Technology for the Planet

Solar electricity has become the clean renewable energy option that works, especially in the Pacific Northwest. While we're known for rain and overcast weather, our higher latitudes provide long sunny days in the summer that provide optimal weather production. Like all electronics, solar panels operate with their greatest efficiency in cooler temperatures, our winter rain provides a self-cleaning benefit, making Washington a great state for solar power. Western Washington receives more annual sunlight than Germany, one of the world’s leaders of installed solar capacity.  The cost of solar panels has come down substantially over the years providing lower upfront costs, making solar investments more attractive to those interested in the long-term benefits of solar generation.

Solar power has many benefits for home and business owners which contribute to the market growth and success. Some of those benefits include reduced or eliminated electric bills, protection from utility rate increases, increased property value, environmental protection and the peace of mind that comes with owning a sustainable clean energy source. Solar is the lowest impact and best performing energy option because:

*No noise or pollution from its production or use

*Low maintenance with no moving parts

*Long system life, and free solar fuel. 

The best place for solar panel placement, is on your home or businesses roof. This is the most cost-effective application which in turn provides the best return on your investment. Rooftop systems utilize un-used roof surfaces. The building’s roof structure provides the needed support for mounting the panels and meets local building codes along with "worst-case scenario" weather events. In addition, electrical services already exist  so the connection costs are minimized by adding a new breaker and disconnect adjacent to your existing breaker panel. The preferred solar orientation is south; however, east and west work in our region as well. We avoid north facing orientations. For sloped roofs, it is best to mount the panels flush with the roof line. This integrates well with your roof and building while providing a low profile, built in look. When possible, we recommend symmetrical and uniform arrays to match your roof areas with good access setbacks allowing room to clean and maintain your system, gutters, skylights, and other roof elements. Tilted panels on a sloped roof creates a sail effect that exceeds the structural capacity of a standard rafter and has visual concerns.  For flat membrane roofs we recommend single rows at a ten-degree tilt. This orientation offers the greatest power density by minimizing interrow shading spacing and maximizing the number of panels you can fit in any given roof area to optimize the system rating and annual production.

 The Ground System

Ground mount systems are the best solution for large applications and utility scale generation plants. With these large systems the scale makes up for additional costs developing and securing a piece of land for a solar array. Additional ground mount costs are installing new structure for the solar panels, and trenching underground electrical feeders back to the nearest utility service. Small residential and commercial size ground mount systems cost more than rooftop applications but many home and business owners prefer to locate their solar arrays on poles or ground racks in a vacant field or un-used yard. If choosing to install ground mount solar panels we recommend thinking about maintenance, including mowing around, or under your array, weed control and protection from people and animals by fencing or elevating the array on poles.

  Solar panels, also know as modules  within the industry, convert sunlight to electricity by utilizing the photovoltaic effect. PV, short for Photovoltaic, is solar electricity. Solar panels come in two general sizes, 60 cell, 5-1/2’ x 3-1/2’ (most often used in residential applications) and 72 cell, 6-1/2’ x 3-1/2’ (most often used in commercial applications), both are widely used interchangeably. it should be noted, there are many variations and custom options in addition to these sizes. Solar panels come with black or silver frames for aesthetic purposes and countless manufacturers. At RedLine Solar, we lead with only the best available panels on the market today to ensure our customers have the most bankable, long-term, reliable, and proven options for their solar investment. Your design consultant will discuss these options with you and recommend the panel that best meets your goals and preferences.

Solar Inverters convert the DC, "direct-current solar-power" produced by the solar modules, into AC,  or alternating current, used by your home or business. Inverters are matched with your service voltage. Most homes are 240volt, while business can be 208volt or 480volt. Inverters are the brains of the system, with data logging capabilities and internet connections that feed data to an online account where you can login and monitor your system performance and production. Current codes require (module level shutdown) for rooftop systems so todays inverters control every solar panel on the roof with a safety function called "rapid shutdown". Module level control also provides shading and string sizing benefits, eliminating reduced production from the intermittent shade and string design challenges of the past. Due to rapid shutdown String Inverters with DC optimizers and Microinverters have become the industry standard for rooftop solar arrays.

In a solar electric system that is also tied to the utility grid, the DC power from the solar array is converted into 120/240 volt AC power and fed directly into the utility power distribution system of the building. The power is “net metered,” which means it reduces demand for power from the utility when the solar array is generating electricity – thus lowering the utility bill. These grid-tied systems automatically shut off if utility power goes offline, protecting workers from power being back fed into the grid during an outage. These types of solar-powered electric systems are known as “on grid” or “battery-less” and make up approximately 98% of the solar power systems being installed today. 

By lowering a building’s utility bills, these systems not only pay for themselves over time, they help reduce air pollution caused by utility companies. For example, solar power systems help increase something called “peak load generating capacity,” thereby saving the utility from turning on expensive and polluting supplemental systems during periods of peak demand. The more local-generating solar electric power systems that are installed in a given utility's service area, the less capacity the utility needs to build, thus saving everyone from funding costly additional power generating sources. Contributing clean, green power from your own solar electric system helps create jobs and is a great way to mitigate the pollution and other problems produced by electricity derived from fossil fuel. Solar-powered electrical generating systems help you reduce your impact on the environment and save money at the same time! 

That all depends on what type of energy impact you would like to make for your business.  The answers to this question range from making a significant social impact, simply offsetting energy costs, or generating enough power to be independent from your electrical utility.  The size of your facility will also be carefully considered when sizing your system.  RedLine will thoroughly evaluate your business location, whether your business is in Seattle, Kent, Bellevue, Federal Way, or anywhere in the state of Washington, and provide a comprehensive evaluation based on not only your needs, but your wants as well. 

That’s a great question, and in truth, it really doesn’t matter all that much.  Ideally, a new roof would be best, so if you are thinking of replacing your roof, factoring in the addition of a solar panel system would be the most cost effective.  The same would apply if you are thinking of building a new structure, in that we could help with the design and engineering to accommodate a new solar panel installation.  If your roof is flat, old, presently leaks, or you are just not sure your roof will hold up to a solar installation, our team of experts will come up with a solution that fits your scenario. 

Yes they will.  In Seattle, and Washington State, you only purchase from your utility the difference between what your solar electric system produces and the electrical demand in your facility.  This process is known as “net metering”. If the amount of electricity you are generating exceeds the amount you are using, your electric meter will actually spin backwards!  This results in additional savings, which is another factor in your decision to invest in a solar power system. Additionally, your utility will pay you for every kilowatt-hour of electricity you produce – from $0.15 - $0.54 per kilowatt-hour, up to $5,000 per year. 

Each system will have a different payback period. Typically smaller systems have a payback period of approximately 15 years and larger systems approximately 10 years. Commercial systems usually have a payback period of closer to or less than 10 years due to the additional tax credits available. Besides the economic payback, the system will also have an environmental payback. Along with each proposal, we will send you an environmental impact summary that shows you how your system is helping to save the environment. 

Yes, in Seattle, and throughout Washington State, permits are required, but you don’t have to worry about a thing. RedLine is ready to handle the permit and design process, along with all inspections, for you from the beginning of the project all the way through to completion.  All you will have to do is enjoy the feeling of comfort you get from having a qualified team on the job for you. 

In Washington, you are eligible for a production incentive. This means that, in addition to the net metering idea described above, your utility will pay you for every kWh of electricity you produce – from $0.15 - $0.54, depending on where the main components of your solar electric system are manufactured. Your RedLine Solar design consultant will work with you to design a solar electric system that maximizes your total economic return. 

You are eligible for an income tax credit or a cash grant in lieu of a credit for up to 30% of the installation cost of your solar electric system. Additionally, businesses can benefit from accelerated depreciation of the solar asset. There is no state sales tax on the installation costs of your solar electric system. 

That’s a great question.  Your system for the most part is maintenance free.  A gentle wash down each spring with the garden hose is about all it takes. And we can set up a yearly inspection to give you that added peace of mind for protecting your investment.