Skip to content

Archives for solar-energy

See all posts in the network tagged with solar-energy

Solar Panel Cause of Fire at Webster Groves High School

No comments

WEBSTER GROVES • Firefighters quickly extinguished a fire Saturday on the roof of Webster Groves High School, officials said.

The fire broke out about 1:45 p.m. The cause has not yet been determined, but Webster Groves Battalion Chief Tom Yohe said it was “possible” the fire was sparked by one of the school’s solar panels.

Departments from around the area responded to the 2nd alarm call. The fire was contained within 15 minutes, Yohe said.

Officials said there may be some water damage to the school’s third-floor classrooms from fighting the fire. No firefighters were hurt, and any damage to the building was minor.

The school’s seniors graduated Friday, but Yohe said because access to the roof was difficult he “seriously doubted” the fire could have been started by students.  The school is expected to be open Monday.

 


Original Story Link: http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/fire-at-webster-groves-high-school-quickly-put-out/article_8b4794f7-eafe-54ec-b47d-711ab62d548b.html

Stay Safe
Lt. John Shafer
Posted by on May 20, 2013 • Filed under: Building Construction, Modern Construction, News and Events, Solar • Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Fire Safety Challenges of Green Buildings Report

No comments

Fire Safety Challenges of Green Buildings


Author: Brian Meacham, Brandon Poole, Juan Echeverria and Raymond Cheng, Worcester Polytechnic Institute.  Re-posted by permission  of Brian Meacham NFPA

Introduction
Many new commercial facilities are being designed and constructed with an objective of achieving a “green building” certification. There are many sustainable building features and products that singly or together may have an impact on fire safety unless there is a design approach which mitigates those effects. The Foundation commissioned this study to develop a baseline of information on the intersection of “green building” design and fire safety and to identify gaps and specific research needs associated with understanding and addressing fire risk and hazards with green building design.

Executive Summary:

A global literature review was undertaken to (a) identify actual incidents of fires in green buildings or involving green building elements, (b) identify issues with green building elements or features which, without mitigating strategies, increase fire risk, decrease safety or decrease building performance in comparison with conventional construction, (c) identify reports, studies and best practice cases which speak to the issue of addressing fire risk introduced by specific green building design elements, and (d) identify research studies in which building safety, life safety and fire safety have been incorporated as an explicit element in green building indices. In addition, consideration was given to how one might express the level of increased risk or hazard, or decreased performance, associated with fire performance of green building features. Steps were also taken to identify gaps and specific research needs associated with understanding and addressing fire risk and hazards with green building design.  Brian Meacham et al, Fire Safety Challenges of Green Buildings (Fire Protection Research Foundation, 2012), p.2

Full Report Link:

 

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

 

 

Posted by on December 3, 2012 • Filed under: Building Construction • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Solar Panel Safety for Firefighters

No comments

The Fire Training Program at the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST), in partnership with the Washington County Fire Training Association (WCFTA), recently hosted a one-day class on Solar Photo Voltaic (PV) Safety for Fire Fighters at SolarWorld in Hillsboro, Oregon.  Emergency incidents involving Solar Photo Voltaic (PV) equipment are becoming more and more common in both urban and rural areas.

Videos:

 

The class was delivered by Captain Matt Paiss of the San Jose Fire Department (California) who is one of the nation’s leading experts in this area.  Captain Paiss is a 15-year veteran of the San Jose Fire Department, and is currently assigned as a Training Officer.  He was a contributor to the California State Fire Marshal’s Office PV Guidelines, as well as the IFC and NFPA1 fire code sections on PV. 

For additional infomation:

http://greenmaltese.com/2011/12/photovoltaic-systems-firefighter-safety-a-new-ul-study/

http://greenmaltese.com/2011/10/colorado-is-the-first-market-for-launch-of-the-revolutionary-dow-powerhousetm-solar-shingle/

http://greenmaltese.com/2012/05/solar-glass/

Please share this infomation with your crews

Thanks
Lt. John Shafer

Posted by on November 27, 2012 • Filed under: Building Construction • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bethlehem Fire Department responds to incident involving solar concentrator

No comments

A Bethlehem radio station was taken off the air for about four hours last week after an uncontrolled solar concentrator beam melted and charred a cable the station uses to carry its broadcast signal.

In January, The Stone House Group began making energy efficiency upgrades to the flatiron building, which included mounting a 20-foot-wide solar collector on the roof. The solar collector was designed by Bethlehem-based CEWA Technologies.

Larry Eighmy, Stone House’s founder and managing principal, said  significant winds damaged the solar collector a few months ago and removed a  portion of the center collector.

“As a result the sunlight was hitting it like a magnifying glass and instead of being focused back into the device, it happened to be  focused on  a part of the building that had a piece of plywood over a  window and it caused the plywood to smolder and the heat caused WDIY’s  cable to melt,” he said.

CEWA’s prototype solar concentrator employs a huge reflecting metal dish to focus the sun’s rays down into a narrow ribbon.  When the sun is shining brightly, about 30kw of solar thermal energy is concentrated into this strip, which in normal operation is focused down on a heat exchange unit that can heat up to 400 degrees, a news release says.

Last week, upgrade work was being performed on the solar concentrator, and it was moved from its normal position and did not have the heat exchange unit in place, leaving the focused beam unblocked and uncontrolled in its direction.

The fire alarm was activated and Hever and WDIY’s Executive Director Bill Dautremont-Smith evacuated WDIY volunteers from the building before the Bethlehem Fire Department arrived and doused the smoldering panel.

Original Article Link:

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/bethlehem/index.ssf/2012/06/bethlehem_radio_station_loses.html

 

Posted by on June 10, 2012 • Filed under: Building Construction • Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Solar Glass

1 comment

What is Energy Glass?

ENERGYGLASS™ is the only Optically Clear Building Integrated Photovoltaic Window System in the World.

ENERGYGLASS™ is a patented Optically Clear Vertical Building Photovoltaic Window System that produces continuous Energy from Sunlight, Diffused, Ambient Light and Ground Reflectance and the only 100% FIELD of VISION in the world. The entire surface of the windows is clear – No grids, dots or lines! This proprietary Inorganic Nano Technology and Solar Collector does not degrade from IR like typical solar cells, do.

ENERGYGLASS™ produces 1-2 watts per sq. ft. per hour for 10-12 hours during the day and 4-5 watts at peak dependent on location.  Energy generated can be inverted back to the grid, battery back up or direct to DC equipment! This means a FEED In Tariff opportunity could be available, thus generating revenue from your windows and/or reducing your building’s energy consumption.

How does it work? 

EnergyGlass™ is a patented transparent glass system that collects and produces energy from any light source and can be simply integrated into building window designs to produce electricity.

The EnergyGlass™ system continually collects and creates electricity from sunlight, diffused light and artificial light.

DC electricity produced from EnergyGlass™ can be inverted and returned to the grid and / or charge batteries and / or be wired direct to DC electronics. and offers a value added solution for power independence from the main electrical.

 

Additional information:

http://www.ecohomemagazine.com/arts-and-culture/solar-glass-makes-its-debut.aspx

 

Just wanted to inform you of another hazard we are faced with in modern  green construction.

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

Posted by on May 8, 2012 • Filed under: Building Construction • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

New codes help firefighters fight a fire in Southeast Portland home equipped with solar panels

No comments

Picture is from http://www.housesolarenergy.net/

Portland Fire  RescueFirefighters knocked down a fire in a house with solar panels — which can’t be turned off — in less than 30 minutes. The panels were installed based on a new code written for just such a situation.Firefighters knocked down a fire in a Southeast Portland home this morning, maneuvering around solar panels that pose a threat of electrocution.

The operation went smoothly, with the fire brought under control in less than 30 minutes thanks to the solar panel installation, said Paul Corah, spokesman for Portland Fire  Rescue.

The panels were placed in accordance with a new Oregon building code that went into effect last year, requiring installers to leave space on the sides of panels and on the top of the roof to give firefighters room to put their ladders and cut out sections as needed to let heat escape.

Corah said the fire was the first time the new code was tested — and it worked.

If the panels had covered the roof, firefighters would not have been able to break it open: Solar panels cannot be turned off like other electrical sources. The fire would not have been able to vent and that would have made it worse, Corah said. As it was, the fire caused about $70,000 worth of damage.

Original article link:

http://www.housesolarenergy.net/firefighters-snuff-fire-in-southeast-portland-home-equipped-with-solar-panels

 

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

Posted by on April 10, 2012 • Filed under: Building Construction • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Photovoltaic Systems & Firefighter Safety a New UL study

2 comments

Do you know what Photovoltaic (PV) is?            

Photo from UL study for Firefighter Safety and Photovoltaic Systems

What are the safety hazards with PV?

What  tactics should be used at fires with PV present?

How do I secure utilities on a PV system?

These are just a few questions you should pose to every firefighter next shift or training meeting.

Photovoltaic (PV) is a method of generating electrical power by converting solar radiation into direct current electricity using semiconductors that exhibit the photovoltaic effect.

Total global solar energy capacity averaged 40 percent annual growth from 2000 to 2010; grid-connected solar photovoltaic capacity grew 50 percent per year for much of this time. This growth increases the potential of a fire department response to a building with PV, irrespective of the PV being involved with the initiation of the fire event. This growth increases the potential of a fire department response to a building with PV, irrespective of the PV being involved with the initiation of the fire event.

What are the safety hazards with PV?

Under the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistance to Firefighter Grant Program – Fire Prevention and Safety Grants, Underwriters Laboratories (UL)this study examines electrical and fire performance experiments were conducted to identify and quantify the electrical shock hazard that may be present to firefighters during the suppression, ventilation, and overhaul activities associated with a building or structure fire involving the presence of PV equipment. The scope of these experiments included:

 Water for Fire Suppression During Firefighting Activites with PV

 Shock Hazard Due to the Direct Contact with Energized Components

 Emergency Disconnect and Disruption Techniques

 Severing of Conductors

 Shock Hazard from Damaged PV Modules and Systems

 PV Power During Low Ambient Light, Artificial Light, and Light from a Fire

 Potential Shock Hazard from Fire Damaged PV Components and Systems

 

What  tactics should be used at fires with PV present?

In this study tactical considerations for PV include:

 Shock hazard due to the presence of water and PV power during suppression activities

 Shock hazard due to the direct contact with energized components during firefighting operations

 Emergency disconnect and disruption techniques

 Severing of conductors

 Assessment of PV power during low ambient light, artificial light and light from a fire

 Assessment of potential shock hazard from damaged PV modules and systems.

 

For more information about this project please see:

PV-FF_SafetyFinalReport

 

Every Incident Commander,Company Officer and firefighter will greatly enhance there safety by taking this online class. UL has  developed an online interactive training module. The program includes a professionally narrated description of all of the experiments, their results and the tactical considerations.  Experimental video is used and graphical data is explained in a way that brings science to the street level firefighter.

 

Other posts Green Maltese has done on PV:

http://greenmaltese.com/2011/10/colorado-is-the-first-market-for-launch-of-the-revolutionary-dow-powerhousetm-solar-shingle/

http://greenmaltese.com/2011/09/indianapolis-international-airport-solar-farm/

http://greenmaltese.com/2011/09/firehouse-podcast-on-some-green-issues/

http://greenmaltese.com/2011/08/solar-power-in-the-wabash-valley-area/

http://greenmaltese.com/2011/05/going-on-a-field-trip/

 

Please share this with every firefighter you know!

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by on December 19, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction, Fire Prevention/Public Education • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Colorado is the First Market for Launch of the Revolutionary DOW POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar Shingle

3 comments

This post is dedicated to my brother and sister firefighters from Colorado.

Solar shingles are solar panels incognito. Instead of mounting on your roof, they become your roof or integrate seamlessly with the existing roof shingles. In many cases, they can be stapled to the sub-roofing the same as an ordinary shingle. On average, shingles are about 12 inches wide by seven feet long. There are also solar roof tiles that integrate well with mission-style housing common in the sunny Southwest. Solar shingles, like most thin-film BIPV products currently on the market, are less efficient than silicon solar panels. But, again like other Building Integrated Photovoltaic ( BIPV )innovations, are a burgeoning work in progress.

Until now, solar energy’s two challenges have been cost and acceptance. Dow is working to change all that. Dow has been developing BIPV building materials that enable solar energy cells to be incorporated directly into the design of commercial and residential building materials such as roofing systems, exterior sidings, fascias and more.

ARVADA, Colo., Oct 13, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) — The roof of a home has always
had the critical job of protecting families from the elements. Today, for the
first time, a new commercially-available solar roofing shingle has entered the
U.S. housing market that not only protects from the elements, but uses one of
those elements — sunlight — to turn the typical American home into a dynamic
power generator.

At an event today in Arvada attended by Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper
and supporters of solar technology, alternative energy, green manufacturing and
the latest innovations in home building, Dow Solar, a division of The Dow
Chemical Company announced that the DOW POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar Shingle will now be available to homeowners in Colorado. On October 4, Dow announced that the product would be available in targeted U.S. markets and now Colorado becomes the first state to offer Dow’s revolutionary Solar Shingle.

Co-hosted by D.R. Horton, one of the leading homebuilders in the nation and the first residential production builder to participate with Dow Solar, the event showcased D.R. Horton’s commitment to offer the POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar Shingle as a standard feature on 50 new homes in the developer’s Spring Mesa community in Colorado. Each of the remaining homes in Spring Mesa will receive a 3 kilowatt POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar
Shingle roof.

“We are excited that Dow has chosen D.R. Horton’s Spring Mesa community to launch its POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar Shingle technology,” said Scott Davis, Division President, D.R. Horton – Colorado. “We believe the addition of solar technology will attract new homebuyers to Spring Mesa who will now have Dow’s innovative Solar Shingles available on one of the most scenic and beautiful communities in the Denver area.”

Why Launch in Colorado?

Dow chose Colorado as the first launch market for the POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar Shingle because the state provides the right combination of financial returns and market receptivity to solar.

According to Neal Lurie, Executive Director of the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (COSEIA), a number of factors combine to make Colorado the right market for the introduction of an important new solar technology.

“Colorado is a national leader in solar energy innovation and job creation. We have the right combination of public sector support, private sector
commitment, homeowner interest and an enthusiastic community of builders and installers,” Lurie said. “The launch of POWERHOUSE(TM) in Colorado is a significant accomplishment for the state as clean energy once again serves as a catalyst for economic development.”

Working with Homebuilders, Roofing Contractors and Installers in Colorado.

Dow Solar will bring the POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar Shingle to Colorado by working with leading homebuilders such as D.R. Horton to create more solar communities, and with POWERHOUSE(TM) Authorized Dealers to grow the solar market in Colorado one rooftop at a time. Expansion throughout Colorado is continuing and other U.S. market will be announced in the coming months.

The DOW POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar Shingle

The POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar Shingle roofing system protects the home like a standard roofing shingle while providing energy that powers the home and saves the homeowner money.

The three-part solar roofing system package includes an array of shingles, an inverter and an energy monitoring system. The shingles, custom designed to fit the individual homeowners’ budget and energy goals, are arranged to complement the style and form of the home and roofline. The inverter then converts Direct Current (DC) produced from the shingles into Alternating Current (AC), which is then fed to the home’s appliances, or back to the power grid. Finally, a real-time monitoring system provides readouts to homeowners to assess energy usage, production and the amount of excess power flowing back to the grid.

The great look of the integrated POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar Shingle solution now serves the needs of homeowners who want to go solar, but dislike the aesthetic of bulky, rack-mounted systems.

Link to orginal article”

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/colorado-is-the-first-market-for-launch-of-the-revolutionary-dow-powerhousetm-solar-shingle-2011-10-13

 

 

 

 

To learn more about these solar shingles and many other hazards on modern roofs be sure and attend Green Maltese class at FDIC 2012   

Hazards Of Modern Roofs:

Presentation Summary

The presentation will include an intense and concentrated examination of trends and methods in modern building construction with an emphasis on roofs, their direct relationship on vertical ventilation, structural firefighting operations, and firefighter survivability.

Inherent roof construction features and hazards that directly influence truck company work will be the main focus of this program.

Program Overview and Pedagogical Approach

The program will address timely issues related to modern roofs and upcoming push to make sustainable buildings.

This presentation will examine various green roofs, methods and exotic materials that are used to achieve green standards, and the potential hazards that they present to fire service personnel.  Many of these materials such as recycled rubber shingles, solar panels and green (garden) roofs are not common knowledge to most fire service personnel due to past and current teaching practices that only address traditional building construction for the fire service.

 

 

Stay Safe

Lt. John Shafer

Posted by on October 14, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Indianapolis International Airport solar farm

2 comments

Local firms will play key part in creation of one of the largest airport solar farms in North America

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis Airport Authority (IAA) announced today that it has selected ET Energy Solutions, LLC to develop a solar farm on Indianapolis International Airport property. The company is a joint venture (JV) between three locally based firms which bid on the project: Johnson-Melloh Solutions, Schmidt Associates, and Telamon Corporation. Telamon, a Minority Business Enterprise, is 50 percent owner of the JV.

Under the terms of the agreement, ET Energy Solutions will finance, design, construct, and operate the facility on land leased from the IAA. The local group will work in conjunction with SANYO Electric Group, a global leader in solar energy technology and development, which will provide panels for the project and assist with arranging financing.

Design and utility interconnection studies are already underway, and weather permitting, construction could begin as early as fourth quarter of 2011. The solar farm, which will be one of the largest airport-based solar farms in North America, is expected to become operational starting in mid-2012. The facility will include more than 41,000 solar panels, each capable of producing 280 watts at peak power production. The panels will be installed on ground-mounted racking systems that will fill nearly 60 acres of land near the airport exit from I-70.

The solar farm is expected to annually produce more than 15 million kilowatt hours of electric energy, enough to power more than 1,200 average American homes for a year. The renewable energy it produces will prevent approximately 10,700 tons of CO2 from being released into the environment each year, which is the equivalent of removing approximately 2,000 cars from the road. To help raise awareness of solar energy, real-time output data will be available to the public.

Electricity created by the airport solar farm will be fed directly into the grid operated by the Indianapolis Power and Light Company (IPL) through existing surface transmission lines that connect the airport terminal to the IPL substation west of the airport. No public funds or airport costs are anticipated to be involved in the project.

“The IND solar farm is just the latest innovation in our land-use strategy moving toward implementation,” said John D. Clark III, executive director and CEO of the IAA. “It supports our commitment to sustainability while helping to grow and diversify our revenue stream. Finding productive and harmonious uses for airport land ultimately aids our efforts to attract and maintain the air service that anchors the IND Aerotropolis and generates economic benefits throughout our region.”

An Aerotropolis is an “airport city” in which a collaborative, multimodal approach is leveraged to maximize the ability of an airport to foster economic growth and infrastructure development throughout its surrounding region. In addition to its core air transportation missions, IND Aerotropolis focuses on maximizing airport assets and possible development properties and integrating those with key economic drivers of the region.

Since both the borders and benefits of an Aerotropolis extend well beyond an airport’s property, a proactive and cooperative model is essential, and the IAA has been seeking and forging a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) with key stakeholders in the airport’s neighboring communities with the goal of achieving additional strategic partnerships in the future.

“The airport serves as the gateway into Indianapolis, and this is a great way to showcase our efforts to become a more sustainable city,” said Mayor Greg Ballard. ”Installing solar panels on airport property not suitable for other development with the intent to power our city using renewable energy sources and generate revenue demonstrates the culture of innovation and commitment to sustainability that has taken root throughout Indianapolis.”

“We are very impressed with the Indianapolis Airport Authority’s vision for a greener future. Our goal is to be transparent to IAA’s solar project team participating through the planning, design, construction, project oversight, and financing stages as a venture partner,” said Albert Chen, CEO of Telamon. “We are grateful for the business opportunity and with Telamon’s successful history of integrating products and services to our Fortune 500 customers, we are very excited to be involved in this dynamic project.”

About Johnson-Melloh Solutions
Johnson-Melloh Solutions is a design-and-build construction company focused on providing long term value to their clients by reducing life cycle costs associated with energy consumption and operating costs. Johnson-Melloh Solutions has dedicated itself to adding renewable energy design and build to its portfolio of services with a specific concentrated effort on solar photovoltaic.

Kurt Schneider, Nick Melloh, and Andy Melloh own and operate Johnson Melloh Solutions as a sister company to Johnson Melloh Inc., a mechanical contractor / mechanical service provider, established in 1976. Johnson-Melloh has a diverse market penetration consisting of, but not limited to, K-12, Municipalities, Higher Education, Industrial, and Healthcare facilities.
www.johnsonmellohsolutions.com
www.johnsonmelloh.com

About Schmidt Associates
Schmidt Associates is a full-service architectural and engineering firm, with more than 35 years of experience in the planning and design of award winning, environmentally and socially responsible, sustainable facilities. Located in downtown Indianapolis, their staff includes licensed and certified professionals who specialize in planning, architecture, engineering, interior design, technology, and LEED criteria. Energy is at the forefront of Schmidt Associates’ designs through building optimization, energy modeling, renewable energy, and LEED administration. With 25 LEED accredited professionals and a dedicated energy studio, Schmidt Associates incorporates high performance/sustainable design into every project. www.schmidt-arch.com

About Telamon
Telamon Corporation, an Indianapolis based company, is your product and solution partner of choice. Established in 1985, Telamon is a $500M company, with 600+ employees across 9 locations (6 domestic, and 3 international). Uniquely positioned as a minority-owned company, Telamon has exceeded the highest standards as evidenced by our awards and certifications. At the same time, Telamon, the Greek word for “support,” is a servant company—your needs are our only priority.

Telamon Energy Solutions, as a subsidiary of the Telamon Corporation, is your preferred partner for smart building, LED lighting, sustainability products, and renewable energy solutions. Telamon Energy Solutions works with our customers to develop total energy solutions that can cut costs while improving performance, reducing energy usage, and protecting our environment. http://www.telamon.com/green.html

 

About SANYO
SANYO has recently become a 100% wholly owned subsidiary of Panasonic. Panasonic’s goals are to become the #1 Green Electronics Company in the World by 2018. Offering not only utility solar services but innovative options for homeowners as well, SANYO and Panasonic are now leading the way in the consumerization of energy.

Link to full article:

http://johnsonmellohsolutions.com/johnson-melloh-renewable-energy-solutions/indianapolis-international-airport-solar-farm/

Posted by on September 20, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Firehouse Podcast on some Green Issues

No comments

Just wanted to share this with you, in case you hadn’t listened yet?

Fire Marshal’s Corner: FM Global Report on Green and Sprinklers and the Dangers with Photovoltaic Units

Ed Comeau and Mike Love look at two perspectives of the impact of fires on the environment on this month’s Fire Marshal’s Corner. They look at the operational and global perspectives.

San Jose Capt. Matt Paiss has been working in the field of photovoltaics for a number of years. He couples that experience with his fireground expertise, to provide listeners with a wealth of information about how to deal with rooftop photovoltaic units which are becoming more prevalent across the country. He has created several training videos (see below) that are great training tools.

We then are joined by Gary Keith who is the chair of the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition. FM Global recently completed a landmark study on the environmental impact of fires which provides us with the information we need to quantify exactly what is happening to the environment when a fire breaks out. They review a number of sources of resources that are critical to the fire service.

Fire Marshal’s Corner green firehouse may 2010 podcast

Firehouse link:

http://www.firehouse.com/podcast/fire-marshals-corner/fire-marshals-corner-global-report-green-danger-photovoltaic%20

 

Below are the video’s from Captain Matt Paiss. Please enjoy and share with every firefighter you know. Matt is truly a PV expert!

 

 

 

Stay Safe
Lt. John Shafer

Posted by on September 15, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction, News and Events • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Solar Power in the Wabash Valley area

No comments

 

Solar power is only in California and southwestern states. This statement is the most common one I hear from people in the Midwest. However that is far from the truth. As a matter of fact I have visited two local solar installers in central Indiana.

My 1st trip was to Johnson Melloh Solutions. http://greenmaltese.com/2011/05/going-on-a-field-trip/

My second trip was to One Planet Solar in Terre Haute Indiana. This is where I have a great meeting with Phillip Roberts and Dustin Allen. There were very interested in supporting local solar issues as well as the safety of Wabash Valley firefighters. In our meeting we discussed the fire departments needing to be able and access the roof’s ridge line for ventilation. Phillip stated that he would attempt to help us out on this and many issues.  Phillip and the crew at One Planet Solar are very supportive and here is just one example.

Solar panels donated to help lower home energy bills

Putnam County families can now apply to have a solar panel system installed at no charge through Putnam RISE efforts to lower home energy bills.

The 1.120 kw solar array using a new Enphase Energy micro-inverter system from www.oneplanetsolar.com (One Planet Solar and Wind, Inc.) is the most recent of donated products and services to the Putnam RISE “Green Home Makeover,” along with Shuee & Sons Great Buys Energy Star appliances, Energy Conservation Solutions (Roachdale) services and Parke County REMC weatherization materials.

The Green Home Makeover is one of 21 Putnam County homes to be selected for home energy and weatherization investments made possible by donated products and services as well as Putnam County Community Foundation and Vectren Foundation grants. In total, the 21 homes will receive an approximate value of $60,000 in grant investments and donated goods and services.

Households must have annual incomes of $45,000 or less to be eligible for the Green Home Makeover and weatherization projects. Applications and referrals are encouraged by calling 720-7610, going online at www.putnamrise.org/homes/weatherization, or by visiting Bainbridge Town Hall, Greencastle City Hall or the Putnam County Senior Center.

 

Stay Safe
Lt. John Shafer

Posted by on August 11, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

NEW SOLAR SHINGLES

No comments

Solar shingles are solar panels incognito. Instead of mounting on your roof, they become your roof or integrate seamlessly with the existing roof shingles. In many cases, they can be stapled to the sub-roofing the same as an ordinary shingle. On average, shingles are about 12 inches wide by seven feet long. There are also solar roof tiles that integrate well with mission-style housing common in the sunny Southwest. Solar shingles, like most thin-film BIPV products currently on the market, are less efficient than silicon solar panels. But, again like other Building Integrated Photovoltaic ( BIPV )innovations, are a burgeoning work in progress.

Until now, solar energy’s two challenges have been cost and acceptance. Dow is working to change all that. Dow has been developing BIPV building materials that enable solar energy cells to be incorporated directly into the design of commercial and residential building materials such as roofing systems, exterior sidings, fascias and more.

The DOW™ POWERHOUSE™ Solar Shingle delivers true building-integrated aesthetics by integrating PV functionality into an asphalt roof-shingle form factor. It utilizes high-efficiency, CIGS-based, PV cells manufactured on a flexible substrate. These cells are laminated and subsequently over-molded into the final shingle design using conventional materials and polymer processing methods. Dow’s groundbreaking technology integrates low-cost thin-film photovoltaic cells into a roofing shingle design, which represents a multi-functional solar module. The innovative product design reduces installation costs because the conventional roofing shingles and solar generating shingles are installed simultaneously.

WHY ?

 

 

Consumer Report Video:

The challenge of harnessing the sun’s energy

The sun is everywhere. So why isn’t solar power everywhere? Passive solar power is. It lights our rooms when we open the blinds in the morning and it melts the snow on a sunny day. But converting solar energy into electricity that can be used to power appliances or generate heat has traditionally required overcoming challenges, including:

  • High system costs
  • Limited solar cell efficiencies
  • Grid connection issues
  • Building code acceptance
  • Unattractive panels
  • Time consuming installations

    • Solar Power Is More Affordable Than Ever

    In addition to being easy to install, solar shingles are more affordable than you think. Everyone in the U.S. qualifies for a 30% federal tax credit. These credits are still available, plus there may be state and local incentives in your area to make your initial costs even lower. Not to mention what you will save on your electric bills once your house is making its own energy.

    Link to federal tax credit:

    http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/incentive.cfm?Incentive_Code=US37F&re=1&ee=1

    Link to check you local state incentives:

    http://www.dsireusa.org/

    Firefighting Concerns: 

       
     
     

    • Slipping/Tripping

     

    Could you see this at night? Beware of Slip/Trip hazards

    • Electrical shock

     A photovoltaic system generates electricity when the sun is shining,  and when it is receiving sunlight it is operational and generating electricity. This creates additional challenges for the fireground task of shutting off the utilities and the electrical power in the structure that could be a dangerous source of electric shock. 

    • Battery hazards
    The batteries can maintain electrical current at nighttime and when the rest of the system has been isolated, thus presenting an additional electric shock hazard. Further, depending on the types of batteries, they can present leakage and hazardous materials concerns, and special attention is required for any battery storage systems that have been damaged in a fire.
       
    • Inhalation exposure
    If solar power components are involved in a fire, care should be taken to avoid exposure to the products of combustion due to the somewhat unusual materials involved. In addition to inhalation concerns, dermal exposure from solar power system materials damaged by fire should also be handled with caution regardless of the type of solar power system.
       
    • Flame spread

     Another common hazard regardless of the type of solar power system is the potential flame spread characteristics of the modules, such as from an adjacent exposing building fire or an approaching wildland fire. The components exposed to sunshine and other exterior elements of weather need to have highly durable characteristics, and certain materials that have traditionally performed well in this regard (i.e., certain types of plastics), do not necessarily have good fire-resistant characteristics. Further work is needed to clarify the fire resistance and fire spread characteristics of these panels.

    FIREFIGHTER SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

    • Daytime = Danger; Nightime = Beware of your scene lighting
    • Inform IC that a PV system is present
    • Securing the main electrical does not shut down the PV modules
    • Cover all PV modules with 100 percent light-blocking materials to stop electrical generation
    • Do not break, remove, or walk on PV modules, and stay away from modules, components, and conduit

     

    Fireground Tactics

    “Components are always hot!” The single most critical message of emergency response personnel is to always consider photovoltaic systems and all their components as electrically energized. The inability to power-down photovoltaic panels exposed to sunlight makes this an obvious hazard during the daytime, but it is also a potential concern at nighttime for systems equipped with battery storage.

     

    • Operate normally, but don’t touch. Fire service personnel should follow their normal tactics and strategies at structure fires involving solar power systems, but do so with awareness and understanding of exposure to energized electrical equipment. Emergency response personnel should operate normally, and approach this subject area with awareness, caution, and understanding to assure that conditions are maintained as safely as possible.

     

    Size-up, identify and validate hazard . Accurate knowledge of the hazards present on the fireground is essential for minimizing personnel injuries. Identifying the type and extent of a solar power system during the emergency event size-up is critical to properly addressing the hazards they present. In particular, it is important to distinguish between a solar thermal system and a photovoltaic system, and the hazards presented by each type of system.

     

    • Stress key message for tactical approach (especially large commercial systems) . The tactical approach to solar power equipment in a building with a structure fire needs to be stressed with all fireground personnel (i.e., stay clear). Serious injury can occur with equipment such as photovoltaics on a sunny day, and the danger to fire service personnel is real and deserves attention. Of paramount concern are large commercial photovoltaic systems that generate significant levels of electricity and can create daunting strategic challenges for fire fighters as they are trying to address a building fire.

     

    • Leave the scene in a safe condition . Emergency response personnel address and mitigate hazards, and turn the scene back over the owners and/or occupants after the scene is stabilized. They need to be aware of unanticipated dangers and leave the scene in a safe condition. An example would be a photovoltaic solar power system damaged during a nighttime fire, which once exposed to sunlight, begins to generate electricity and creates a shock hazard or re-kindling of the fire.

    

    For the complete report check out this link:

    FFTacticsSolarPower

    Stay Safe

    Lt. John Shafer

    Posted by on April 14, 2011 • Filed under: Building Construction, News and Events • Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,