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South Dakota home harnesses solar power

South Dakota home harnesses solar power

Solar Energy

Thursday, 02 July 2009 16:44

Jim Johnson is using a model home in Worthing, SD, to demonstrate to homeowners and home builders how simple and effective solar energy has become in recent years.

solar panel

"If you're building a new home, you can incorporate alternative energy sources by adding two or three percent to your construction costs," says Johnson, who is president of Worthing-based Alternative Energy Professionals. "If you want solar energy in an existing home, you may have to make some changes to your landscape, such as removing trees. But you can still realize a lot of savings using solar energy."

The 1,000-square-foot model home that Johnson designed was built to run on both solar power and traditional electricity. A photovoltaic solar panel on the home's south side that faces the sun at a 45-degree angle generates electricity. The panel provides energy that is stored in batteries located in the basement.

While the sun is shining, the panel generates electricity, which is stored in the batteries for nighttime use or days with low sunlight. An inverter converts the power from DC to AC so it can be used for lights and small home appliances.

"The panels available right now only gather red light waves," Johnson says. "So they won't provide as much power as newer panels coated with silicon fluorescing nanoparticles. They gather ultraviolet light, too."

The model home Johnson designed was recently sold, but will continue to be used for tours to show off the technology at work. Johnson, a commercial builder, continues to design homes with solar elements.

The use of silicon fluorescing nanoparticles to boost solar cell performance by 60 percent was developed by physicists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and came into use in 2007. Use of nanoparticles involves little additional cost, but allows the panel to gather power in the ultraviolet range of the spectrum.

"You'll get three times more energy from the same size panel with the new technology," Johnson says. "With all these new photovoltaic panels, the sun doesn't have to be shining in order to gather power. You'll still obtain energy from light."

Heat for the home is generated by a solar heat panel mounted flat against the south side of the home. Even on a cloudy day the panel produces at least 94 degree heat, which is distributed through the home's heating ducts.

"A 4x8-foot heating panel costs about $1,500," Johnson says. "With today's energy costs, a homeowner would recoup the cost of their investment pretty quickly. The life of the panel is much longer than the solar panels people installed in the '70s."

Solar water heaters, landscaping lights, ventilation fans and pumps for garden ponds are all on the market today. Johnson has installed a wind-powered generator in the home, but says the wind generally isn't consistent enough to provide ample energy to power an individual home.

"The model I've set up would power a camper pretty easily," he says. "Even though people feel we have a lot of wind in the state, it isn't the steady wind you need."

Johnson says he isn't currently seeing as much demand for solar power in South Dakota as other areas of the Midwest. South Dakota's low energy costs have made alternative energy less appealing than in other states, Johnson says.

"There's interest in green building, using bamboo for floors because it's biodegradable and recyclable carpet, those types of products," Johnson says. "But the use of solar energy hasn't really caught on here yet."

Johnson says he expects to see increased interest in solar energy in South Dakota in the coming years. According to Johnson, the lack of financial incentives in the form of rebates and government grants in South Dakota has slowed the growth of solar power in the state compared to other states.

"California has entire housing additions and mini-coops where neighborhoods share solar power," he says. "We're quite a way from seeing that here. For now, especially for South Dakotans who are building new homes, you should explore alternative energy because it will only add to the future value of your home."

Source: prairiebizmag.com

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