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Solar 101

Alpha Energy offers a wide array of renewable energy products and services. With more than 30 years of experience designing, engineering and manufacturing innovative and reliable power products and over 2 million installations worldwide, The Alpha Group is committed to listening to our customers, ensuring our products meet their current and future needs. The Alpha Group offers a range of professional services including comprehensive installation, maintenance and off-site training.

Solar Power 101

What is Renewable Energy?
With growing concern over volatile energy prices, conventional power infrastructure reliability and climate change, how we generate our electricity has become a matter of everyday discussion. Using renewable resources – sunlight, wind and water - as a means to generate power has many benefits over traditional fossil fuels such as coal and oil and Alpha energy can help you take advantage of these resources.

Solar Power Systems
A Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Power System converts sunlight into direct current (DC) electricity - without noise or air pollution - to power equipment or charge a battery. Depending on the amount of electricity required, PV cells can be grouped into PV Modules and arranged into “solar arrays”. PV systems work any time the sun is shining, but more power is produced when sunlight is more intense and strikes solar panels directly. A PV system includes electrical connections, mounting hardware and power conditioning equipment, with optional batteries that store solar energy for use when the sun is not shining.

Wind Power Systems
A wind power system uses a large turbine to convert the breeze outside into DC or AC electricity depending on the type of turbine. Many large turbines grouped together are called Wind Farms, and are becoming more popular for megawatt generation demand around the world. Unlike solar power, wind systems are able to generate power day or night, as long as the wind is blowing. When used on smaller projects, wind power systems are an ideal complement to an existing power system.

HydroPower Systems
HydroPower systems turn running water into energy. Similar to a wind system, running water is used to rotate a turbine to generate electricity. Major examples of hydropower systems include the Hoover Dam in Nevada or the Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River. But hydro systems can be as small as an attachment to a garden hose.

Alpha Energy Systems
Residential grid-tied and uninterruptible renewable energy systems make it easy to bring nature into the home.
Renewable energy systems are ideal in their versatility, whether used in an urban area as a buffer from high-energy bills and power outages, or as a remote power source where the traditional grid has not yet reached.
Alpha Energy provides a full range of pre-engineered grid-tied PV systems. Whether as a supplement to an existing power grid connection or to go completely off the grid, our systems are flexible and modular. By incorporating an uninterruptible power supply system, you can be protected against planned or unplanned brownouts and blackouts.
Through our national network of Value Added Resellers (VARs), Alpha offers an array of turnkey services including customer-site visit, system proposal, installation and system commissioning. We ensure that your system is interconnected with the utility grid and can provide financial assistance by “floating” state rebates. Our fully warranted systems come complete with a service plan and owners manual. Each system is installed by a licensed electrician and meets all local and national requirements.
Commercial Primary and auxiliary (UPS) solar electric power systems help to ensure a source of clean, reliable and uninterrupted power.
These rooftop systems are placed up and out of sight, and offer businesses the greatest benefit from solar power, as peak electrical demand coincides with the maximum electrical solar power output. By adding a large uninterruptible power supply, your business can be protected from brownouts and blackouts to keep your computer systems and other essential functions operating 24 hours a day.
Alpha Energy provides complete project design and management services for large-scale PV projects as well as for builders involved in developing new residential housing projects. Our staff of engineers and network of VARs offer a range of services including systems eng

How can you make it work for you?
In determining the size of renewable power system you need, the first step is to determine your energy requirements. Systems are flexible, allowing you to make the decision of whether you want to supplement an existing power grid connection, or to go off the grid completely with a stand-alone system.
To calculate the amount of power you need, add up the voltages of the appliances and other electrical devices you want to operate. Check the back of your refrigerator, air conditioner, furnace and television for the electrical specification plate. It will list the unit’s voltage and amperage requirement. For smaller appliances, such as hair dryers, coffee makers and lamps check the unit itself, or the face of the power adaptor. Use the worksheet on page 10 and 11 to get a start on determining your power needs.
For the amount of time you will require power, you need to look at your schedule. Work out the hours you will be using the most power, and any variation there will be throughout the year. For solar power systems, the most power is generated in the middle of the day. For businesses, this is helpful because that is the time of the highest power requirement. Air conditioning, lighting and computers are running at full strength to keep customers and workers happy.
For homes, power is used most in the early morning and evening hours when people are getting ready to go to work or returning home. This can vary with people’s work schedule and lifestyles, so look at the worksheet on pages 11 to get an idea of how much time you’ll need power.
Your geographic location is important to determine the amount of available sunlight and wind, but also to take advantage of the government rebates and incentives that may be available. While the worksheet on page 11 can help you determine the geographic quality of your area, you will also need to take into account the amount of tree cover, or other obstructions to the sun and wind in your area. An Alpha Energy sales

A note on conservation
A way to keep the cost of a renewable power system down is to reduce the amount of power you will use. By incorporating passive solar heating, Energy Star compliant appliances, low-power fluorescent light bulbs, and simply using fewer electrical devices, you can minimize your impact on the globe, while reducing the size of renewable power system you require.