Author: Joey Ciaramitaro

If you would like a completely free Solar evaluation to see if your house qualifies for the crazy amount of incentives and potentially 90% of your electricity for free, Fill Out The Form and Solar Advisors Will Contact You To Set It Up-

Energy Sage explains the process of how Solar Systems are designed-

The process of of how solar installers design a solar energy system is often a mystery for most consumers. Because of this, we would like to give you some insight into how solar installers design a solar power system for your home or business. A solar power system is designed considering two important factors – the amount of space that you have available for installing solar panels and the amount of electricity you consume annually. Other factors, like shading analysis and the efficiency of solar panels and inverters also come into play.  

Space to Install Solar Panels

Assuming that you are interested in installing solar panels on the roof, the amount of viable roof space determines the maximum number of solar panels that can be installed. An individual solar panel varies in size, but is usually around 16 square feet in a rectangular shape. The panels are affixed to racking systems that are more efficiently designed when installed in a contiguous space together rather than spread out all over the roof. The available roof space – limited by vents, chimneys, dormers and any required offsets from roof edges or roof-mounted equipment – may limit the system size such that a solar system offsets less than 100% of your annual electricity consumption. The average solar system in the US consumes about 300-400 square feet of space, so your viable roof space may limit the size of the solar system you are able to install. In this case, installers may recommend higher efficiency panels that generate more electricity per square feet than standard panels. These will also come at a higher cost, but is something you might consider depending on your personal goals.

An average solar panel system may generate different amount of electricity based on your location in the world and the orientation of your roof, so installers will use various tools to estimate the viable solar system size. These tools allow installers to use aerial imagery and to “draw” in system designs on your roof space in order to estimate the size of a system that will fit and how much electricity this system will produce each year given a number of assumptions. If you’d like to try this yourself, you can go to PV Watts, a tool developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratories, to estimate your system size and annual production.

Annual electricity consumption

One of the first information a solar installer might ask for is twelve months of electricity bills. While this might seem like a lot of information right off the bat, this gives the installer a sense for how much energy you use throughout the year. Often an electric bill will include the last twelve months of usage history in a table or a chart, removing the need to fish around for past bills. Armed with your electricity usage information, the installer can determine about how big of a solar photovoltaic system would be required to offset 100% of your annual usage. This will vary by your location and roof profile. Typically, solar panel systems are designed to cover 100% or less of annual usage to maximize the financial benefits, but if you are planning to increase your energy use in the near future – for example, if you are planning to buy an electric car or converting from oil to electric heat pumps – you might consult with your solar consultant to estimate your expected energy demand in order to design a system that better matches that use profile.

The impact of shading

If your roof has shading – from neighboring trees, other buildings or large chimneys – installers may choose to leave these areas uncovered by solar panels to optimize the production of the system or may place panels in these locations with the understanding that these panels may produce less energy at certain times of the day. Installers may also suggest changes to system design to create separate solar panel strings that are designed to avoid power loss from shading or may suggest the use of micro-inverters or power optimizers to help mitigate the impact of shading of the production of the overall system. The latter two technologies may come at a higher cost, but these costs may be justified from the additional power they help your system to generate.

From Energy Sage Site

https://twitter.com/CapeAnnTVCATV/status/597862578254127104

I love Uber! If you sign up using the promo code you’ll get $20 off your first ride, a Total No-Brainer! : http://www.uber.com/invite/kypfk

So last night we had a few adult beverages and left our rental downtown Naples instead of driving with a buzz on. Dialed up UBER on the cell phone and got home safely.  I’ll never understand people who refuse to take cabs or, now, UBER instead of driving drunk. 

Here’s our sweet UBER car that picked us up this morning to go retrieve the rental car-

But anyway I took a video of my screen on my cell phone which shows exactly how it works and why seeing exactly where your car is and the type of car that’s picking you up and your driver’s UBER rating is so cool.


Watch the video of how it all works here-

and some screenshots-

   
 
I love Uber! If you sign up using the promo code you’ll get $20 off your first ride, a Total No-Brainer! : http://www.uber.com/invite/kypfk

Martin writes-

Sunday was the 10th annual Mad Hot Ball.  For the past three months, every 5th-grader in the city learned ballroom dancing techniques at school.  On Sunday they demonstrated their steps to a packed GHS field house, and competed for prizes in a variety of dance styles.

Photos from Hilary Frye

During the taping of GloucesterCast 135 at Cape Ann TV I was completely baffled at the responses from the panel when asked which they would rather step in if they were wearing flip flops and didn’t have a choice in the matter- dog poop or gum.  Donna, Kenny and Toby all chose dog poop which is shocking.

Am I crazy for choosing gum?  I figure you can put ice on the gum and get it off, but I want no part of any flip flops that have trudged through dog poop. In the dumpster they go!

Where do you fall on the most pressing issue?

Cape Ann TV Announces It’s Next

Lunch & Learn Event

“Choosing the Video Camera That’s Right for YOU!”

Presentation by: Barry Dennis Jr., Professional Video Sales Consultant

(Gloucester, MA) – Cape Ann TV (www.capeanntv.org), a regional non-profit local access television station that serves all of Cape Ann, is pleased to announce the next learning experience in the popular “Lunch & Learn” series: “Choosing the Video Camera That’s Right for YOU!” to be held on May 13th, 2015 at 12:00 p.m. at Cape Ann TV (38 Blackburn Center, Gloucester MA 01930)

Forget about what you read online or what your brother’s friend who is a filmmaker told you. Find out the REAL DEAL about cameras on the market.

Learn the differences between shooting video with a DSLR, consumer camcorder, professional camcorder, cine camera, mirrorless or compact system camera, and even cell phone cameras. 
You will learn about sensor sizes, 4K vs. HD, lens options, frame rates, camera construction and hear about brands like Canon, Sony, Blackmagic, GoPro, Panasonic and more. Audio for video recording will also be discussed.

This is not a camera class, it’s more informational for the person trying to make sense of the world of videography.

You will learn about these cameras: Panasonic X920, HC-X1000, GH4, Sony A7s, FS7, PXW-X70, Canon C100, XF205, T6S, GoPro hero4, Blackmagic camera, a DJI Inspire 1 Drone w/ 4K camera, and Shogun recorder. Additionally Barry Dennis will discuss the capabilities of Rokinon lenses and a variety of wireless microphones.

Seating is limited for this event. Please email: rtober@capeanntv.org to reserve your seat. 

Hi Joey: My DECA students just started a DECA cycling club and we are riding before school on Wednesday’s and meeting for coffee at different places around Gloucester. My students have created a blog and we are hoping to do a charity ride before the end of the year. Check out the blog at decabikers.blogspot.com

This is from our school newspaper the Gillnetter: Not sure if you wanted to include this-just really cool to actually get seniors to do something before school at 6:00 a.m!

If you were asked to imagine the best way to experience Cape Ann in the morning how would you answer? The Gloucester High DECA program believes they have found just the thing. Starting with a well attended Wednesday morning rendezvous the DECA Bike Team has kicked off an expanding campaign of enjoyable bike riding, and promotion of better environmental consciousness. Spearheaded by Mrs. Grassetti, the business teacher and focal point of DECA at GHS, the DECA Bike Team aims to encourage larger participation and begin a weekly charity ride.

Only one week into the young program the DECA Bikers have already spent two early mornings riding to local coffee shops and enjoying the morning atmosphere. Mrs. Grassetti found herself “pleasantly surprised by the amount of students who actually showed up and how much they enjoy it.” The DECA program plans to expand the infant program by introducing DECA Bike Team T-shirts and beginning the Wednesday morning charity sponsored rides.

Senior Jared Marshall has taken to the new group activity with enthusiasm and even began a blog to document their rides and attract new riders. The group as described by Marshall, a track star nonetheless, is “just a bunch of DECA kids who love the thrill of the bike.” These bike lovers blog can be found at decabikers.blogspot.com; the group is planning future rides both for enjoyment and charity and would love more involvement from the GHS student body. Their blog is simple to navigate and announces planned rides. Mrs. Grassetti has been pleased so far with their results and is “looking forward to keeping the rides going.” So keep an eye out for the DECA Riders.

http://www.goodmorninggloucester.com

Hi Joey- 

Named MAMA KIN