.  Bent is confident that they can improve on these results.

The outcomes achieved by the Stanford team are part of a global effort to make solar power a cost-effective solution.  It has already become competitive with nuclear reactors and is approaching the price levels of fossil fuels.  Continuing research points towards the day when much, if not most, of humanity’s energy needs will be provided by the sun.

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Wind powered energy is an essential part of any green energy solution for the United States.  However, one problem with using land-based turbines is that movement from the Earth causes friction and turbulence that cuts down on their overall efficiency.  To help overcome this limitation, NASA is experimenting with an approach that solves the problem by locating the turbines 2000 feet in the air, where high-velocity winds will keep them suspended like a kite.

Two Types of Airborne Power Systems

The space agency is currently looking at a pair of systems.  One relies on a spinning windborne design to rotate the generating turbine.  The resulting energy is fed to the grounds by a conducting tether.  The other uses a large, commercially designed kite attached to a land-based spool.  Electricity is created by a cable that reels in and out continuously as the kite gains and loses altitude.

The concept relies on the fact that 90% of the power generated by turbines is created by the outer edges of the blades because they spin faster than the sections closer to the hub.  This allows the spinning kite to act as a single blade tip.  It also takes advantage of the fact that winds are much stronger and steadier at 2000 feet than at ground level.

Kept in the Air by Software

Unlike conventional kites, which are usually flown by enthusiastic children on a windy day, the NASA versions will be controlled by pattern recognition software that will keep them continuously moving in a figure-eight pattern.  The application that controls it is similar to Microsoft’s Kinect.  It alters speed, position, and orientation on a second-by-second basis to keep the device airborne and operating at peak efficiency to produce the most wind powered energy.

NASA’s freedom from corporate ties allows it to experiment with unusual ideas that may not have the immediate payoff expected by private enterprise.  Commenting on this, NASA engineer David North said, “we have the luxury of focusing very specifically on problems, and not having to worry about getting a commercial product fielded by a certain date.”

The prototype models used thus far have a 10-foot wingspan, but plans call for commercial models to stretch 200 feet across.  The project is based at Langley Research Base in Virginia.  Test flights thus far have been done at relatively low altitudes, but NASA is seeking permission to conduct them at a 2000-foot height, considered by engineers to be the “sweet spot” for airborne power generation.

Private Effort Underway in Italy

An Italian firm is in the midst of constructing their own version of a kite-driven generator near Berzano, Italy.  Power yields so far are in the 1 GW per hour range, roughly equal to the output of a small nuclear reactor but with much lower operating costs.  It is estimated that the facility could stay in operation 80% of the time over the course of a year, at a 90% cost savings benefit over more conventional sources.

Projects Rely on Continuous Bands of Wind

The power that can be harvested from wind increases by the velocity cubed.  In simple terms, this means that doubling wind speed results in eight times as much energy that can be generated.  This is why airborne power systems have such great potential.

A pair of massive wind bands continuously circle the earth at high altitudes, one in each hemisphere.  This is free energy that literally blows right past us every moment of every day.  By harnessing just a fraction of it, humanity’s electricity needs could be met by wind powered energy for centuries to come, without a trace of greenhouse gases formed in the process.  To take advantage of this resource requires only that we have the vision to do so.

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Perhaps the oldest form of renewable energy is the one that has driven windmills, flown kites, and guided sailboats for thousands of years.  Yet, most people in the US are unfamiliar with the benefits of wind farms, which include:

• The creation of tens of thousands of stable, high-paying jobs.  The Department of Energy (DOE) estimates that by 2030, offshore and land-based wind projects could create in excess of 500,000 such positions across the country.
• The potential to harvest vast amounts of green energy.  The feasibility of wind farming has been demonstrated in Europe, where offshore farms capable of generating 4,000 MW of power have been built.  That’s enough electricity to meet the needs of 1.3 million typical US households.  By 2020, European nations will have the capacity to create 40,000 MW from their offshore facilities alone.  That would power almost 13 million US homes
• Offshore wind farms will be used to generate power for coastal cities and Great Lakes states, which together consume 80% of the electricity generated in the United States.  Additionally, a 2007 DOE study showed that developing land-based farms from northern Texas to the Canadian border could supply 20% of the nation’s power needs.
• Wind energy can greatly reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses released into the air from power plants.  Currently, wind farms generate around 10 million MWh annually in the United States.  To create the same amount of electricity using traditional sources would release 1.8 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.  That’s enough carbon to fill 18,000 rail cars.
• Offshore wind farms actually run better during heat waves. Given some of the current weather plaguing various parts of the US, this is one of the major benefits of wind farms.

Ocean breezes are more powerful on hot summer days, making wind power an excellent way to meet increased demand during the months from June through August.  This was proven in 2011, when farms located off the Gulf Coast helped to fill emergency needs in Texas caused by unusually hot temperatures.

There are plenty of other reasons for the United States to launch a major wind farm initiative.  For example:

• Wind power can act as a cushion against the economic shocks associated with price spikes in energy costs.  Since wind is free, utilities can lock in their prices for as long as 20 years.  There will be no more stock markets panics due to instability in oil production.
• Large US population centers will benefit from vastly improved air quality.  Traditional power plants that depend on fossil fuels spew billions of tons of particulate matter into the atmosphere, which contribute to respiratory and other diseases.
• The economic benefits of wind farms will be concentrated in areas where jobs are few and far between, such as isolated rural communities in the Midwest.  This will raise the standard of living for millions of Americans and offer their families a brighter future.

• Wind farms create no air pollutants or soil contaminants.  They require no mining, radioactive materials, or other threats to the environment.  Tapping into the unused power that blows past our homes and businesses every day can make the world a cleaner, safer, better place to live, for us and for generations to come.

At Burnham Nationwide, we’re proud to be part of the movement towards adopting eco-friendly building and power creation methods.  We offer a wide range of services, including sustainability training, assistance with code compliance, and solar facility inspections.  Browse our site and see what we have to offer; then, contact us with any questions or concerns you may have.

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Los Angeles is becoming greener by the day, and one sign of that is the growing presence of photovoltaic panels across the city.  So, if you’re considering using the sun to help provide your energy needs, then we congratulate you on being both thrifty and environmentally conscious.  As solar panel inspection experts, we also recommend that you let our building code consultants make sure that your project’s plans meets all applicable building and fire codes.  L.A.’s regulations regarding solar power installations are reasonable, but also rather stringent.  Here are just some of the many things the city will expect to see on your plans:

• The building’s footprint and north reference point
• The locations of all on-site structures
• The street address of the building
• All access points from the street to the buildings
• The locations of the solar arrays
• The locations of all disconnects
• The locations of all required signage
• The locations of all required access pathways
• The locations of all required markings, warning signs, and labels

The city will also need elevation views of the buildings on your property.  They will need to show the following:

• Placement of the arrays
• Ridgelines for the roof
• Eave lines
• All equipment on the roof
• Skylights, roof hatches, vent lines, and all other objects present on the roof

In addition, you should provide photographs of the area where the array is to be placed.  This will assist city officials in evaluating the feasibility of your plans.

Regulations Regarding Labels, Warning Signs, and Marking

City codes are detailed in their requirements for all signage, as it will be referenced by emergency responders in the event of a fire on the premises.  Here’s a list of some of the things they will be looking for:

1. Markings inside the main service disconnect.  These must be placed on the exterior cover if the main service disconnect can be operated with the service panel closed.
2. For commercial buildings, the marking must be adjacent to the main service disconnect.  It must be clearly visible from the point where the lever is operated.
3. The verbiage on the markings must read CAUTION: SOLAR ELECTRIC CONNECTED.
4. It must be white lettering on a red background.  All letters must be capitals and be a minimum height of 3/8 of an inch.  The font used must be Arial or something similar, and the letters cannot be in bold.
5. The material used for the markings must be reflective and weather resistant.

For DC conduits, enclosures, raceways, DC combiners, junction boxes, and cable assemblies, the following is required of all markings:

1. They must be placed every 10 feet.
2. The verbiage must read CAUTION: SOLAR CIRCUIT.
3. Markings will also be required at turns, above and below penetrations, and on all DC combiners and junction boxes.

Regulations Regarding Access Pathways and Smoke Ventilation

For one and two family dwellings, the following are some of the requirements you will be expected to meet:

1. For buildings with a hip roof layout, solar panels must provide a three-foot wide access pathway from the ridge to the eave, on each slope where panels are placed.  The access pathways must be located along load-bearing walls or other structurally strong points of the building.
2. For buildings with a single ridge, the panels must provide two three-foot access pathways, from the eave to the ridge, on each slope where the panels are placed.  Access pathways cannot include any eave’s overhang.
3. Panels cannot be placed closer than 1.5 feet to a hip or valley, if they are placed on both sides of the hip or valley.
4. If the panels are placed on only one side of a hip or valley of equal lengths, then the panels can be located directly adjacent to the hip or valley.
5. In cases where there are two or more access pathways, the clear pathways must be arranged so that there are no dead ends longer than 25 feet.  Any access pathways that leads to a dead end if greater than 25 feet in distance, it must continue on to the next access pathway.  However, at no time can any access pathway cause an individual’s travel to be greater than 150 feet prior to arriving at another access pathway.
6. Arrays of photovoltaic panels must not exceed 150 feet by 150 feet in dimension.  This applies to both axes.
7. Panels must have a clearance of at least three feet below the ridge, UNLESS the fire department has determined that an approved method or product will provide equal or greater opportunities for ventilation.

For housing units intended for three or more families, additional regulations must be met to pass solar panel inspection.  These are spelled out in detail on fire department and building safety department websites.

Further Rules and Guidelines

The locations of your wiring systems and raceways are also important.  They must be as close to the ridge, hip, or valley as possible.  Conduit runs must follow the shortest paths from the array to the DC combiner box.  Those combiner boxes must be located so that conduit runs in the pathways between the arrays are minimized.  DC wiring must run along the bottoms of load-bearing walls.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg…

The city has many other rules that must be followed when solar panel arrays are installed.  Though all of this may sound excessive, in reality, it’s not.  Every sub-section of every heading of every page in the manual of regulations is there because it helps to ensure not only your safety but also that of your residents, your neighbors, and the public at large.

That being said, we hope that you can understand how important it is to have the help of a company like Burnham Nationwide.  We’re experienced building code consultants and can perform many types of third party inspection.  If there are problems in your setup, we will see them and point them out, allowing you to make the necessary changes so that you can pass when the fire marshal does come out to look over your project.  Let our expertise help you avoid needless delays.  Contact us today.

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As renewable energy sources play an ever greater role in meeting society’s power demands, solar panels will become an increasingly common sight across the country.  With this trend comes the need to understand and prepare for the both the permit acquisition and solar panel inspection processes, which are required before a photovoltaic system can be switched on.  Here’s a look at what to expect.

NOTE: This list is intended only to provide the reader with a general introduction to the subject.  Specific details of the permit and inspection process will vary from one location to the next, and interested parties are encouraged to consult their local utility for more information.

Obtaining a Permit

1. The number and types of required permits will vary depending on locale.  Some areas will require only building and power permits.  Others may mandate approval from zoning and fire department officials as well.
2. A set of line drawings must be submitted to the permit board, outlining the proposed project.  The form these drawing must take will vary among jurisdictions, but approval of them is required before construction can commence.
3. If renewable energy installations are uncommon in your area, local code officials may have difficulty understanding how to examine and approve your plans.  You or your representative may need to educate them on the benefits of, and procedures for, adding a solar panel array.

What the Inspector Will Look For

1. The inspector will check installed panels for hot spots or other factors that may compromise safety.  If problems are found, a licensed electrician will need to make the necessary corrections.
2. The presence of a utility AC disconnect switch will be verified.  The switch should be easily seen and accessible.  It should also be lockable.
3. The position of the circuit breaker will be located.  It must conform to plan specs and not exceed 20% of the BUS rating.
4. The inspector will verify the presence of an AC grounding electrode system; this can either be an ufer or a rod driven into the ground.  Additional grounding rods may be required as well.
5. The inspector will check for AC and DC disconnects near the inverter.
6. If DC wiring is installed within the structure, the inspector will make sure it’s contained inside a metal raceway.
7. Reflective marking should be placed on cable assemblies, junction boxes, and conduits, stating “CAUTION: SOLAR CIRCUIT.”  The inspector will verify their presence as part of the solar panel inspection.
8. If gas meters are nearby, the distance from them to electrical equipment will be measured.  Minimum distance requirements must be met for project approval.
9. If a new rooftop installation is in progress, the inspector will verify all connections are in place, roof entry points are flashed and counter-flashed, and all wiring is secured properly.
10. Equipment on the DC side of the inverter should be rated for 600 volts DC; this will be checked.
11. In structures with solar and through-the-lines electrical connections, the inspector will verify that the disconnection points for both are clearly marked.

Don’t Be Caught Unprepared

Obtaining an initial permit can be confusing or time-consuming.  Failing an inspection can have serious consequences.  Here at Burnham Nationwide, we help with both phases of your project.  We’re experienced permit expeditors as well as inspectors.  We’ll make sure your permit is approved, and your project passes the first time.  We will be your liaison with local officials.  We will set up the time and date of the inspection, meet with the inspector, answer his or her questions, and deliver the proper forms.  We’ll even prepare your project beforehand to ensure its passage.  Don’t get stuck waiting for a permit, dealing with expensive renovation costs, or missing out on rebates or tax credits.  Contact us today.

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Generating electricity from wave power technology has enormous potential for meeting the world’s energy needs.  The effort to turn the idea into reality is about to take a giant leap forward, as Lockheed Martin is partnering with New Jersey-based Ocean Power Technologies (OPT) to build a facility off the Oregon coast.  Composed of 200 separate buoys, the project is expected to create 100 MWs of electricity in a clean, sustainable fashion.

The Latest in a Series of Initiatives

This isn’t the first time that the aerospace giant has joined with OPT.  A smaller-scale project near the Jersey shore was commissioned by the US Navy to provide power for their offshore installations.  Another one off the coast of Australia is currently being built and is expected to create 19 MW of power continuously.  That initiative was underwritten by Australia’s Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism, which provided a grant of $67 million US.

Driven by Ocean-Grounded Pistons

The buoys are anchored to the ocean floor by a cable.  It in turn runs into a generator driven by a piston-like structure at its base.  Electricity is created by the up-and-down motion of the buoys as they bob on ocean waves.  They will create enough power for 40-50,000 homes, with no use of fossil fuels or other pollutants.

Built to Withstand Hurricanes

Two concerns about using ocean waves to create power are (1) damage from storms, and (2) periods when there are no waves.  However, buoys built by OPT withstood the full force of Hurricane Irene with no problems, and excess power created by them is diverted to battery charging stations, to provide continual energy even when the ocean is calm.

Vast Potential

Since almost half of all Americans live within 50 miles of a coastline, the potential of wave power technology and these buoys to meet residential energy needs is enormous.  Along with offshore wind farms, buoy stations could be meeting most of the country’s electrical demands within a decade.

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Some critics still say that deriving significant amounts of power from the sun’s rays is a pipe dream, but a growing body of evidence is proving them wrong.  As an article published in the March 16^th 2011 issue of Scientific American shows, the costs of harvesting solar energy have declined dramatically over the past several decades.  In fact, it appears that high efficiency solar panels are following their own version of Moore’s Law.

For those of you unfamiliar with that term, it stems from a prediction made by Gordon E. Moore, one of the founders of Intel.  In 1965, he predicted that the number of transistors that could be placed on a silicon chip would double every 24 months “for at least 10 years.”  The prophecy was later clarified by Intel executive David House, who said that actual chip performance would double every 18 months.

Moore’s and House’s predictions have proven uncannily correct, so much so that Intel and other chip manufacturers set their research and production goals according to them.  In 1965, computers with the processing power of an arithmetic calculator filled giant rooms.  Today, a single laptop computer can do vastly more work than ones built just a few years ago.  As far as calculators are concerned, today we have ones that not only add and subtract, they also compute complex data using trigonometric and calculus formulas and perform other highly advanced functions – yet they fit in a shirt pocket.

Solar cell prices have followed a Moore’s Law-like trend during their history.  In 1956, it cost $300 to generate a watt of electricity from sunlight.  This figure fell to $50 per watt in the 1970s, then to $10 a watt during the 1990s.  Today it hovers around $1.00 on average, with manufacturing prices as low as 75 cents a watt in some settings.

This amount is still prohibitively high compared to coal-fired power generation, which currently costs a shade under 10 cents per watt.  However, if current trends continue, by 2030, high efficiency solar panels will generate energy at half the cost of methods that use fossil fuels.  Years before then, they will be competitive with coal, oil, and hydroelectric plants on an economic basis.  Additionally, that’s not taking into consideration the environmental and financial benefits of cutting the amount of greenhouse gasses pouring into the atmosphere.

Several factors are driving the reductions in expenses.  The silicon wafers in solar cells can now be made more efficiently, thanks to the use of diamond-tipped industrial blades and other enhancements to the manufacturing process.  Advances in software allow panel farms to track the sun’s path across the sky more precisely.  Sanyo has pioneered the construction of double-sided panels, and developments in thin-film and quantum dot technologies promise a revolution in efficiency.

The potential for harvesting energy from the sun is astounding.  Every day, the amount of power that reaches the earth’s surface from our home star totals 89 petawatts of power.  That’s 89,000,000,000,000,000 watts, more than 6,000 times the energy consumed by all human activities in a year.  By capturing 1/1000^th of that energy, we could supply six times the amount of electricity needed to maintain civilization at its current level and produce virtually no pollutants in exchange.  The potential benefits of pursuing solar energy stagger the imagination.

Becoming part of this revolution requires going through a variety of permit applications and inspections.  Let us help you with that end of things.  We can assist in expediting the permit process, allowing your project to commence faster.  Also, upon completion, we can help with solar panel inspection as well, letting you enjoy the benefits of sustainable power generation sooner.  Contact us today.

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Solar panel technologies offer the potential to generate enormous amounts of power while being environmentally friendly.  However, they have faced a number of barriers to widespread acceptance, due to efficiency and other limitations.  That’s why recent news from MIT researchers is so exciting.  They have developed a way to use three-dimensional design techniques to increase solar panel output by as much as 20 times that of traditional flat arrays.

Rooftop panels are limited in how much power they collect by the location of the sun.  When it’s directly overhead, they are very effective, but this diminishes in the mornings and evenings.  The collection amount is also reduced in winter and in areas far from the equator.

Aware of this, the MIT researchers set out to determine the ideal shape for panels.  They tested a number of configurations in a variety of latitudes, weather conditions, and seasons of the year, using a computer algorithm.  After that, they settled on three designs, which they built models of and installed on the roof of the MIT lab building.

The solar cell arrays out-performed traditional flat panels, creating anywhere from two to 20 times the amount of electricity.  The power output was also more consistent over time, even after the effects of clouds and shadows were taken into account.

Each of the designs is accordion-shaped and is meant to be vertically mounted on rooftops.  According to Jeffrey Grossman, the study’s senior author, they could also be installed on parking garages to provide power for vehicles that run on electricity.

Solar energy has long been touted as an answer to the world’s energy needs, but several limitations have prevented its widespread adoption.  One of these is the cost of manufacture versus the amount of energy produced by these solar panel technologies.

“Even 10 years ago, this idea wouldn’t have been economically justified because the modules cost so much,” said Grossman in a recent interview.  However, these costs have been falling in recent years, leading him and his colleagues to believe that now is an ideal time to explore new types of panels.

At Burnham Nationwide, we know solar panels and the ins and outs of installation, efficiency, and much more. Contact us today to learn how we can help you!

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The degree of solar panel maintenance is directly correlated to the region of the country in which one lives. If you live in an area accustomed to snow, you can pretty much expect a higher degree of maintenance, but short of that, solar panel maintenance requires rather minimal effort.

Why is solar panel maintenance so minimal a task? Three words: No moving parts. The first clue to solar panels’ inherent low maintenance needs lies in the life of their warranties—most coming with 25- to 30-year manufacturers’ performance guarantees. The only moving part involved in a solar array is the pump; so, if anything, that might be the main focus of attention.

Early versions of solar panels had somewhat fragile surfaces, which heightened the need for maintenance. However, today’s versions feature practically indestructible surfaces. Despite this virtual indestructibility, solar panels are not immune to getting dirty. So removal of grime—dirt, soot, pollen, dust, bird droppings, leaves, and the like—represents the biggest single area of solar panel maintenance. In some regions of the country where pollen is prevalent, homeowners and business owners who have outfitted their buildings with a solar panel array report big accumulations when pollen particles start to bond. For this reason, pollen—a fine or coarse powder derived from seed plants—poses a major maintenance menace. Other parts of the country are dustier, and while dust may seem benign, its accumulation can negatively impact energy output.

As a result, it is recommended to clean panels at least twice a year, perhaps in March or April after the end of the rainy season and again in August or September toward summer’s end. Such upkeep is a key consideration, as dirty panels tend to lose up to 15 percent of their output versus those that are kept clean.

You can take the hose to them with a moderate stream, using a gentle brush if needed to clean major grime or dirty accumulation. If you live in an area of hard water on tap, you might consider cleaning solar panel surfaces with bottled water to avoid the residue sometimes associated with some tap water.

It’s not advisable to use strong detergents in cleaning solar panels. It’s best to use soapy water containing a mild solvent that can then be hosed off gently.  Just because panels are all but indestructible doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be gentle with them!

As with any technology, malfunctions might also occur with solar panels. It’s a good idea to monitor power output regularly to discern if there are any variations that might alert to malfunction. Check your solar inverter’s display to keep an eye on such variances, monitoring consistently on each month or with an even greater rate of frequency.   In doing so, you arrive at a baseline as it relates to energy provision and can more easily spot any deficiencies.

The only other area of solar panel maintenance revolves more around their surroundings rather than the panels themselves. To avoid pollen accumulation and obstruction from falling leaves, it’s good to always keep an eye on tree limbs that may stretch onto the vicinity of a solar panel array.

In short, solar panel maintenance requires little effort that building owners can easily accomplish themselves with minimal physical exertion. If this still poses a challenge, however, cleaning companies often include solar panel maintenance as part of their services.

As the trend toward sustainability grows, we have detected a growing number of clients intent on environmentally conscious design. As a result of this, Burnham increasingly advises clients on such matters. If you need more information on solar panel maintenance or related matters, feel free to contact us toll free at 800-407-7990. You can also find us on Facebook where we encourage you to hit our “like” button!

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