Resource List
by Matthew Lieber Buchman
CLASSES
"PV Design and Installation," Solar Energy International. www.solarenergy.org. Great class, 6-day classroom and hands-on workshop doing real installation.
PUBLICATIONS
Home Power Magazine. www.homepower.com. The key reference for my education. I read every word from letters to ads to articles.
Solar Today Magazine. www.ases.org. Also very useful.
BOOKS
Solar Energy International, Photovoltaic Design and Installation Manual, Carbondale, CO: SEI, 1998. Course manual for SEI workshop. I believe it may be ordered direct.
Wiles, John, Photovoltaic Power Systems and the National Electrical Code: Suggested Practices. New Mexico, Sandia Labs, 2001. Key excerpts from the NEC (National Electrical Code) that are especially relevant to renewable energy installations.
Wilson, Thorne, and Morrill, Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings, 7th Ed. Washington D.C.: ACEEE, 1999. An essential reference for understanding energy conservation in home design and appliance efficiency.
CATALOGS (I read all of these, and more, cover to cover to learn what I could.)
AAA Solar Service and Supply, www.aaasolar.com, 800-245-0311.
Backwoods Solar Electric Systems, Inc., www.backwoodssolar.com, 208-263-4890.
New England Solar Electric Inc, www.neweneglandsolar.com, 800-914-4131.
Northwest Energy Storage, www.nwes.com, 800-718-8816.
Real Goods Renewable Energy Systems, www.realgoods.com/renew, 800-919-2400.
Sierra Solar, www.sierrasolar.com, 888-on-solar.
Solarelectric.com, www.solarelectric.com, 888-840-7191.
SYSTEM EQUIPMENT REFERENCES
Batteries - Concorde Battery, www.concordebattery.com.
DC Disconnects -Outback Power Systems, www.outbackpower.com.
Inverter -Advanced Energy Inc., www.advancedenergy.com (filed for bankruptcy Oct 26, 2002, SIGH! Great product. Website still active last I checked. Check out Outback Power.)
Meter -Trimetric, www.bogartengineering.com.
PV Array Combiners - Outback Power Systems, www.outbackpower.com.
PV Panels - Siemens, now Shell, www.shellsolar.com
CONTACTS
Peltz Power, Jay Peltz. jay@asis.com. Installer for practical portion of SEI course above. During the project answered a few key questions at just the right time.
Puget Sound Energy, Shannon McCormick. shannon.mccormick@pse.com. Point of contact for all grid-intertie systems for PSE. Very, very helpful.
Rainshadow Solar, John Mottl & Eric Youngren, soalr@rockisland.com. Great people. Consulted on my system and supplied all the hardware. Washington State based.
OTHER GREAT SITES
www.ases.org, Watch for the "ASES National Tour of Solar Homes" each October. There are hundreds of RE open houses throughout the country.
www.dankoffsolar.com, Windy Dankoff, wholesale only, has assembled a great site loaded with information.
www.mlbuchman.com, My site. Has information and photos regarding my own system and includes this document.
