Solar powered homes gaining in popularity

PHOTO COURTESY OF PETE MOHS

Advances in technology, declining equipment costs and financial assistance in the form of tax credits and incentives make solar an attractive clean energy home option, according to David Winkelman, local owner of Winkelman Solar Developers.

“There are big pipelines of materials now,” Winkelman said. “There’s more wholesalers and manufacturers.”

Winkelman is so confident in solar energy that he recently built his own solar-energy retirement home in Brainerd. The building features a onelevel, slab-on-grade home featuring a grid-tied system with energy storage.

“So I could have the most energy efficient and reliable home with the least amount of carbon footprint,” Winkelman explained why he chose a solar powered structure.

Winkelman added solar homes are increasing around the state. He estimates there are about 200 homes in the northern half of Minnesota and around 2,000 in the southern half.

This popularity comes with the realization Minnesota has annual solar resources similar to Florida and Texas.

“Minnesota has a good solar rating of between 1400 and 1600 watts per square meter,” he said. “That’s about the same as Houston, Texas, or Jacksonville, Florida. The rating has to do with cloud cover, not sun. Clouds are what changes the solar radiation from one locale to another.”

Some solar homes are optimal (using solar panels) while others are passive (heated without panels by mostly using south-facing windows of a home).

Passive solar design takes

advantage of a building’s site, climate and materials to minimize energy use. A well-designed passive solar home first reduces heating and cooling loads through energyefficient strategies. Properly sized roof overhangs can provide shade to vertical south windows during summer months. Other control approaches include electronic sensing devices, such as a differential thermostat that signals a fan to turn on; operable vents and dampers that allow or restrict heat flow; lowemissivity blinds; operable insulating shutters; and awnings.

Here are some of the benefits and features of a storm proof, solar powered one-level home:

Security of a stormproof concrete home; walls can withstand 250 mph wind and roof can handle a 150mph wind.

No infiltration of pests; bugs, ants, mice, etc. No cold joints, holes or seams in footings or foundation. Contiguous concrete seals all the way into the ground from pouring walls and footings simultaneously.

Whole house is acoustically decoupled from noise out-of-doors. Foam and concrete cancel out all normal frequencies of sounds.

Air conditioning works without stress from a relatively small-sized system. Insulation is maximized.

Simple roof design for solar. Solar panels cover and shield almost all of the 5/12 pitch south roof and protect the entire south side of the roof from the harmful rays of the sun.

Large overhang from roof trusses shades the sun the summer sun but not the lower winter sun. Solar passive heat gain in winter reduces energy bills. Passive solar windows add nicely to the looks of the south rooms as well.

Utility systems needed are mainly small loads, reducing electric bills. The hydronic heating system uses an electric boiler.

Solar electric on roof pays for all electric utilities with money left over, providing credits from you in the summer and a check for the overage to you from the power company at least once a year.

Battery system provides back-up power for all critical loads, even with no sunshine.

Controllable fresh air exchange as desired.