Fact Sheet

for the Society Promoting Environmental Conservation (SPEC) Solar Photovoltaic System

Photovoltaic (PV) panels use silicon cells to convert sunlight to electricity. It is the simplest form of renewable energy with no moving parts and little maintenance required. It can be used anywhere in the world.

Every hour, the sun showers the earth with more energy than the world's entire population consumes in a whole year

The SPEC system is one of the first grid-tie systems in the city of Vancouver. It will be directly connected to BC Hydro's grid. The new net-metering program means that SPEC will be paid for the excess power they generate and if they need more power they can still purchase it from the grid.

The SPEC system is a 1.4 kilowatt (kW) system. It will produce approximately 1.5 megawatt hours (MWh) annually.

The system will reduce green house gas emissions by over 800 kilograms per year.¹

FAQ

Are solar systems really viable in Vancouver where we get so much cloudy weather?

Germany has the largest installed solar electric base in the world (with 300 MW it recently surpassed Japan), yet many cities in Germany receive less sunlight than Vancouver. Vancouver receives 1919 hours of sunlight annually compared with 1837 in Berlin, 1680 in Munich and 1643 in Frankfurt.

How much will the system save?

BC has some of the cheapest electricity in the world. This system will save around $108.00 per year.

How long do the solar panels last?

Solar panels manufactured over 50 years ago are still producing power. The amount of power produced does diminish over time. The panels generally come with a 20 year warranty.

What is the payback for a system?

There are two different payback periods to consider. The energy payback is 2-4 years. This means that after 4 years the panels will have produced more energy than it took to manufacture them (the embedded energy).

Many people are also interested in the financial payback. In nations like Germany with good incentive programs the payback period can be around 20 years. British Columbia lags behind many other places when it comes to promoting solar power. The payback period for this grid-tie system will be about 167 years. Other products such as cars, entertainment systems and furniture are generally not purchased with “payback” in mind.

1This assumes that the system will offset the need for new generation in B.C. with a mix of 20% coal, 70% natural gas and 10% large hydro. When compared to generation on the entire North American grid the reduction is over 900 kg.