VISIT us at Green Options Electric
We are a Northern California Reneable Energy Distributor and soon to be electrical contractor based in Yuba City. We are a family owned and operated company with over sixty years combined experience. We specialize in solar system installation and clean energy products. While we specialize in clean energy we are also a full service electrical contractor providing high quality service. Our commitment to customer service is our highest priority, preservation of our earths resources is our passion.Solar cells convert sunlight directly into electricity. Solar cells are often used to power calculators and watches. They are made of semiconducting materials similar to those used in computer chips. When sunlight is absorbed by these materials, the solar energy knocks electrons loose from their atoms, allowing the electrons to flow through the material to produce electricity. This process of converting light (photons) to electricity (voltage) is called the photovoltaic (PV) effect.Solar cells are typically combined into modules that hold about 40 cells; a number of these modules are mounted in PV arrays that can measure up to several meters on a side. These flat-plate PV arrays can be mounted at a fixed angle facing south, or they can be mounted on a tracking device that follows the sun, allowing them to capture the most sunlight over the course of a day. Several connected PV arrays can provide enough power for a household; for large electric utility or industrial applications, hundreds of arrays can be interconnected to form a single, large PV system.Solar shingles are installed on a rooftop. Credit: Stellar Sun Shop
Thin film solar cells use layers of semiconductor materials only a few micrometers thick. Thin film technology has made it possible for solar cells to now double as rooftop shingles, roof tiles, building facades, or the glazing for skylights or atria. The solar cell version of items such as shingles offer the same protection and durability as ordinary asphalt shingles.Some solar cells are designed to operate with concentrated sunlight. These cells are built into concentrating collectors that use a lens to focus the sunlight onto the cells. This approach has both advantages and disadvantages compared with flat-plate PV arrays. The main idea is to use very little of the expensive semiconducting PV material while collecting as much sunlight as possible. But because the lenses must be pointed at the sun, the use of concentrating collectors is limited to the sunniest parts of the country. Some concentrating collectors are designed to be mounted on simple tracking devices, but most require sophisticated tracking devices, which further limit their use to electric utilities, industries, and large buildings.The performance of a solar cell is measured in terms of its efficiency at turning sunlight into electricity. Only sunlight of certain energies will work efficiently to create electricity, and much of it is reflected or absorbed by the material that make up the cell. Because of this, a typical commercial solar cell has an efficiency of 15%-about one-sixth of the sunlight striking the cell generates electricity. Low efficiencies mean that larger arrays are needed, and that means higher cost. Improving solar cell efficiencies while holding down the cost per cell is an important goal of the PV industry, NREL researchers, and other U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) laboratories, and they have made significant progress. The first solar cells, built in the 1950s, had efficiencies of less than 4%.
SOLAR ENERGY WILL
*Decreases your output of greenhouse gas
*Saves you money*Allows you to take advantage of special refunds, tax breaks, and depreciation*Limits, or eliminates, your reliance on electricity generated by coal-burning power plants*Increases your property value*Is a low-maintenance power solution*Gives you independence in powering your home or business*Hedges you against future electric bill increases (over the past 30 years, energy from power companies has increased an average of six percent a year.Renewable Power GenerationSolar electric power is a renewable, or sustainable, energy source. It provides utility grade power without the dependence on fossil fuels, which is how most power utilities produce electricity today.ReliableSolar electric systems are very reliable. They have no moving parts. Solar panels often have warranties extending up to 25 years. Inverters have warranties up to 10 years. Very little is needed to maintain them other than an occasional spray off with a hose in dusty areas.Zero EmissionsSolar power produces no emissions unlike much of today's utility-supplied power. And best of all, once the system has paid for itself, which only takes a matter of years, you will enjoy decades of clean sustainable power — free and clear.Tax CreditsUp to 30% for businesses and the lesser of 30% or $2000 for residential systems. RebatesCalifornia currently provides $2.60 per watt rebate. This accounts for nearly 30% of the system cost.Increased Home ValueFor every $1,000 reduction in annual operating costs from energy efficiency, a home's value is increased by $20,000. So essentially the value of the home is increased by the annual operating costs savings multiplied 20.Hedge Against Rising Electricity PricesOnce you have invested in your system, you will be producing power independently. You will then be less susceptible to increases in energy costs on the power you produce for the life of your system. Electricity rates have historically increased by 6% on average each year for the past 30 years.