Impact of Net Metering on the Cost of Solar Power in W.Va. Sponsored by Division of Energy May 22, 2

1
Impact of Net Metering on the Cost of Solar Power
in W.Va.Sponsored by Division of EnergyMay 22,
2008

• Kourosh Sedghisigarchi, PhDAssistant Professor
• Electrical Computer Engineering
  DepartmentLeonard C. Nelson College of
  EngineeringWest Virginia University Institute of
  TechnologyMontgomery, WV 25136
• Phone [phone], Fax [phone],
• Email Kourosh.Sedghisigarchi_at_mail.wvu.edu

2
Outline

• Objective
• Net-Metering
• Student Projects
• Samples of Projects
• WVUTech Energy Lab
• Discussions

3
Objective

• The objective is to estimate the energy saving
  and cost for a typical West Virginia homeowner if
  he/she had an appropriately sized solar array and
  engaged in Net metering.

4
Net Metering

• Net metering is a policy that allows homeowners
  to receive the full value of the electricity that
  their solar energy system produces.
• The term net metering refers to the method of
  accounting for a photovoltaic (PV) system's
  electricity production,
• For example. Homeowners with PV systems can thus
  offset their electric bill with any excess
  electricity they produce.

5
Net Metering

• As the homeowner's PV system produces
  electricity, the kilowatts are used first to meet
  any electric requirements (e.g., appliances,
  lights) in the home. If more electricity is
  produced from the PV system than the home needs,
  the extra kilowatts are fed into the utility
  grid.
• (Ref US Department of Energy, Solar Energy
  Technologies Program

6
Projects with students

• NET-METERING PROJECTS
• Solar Panel Cost Analysis (N. Kidd)
• Solar power Policies and Economics in West
  Virginia (L. Gibson)
• Electric Utility Net-Metering and
  Interconnection( J. Jones)
• Senior Design Project
• Sustainable Power on a Grid-Connected
  Photovoltaic/Battery System
• (T. Cole, M. Chiang)
• Concentrated Solar Panel Projects
• Economic Analysis of Concentrating Solar Power
  (Addis kassie)
• Concentrated Solar Panel Cost Analysis, Benefits
  Risk Involved (Nimesh Sangani)

7
Solar Panel Cost Analysis ( N. kidd)

• Power consumption in WV
• 11,014,418,000 kWh sold in 2006
• 853,995 customers
• 12,900 kWh / year or 1,075 kWh / month
• In WV about 10 per rated watt for rack mounted
  roof system
• Realistic array size for home3KW
• For a non tracking, roof mounted system with no
  batteries
• Average home with resource mix uses 12,000 Kwh a
  year

8
Solar Panel Cost Analysis ( N. kidd)

• Optimum vertical angle is 31 degrees
• 18,000 for 1.8 kW
• 30 year savings of 3680
• Power bill savings only .065 1,900 30
• Net Deficit after 30 years of 9,500
• More output in Huntington

9
New Technologies in Power Electronics

• PI controllers to control switching and PWM
• Soft Inverters
• Switch sources when current and voltages are at
  low points in sinusoid
• Avoids high switching interrupt currents and
  voltages
• Less wear and tear on switches
• Phase Lock Loops
• provides a unity power factor operation
• involves synchronization of the inverter output
  current with the grid voltage
• gives a clean sinusoidal current reference

10
Incentives and Grants

• http//www.dsireusa.org/summarytables/financial.cf
  m?CurrentPageID7EE1RE1

11
Financial Incentives
12
Federal Tax

• http//www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f3468.pdf

13
Senior design ProjectDesign Requirements

• Power available to outlet at all times 24/7
• Power supplied at 115 V and 0.8A
• Excess power sent to a storage device
• Monitoring of and filtering of Input power (from
  Solar/Battery system)
• Use of maximum power available
• Excess power from the Solar Panels wont be sent
  back to the grid
• Battery should not be disconnected from the
  system
• Uninterrupted power supply to the outlet
• Within budget of 200

14
SOLAR MONITORING SYSTEMWVUTech Lab
15
THE YEAR IN IDEAS Net MeteringThe Newyork Times
Thursday, January 17, 2008

• Questions?