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Belize LifeStyle Homes

Solar Power and Solar Water Heating Systems

Belize LifeStyle Homes will be offering both Solar Power and Solar Water Heating Systems for All Homes in our Ambergris Caye Developments. As an experienced Renewable Energy Solutions Company, we will install a solar system based on your specific needs and energy requirements. Our company offers all of the latest solar technologies available in the market; Roof Mounted Solar Panel Systems, Solar Panel Awning Systems, Solar Thermal Systems, Thin Film Solar Panel Systems, Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) Systems, Bifacial Solar Panels, Stand Alone Solar Hot Water Systems, Hybrid Solar Power and Solar Thermal Systems, Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) Systems, Solar Panel Tracking Systems and Solar Power and Wind Power Hybrid Systems.

Solar Power Systems: Solar cells (photovoltaic cells) produce direct current (DC) power which fluctuates with the sunlight's intensity. For practical use this usually requires conversion to certain desired voltages or alternating current (AC), through the use of inverters. Multiple solar cells are connected inside modules. Modules are wired together to form arrays, then tied to an inverter, which produces power at the desired voltage, and for AC, the desired frequency/phase. Because of their modularity, PV systems can be designed to meet any electrical requirement, no matter how large or how small. You can connect them to an electric distribution system (grid-connected), or they can stand alone (off-grid).

Three Main Types of Solar Collector Panels for Hot Water Systems and Four Main Types of Solar Hot Water Systems:

Three Main Types of Solar Collector Panels for Hot Water Systems:

1. Glazed Flat-Plate Solar Collector

This is a weather resistant shallow box that houses a plate or run of copper piping under a transparent cover. They are very effective at absorbing a lot of heat and transferring it back to the storage tank. The collectors are only about 2 to 4 inches deep and range in size from around 2 ft x 4 ft up to 4 ft x 10 ft. As an example, a family of 4 may require a system that has two 4 ft x 8 ft collectors on the roof.

2. Evacuated Tube Solar Collector

These collectors are more typical in commercial situations, but have been used domestically. A copper tube, often with fins attached to maximize heat absorption, runs inside a vacuum tube which lowers radiated heat loss.

3. Integrated Solar Collector and Storage System

A simple but less common solution, and typically only seen in warmer climates where there is no freeze risk. The collector has an insulated tube inside a glazed box. The water is pumped from the storage tank which has a conventional heating element, through the collector which heats the water before it goes back to the tank. The idea is that the heating element will be used less, saving money.

Four Main Types of Solar Hot Water Systems:

1. Active Direct

This system circulates water (using an electric pump) through the solar collector on the roof and into the home for use. These systems are generally only effective in climates with no freeze issues.

2. Active Indirect

Either water or an anti-freeze liquid is pumped through the collector where it gets hot. On return to the tank, the fluid’s heat is passed to the potable water of the house in the storage tank using a heat exchanger. This heated water is then available for use in the house.

3. Passive Direct

Passive systems are less expensive to run since they use no pump, relying instead on the tendency of warm liquids to rise and cold liquids to sink – this is commonly called thermosiphon. With less parts to worry about, they are typically less expensive than active systems and have fewer operational problems. The tank is typically stored high up in the attic and the collector lower down towards the bottom edge of the roof. In a direct system, the heated water is used directly in the house after passing through the collector.

4. Passive Indirect

With this thermosiphon system the water in the tank is heated by heat-exchange from the fluid circulating through the collector.

For Home Solar Power Electric Systems, the most common array design uses flat-plate PV modules or panels. These panels can either be fixed in place or allowed to track the movement of the sun. The advantages of fixed solar panel arrays are: no moving parts, no need for extra equipment and lightweight structure. These features make them suitable for many locations, including most residential roofs. Because the panels are fixed in place, their orientation to the sun is usually at an angle that is less than optimal. Therefore, less energy per unit area of array is collected compared with that from a tracking array. This drawback, however, must be balanced against the higher cost of the tracking system.

Grid-Connected Solar Power Systems:

While Solar Power Systems are capable of powering houses and small businesses without any connection to the electricity grid, many people prefer the advantages that grid-connection offers. A grid-connected system allows you to power your home or small business with renewable energy during those periods (daily as well as seasonally) when the sun is shining, the water is running, or the wind is blowing. Any excess electricity you produce is fed back into the grid. When renewable resources are unavailable, electricity from the grid supplies your needs, eliminating the expense of electricity storage devices like batteries.

Off-Grid Solar Power Systems:

For many people, powering their homes or small businesses using a small renewable energy system that is not connected to the electricity grid, called a stand-alone system, makes economic sense and appeals to their environmental values. In remote locations, stand-alone systems can be more cost-effective than extending a power line to the electricity grid. But these systems are also used by people who live near the grid and wish to obtain independence from the power provider or demonstrate a commitment to non-polluting energy sources. Successful stand-alone systems generally take advantage of a combination of techniques and technologies to generate reliable power, reduce costs, and minimize inconvenience.

Solar and Wind Power Hybrid Systems: A Complementary Relationship

There has long been a debate about which source of renewable energy is superior: wind or solar. In recent years however, it has become clear that one source most often does not outperform the other. Instead, there exist seasonal benefits to each source. It has been determined that both wind and solar have compelling benefits within their seasonal range. A wind/solar hybrid system is fully integrated and designed to provide improved system efficiency. Throughout the seasons, hybrid systems provide a balance and increased energy production when both wind and solar energy are available.

Solar Tracking Systems are a great way to maximize the efficiency of solar panels. They track the sun’s motion across the sky and depending on the type of system, the increase of energy output in solar panels may increase by 25% to 45%. Solar tracking is one of the most straightforward ways to improve the performance and economics of a solar installation. Compared to a fixed mount solar panel, a single-axis tracker increases annual output by about 30 percent and a dual-axis tracker typically adds an additional 6 percent of increased power output. Other estimates say that solar panel trackers add between 25 and 45 percent to the efficiency of an average residential solar PV system.

Single-Axis Solar Tracking Systems:

In one axis solar trackers the panel’s axis of rotation is parallel to the earth’s axis. The panels start to rotate in the morning, when usable energy can be harvested, the rate of panel motion is constant until the end of the day when a limit switch is contacted and it instructs a motor to bring the panels back to their original position. The adjustment for the seasons is normally made with a manual crank. Single axis tracking systems are elegantly simple and relatively more reliable. They offer a compelling compromise of higher energy production, low additional cost and trouble free operation tilts for the seasonal adjustment. They have less demanding mechanical requirements and their energy consumption is less than that used by a dual-axis solar tracking systems.

Dual-Axis Solar Tracking Systems:

In a dual axis solar tracking system the apparent axis of motion is parallel to the earth’s axis. However, the mechanical movement of the panels is a composite of 2 movements – a vertical axis and a horizontal axis. Dual-Axis solar tracking systems always maintain the optimum alignment to the sun but they are also more complicated to maintain and set up than a single-axis tracker. The advantage of two axis of movement over one axis is that the two axis design makes the array much more compact, the footprint is smaller and panel cleaning is easier, with no manual adjustments required. Long term tests show that dual-axis solar trackers improves the collection efficiency and increases the “harvested” energy production yield for each solar panel.

Solar Water Heating Systems, also called Solar Hot Water Systems, can be a cost-effective way to generate hot water for your home. They can be used in any climate and the fuel they use - sunshine - is free. One of the most energy intensive (and therefore costly) processes in any house is the heating of water. Heating water accounts for more than 20% of residential energy use in the USA. This represents not only a large percentage of your power bill, but also a substantial proportion of carbon dioxide emissions. A solar hot water system, over a period of time, will save you money and lessen your environmental impact.

There are different types of solar hot water systems based on what your specific needs are and the location of the system. However, they all typically have a mass storage tank somewhere in or near the premises and one or more solar collectors up on the roof or mounted on a structure nearby. Water or a pressurized liquid anti-freeze circulate through the collector panels where it gets very hot, then comes back to the tank. There a heat exchanger transfers that heat to the potable water in the storage tank. These systems can save as much as 80% or more of your hot water electric bill.

Stationary Solar Panel Systems