Solar PV laminate on metal roof is both attractive and functional

When Mike and Jan Sherman decided to build their dream retirement home in Jan's hometown of Richland, Missouri, one of their priorities was to build an energy-efficient all-electric home.  They built a 5000 square foot house using insulated concrete forms (ICF), which was a key element in creating a tight building envelope that would keep their heating and cooling costs at a minimum.   They also incorporated a solar PV system onto the roof to provide clean, renewable energy for the rest of their retirement.

The solar energy system they chose was a Uni-Solar solar PV laminate system.  This lightweight, flexible solar electric system was directly applied to the metal roof on their home.  The 3.2kW solar array, which covers a total of 560 square feet of roof space, supplies the bulk of their energy needs, with utility bills averaging $60 a month.  The grid-tied system enables them to pull additional energy from the grid when they use more than they produce.

The couple was also interested in having a battery back-up system, so that in the event of a power outage, they could use the power generated from their own solar power system.  A grid-tied battery back-up system is the best of both worlds, because once your batteries are completely charged, any excess energy that you produce flows back onto the electric power grid.  When this happens, your utility meter actually spins backward!

Jan and Mike were smiling all week long when Richland experienced a power outage in the winter of 2008.  While all of their neighbors were "powerless,"  the Sherman's solar-powered battery back-up system  kept the refrigerator, lights, television, computer and fireplace blower going all week.  "We were definitely popular among our family and friends," said Jan.  "We couldn't be more pleased with this system and the great service provided by The Energy Savings Store."