You can be responsible for your own energy needs with solar and wind power systems
And you should be. Its no secret that utility companies worldwide are struggling to meet the demands of their customers. The number if power failures is increasing. Some areas suffer from daily power outages that last from a few minutes to several hours.AT XIS, we are always looking for low-cost solutions for the average person to meet their own energy needs. New products are released frequently. Innovations come up to meet the needs of a changing industry. There are many misconceptions out there. Claims are made that are far from truthful.
There are options.
There are solutions
Some basic facts concerning solar power systems
Small solar power systems are advantageous. By small power systems we are referring to 10 kilowatts and below. We classify these as personal power systems. These work well for residential and small commercial applications.
Large solar power systems are very limited in what they can provide. Solar farms can indeed generate megawatts of renewable energy for a several hours a day, but they do nothing when the sun goes down
What makes the difference? Energy Storage. Batteries.
Solar power is all about charging batteries so that they can provide power day and night. Energy storage gets expensive. The more stored energy needed, the higher the cost. Without batteries solar power can only provide part-time power during the hours of bright sunlight. A functional solar power system uses the daylight hours not just to provide the needed power, it must also have the capacity simultaneously charge the batteries for use during darkness hours.
Power Stations
A Power Station is a power solution in a single enclosure. It can be DC only or DC to AC conversion for more flexibility. They are a quick and easy solution and serve well to offset occasional or frequent utility power failures. A Power Station is a small, light weight and portable device with points of connection for devices.
The DC only package will provide light and USB charging for devices such as cell phones, tablets and portable power banks. This is a low-cost solution for areas where there is no utility power or the power is frequently off. It gets you out of the dark and charges your cell phone. There are several sizes available. They have an internal battery that charges from a solar panel that is exposed to direct sunlight. The size variations are mainly in the battery capacity and the solar panel rating. These Power Stations come with the LED lights that they support. The cost can range from under $100 USD to around $250 USD.
DC to AC Power Stations are capable of powering small appliances, laptops, televisions as well as lighting and cell phone charging. They also have an internal storage battery which can be charged from utility power or solar power. Since the solar panels can cost as much as (or more than) the Power Station itself, they are often purchased without solar panels and are added later as financially feasible.
Our AC Power Stations include a pure sine wave inverter so that they can support sensitive electronics. They have 230-volt outlets to plug in the supported equipment. There are also USB ports for charging devices. They vary in capacity and energy storage. A solar panel is easily connected to a dedicated point of connection. Battery charging is internally regulated to prevent damage to the onboard batteries. Larger units have provisions for one or more extended battery cabinets to extend the run time. Available power levels are 600 to 3200 watts. These range in price from around $300 USD to over $3000 USD. Solar panels are extra. These are not the most cost-effective solutions, but they are convenient.
Power Inverters
A power inverter converts direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC). Alternating current is what operates most electrical equipment in the world. There are three types of inverters:
Standard inverter
A standard inverter provides 230 volts AC from one or more batteries (DC source). A standard inverter takes power from the battery and produces usable power to operate electrical equipment. The difference in quality between the various brands is quite extreme. We select the best products to offer. Our selections have a display so that the load data and voltages can be monitored. All inverters that we offer are the pure sine wave type (versus the less expensive square wave type).A typical solar power system uses solar panels to charge the battery so that power is available from the battery to the inverter. A charge controller is also needed to protect the battery from being over-charged. This is a separate component.
Inverter/charger
An inverter/charger has extra features that a standard inverter doesn’t have. While a standard inverter connects to the battery only, an inverter/charger also has utility power connections. While the inverter charger has points of connection for solar panels, these are not required to maintain the charge on the batteries. Charging the batteries from solar panels is beneficial since this is done without charges from the utility company.
Inverter/chargers are physically larger than standard inverters. Since they have two input sources, there is a built-in transfer switch. The best feature of an inverter charger is that the supported loads are already connected to the inverter/charger. Under normal conditions the inverter is in a bypass mode and the loads are supported from utility power. A failure of the utility source will result in a very fast transfer to inverter power.
Inverter/chargers also need a charge controller to protect the batteries from over-charging if solar panels are used. These are generally larger systems and are hardwired to a distribution panelboard.
Hybrid Inverter
A Hybrid Inverter is a fairly new invention. It is the next level up from the inverter/charger. It is actually an inverter/charger also and also includes enhanced battery charging from solar panels. These products are smaller, lighter and more efficient than an inverter/charger. They can accept much higher DC voltage also.
There are other components that make up a complete solar power system. Please contact us at sales@xtremeis.com for assistance with meting your needs.
