How does a solar electric system work?
A solar electric system consists of solar electric modules – AKA “Panels” – and one or more inverters. A Solar Electric Module reacts directly to sunlight by generating one-directional electrical current, called DC (direct current). An inverter changes the DC generated by the modules into AC (alternating current), the same electricity supplied by the utility that powers lights, refrigerators, office machines, and appliances.

How user-friendly is the system?
Extremely user friendly! On a day-to-day basis the system requires no maintenance. A few times a year it is wise to clean off the modules since dust and dirt can accumulate, limiting the effectiveness of the solar modules.

How do solar electric systems affect the Environment?
Depending on the material of the cells and the location of the installation the energy-payback (time needed for the cells to generate as much energy as was used to make them) ranges from 6 months to 4 years.

Each kilowatt of solar electricity installed offsets per year up to:

• 2,300 kilograms of carbon dioxide (CO2)
• 16 kilograms of nitrogen oxides
• 9 kilograms of sulfur oxides
• For every 100 kW installed the avoided carbon dioxide emissions are equal to planting 11,000 trees or permanently removing 30 cars from the road.

Are solar electric systems dangerous?
NO. When installed by properly trained and certified installers, solar electric systems are completely safe. Our systems have the proper safeguards to protect you, your family, and your home or business building. All components used are UL approved and meet any applicable safety standards.

What happens if the sun doesn’t shine?
Your grid-tied solar electric system will continue to produce
electricity during cloudy weather at a slower rate. At night or during inclement weather, additional electricity is provided to you by your local utility. However, this additional electricity is “yours” generated at sunny days in excess of your consumption and then fed into the grid, letting you meter spinning backwards. Thus, it doesn’t cost you a Penny.

Why should I invest in a solar electric system now?
Reduce or eliminate your electric bill. With costs of fossil fuels on the rise and hence, electricity costs ever increasing, purchasing a solar electric system today is a smart economic move. Rebates, tax incentives and net metering programs create a very favorable climate for financing and installing a solar electric system.

A solar electric system adds value to any home or building and pays for itself many times over. It’s one of the few home improvements that can be justified in terms of return on invested dollar. solar electric systems are exempt from property taxes - but their value can be added to the appraised value of the property.

Keep your dollars in your community. None of your money goes to out-of-state fuel or power suppliers.

Declare energy independence and “go green.” By investing in a solar electric system, you can produce your own electricity from sunlight - a clean, renewable energy source with no emissions and no noise.

Declare energy independence and contribute to a less dependency on foreign oil.

How do I maintain my solar electric system?
Solar electric systems are solid state technology and have no moving parts. They produce energy as long as the sun is shining. They require no yearly or seasonal maintenance. Occasionally they benefit from being dusted off with a hose, especially after long periods of no rain. New Millennium Power offers Web based monitoring as an additional feature. We will monitor performance ongoing and inform you of significant changes to your system’s performance, should those occur.

Does my solar electric system come with a warranty?
Yes. The Solar Electric Modules are warranted to maintain at least 80% of its original stated value at the end of 25 years by the manufacturer. The inverter is warranted for 5 or 10 years by the manufacturer and New Millennium Power warrants all of its labor for 5 years.

What is the increased value of my home?
Based on a study funded by the HUD, The value of your home increases by $24 for every dollar saved on electricity per year. A typical residential installation may save $3000 per year and hence increases the value of this house by $72,000. This value increase in CA is even property tax exempt (see code- Section 73 of the Revenue and Taxation Code).

Does it make sense to install a solar electric system if we are moving in a couple of years?
Yes. The value of your home is increased between $20 and $24 for every $1 reduction in annual operating costs resulting from installed energy efficiency measures or energy generation systems, according to the Fine Homebuilding Magazine, June/July 2003 Issue, Page 76. When you sell your home you will very likely get your full initial investment back, plus you will have the benefit of a greatly reduced or zero electricity bill for a couple of years.

Can I expand my solar electric system if I add on to my building or house?
Yes, unlimited from a technical viewpoint. Additional modules can be added to a solar electric system up to the limit of the inverter and then by adding inverters.

What do I do if something breaks or needs repair?
Solar electric systems are designed and installed to be low-maintenance and repair-free. In the event that repair or replacement is needed, New Millennium Power’s certified and trained electricians will promptly remedy the problem.

Is the weight of a solar electric system too much for my roof?
No, the Solar Electric Modules are very lightweight. The combined weight of mounting material and modules is less than 3 lbs per square foot.

What kind of government permits do I need?
New Millennium Power obtains all local building and electrical permits for businesses and homeowners.

What if my roof needs repair after the solar electric system is installed?
A roof inspection (and any necessary repair) is strongly recommended prior to a solar electric system installation. If roof replacement is needed after installation, New Millennium Power will temporarily disconnect and remove, then reinstall the solar panels.

Isn’t Solar Electricity expensive?
No. The cost of solar technology has dropped dramatically in the past 10 years and thanks to state rebates, tax credits and net metering, a solar electric system may be your most cost-effective power solution. A solar electric system installed today will produce electricity at a cost of less than 5 cents per kWh over the system’s 50+ year expected life.

Do I have to pay Property Tax for a solar electric system?
No, California allows for the exclusion of a solar electric system from property taxation. In other words, while the value of your house will go up with the installation of a solar electric system, this addition is excluded from your property’s assessed value. For the latest information pertaining to other states, visit the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency web site.

Are Tax Credits available?
A federal tax credit of 30% with a $2000 cap for residential and no limits for commercial customers is available for all installations finished before January 1, 2008.

What is “Net Metering”?
Net metering allows utility customers to be credited full retail price for the electricity their energy system sends back to the utility grid. This means that you get to use the excess electricity you’ve produced when you need it, at no charge to you. Currently, there is no provision to compensate the customer if their system produces more electricity than they use. Your existing meter is typically used to measure the difference between the electricity used and the electricity produced. When the system produces more power than is being used at the premises, the meter will spin backwards! Typically once a year, the utility will charge the difference if there is more electricity used than produced.

Is a solar electric system the best alternative energy system?
It depends on location, capital costs and energy needs. Solar is very efficient to all locations with good sun exposure. Wind generation is less expensive per kWh produced, provided big open acreage or easements are available with at least 8 mph of sustained wind. New Millennium Power’s mission is to design your optimal Energy System based on all available and proven energy generating and energy saving technologies.

Do utility companies pay cash for extra electricity we produce?
No, at least not yet. Differently to Europe in the United States we have a credit and debit system, called “Net-Metering”. Net-metering laws in California do not require the utilities to pay you for your excess energy production, but they will credit your account on a monthly basis within your yearly net-metered billing cycle. You will be able to “bank” your unused energy generated by your solar electric system on a month to month basis. At the end of the year your account will be set back to zero, and you cannot carry over any excess energy generated to the next year, nor will the utility pay you for the excess energy you contributed to the grid. If you used more energy in the year than you generated you will pay for the net energy purchased from the utility at the end of the year. For this reason, all Grid-Tied solar electric systems installed by New Millennium Power are typically sized to generate annual energy production equal to or less than your yearly usage.

What is the reliability of Solar Electric Modules?
Their reliability is very high. No moving parts for one thing and very durable materials used such as hardened glass and silicon, make the modules very sturdy and long lasting.

Solar Electric Modules were first developed for use in outer space, where repair is extremely expensive, or impossible. Solar Electric Modules still power almost all satellites orbiting the earth because the technology operates reliably for extended time periods with virtually no maintenance. With no moving parts, the Solar Electric Modules require practically no maintenance. Solar Electric Modules are used for supplying power to communications stations on mountain tops, navigational buoys at sea, yachts or sailboats at sea, water pumps in remote areas without water systems or very deep wells, 3rd world regions without power or homes far from utility power lines for years and years.

How durable are the Solar Electric Modules?
Solar Electric Modules are very durable, and constructed with strong aluminum frames and high strength tempered glass designed to withstand hailstorms. A standard test procedure (IEC 61215) for the glass used is to drop a steel ball with one inch diameter from 3 feet onto the glass, which has to withstand the impact. That is the power of a golf ball hit by a professional from 120 feet distance.

What is the lifespan of the Solar Electric Modules?
A conservative estimation is a lifespan between 40 and 50 years. Solar Electric Modules have proven long-term reliability. Modules built and installed in the ‘60s are still working today.

Do Solar Electric Modules ever generate the amount of energy used to produce them?
Depending on the available sun shine the ecological payback is less then two years. Typical conversion rates of solar modules are 12 to 15%, meaning that 15% of the energy that falls onto the module’s surface area is converted into DC power. Even at 12% the overall energy generated by the cells over the expected life span of 50 years is a tiny fraction of the energy used to build all components of the system.

What if my solar electric system does not perform according to my expectation?
At New Millennium Power we calculate the minimum annual generation of every system and share with you what you can expect. And we guarantee that our solar electric systems perform according to our prediction.

When it is cloudy or foggy, will my system still work?
Yes. The system will continue to operate under fog or cloud cover. The system’s power output is relative to the “depth” of the cloud cover and how much light gets in. Typical coastal fog only reduces power output by 50%. Winter storm clouds will cause substantially greater reduction but the system will still produce energy. Our predicted performance levels are based on decades of available weather data collected in your area.

What is a Grid-Tied solar electric system?
“Grid-tied” means that your solar electric system is connected to the utility lines or the “grid”. A Grid-Tied solar electric system is designed to meet all or a portion of your daily energy needs. This connection allows you to use electricity at night or when your system doesn’t generate enough power; it also allows you to send excess solar electricity back to your utility for later use.

Does my solar electric system have to include batteries?
No. Batteries are only essential if you want ‘back-up’ power in the case of a utility outage. Otherwise, your Grid-tied solar electric system will send any excess generated electricity back to the utility, using the utility grid (rather than batteries) as the storage medium.

Can I use a Grid-tied solar electric system as a back-up source during a utility power outage?
A Grid-Tied solar electric system will continue to provide electricity to your home during an outage if it has a bimodal inverter and batteries. New Millennium Power’s solar electric systems with back-up are designed to provide power to all your critical loads as refrigerators, furnace fans, lights, security systems and computers. In the case of a power outage, the system will instantaneously provide power to your critical loads.

What are Photovoltaic (PV) Cells?
Photovoltaic (or PV) devices or systems convert light energy into electricity. The term "photo" is a stem from the Greek "phos," which means "light." "Volt" is named for Alessandro Volta (1745-1827), a pioneer in the study of electricity. "Photo-voltaic," then, could literally mean "light-electricity." PV cells are already an important part of our lives. They power many of the small calculators and wrist watches we use every day. PV cells are built of semiconductor material that directly converts sunlight into electricity. PV cells have no moving part - power is produced when sunlight strikes the semiconductor material and creates an electric current.

How do Photovoltaic (PV) Cells function?
Photovoltaic cells are made primarily of silicon, the second most abundant element in the earth's crust, and the same semiconductor material used for computers. When silicon is combined with one or more other materials, it exhibits unique electrical properties in the presence of sunlight. Electrons are excited by the light and move through the silicon. This is known as the photovoltaic effect and results in direct current (DC) electricity.

How long has Photovoltaic (PV) technology been around?
Photovoltaic (PV) has been used as the primary source of electricity for satellites since the 1950s. Since the 1970s, PV has been used more and more for “earth-based” applications as costs declined tenfold. Today, the PV industry is a multi-billion dollar industry with primary markets in industrial countries, in particular Japan and Germany.