New solar power technologies and processes used by a Tolland company allow Connecticut homes and business to capture more of the sun’s energy, the company says.
GMI Solar uses bifacial solar panels and sun-tracking arrays to generate 70 percent more energy than roof-mounted panels, founder Glenn Martin.
This allows many homes to go “net zero,” or use solar power to produce all the energy a home needs.
“I get a call from a customer that wants to eliminate an electric bill, but what I jump on is eliminating their fossil fuel and electric bill,” Martin says.
GMI’s Star Tracker system uses a pole-mounted array that tilts on a dual axis to constantly reposition itself to capture the most sunlight throughout the day.
The company has over 50 installations across the state, including the largest dual-axis solar tracker in North America, which was installed in April at Action Glass in East Windsor.
Bifacial panels, pieces with photo-voltaic glass on both sides, allow the array to pick up both direct light and any reflected from the ground, something roof-mounted panels are unable to do.
Martin says this configuration yields more than twice the power from a roof-mounted system and eliminates much of the hassle of installation and maintenance.
Roofs in the state are not often built to the optimal specifications solar panels require to be effective. Martin says they would need to face 194 degrees, magnetic south, and have a 32-degree angle. A system erected apart from the house that can follow the optimal angle of the sun is a much better option, he says.
“We can’t turn a home into net zero with panels on the roof,” Martin says. “We lower the cost and keep the roof to be a roof. We have an easy, serviceable item that’s accessible. Now with the transparent solar panels, it’s the best thing going.”
He says that even if a home met these exact requirements, it would be able to generate only about half the power needed for the average home.
Martin began using tracking technologies in 1983 by building custom structures for tracking satellites. The installations allowed customers, many of who had moved from Europe, to watch television from other countries.
“I found out what worked and didn’t work and perfected it along the way. That’s why we give a 50-year warranty on our structures,” he says.
All materials used in making the Star Trackers are built in the Connecticut. Martin says he is proud to be part of what he calls a “manufacturing state.”
Martin says advances in solar panel and battery technology, developed by companies like Tesla and Chevrolet for their electric vehicles, has made it possible for people of any income to make their homes “net zero” and save money from power costs.
He says the average home-owning family pays more than $400 a month in electricity and fossil fuel bills. With tax credits and grants, the installation costs of a Star Tracker amounts to $280, a “money saver” he says.
With a battery backup, Martin says the system could be a “power plant in the backyard.”
“A homeowner could, technically, today, buy a tracker, buy a Chevy Volt and disconnect from the grid,” he says, referring to the electric car. “They could be completely self-sufficient with this technology.”
