Download Agawam`s Solar Farms

What is Solar Power? A Simple Example
How Does Solar Work?
Where do we use Solar Power?
What is Photovoltaic Power?
What are the Components of a Solar Farm?
Where are Agawam’s Solar Farms?
What are the Pros & Cons, Benefits?
We all have seen
calculators with solar cells
that don’t need batteries. As
long as there's enough light,
they seem to work forever.
You may also have seen
larger solar panels on
emergency road signs and
in parking lots to power the
lights. That is Photovoltaic
Energy at work using
Photovoltaic Panels or PV.
We all have seen the
Hubble Space Telescope
and the Solar Panels that
power the Satellite. This is
Photovoltaic Energy at work
using large Photovoltaic
Panels.
Photovoltaic Energy is the
direct conversion of light
into electricity at the
atomic level. PV Panels
are made of mostly Silicon,
one of the Earth’s most
common elements. These
PV Panels absorb photons
of light and then release
electrons, called free
electrons. These free
electrons are collected
and turned into electricity.
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A number of solar cells
electrically connected and
mounted in a frame is called a
Photovoltaic Module. When you
connect multiple Modules
together, you form an Array. The
larger the Array, the more power
is generated. A series of Arrays
is generally known as a Solar
Farm.
Most PV Arrays are designed to
create electricity at a certain
voltage, typically 12 Volts DC.
Electricity generated by the
Array is sent to the Inverter as
Direct Current (DC). The
Inverter’s job is to convert the
DC power to Alternating
Current (AC), which is what
powers the “Grid”. The Grid is a
system of equipment that
supplies electricity from a
source to the consumer. This
equipment can be power
plants, sub stations,
transmission lines, etc.
The Utility Meter is a measuring
device that measures how
much electricity is being
generated by the Solar Farm
and sent to the Grid. This is
measured as Megawatts (mW)
which equates to 1 million
watts.
Agawam has 2 Solar Farms
scheduled to go “On-Line” in
early 2013. These 2 Solar Farms
will generate 1.5 Megawatts
each.
Agawam’s 2 Solar
Farms are located on
Shoemaker Lane
adjacent to Rte 57, and
on Main St. behind
Mushy’s.
The Shoemaker Lane
site will result in an
approximate savings of
$40K - $50K per year in
Energy Credits applied
to Agawam’s Electric
Bill. The Main St site will
result in about the same
cost savings applied to
HP Hood’s Electric Bill.
Shoemaker Lane Farm
(As seen from Rte 57)
Main Street Farm
(As seen from Mushy’s)
Energy Credits are a
calculation of how much
Electricity is generated then
sold to the Grid by our Solar
Farms. We then get a
percentage of these credits
applied to Agawam’s Electric
Bill. These Energy Credits are
estimated to be between $40K
and $50K per year, or
approximately $1M+ over the
next 25 years.
•Provides Local Employment
•Built on un-useable land
•Over the life of the Farm, removes
the equivalent of:
•250 tons of NOX
•400 tons of SOX
•60,000 tons of CO2
•Savings of the following Resources
over the life of the Farm:
•100,000 barrels of Oil
•32,000 tons of Coal
•1.5B cubic feet of Natural Gas
•No Pollution from the Farm
•Solar is 100% Renewable
•No Noise from the Farm
•Little to no Maintenance
•Solar Panels tend to be very
expensive initially
•Solar Power is reduced during
cloudy days or during storms
•No Solar Power at night
•No Storage Capacity
•PV Cells contain small amounts of
exotic materials that need to be
disposed of properly
By 2020 global solar output is estimated to exceed 275 Terawatt
hours, which would equate to 30% of Africa's energy needs or 1%
of global demand. This would replace the output of 75 new coal
fired power stations.
The global solar infrastructure would have an investment value of
$75 billion USD a year. By 2040 global solar output could be more
than 9000 Terawatt hours, or 26% of the expected global demand.
**Report European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA) and Greenpeace, 2004
•More information can be found on The Agawam Energy Commission ‘s
Web Site:
http://www.agawam.ma.us/content/80/182/2263/1660/default.aspx