We started our solar journey by signing up for Sonoma Clean Power as our source of grid energy. This program guaranteed that all of our energy use was obtained from renewable sources, like solar and wind energy. But where this came up short was during California's rolling blackouts throughout the fire season. As a cannabis cultivator, fire season takes place during our fall cultivation cycle, harvest, and through part of processing, when it's absolutely imperative that we have electricity for irrigation, humidity and temperature controls, and security measures. When we process fresh-frozen harvests, this adds an even more critical need for continuous power. Otherwise, we could lose our entire crop. We knew we needed to take matters into our own hands or possibly face an uncontrollable fate. This thinking was the start of our off-grid solar journey.
While self-sustainment is our primary goal for this project, and saving money is a close second, we can also use this opportunity to increase our sustainability. Being a farm that's passionate about sustainability, we try to better our relationship with the earth every day. Now, we can dive into the specifics of where our energy use is concentrated and adjust it to be more efficient. Because determining our energy load is so crucial during the solar system set up, we get to evaluate where we might be overspending and where we can adjust to consume less. We must look at every little detail, from our lights, pumps, heaters, and dehumidifiers, to computers, appliances, and general household items. We can also use this opportunity to choose energy-efficient alternatives, like LED light bulbs, which use 75 percent less energy than incandescent lights, and energy-efficient pumps for irrigation.
When determining the solar panel output, there's a lot to consider. We must find the perfect placement for optimal sun exposure and understand the necessary wattage rating. A 100-watt module won't be able to run a 100-watt load at all times due to storms, season changes, and nighttime use. This is why we need a battery for storage. The battery size is based on amp-hours, so once we've calculated our load, we will need to convert the data to amp-hours to determine our required battery capacity. Our panel's efficiency is also a factor to consider. The wattage lets us know what our system is capable of producing in perfect conditions, but the efficiency tells us how much sunlight our panels are actually converting to useable energy. Many factors contribute to the efficiency, including a dirty or dusty surface, shading from nearby structures or vegetation, an abundance of cloud coverage, or weather complications, like snow. Therefore, we must factor this into our calculations when considering the capacity of our off-grid system. The simple formula below is from Vivint.Solar.
Solar panel watts x average hours of sunlight x 75% (to account for the variables) = daily watt-hours. Then, divide that number by 1000 to translate this to kilowatts per hour.
A backup system will be necessary in the case that something dire happens to our battery or panel. Since our primary reason for tackling this solar project is due to needing consistent energy, even during rolling blackouts, we need a secondary system to ensure nothing stops running if our own system experiences a blackout. Most backup generators will run on natural gas, propane, gasoline, or diesel, and some are bi-fuel compatible, meaning they can run on either gasoline or diesel. It will be vital for us to have a stock on hand if necessary since the closest gas station is a reasonable distance away from our farm.
We're very excited to take this solar journey and add to the success of our business. As we move along, you can follow us on social media to stay updated with our progress. If you have experience with solar systems, please let us know by sharing stories, tips, or advice you think would be helpful. If you're new to this, we hope our series of blog posts on the subject will help you learn more about how you can run your farm or household on solar panels as well.