Mission Statement:
Sunlight Solar Energy is dedicated to educating our customers and
empowering them to make intelligent buying decisions.
Dear Solar Enthusiast:
Thank you for your interest in clean, renewable – and best of all – affordable photovoltaic
(PV) solar electric systems.
After reading this information, please call us at (203) 878-9123 to get started on your own
solar system! We will gladly schedule an appointment for a Systems Designer to come to
your home or business and give you a free custom proposal. We do not charge a fee for any
preliminary proposals or site surveys.
Sunlight Solar is an innovative and creative company with an industry-leading approach and
philosophy to solar energy sales. We are one of the first Clean Energy Finance & Investment
Authority-approved installers to offer a 10-year labor warranty and 10-year production
guarantee on solar electric systems.
We sincerely look forward to hearing from you!
Intro To Solar Electricity
Table of Contents
I.
About Sunlight Solar Energy, Inc.
II. Financial Incentives
A. Clean Energy Finance & Investment Authority
i. PV Rebate Calculation
B. Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC)
C. Financing Options
D. Cost & Energy Production
III. Solar PV Technology
A. How a Grid-tied System Works
B. Solar Panel Quality & Warranties
C. Solar Panels
D. System Components
IV. System Design and Installation Process
A. Site Surveys & Proposals
B. Permitting
C. Installation
D. Post-Installation
V. Installation Considerations
A. Orientation
B. Roof
i. Age & Weight Load
ii. Square Footage
iii. Angle
C. Shading
D. Aesthetics
E. Tilt Mounts
F. Metal Roofs
VI. Other Considerations
A. Array Maintenance
B. Homeowner’s Associations &
Commissions
C. Insurance
D. Property Taxes & Property Values
Historic
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Intro To Solar Electricity
I. About Sunlight Solar Energy, Inc.
 One of the leading solar design and installation
companies in the United States
 Approved
solar
Massachusetts,
contractor
Rhode
in
Island,
Connecticut,
Oregon,
and
Washington
 Founded in 1988 by Paul Israel in Sacramento,
California
 One of the original Clean Energy Finance & Investment Authority approved contractors
 Full-time in-house professional installation teams
 Fuel-efficient hybrid company vehicles
 Installed more than 650 systems amounting to over 4 megawatts worth of solar in
Connecticut
 Installed large commercial systems such as Yale University’s 40,000 watt system (pictured
below) and the North Haven Health & Racquet Club’s 190,000 watt system
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Intro To Solar Electricity
II. Financial Incentives
A. The Clean Energy Finance & Investment Authority (CEFIA)
The Connecticut Legislature created CEFIA to support and encourage the growth of
renewable clean energy sources for the benefit of Connecticut’s rate payers. The
CEFIA solar PV rebate is financed by a surcharge on your electric bill; these rebates
are money collected from CL&P and UI ratepayers. The CEFIA solar PV rebate is
currently only available for residential
systems.
Though the CEFIA incentive is commonly
called a rebate, you do not have to pay the
full system cost out of pocket and wait to
receive your reimbursement.
Instead,
Sunlight Solar applies for the CEFIA rebate
on your behalf and the rebate amount is
deducted
from
the
system
cost
immediately.
i. PV Rebate Calculation
The CEFIA residential rebate is currently set at $1.75/watt up to 5,000 watts (5
kW) and $0.55/watt from 5,000-10,000 watts (5-10 kW). This amount is de-rated
according to the site conditions of the house.
The exact solar PV rebate is based on three specific site conditions: tilt,
orientation, and shading.
 In Connecticut, the ideal roof slope is around 36-40 degrees.
 The ideal orientation of your panels to the sun is true south (which in
Connecticut is 194 degrees magnetic).
 Losses due to tree shading and other obstacles are taken into consideration.
We calculate all the site conditions and show you the projected efficiency of your
system. An on-site evaluation is critical in determining your exact rebate amount.
In most cases, the rebate covers approximately 25-30% of the total system cost
for residential systems.
B. Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC)
When purchasing a solar PV system, you are also credited 30% of your out-of-pocket
investment by the Federal Government. For example, a $28,000 PV system may
receive a CEFIA rebate of $8,000. Since the CEFIA rebate is deducted from the system
cost immediately, the out-of-pocket investment is $20,000. The federal tax credit for
this example is 30% of the $20,000 investment, or $6,000. If you do not have enough
tax liability to fully utilize the credit, it is possible to carry the credit forward to
subsequent years.
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Intro To Solar Electricity
C. Financing Options
There are several financing options available for homeowners in Connecticut, offered
by CEFIA. The first option is the CT Solar Lease Program, a 20 year lease which is
generally no money down. In most cases, the lease payment is less than the electric
bill it is displacing, meaning homeowners can save money from day one.
CEFIA also offers a 15 year loan program,
the CT Solar Loan. This loan program gives
homeowners the opportunity to own a
solar electric system with an affordable
down payment and reasonable monthly
payments. This 15 year loan product is
especially unique because it does not
require any home equity or a lien on the
home.
Lastly, homeowners have the option to
utilize the Smart-E Loan Program, a program aimed at helping homeowners attain
home energy improvements. The loan term can be 5, 7, 10, or 12 years, and is open
to any energy efficiency or renewable energy measures.
D. Cost & Energy Production
United Illuminating (UI) and Connecticut Light & Power (CL&P) customers are paying
some of the highest electricity costs in the nation. An average residential PV
installation in Connecticut is around a 7,000 watt (7 kW) system. At a good site, a 7
kW PV system produces approximately 22 kWh per day. Relative to a utility bill of
$130 per month, which is roughly the equivalent of 25 kWh per day, this solar system
provides a homeowner with nearly
90% of their electric power per
year.
III. Solar PV Technology
A. How a Grid-tied System Works
Solar PV systems work by directly
converting sunlight into electricity
without noise, moving parts, or
pollution. Therefore, the system is
simple, reliable, renewable, fully
automatic, and virtually maintenance-free. Energy from the sun strikes the PV
panels (array) and produces direct current (DC) energy.
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An inverter, which is tied into your electric circuit breaker panel, changes the DC
energy into alternating current (AC). The electricity produced by your solar panels is
sent directly into your home or business, to be used by anything at your site that runs
off of electricity. If at any time your solar electric system produces more electricity
than you use, the system
sends the excess electricity
back onto the grid.
A 1988 state law allows
individuals and businesses
that
generate
excess
renewable energy to sell
the electricity back to the
local
utility
company
through a process called
Net Metering. When you
install a solar PV system at
your home or business,
CL&P or UI install a new
meter at your site. This meter, called either a bi-directional meter or a net meter,
measures both the electricity you use from the grid as well as the electricity that your
solar system sends back onto the grid.
As the solar electricity is produced, your electric meter slows down or spins
backwards! Your electric bill will be based on the new bi-directional meter reading
and will look quite different than your current bill. In a grid-tied system, if utility
electric power becomes unstable or is lost your solar PV system automatically turns
off and your system does not produce solar electricity. This ensures that you do not
send extra electricity onto the grid when people might be working on the power
lines. However, every five minutes the inverter tests the utility power for stability
and turns back on once power is restored. The system works seamlessly and
automatically.
A. Solar Panel Quality & Warranties
Solar panels have no moving parts or chemical reactions and are
therefore very low maintenance. They also have a long life
expectancy. Solar PV panels typically have a 10 year product
warranty and 25 year power warranty. Generally, the power
warranty guarantees the panel will produce at least 80% of its
rated capacity for the 25 year warranty period. Once installed,
experts believe solar panels will produce electricity for 35 years
or more but with a degrading output of about 0.5% to 1% per
year. Sunlight Solar offers a 10 year labor warranty and 10 year
production guarantee on all residential solar PV systems.
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Intro To Solar Electricity
B. Solar Panels
One way to judge the efficiency of a solar panel is to compare two tests that all solar
panels must undergo: the STC and PTC panel tests. Basically, panels are tested in
two different conditions – ideal conditions (STC) and more realistic conditions (PTC).
If you look at the drop-off in power of the test results, you get an interesting story
about efficiency. All things being equal, you want to purchase panels which have a
high PTC/STC ratio. Call us and we can help you compare different manufacturers’
solar panel efficiencies.
C. System Components
Inverters are designed to be installed outdoors, protected from southern or western
direct sun, but are more often installed in the basement, garage, or other areas
depending on owner preference and sitespecific conditions. Translating the solar DC
energy into household AC electricity uses a
small amount of energy. For this reason, each
inverter has a published efficiency rating. Call
us and we can help you compare different
manufacturers’ inverter efficiencies.
All system components can be installed inside
your home or business except the AC
Disconnect, which must be installed within
three feet of the exterior utility meter. This is a standard requirement of CL&P and
UI. All disconnects and components are labeled.
The wiring on your PV system is the conduit within which
your solar electricity flows. Sizing the wire properly is a
requirement of the National Electric Code (NEC) and
allows your system to be most efficient. We oversize
your wires, usually exceeding Code, so that your solar
panels maximize their efficiency.
Managing the wiring on an installation is very important.
All Sunlight Solar installations will have no wires touching
the roof and all “strings” of solar panels will be properly
fused with outdoor-rated warning labels.
IV. System Design and Installation Process
A. Site Surveys and Proposals
Before a site survey is done, we gather some preliminary information regarding your
home or business and any solar system requirements you may have. We also look at a
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Intro To Solar Electricity
satellite photo of your house or building to observe the roof orientation and any
potential shading issues. With this information, we can determine how viable the site is
for solar. At this point, we can also provide you with preliminary estimates for what
may be feasible to install at your site.
The next step in the process is to schedule an on-site evaluation, which allows us to
attain necessary site details and gives us a chance to have an in-depth discussion with
you regarding your current energy usage as well as your future energy goals. Sunlight
Solar offers this service free of charge.
During the site survey, our Systems Designer
takes several measurements and photographs
of your site and analyzes a number of
important issues including:
 Roof design, shingle age, and condition
 Orientation, height, and pitch of roof(s)
 Available roof space for solar panels; roof
vent locations; skylights; etc.
 Distance from solar panels to the circuit
breaker panel and electric meter
 Electric service panel suitability, including
extra space for a solar breaker
 Tree shading and other factors that will affect system production
 Proposed location of inverter
 Possible ground mount location
 Any other factors impacting system price, energy production, etc.
After the site survey, our Systems Designer prepares a final proposal for you to
consider, along with a panel layout to show you what the array would look like at
your site.
B. Permitting and Interconnection
Sunlight Solar takes care of obtaining an electrical and/or building permit and the utility
interconnection approval, which are included in your system price.
C. Installation
Before beginning construction, the Lead Installer does an initial walk-through of the
system with you, in order to review the technical details of the project. Average
residential PV systems are typically installed in 2-3 days. The timeframe can be longer
depending on system size and additional work required, such as electrical or structural
upgrades. During the installation process, Sunlight Solar’s Project Manager is frequently
on site to ensure quality control.
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Intro To Solar Electricity
D. Post-Installation
Once your solar array is installed, we do a “walk through” of your system with you,
explaining all the system components. We also send you an Owner’s Manual that has
specification sheets, technical schematics,
warranties, etc. Sunlight Solar coordinates
both the local inspection and the utility
Witness Test for you. You can legally turn
your system on after the Witness Test.
V. Installation Considerations
A. Orientation
While a southern-facing roof is ideal for a
solar array, you may be surprised to learn
that southeast, southwest, and even east and west roof orientations can also work.
In some cases, tilting the panels can be a solution to non-ideal roof orientation or
pitch.
B. Roof
i. Age & Weight Load
Your present roofing material should have at least fifteen years of life remaining.
This ensures the investment of your solar system will not be compromised by a
deteriorating roof. If your roof is nearing the end of its useful life, you may wish to
consider getting a new roof where the solar panels will be placed.
Local building codes usually allow a
maximum two layers of asphalt
shingles on your roof. Codes dictate
this because the additional weight of
a solar array may create structural
problems. Occasionally, older roofs
may need to be strengthened by
adding larger rafters. We work with
a structural engineer to be certain
that your roof can support the
proposed solar array.
Solar panels are designed and installed to withstand severe weather conditions
including hurricane-force winds and 50 mph hail storms. We perform wind-load
and snow-load calculations to ensure the safety of the system on your roof. In
addition to our own rigorous installation standards, your system is reviewed,
inspected, and approved by your municipality, utility company, and CEFIA.
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Intro To Solar Electricity
ii. Square Footage
Below is a listing of the number of SunPower 245 watt solar panels and the
square footage needed. After approximating the square footage of your roof
(length multiplied by width) you can compare it to the chart. Remember: pipe
vents, skylights, and other obstacles limit available space. If there is not enough
roof space or the roof is not viable for a solar system, we can install a ground or
pole mounted solar array.
Number of 245 Watt
Panels
12
18
24
30
36
44
Approximate Square
Footage of Roof
168
252
336
420
504
616
Total Wattage of
Solar Array
2,940
4,410
5,880
7,350
8,820
10,780
i. Angle
The sun’s daily path in the sky changes throughout the year. In the winter, the
sun is low to the horizon, while during the summer it is higher. During the spring
and fall seasons, the sun is somewhere in between. The diagram below depicts
the sun’s arc traversing the Connecticut sky during the winter and summer
months. Solar PV systems on steep roofs produce more electricity in the winter,
while roofs with lower pitches or angles work better in the summer, when the sun
is higher overhead.
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Intro To Solar Electricity
C. Shading
Shading has a significant impact on the efficiency of the solar panels and system. It is
one of the prime reasons we cannot install a solar system on some houses or
properties. The site should not be shaded more than 10-25% throughout the day
(6am to 6pm), throughout the
year. Ideally, a solar array should
have no shade between the hours
of 9am and 3pm, the times of
greatest
solar
electricity
production (“solar noon”).
Shading can be caused by soft
sources (snow, leaves, and bird
droppings) or hard sources
(objects in the distance such as
trees, dormers, and chimneys).
Shading problems from trees can
be handled by pruning, topping off, or cutting down trees and replacing them with
shorter-growing trees and bushes; shading cause by chimneys and dormers are
unavoidable obstructions.
Take a close look at your home or business and see how much sunshine falls on your
roof during the day. Imagine what shade will be on your roof in the summer. What
about in the winter, when the sun is low over the horizon? Seasonal changes in
foliage and sun angle are extremely important.
Trees to the east and west of your roof should be more than twice as far from your
house as they are tall and trees to the south should be at least three times away as
they are tall. If the trees on or near
your property meet these general
criteria then you probably will not have
to worry about shade during the year.
During our site survey, we assess and
identify
any
potential
shading
challenges.
D. Aesthetics
Depending upon the color of the roof,
it may be preferable to install an allblack panel so the panels can blend in
with the roof. Additionally, if there are
vent pipes on the southern-facing section of the roof, it could be helpful to have the
vent pipes moved so that the panels can be placed in an uninterrupted row on the
roof.
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Intro To Solar Electricity
E. Tilt Mounts
While not our favorite type of installation for
both aesthetic and labor-time reasons, tilt
mounts are important when the roof is flat or
facing east or west. We often suggest
keeping the panels at a 5-degree tilt towards
the south to maximize aesthetics. However,
tilting the solar panels at a greater pitch to
the south maximizes the solar production
and the CEFIA rebate.
F. Metal Roofs
For customers with metal roofs we use clips that attach to the standing seams; the PV
panel is then bolted onto the clips, negating the need for any penetration to the roof.
VI. Other Considerations
A. Maintenance
Our best maintenance suggestion is to visually inspect the panels and wiring at least
once a year. If anything looks amiss, just give us a call. It is also good to keep the
panels and equipment clean from dirt, dust, salt, pollen, and debris. You may hose
the panels down with water and, if necessary, use a soft brush or squeegee to scrub
off bird droppings, pollen, dirt, etc. A mild non-abrasive detergent can be used to
take care of persistent dirt.
A common question customers have
is how long it takes for snow to melt
off the panels. The answer depends
on a number of factors including the
amount of snowfall, temperature,
cloud cover, shading, orientation,
and tilt of the solar panels.
Generally, if you have six inches of
snowfall overnight, snow on panels
tilted 22 degrees or more will melt
off by the early afternoon, provided
there is full sunshine. The greater the tilt on the panels, the faster the snow will melt
off. However, snow could remain on the panels for several days during heavy
snowstorms and cold overcast conditions.
B. Homeowner’s Associations & Historic Commissions
Some homes are located in communities where there are active and stringent
Homeowner’s Association regulations. Associations typically have the power to
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Intro To Solar Electricity
approve or deny solar panels on a homeowner’s roof prior to obtaining any required
permits.
Historic District Commissions also present challenges to solar installations as they
have an eye towards protecting the historic character of the buildings. However, in
our experience, most Historic Commissions have allowed PV systems to be installed
on homes.
You will want to contact your Homeowner’s Association or Historic Commission to
get a sense if your application will be considered for approval. Our staff will help
support your application and provide any materials or documents required by the
Association or Commission. A number of our customers have received Historic
Commission and Homeowner’s Association approvals for solar panels on their homes.
B. Insurance
Solar systems are typically covered under your homeowner’s insurance policy.
However, you may have to increase your coverage because of the replacement value
of your solar array. We recommend you check with your insurance agent regarding
coverage. For PV systems, both CL&P and UI require a minimum of $300,000 in
Personal Liability coverage in order to approve the Interconnection Agreement. This
is a utility requirement, not Sunlight Solar’s.
C. Property Taxes & Property Values
Many homeowners ask whether installing solar panels on their home will increase
their property taxes. You will be happy to know that the General Statues of
Connecticut address this issue: any municipality may exempt, by ordinance, Class I
Renewable Energy Facilities [such as solar PV systems] for single-family houses or
multi-family dwellings of two to four units. Be sure to file an exemption from your
local tax assessor or contact your town assessor’s office for further information.
Call us at (203) 878-9123
for a free assessment!
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