It may sound strange, but livestock and solar energy have a lot in common. Specifically, because the two are joining together to give communities more options when it comes to generating power and other natural resources.

Solar panels work well on their own. However, some arrays must be installed on the ground. There may not be a structure available with a roof that can accommodate the panels at the correct position and angle. Or it could be due to the sheer size of the array. In either situation, the panels are built onto sturdy frames that are planted in the earth.

 That also means that the solar array will take up space that could be used for other purposes – like farming. More solar panels mean more energy for everyone, but at the price of land.

That’s why some energy experts and farmers are getting creative with where they build. Connect Electric wants to explore the possibilities to discover more ways that we can use solar to support communities.

Raising Livestock and Generating Energy

Charles Gould is an energy educator at Michigan State University Extension. He believes that solar panels can work in harmony with other traditional land uses.

“One of the things that we are really trying to encourage is raising livestock – especially sheep – underneath those solar arrays.”

He believes that doing so has benefits for solar developers and the animals. While the panels are busy collecting sunlight to convert to electricity, the sheep can cool off in the shade the array creates. This is great on hot days when they want to escape the heat.

Meanwhile, the sheep’s grazing will help keep vegetation down, which can eliminate the need to mow regularly. That’s less work for the landowner and means that they won’t need to use the fuel required to operate a mower.

In upstate New York, the community egg cooperative Geneva Peeps raises chickens under solar panels. A University of Massachusetts pilot program found that cows thrive under solar panels that are elevated to give them room to move. Researchers in Oregon discovered that arrays increased grasses for sheep and cows by 90%.

This experiment is underway in America, but it could encourage people in other parts of the world to adopt a similar approach to solar development.

Pollinator Gardens and Solar Arrays

Pollinator gardens are another way to get additional use out of the land that supports solar arrays.

“There’s actually a wide variety of plans that we can put in that will support pollinating insects that are low-growing, deep-rooted, hold the soil in place, [and] are nice to look at.” Gould explained.

These solar pollinator gardens could be built near berry fields or orchards to help attract the pollinators that help crops thrive.

More projects will likely appear as the world continues to evolve the way we use solar panels. These experiments prove that we don’t have to choose between generating renewable energy and growing food. We can do both on the same stretch of land, at the same time.

Switching from the grid to a residential solar system comes with many benefits. You can save thousands of dollars in utility expenses over the life of the system. As long as you chose a reputable solar installer, you should have no problems with your new on-site sustainable power generator.

You and your installer should have engaged in a discussion about your energy needs before work began. They should have gone over what will happen and how much electricity your new solar system can supply. Now that the work is finished, it’s time for you to inspect the job and make sure everything is as it should be.

Checking Solar Equipment on Walls

Check the equipment installed on walls on your home. You will find wall-mounted isolators outside. These should not have electrical conduit coming in from the top. If they do, it could spell disaster when it rains because water can leak inside.

Cables going into the inverter should be well-secured and organised. You should not be able to pull them, and they should not be able to get caught on anything nearby.

Open conduits should be sealed with a gland and not silicone. The inverter or third-party monitoring system should be setup to alert you in case of a problem. This will allow you to act quickly instead of waiting for your next bill to notice that something is wrong.

Inspect the Solar Panels on the Roof

You should not climb on the roof if you are not experienced with doing so. If you live in a single-storey home, then you should be able to view the work from the ground just by looking up.

Make sure your solar panels are lined up and look level with all excess rail trimmed off. If not, call your installer to come out and correct the issue. Cables should also be neatly arranged through the roof cavity.

Panels should not overhang and should be more than 200 mm from the edge of the roof. A good installer won’t position panels past the edge or too close to it because this creates added stress from the wind.

In some situations, the installer can place the panels closer than 200 mm to the edge, but they should be using the right type and number of racking and fixings.

All solar panel clamps should be placed in clamping zones based on the equipment’s make and model. Most have four clamps on the sides that must be 100 mm to 300 mm apart. If they are too far apart or too close to the corners, they could allow flexing in the wind which can crack silicone cells.

Tilt-racking legs should be positioned at right angles to the panels. Rooftop isolators should be shielded from direct sunlight.

Make Sure You Receive Documentation

Your solar installer should give you the documentation related to your system. This is often overlooked, so make sure you request it if nothing is given.

This will include a list of all equipment, warranty details, owner manual, handbook, certificate for the array frame or racking, performance estimate, shut down and isolation instructions, maintenance requirements, site inspection checklist, connection diagram, declaration of compliance, testing checklist, earth fault alarm instructions, and a certificate of electrical safety.

If you have questions about residential solar installation, let us know. Connect Electric is here to help you get the most out of your renewable energy investment.

We are experiencing unprecedented times by modern standards. Most of us living today have not faced a situation like the one created by the coronavirus. Society changed almost overnight as countries around the world struggle to contain the virus and protect human lives.

While COVID-19 is a bad thing, it has created a unique situation in the energy sector. With many businesses out of commission and people staying home due to social distancing, most areas have seen a decline in energy consumption.

This sounds good from an environmentalist standpoint. Some regions are reporting less pollution as industry grinds to a halt. However, it also paves the way for renewable power to shine.

Less Energy Demand Forces a Price Change

Peak power consumption is down. Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom have reported an average 10% drop in usage.

These shifts also affect fossil fuel-based sources. Coal is usually one of the cheapest options available. It currently stands as the most expensive around the world as cheaper green energies and natural gas prices sink.

“In most economies that have taken strong confinement measures in response to the coronavirus – and for which we have available data – electricity demand has declined by around 15%, largely as a result of factories and businesses halting operations,” Director of the International Energy Agency Dr. Fatih Birol explained in a blog post.

Renewable Energy Takes Over in the U.K.

On Sunday, March 5^th, the U.K. experienced an unusually sunny day. During that day, approximately 40% of the country’s energy was generated using wind farms with a fifth coming from solar power.

It is impressive to consider that during that time renewable energy produced more power to cover the reduced needs of the country. Octopus Energy, a green energy company, even paid some of its customers to use energy during the day. The scheme previously was only available at night during periods of low demand.

Dr. Birol views this change as an opportunity for renewables.

“In this way, the recent drop in electricity demand fast-forwarded some power systems 10 years into the future, suddenly giving them levels of wind and solar power they wouldn’t have had otherwise without another decade of investment in renewables.”

He also predicted that this increase in renewable power could help countries come up with ways to cope with drops in power that happen when the sun sets or when winds weaken.

Connect Electric believes that many of the world’s energy problems can be answered using renewable technology. While the coronavirus pandemic has wrought havoc around the world, there is hope that we can learn a few things during this difficult time.

No one can know exactly how this could change things in the coming years, but there is no denying the attention that’s been put on previously neglected green energy sources. Wind, solar, and hydropower could become more important, allowing us to phase out non-renewable and harmful fossil fuels to pave the way for a greener future.

Most people know that solar energy is beneficial because it doesn’t consume non-renewable resources. That’s a big benefit, but it isn’t the only positive feature solar has to offer. It also helps stop pollution.

The Effects of Pollution on the Environment

Pollution can contaminate soil, air, and water. This has a dire effect on the ecosystem.

Air pollution leaves toxins on plants that are later consumed by wildlife. This can kill off essential populations of animals that are necessary to maintain the food chain. It can also increase the risk of health problems in wildlife due to contamination.

Litter like plastic and metal garbage doesn’t break down easily and can harm living things. In the ocean, discarded refuse is a serious hazard for marine animals. Pollution in the soil can kill plants or contaminate them, making anything that ingests them ill.

The Effects of Pollution on People

Pollution can also have a more personal impact when it comes to our health. Air pollution can cause respiratory illness and aggravated cardiovascular disease. It also places more stress on the heart and lungs, forcing them to work harder to supply oxygen to the body.

Short term exposure may cause discomfort but may not have a lasting effect. However, long-term exposure can cause permanent damage including accelerated aging of the lungs, loss of lung function and capacity, and the development of diseases like emphysema, bronchitis, asthma, and cancer. It can also lead to a shortened lifespan.

Water pollution can be just as dangerous. It allows water-borne diseases to spread like cholera, typhoid, malaria, jaundice, dysentery, and amoebiasis. Nitrates in water can restrict oxygen in the brain, which is especially risky for babies. Petrochemicals increase the risk of cancer, even at a low exposure rate.

Switching to Solar Stops Pollution

Solar energy is one of the most viable clean power sources we have. It can help reduce existing pollution problems and eliminate potential future concerns. How does solar stop pollution?

• No Burning Means No Air Pollution – Fossil fuels like natural gas and coal require combustion and mining. These activities produce greenhouse gas emissions that make their way into the air. The gasses produced include methane and nitrous oxide, which vent into the environment. Solar energy doesn’t burn, so no greenhouse gases are produced.
• Solar Keeps Waterways Clean – Solar doesn’t need water to generate power. That means there’s no need to tap into local waterways to keep your system running. Solar allows us to use electricity while keeping our rivers pristine.
• Less Hazardous Waste Produced – Coal-fired plants also produce millions of tonnes of toxic waste that must go somewhere. This material ends up in landfills and abandoned mines where it is out of the way but is a hazard for the environment around it. Solar doesn’t produce hazardous waste.

Solar makes it possible to go green without giving up the luxuries of modern life. Connect Electric is here to help you learn more about what life is like with renewable energy. Contact us today to find out if a new solar system can meet your needs.