Solar Energy

We work closely with our clients to assess their energy needs and to create a solar solution that fits. Solar energy systems are extremely durable and require very little maintenance over a lifetime of 20+ years.

Through innovative and economical residential solar power systems as well as business-savvy commercial solar power systems, Choice Mechanical is your key to solar power savings! When it comes to meeting your Solar needs, we offer complete turnkey jobs. We can also help you get all of the information you need to maximize your tax credit and government grant options.

Electricity rates rise on average 7% per year nation-wide. Solar can help protect you from these increasing costs. Contact us for a free Solar Evaluation today and find out how to take advantage of a federal tax credit of 30% and State of TN grants up to 40% of the installation cost.

TVA - Green Power Generation Partners Program

TVA buys all of the green power you generate at a rate of 12 cents per kilowatt-hour for solar and 3 cents per kilowatt-hour for other renewables above the local electric rate. Payment is made in the form of a credit on your monthly electric bill. All new Generation Partners participants will also receive a $1,000 incentive to help offset start-up costs. The  customer is guaranteed payments for 10 years from the start of the agreement  with the local power company.

Photovoltaic Cells: Converting Photons to Electrons

The solar cells that you see on calculators and satellites are photovoltaic cells or modules (modules are simply a group of cells electrically connected and packaged in one frame). Photovoltaics, as the word implies (photo = light, voltaic = electricity), convert sunlight directly into electricity. Once used almost exclusively in space, photovoltaics are used more and more in less exotic ways. They could even power your house. How do these devices work?

­Photovoltaic (PV) cells are made of special materials called semiconductors such as silicon, which is currently the most commonly used. Ba­sically, when light strikes the cell, a certain portion of it is absorbed within the semiconductor material. This means that the energy of the absorbed light is transferred to the semiconductor. The energy knocks electrons loose, allowing them to flow freely. PV cells also all have one or more electric fields that act to force electrons freed by light absorption to flow in a certain direction. This flow of electrons i­s a current, and by placing metal contacts on the top and bottom of the PV cell, we can draw that current off to use externally. For example, the current can power a calculator. This current, together with the cell's voltage (which is a result of its built-in electric field or fields), defines the power (or wattage) that the solar cell can produce.

Three most common types of solar-electric systems

Grid Intertied Solar-Electric Systems
Also known as on-grid, grid-tied, or utilityinteractive (UI), grid-intertied solar-electric systems generate solar electricity and route it to the electric utility grid, offsetting a home’s or business’ electrical consumption and, in some instances, even turning the electric meter backwards. Living with a grid-connected solar-electric system is no different than living with grid power, except that some or all of the electricity you use comes from the sun. In many states, the utility credits a homeowner’s account for excess solar electricity produced. This amount can then be applied to other months when the system produces less or in months when electrical consumption is greater. This arrangement is called net metering or net billing. The specific terms of net metering laws and regulations vary from state to state and utility to utility. Consult your local electricity provider or state regulatory agency for their guidelines.

Grid-Intertied Solar-Electric Systems with Battery Backup
Without a battery bank or generator backup for your gridintertied system, when a blackout occurs, your household will be in the dark, too. To keep some or all of your electric needs (or “loads”) like lights, a refrigerator, a well pump, or computer running even when utility power outages occur, many homeowners choose to install a grid-intertied system with battery backup. Incorporating batteries into the system requires more components, is more expensive, and lowers the system’s overall efficiency. But for many homeowners who regularly experience utility outages or have critical electrical loads, having a backup energy source is priceless.

Off-Grid Solar-Electric Systems
Although they are most common in remote locations without utility grid service, off-grid solar-electric systems can work anywhere. These systems operate independently from the grid to provide all of a household’s electricity. That means no electric bills and no blackouts—at least none caused by grid failures. People choose to live off-grid for a variety of reasons, including the prohibitive cost of bringing utility lines to remote homesites, the appeal of an independent lifestyle, or the general reliability a solar-electric system provides. Those who choose to live off-grid often need to make adjustments to when and how they use electricity, so they can live within the limitations of the system’s design. This doesn’t necessarily imply doing without, but rather is a shift to a more conscientious use of electricity.