Technology

The right PV technology—paired with the highest quality design, and executed by experienced, industry-leading installation teams—creates the most successful solar projects.

Photovoltaic (PV) solar electric systems use four main components: an array of solar panels that creates direct current (DC) electricity, an inverter system that converts the power to usable alternating current (AC) electricity, a net meter that links the system to the utility, and a monitoring system that allows owners to track their system’s production. Requiring only the sun’s energy and releasing no harmful pollutants, PV solar electric systems are among the world’s cleanest electricity sources.

Photovoltaic Panels

Solar panels are made by a number of manufacturers, and come in all shapes and sizes. At Sunbug, we maintain working relationships with a wide range of solar producers, which enables us to assemble systems that are customized to the needs and price points of our customers.

Whether ground or roof mounted, a series of panels are linked together to create a system, or “array”, the size of which is measured in kilowatts (kW). Our expert designers orient this array to receive the greatest possible amount of direct sunlight during the peak hours of the day, typically from 9 am to 3 pm. While the optimal installation is mounted on an unshaded southern-facing roof, other orientations can be nearly as productive. A site evaluation is important to determine the effectiveness of any potential solar array.

Inverter

The solar electric array generates what’s called direct current (DC) electricity, which then travels through an inverter system that converts DC electricity to the alternating current (AC) electricity that feeds a building’s electrical system. Inverters come in two basic forms:

A string inverter with power optimizers usually sits in the building’s utility room, where the DC is converted to AC and fed to the main electric panel.
Micro-inverters achieve the same conversion process in a distributed manner—placing one micro-inverter underneath each panel, then feeding AC down to the main electric panel.

Every PV system has strengths and unique differentiators that SunBug factors into each design decision, including our choice of inverter approach. Ultimately, however, both produce the same clean, efficient alternating current electricity that we use everyday.

Net Meter

Most buildings have one or more conventional electric meters, installed by the local utility company to measure the building’s power usage and calculate billing each month.

With a solar electric system, the utility replaces that conventional meter with a new net meter, which “spins both directions” in the sense that it measures both the solar electricity produced as well as the electricity consumed from the utility. In this way, with net metering, electric bills reflect only the difference between what a solar array produces and what the building consumes in any given billing period.

Monitoring system

Monitoring systems measure the power produced by an array in real time, and are critical to ensuring that a system is performing as expected. At SunBug, we recommend that system owners regularly check their online monitoring dashboard, which can also be configured to send email alerts for irregularities.

For larger commercial projects, we partner with Omnidian, a national O&M company, to monitor your system 24/7 to ensure that your system is running at optimal capacity. Omnidian’s monitoring process goes like this: when an issue arises, Omnidian will compare your system’s production to that of other systems in the area. If all such systems are experiencing a similar drop, it will be considered weather-related. If other systems are not experiencing such a drop, it could indicate an issue with your system, and Omnidian will perform further diagnostics or send a truck to take further action.

As part of any O&M contract, Omnidian ensures each system stays in top condition by performing a yearly inspection of all panels,wiring, control electronics, and enclosures. And when a system needs field service, Sunbug or another Omnidian-approved service team will be on site to fix the problem as urgently as possible.