SolarMill vs Solar Panel by Kevin Woodbridge

Analysis of “Hybrid” Renewable Energy Technology

“SolarMill®” versus “Solar-­Only”

I recently spoke with Dan Bates, CEO of Windstream Technologies ,about his company's hybrid small wind solar systems and asked why a hybrid versus straight solar for energy production.  After a lengthy discussion with Dan he sent me a 10 point discussion on solar wind hybrids and his Windstream solar mills. It is quite compelling and I am adding his discussion in whole versus summarizing. Enjoy! - Kevin Woodbridge

    1. SolarMill® technology has higher energy density – maximizes investment in renewable energy by doing more with less space

 Three solar panels with a total maximum capacity of 750 Watts takes up 52 square feet versus the SolarMill “3P”, which in the same 52 square foot space produces a maximum capacity of 1.75 KW.

    2.  SolarMill® technology maximizes investment with more consistent energy generation

 The chart below shows the annual wind and solar resources in the Philippines. Note the divergence between the two during seasonal changes – In the winter months, when solar radiation is waning, the wind resource is increasing.  The same can be said for the daily change, as wind picks up daily during temperature change at dusk, overnight, and dawn.  In order to maximize an ROI on a renewable energy investment, the greater output and the lower LCOE will prove best.

 

    3.  SolarMill® technology has lower LCOE (levelized cost of energy) than solar

 The levelized cost of energy is the Total Life Cycle Cost (includes accessories, wiring, etc) divided by the Total Lifetime Energy Production.  The chart below, from the Energy Information Administration (USA) shows the relative LCOE across several energy resources.

 According to Lazard Freres, the LCOE (unsubsidized), is $149 to $204 per MWh for solar, and $97 to $129 per MWh for microturbines.  By using both technologies, SolarMills® have an overall LCOE which is less than solar-­only solutions.

 

     4. SolarMill® technology produces more Watts per square foot than solar

 The average solar installation produces between 10 and 13 Watts per square foot versus The SolarMill® “3P,” which produces 33 Watts per square foot.

 

    5.  SolarMill® is an “integrated” solution maximizing installation investment

 As opposed to the standard installation of a solar array, SolarMills® work off of a single set of electronics and a single bus.  The overall operational performance of the system is maximized and the costs are minimized.

     6.  SolarMill® technology saves money by extending battery life

 Battery life is dependent on the number of charge cycles and the depth of discharge.Solar charges only during daylight hours. SolarMill® charges 24 hours a day, limiting the “depth” of discharge of the battery. Batteries may last up to 30% longer in a SolarMill® installation reducing the LCOE and the ROI over time.

     7.  SolarMill® technology has lower service degradation over time (de-­rating) than solar

 According to homepower.com, the average grid-­‐tied, rooftop solar array will lose, or “de-­‐rate” by 44% of their generation capacity over its life expectancy.  Tier 2 and tier 3 panels have been known to degrade by as much as 60% over their forecasted 25-­‐year functional life. Quality is a real issue as shown in the chart below from an audit conducted by SolarBuyer:

 

 SolarMills® use only the highest quality German-­made tier 1 panels which are re-­‐tested locally before integration into the hybrid system.  Further, SolarMills® still only derive a portion of their power from the solar panels.  In the 3P model, more than half of the forecasted generation comes from its micro-­‐wind turbines, which suffer NO service degradation over time.

 

    8.  Lower grade solar panels fail within only a few years, negating any ROI

According to the NY Times in a May 2013 article on the quality of PV Panels, one testing service reported the defect rate of panels inspected in Shanghai jumped from 7.8% to 13% between 2011 and 2012. Another said defect rates ranged from 5.5% to 22% in audits of 50 Chinese factories in the last 18 months.  WindStream Technologies’ hybrid system not only integrates the highest quality panels but also its patented US manufactured vertical axis wind turbines.

     9.  Mandates are now calling for “Hybrid” solutions

 According to Indianpowermarket.com, all telecom companies in India are mandated to ensure that at least 50% of all rural towers, and 20% of all urban towers, are powered by Hybrid power by 2015.

10.  SolarMill® System Performance is improved with use of micro-­inverters

 Typical solar arrays are installed with the use of string inverters, wherein a single panel failure will cause a significant if not complete loss of electrical supply from the remaining string.

 SolarMills® are configured with micro-­‐inverters, wherein a single panel or turbine failure will not impact any other component and overall productivity continues. SolarMill® panels may be oriented individually to maximize performance.

 If there are tall buildings or trees near the roof, shading may become an issue. When solar installations use a string inverter, if one or two panels get shaded it can affect the entire string by as much as half of its total performance. With SolarMills®, the micro-­‐inverter allows that while the shaded panels may be that affected, the rest of the system keeps performing. See below, from solarenergy.com:

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Cheaper Solar Panels On Their Way

Cheaper Solar Panels On Their Way
by Kevin Woodbridge
 
We live in a society where people are constantly looking for alternative energy. After hundreds of years of harming nature, people are finally paying attention to alternative energy, which will inevitably become an essential part of the future. There are many new developments in the solar industry, but presently there is something that will change the way we perceive solar energy. There is current  news that researchers are trying to develop cheaper panels for roofs. Recently two teams, one led by Oxford University researcher Henry Snaith and the other led by Northwestern University researchers Robert Chang and Mercouri Kanatzidis declared that they have successfully developed a new way of building solar cells that ultimately result in creating cheaper panels for solar power. This is an easier way of manufacturing these panels, and thus the price may decrease considerably. Since making this public declaration, their work has received more attention, and hopefully it will continue on this successful path.
The new recipe involves a mineral called  perovskite and it is the key ingredient in the fabrication of the solar cells. For a long time many researchers have been working with a mixture of lead and perovskite, however with this new recipe they are able to bend tin and perovskite which enables them to not only use cheaper materials but also carries less environmental baggage.
One of the first reports has been released to the public May 1st, 2014, when the team from Oxford University reported that they have successfully produced a tin-perovskite cell that is able to convert sunlight into electricity. Soon after this announcement a team led by Northwestern University researchers Robert Chang and Mercouri Kanatzidis  published a formal research paper on the discovery in the journal Nature Photonics. The results weren’t completely identical, however they had too many similarities between the two studies  that could not be ignored i.e. tin-perovskite mixture is the answer to the cheap solar energy. The only downside is that these  solar panels aren’t able to create high levels of solar energy and are thus far only able to convert  around 6 % efficiency of the sunlight into electricity, which is a small amount compared to the 35% efficiency  that has been accomplished with the regular solar cells. These 35% percent efficiency cells are far too expensive for the mass population, however are practical for demanding, large scale tasks, such as producing renewable energy for satellites.
These recent developments in the solar industry are promising, and they are just the beginning of something even more important. With renewable and innovated natural energy research and development booming, this is sure to be the beginning of more accessible and more efficient solar energy.  Making clean, reliable and renewable energy readily available to the population at large is a crucial for making a step collectively towards a cleaner and more efficient planet.  This recent solar news is a hopeful step in this direction.

Kevin Woodbridge

24 years experience in corporate development and finance. Facilitated over twenty reverse mergers and over 200 million in financings.  Worked with clients in 

many industries including restaurants, sporting equipment, health food industry, communications technology, telecommunications and wireless communications, 

and specialty liquor distribution to name a few.  Expertise include board of directors formation, business planning , strategic relationships, mergers, acquisitions, capital formation strategies and capital restructuring. Helped start and grow several companies from inception, which are both well known brands nationally in the distilled spirits category and the gourmet snack food category.

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