Going Off Grid In Washington State Solar Panels

Washington state department of commerce energy efficiency and solar grants.

Going off grid in washington state solar panels.

Western washington receives 70 as much solar per year as southern california and 20 more than germany the world leader in solar installations. While seattle is known for its overcast skies and grey days in the winter it s easy to forget about the long sunny days western washington. There are numerous news reports about people living off grid being forced to reconnect to the electric utilities. This include cloudy days in which your solar panel is a little less than 80 effective.

Check out part 2 here. Silfab solar bellingham solar modules panels. Going off grid with solar or wind in colorado state seems to be legal though many counties and zoning laws require homes to be grid tied. Okay does solar really work in washington state.

Washington home utility grid tie solar system design many site specific factors need to be considered when planning for your grid tied or off grid solar kit. Another 27 000 homes use either wind or solar energy or both to go partially off grid reducing their energy bills in the process. Because solar panels have decreased in price by roughly 50 percent since 2008 more americans can afford to have them installed and provide more of their own energy. Silfab is now manufacturing solar modules panels in the former itek energy facility in bellingham and is significantly expanding solar panel manufacturing there.

Budget available roof or ground space and other factors will heavily influence your choice of solar panels kits. You do not have to get hooked on the local power grid to get electricity instead you can generate your own electricity with solar power. Oftentimes an off grid solar system makes sense in rural areas where it is difficult and expensive to extend existing power lines to connect with the grid which can cost between 15 000 and 50 000 per mile but an off grid system can also make sense elsewhere. Washington state west of the mountains averages only 3 65 average over a year full hour of full sunlight a day.

Whiles some people go off the grid without having any electricity at all but if you are new to this you will find it very hard to go long periods of time without it. Energy efficiency and solar grant funds projects result in energy and operational cost savings at state public higher education institutions local government facilities state agencies and kindergarten through 12th grade k 12 public school districts. Part 1 focuses on what it actually means to go off grid and how to start thinking about calculating the costs for cutting the cord with your utility. Outback power a division of alpha technologies arlington power conversion inverters for grid tied and off gird uses.