Guest Speaker - Mark Thompson

January 5, 2013

Mark Thompson is with Green Ox Energy, and he discussed renewable energy in Texas.  In deregulated markets, such as DFW, the generation side of electricity, such as power plants, and electric providers are competitive markets.  The distribution of the electricity, however, is still regulated.

 

In Texas, the big three in electricity generation have been coal, nuclear, and gas.  There are many environmental concerns with these sources of energy, including greenhouse gas emissions, potential for natural disasters (like what we saw in Japan), and high water usage.  Mark indicated that coal plants really are antiquated technology, and the EPA has so many restrictions on these plants that it is nearly impossible to building a new one.  We have been seeing rising demand across the state and less supply to meet that demand, which is creating an opportunity for smart energy solutions.

 

Renewable energy examples:
 

Wind Power - photo from Consumer Energy Report



Geothermal - photo from okstate.edu

Solar Power - photo from Green Ox Energy

The high cost of the above options versus the availability of traditional methods of electricity generation has hampered widespread use.  Wind turbines are very large, expensive and locations are restricted since they need consistent wind generation.  Similarly, geothermal can also be expensive and the heat pumps are only viable sources for heating and cooling.  Green Ox Energy, conversely, has turned to solar energy for their central focus.



The video above features a project by Green Ox Energy, for which they installed a 7.56kW solar powered system and an 80 gallon solar powered water system which serves as a pre-heater for four additional 40 gallon electric tanks.  The home is about 10,000 square feet and prior to the solar panel installation, the owner had electric bills that averaged $1,200 per month.  The system is expected to generate over 10,000kW per year and produce almost $200,000 in utility savings over the life of the system.  The customer sees a seven year payback for the system.

Photo from Intellectual Takeout

The elements of a solar panel system include the solar silicon cells, glass, frame, mounting hardware (for ground or roof installation) and the inverter for direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) conversion.  Systems are used for residential use, commercial use, or utility scale solar farms.  The system design is important, which takes into account the orientation to the sun (south and southwest facing angles are most productive), the available space for panels, the possibility of shading, budget requirements, and available incentives.

 

 

Photo from Green Ox Energy

The panels are very strong and have little to no damage during high wind and hail storms.  The expected lifespan of a panel is 25 years (the silicon does degrade over time due to sun exposure) but it will still produce electricity at 80% of its maximum capacity.  The cost for solar panels has come down some due the improved technology.  Currently, a typical 15 square foot panel can provide a 245 to 265 W output, and the efficiency is expected to ever-increase.  And the system is designed so that an owner can expand it in the future.