Manchester, NH Friday, October 9, 2009**** The state’s largest solar photovoltaic energy system, completed in mid-July, has exceeded expectations in its first two full months of operation.
Public Service of New Hampshire’s (PSNH) 51,300-watt solar array, installed on the roof of the company’s Energy Park headquarters building over the summer, will annually offset more than 100,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions that would otherwise be created through the burning of fossil fuels.
A recent review of the project’s first two months of performance uncovered another piece of good news: So far, it’s generating more electricity than anyone expected.
“In the month of August, we outperformed the contractor’s expectations by 1,000 kilowatt-hours,” says Richard Branch, a member of PSNH’s Solar Team. “In September, we outperformed by 1,400 kilowatt-hours. Weather is certainly a factor; we had a good amount of sunny days in August and September compared to June and July. But fundamentally I think what we’re seeing is the high quality and efficiency of these panels.”
According to the manufacturer, the 183 photovoltaic panels that make up PSNH’s array are among the most efficient panels commercially available, with an efficiency rating of approximately 18.5 to 18.7 percent. By comparison, standard solar panels of similar size can start as low as 10.3 percent. A panel with a 10.3-percent efficiency rating outputs 10.3 watts of electricity per square foot for every 100 watts of solar energy that goes into the panel.
“High performance panels are more expensive per unit, but they produce more electricity per square foot than standard models,” says Gary Lemay, PSNH Energy Park Solar - Team Leader. “That can be helpful if you have a limited amount of space to work with. So far PSNH’s array is exceeding everyone’s expectations, which is great news for PSNH and the solar industry.”
Following the Sun
Using a Web-based platform, PSNH is now broadcasting data from a range of monitoring devices on its solar energy system to the Internet for public viewing. Visitors to psnh.com can find information about the array’s present and historic performance, weather conditions, carbon savings, and more.
“One of the primary reasons we invested in this project was to help educate our customers and employees about solar power,” says Lemay. “The online monitoring system provides real-time, in-depth data about PSNH’s system. People can see the numbers for themselves and make their own decisions about solar energy.”
Lemay, who has solar panels installed at his own home, expects June, July, and August to be PSNH’s highest-production months, given the longer daylight hours in the summertime. Clear days in February and March could also be big producers (on an hourly basis), since electrical equipment typically performs better under cooler conditions, due to lower electrical resistance.
To monitor PSNH’s solar performance online, visit: www.psnh.com/Energy/Renewables/PSNHprojects/EPSolar/FatSpanieliframe.asp.
To learn more about PSNH’s solar project, visit: www.psnh.com/Energy/Renewables/PSNHprojects/EPSolar/default.asp.