Quality

A solar electrical system will last a long time. Modules are warrantied for 20 years or more to perform at more than 80% of their original performance. They can be expected to provide significant power for much longer. The selection of the main components, the modules and the inverter, are very important and we will help you select the best and most appropriate pieces for your property, but it is critical that the other components are equally durable and are installed in a manner that will ensure the performance of your system for decades to come.

We always meet and often exceed code in wiring and conduit. We only use aluminun and stainless steel mounting hardware. We often paint conduit, partly to match your property, but also to prevent rust. We are very thorough in following code and quality requirements, even those that are not going to be seen by the inspectors. If you are interested in the details of the kinds of equipment we use and why it is important, look here.

As far as the major components go, we install equipment from all the major manufacturers. There are advantages and disadvantages to various products and some simply will not work for some projects, but will work perfectly for others.

Modules

Evergreen

Evergreen Solar, headquartered in Massachusetts with manufacturing in the US and Germany, produced modules are very high quality and performance. Most companies rate their products at some power plus or minus. Evergreen rates their power only plus. When you buy a 205 watt Evergreen modules, 205 watts is the minimum power that module should produce (under standard testing conditions). One of the main selling points of Evergreen is their commitment to energy conservation and protecting the environment. According to independent research they have the smallest carbon footprint in the industry and have a one year energy payback on their modules. That means that in 12 months the modules produce the amount of energy that was required for their production. This is considerably shorter than is typical for the industry. Evergreen modules are also generally available at very favorable prices.

Sharp

Sharp, the electronics giant, is the world's largest producer of solar cells. They manufacture and assemble equipment in Japan and the US. They produce robust, efficient modules in a wide variety of sizes and performance levels, including triangular panels which allow for arrays that fit the angles of non-rectangular roofs.

Sunpower

Sunpower modules provide the most energy for their size of any widely available solar modules. Their manufacturing process allows for the wiring to be placed on the back of the solar cells, which makes for a distictive look for these modules. Sunpower modules are generally slighly more expensive for the amount of power they generate, but if space is an issue or if you like their aesthetics, they may be the right modules for you.

Sanyo

Sanyo manufactures modules in the US and Japan, and makes some products that are very high powered for their size; very close to the Sunpower modules. In fact, there are competing claims as it depends on certain testing conditions. Sanyo also makes modules that are transparent in between the cells. This allows them to generate power from the back side of the module as well as allow light through when they are used as patio covers or even as shaded windows. So, they are an excellent fit for many installations where space is an issue, but they are also slightly more expensive for the amount of energy they produce.

Suntech

Suntech is a Chinese company that is one of the leading manufacturers of solar equipment. They make a very good product and provide a 25 performance warranty. Suntech modules, as well as modules from some other Chinese companies, are often at least 20% less expensive than other modules. This could save several thousand dollars, depending on the size of the project.

Inverters

Every piece of equipment in a photovoltaic system is very straightforward and simple. That is, except for the inverter. An inverter is the device that converts the direct current of the solar modules into the alternating current you need for most appliances and to interconnect with the utility. Because the inverter is a complicated computer controlled piece of equipment, it is something that frequently updated with newer and usually better models. As new models come to market, sometimes we change our preferred manufacturer.

SMA

SMA is the world leader in solar inverter technology. They are a German company with division located in 9 different countries.

Xantrex

Enphase

Balance of System

These are the parts that you're probably not asking about and probably not being told anything about when you talk to most solar installers. Many companies will be quoting the same or very similar modules and inverters. Your solar PV system will last for decades in some relatively inhospitable environments and the entire installation has to take that into account.

Wiring

Different sized wires are rated to handle different amounts of currents. Some installers will not even be aware of all the factors that require increasing the size of the wiring and many inspectors won't either. Very often, even when a wire size meets code, we exceed the requirements because as a matter of standard practice we will not use wires below a certain size. Wires are also insulated with different types of material. In conduit we only use wire that is rated THWN-2 for 90 degree celsius and wet conditions. For common size wiring in PV systems this type of wire is very difficult to find and we have it shipped in. The vast majority of installations will use lower rating for wiring.

Mounting Equipment

Not So Small Details

We are an installation company and we deal with several distributors. These are just some examples of products we have installed. Depending on availability and the needs of your specific project we may propose using other products.