Penobscot Solar Design
615 Back Ridge Road , Penobscot, Maine, United States

Penobscot Solar Design has been installing quality solar photovoltaic (electric) systems in Maine and throughout New England since 1988. We have been installing those same systems throughout the Caribbean since 1998. We specialize in off grid systems and large utility intertie systems, but whatever your needs, we have the solar solution and the knowledge, experience and expertise to make you another of our many happy customers. Our owner, designer and head installer, Daryl DeJoy, has been NABCEP Certified since 2006. All the people who will install your solar system not only work with, but also live with, solar power in their homes. We believe in what we do and install each system as if it were our own. We are a small company and treat each customer as if they are our only customer, and with over 350 installed solar systems under our belt, performance and longevity are assured. Please browse our website as it will help guide you through the initial process of deciding which type of PV system is best for your needs and dont hesitate to give us a call or email with any questions!

Energy Efficiency

While adding alternative forms of energy, including solar electric, are a great way to reduce our overall bills, they should only be a small part of our energy efficiency plan. Before spending the money on a solar electric system, Penobscot Solar Design recommends you look carefully at how you use electricity. Appliances, light bulbs, fans, water pumps, furnaces, even home insulation all play a huge part in what we ultimately spend on our day to day living.

Energy efficient appliances do the same exact job that less efficient ones do while doing their job using far less electricity. The same is true of light bulbs. We often hear people say they “dont like the light” from energy efficient bulbs, and yet it is so often only the choice of bulb, not the type of bulb, that makes them say that. Light bulbs measure their color in degrees Kelvin (K). The lower the number, say, 2500 degrees Kelvin, the more orange the light will be. The higher the number, the closer the light will be  to daylight. For bright, open ambient lighting or possibly where a person might work and need more light like a workbench, a bulb rated at 5500 degrees K will do a great job. For more intimate areas for reading or relaxing, I like a bulb rate at around 3000 degrees K. This applies to incandescent bulbs, which use the most electricity, to compact fluorescent bulbs which use 70% less electricity than an incandescent, and to LED (light emitting diode) type bulbs which are becoming increasingly popular and increasingly less expensive at the same time. LED bulbs contain no mercury and are dimmable, as well as being warrantied for up to 25 years of usage. As you consider installing a solar electric system, please feel free to ask us what you might do to make your house as energy efficient as possible first. An energy efficient house costs far less for a solar system to power than an inefficient house and the savings will speak for themselves over a very short time. Penobscot Solar Design has offered custom whole home energy efficiency designs for years to our  very happy customers, both in the USA and across the Caribbean and we hope you will consider us as well . Our customers are our friends, and in this  rapidly changing world this is increasingly rare. A solar electric system by Penobscot Solar Design will keep you happy and independent for many years to come.

Grid Tie

A grid tied, batteryless solar system will fit your needs perfectly if you live in an area with few power outages and want to get the most solar for your dollar. This type of system has become the most commonly installed type due to the lack of need for maintenance and lower price than a battery based system. A grid tied, battery-less solar system qualifies for not only the federal tax credit of 30%, but also for a state rebate in many states, including Maine.Grid tied systems in Maine essentially "trade", not "sell" power back, although for the sake of discussion here, Ill refer to it as "sell back". The power company will trade one kwh (kilowatt hour) created by you for one kwh of theirs you use. Think of this as a power "bank account". They track your power creation month by month. If you have not used the power you banked one year from the month your solar system made it, the power company is allowed to keep that power. This is why a good design is important. We will make sure you are not giving your power away for free, and yet will make sure that the percentage of power you make to apply toward your power bill is as accurate as possible.  Penobscot Solar Design will design your grid tied, battery-less system for you, install it and help you get connected and "selling back" your power efficiently and painlessly. Remember that without batteries, you will need to have a generator for those infrequent power outages. The advantage is that you can install roughly twice the amount of battery-less solar than you would with a battery based off grid system for the same amount of money.  More and more Caribbean islands are also starting to accept grid tied solar as a way to lessen the use of polluting and expensive diesel fuel usually used to run their islands power. Ask us if your island qualifies as one of these.

Off Grid

An off grid solar electric system is perfect for people whose home or camp is far from the utility grid. It is also a perfect system for those who desire true energy independence and are willing to live in an energy efficient and mindful way. Penobscot Solar Design has specialized for over twenty years in off grid solar electric systems, both in Maine and the Caribbean.  It is important to understand a few key points if you would like to live completely off grid. When we design an off grid system, we need to size your system for the lowest sun months of the year. This means off grid customers will often have excess power in the summer months when sun hours are high and the days are long. Off grid systems require batteries. An off grid type solar electric system is the most expensive alternative, but also very satisfying for our customers. Learning to live in an off grid home is very satisfying for the majority of our customers. Remember, change is not sacrifice! Many, many people live comfortable and normal lives in off grid homes.  Off grid homes, because they use batteries, require the usual regimen of battery maintenance. Penobscot Solar Design includes a laminated battery care sheet for each customer to place on their battery box. This ensures the best maintenance and therefore the longest life for your battery bank.  The first step for designing an off grid home is for the customer to complete our load evaluation form. Click “here” to access and print out the form. Each person/family uses electricity differently. This load form is the first step to energy independence and becoming aware of your power needs. Our design will only be as accurate as your load form is, so remember to include all your appliances, lighting, water pump, and every other electrical appliance in your home. When you have completed the form, simply email or mail it to us and we can start the design process.

Grid Tie with Batteries

The first type we will discuss is the grid tied system which uses the available solar power, then switches to the grid for support. This is a typical type of solar system where the utility does not allow interties for “sell back”.  The second type is for use as a “sell back” system, but with frequent power outages or brownouts, allows the client to have an almost seamless switchover to battery power when the grid is down.

• On islands or in states or countries where the local utility does not allow for a “sell back” arrangement, these systems are common and very useful for businesses or homes that need close to continuous power. We install the solar system so that it charges the battery bank. We also install the utility grid to the inverter in the system. Programming the system correctly ensures that the home uses the power the solar system makes first, then switches over to the local utility automatically until the solar system again charges the battery to pre-programmed parameters. This allows for maximizing your solar power, greater longevity of the batteries due to decreased discharge cycles, and almost seamless electricity within the system. I say almost because there can be a tenth of a second of so automatic transfer between the two sources of electricity (solar and grid).  When we are designing these systems we talk with the customer about how much battery capacity they might need as well as what percentage of their power they might like to make from solar.
• Many people like the idea of “selling back” power but also want the independence that batteries provide. Generators are expensive, noisy and require regular maintenance. A battery based, grid tied solar electric system provides all the options and benefits these customers require. The downside for many people is that batteries are expensive and require maintenance.