key success factors

Key Success Factors

At Akeena Solar, we are committed to providing a solution that lasts 20-30 years and delivers optimal return on your investment. The recommendations below are based on our decades of success and in-depth understanding of Solar technology.

• Keep it simple. Complexity lowers reliability and increases the need for technical support. For example, battery systems are complicated, short-lived and require higher maintenance.
• Hire a licensed, insured Solar specialist. Akeena Solar maintains the proper levels of insurance and documentation to shelter you from any worker liabilities. Electricians are not necessarily qualified and certified by equipment manufacturers to install Solar equipment properly.
• Understand system availability. It may be best economically to meet your energy requirements with a combinations of Solar and conventional power. This may mean using Solar to reduce your highest tier electricity consumption, and choosing a time-of-use rate for greater savings.
• Be realistic about your load. Eliminate “phantom” loads such as plugged in but powered-down TVs, computers and power supplies. Inverters, wires, collector soiling and battery-charging create inefficiency even in the best-designed systems.
• Learn local weather and seasonal shading conditions. Microclimates have an impact on actual results. Morning fog in San Francisco-area locations means that solar energy systems should be designed to optimize afternoon energy collection.
• Know what hardware is available and at what cost. Tradeoffs are inevitable. It is usually wisest to install solar energy panels with the lowest cost per watt, rather than highest output per square foot., for example.
• Know the installation site before designing the system. A site visit is absolutely essential for component placement, wire runs, shading, terrain peculiarities and special requirements. A Solar Pathfinder analysis helps determine daily and seasonal shading.
• Plan periodic maintenance. Solar energy systems have an enviable record for unattended operations, but no system works without any care. Panels may need annual cleaning in dirty locations; batteries need replacement every 5-10 years.
• Perform a thorough economic analysis. Calculate the Return on Investment and Net Present Value of the system (how much all of your savings will be worth in today's dollars), and compare to various alternatives. Akeena solar can help you get the best information and results.

Our Pledge: A company of the highest integrity, skill, and quality

Akeena Solar will honor our warranty and that of our manufacturers. Our advantages include:

• A comprehensive energy audit to help you reduce your electricity usage.
• Honesty and objectivity to enable accurate estimates of potential savings.
• A price that we honor for your complete turnkey installation.
• NABCEP-Certified PV Installers™ on staff.
• Dedicated software tools to analyze your site's solar potential, determine real-world performance of your system, and perform a detailed economic analysis to determine savings and ROI. No guessing.
• A single point of contact for your solar power system design, engineering work, building permit, rebate approval, utility hookup and any required maintenance.
• Custom engineering and design in-house
• Complete building permit packages for your own installation.
• Tested proven equipment for a trouble-free 30+ year lifespan.
• A free checkup of your solar power system after one year of operation.
• Standardized best-practices installation to maximize system reliability.
• Full insurance coverage for our workers and you.
  
• Experienced management for company longevity and viability.
• Over 1200 installation references—all available for contact.
• In-house training courses for installers on solar codes, safety and other requirements
• Community involvement on behalf of Solar on a national (SEIA) and state basis
• Personal commitment to Solar—in our own office and homes
• Our CEO, Barry Cinnamon, is the President of CAL SEIA, the largest state solar power organization in the US. His efforts have helped change or improve solar energy legislation and regulation in California and the U.S.

About Solar Power

Solar power photovoltaic (PV) systems independently convert the sun's light into electricity.
This electricity can be used:

• directly from the sun
• stored in batteries
• fed into an electric utility's grid system.
  

A diagram of a typical system is shown above.

The selection and proper installation of appropriately-sized components directly affect system reliability, lifetime, and initial cost. In any installation, one must keep in mind that trade-offs are necessary in system design and component selection. Our goal in this section is to provide the background information so that you can understand the general type, size, costs and design issues of a solar energy system that is best for your home or business.