Building Management Hawaii June/July 2013 - (Page 14)

Solar & More On The Farm With PV PV proves to be a versatile product for all types of business. S teven Kalish and Fabi Vlchek, owners of Mahalo Aina Sanctuary LLC in Papaaloa, Hilo, live an alternative lifestyle and wanted to use an alternative type of power to support their sustainable living practices and medicinal therapies for transformative healing powers. “We believe the responsibility starts with each and every one of us, one step at a time, if we expect to have a healthy planet for future generations,” says Kalish. They turned to GreenPath Technologies, Inc. (GPT) to install a ground mount solar PV system for the sanctuary. “The use of alternative solar energy assists our agriculture efforts as we now provide more than 90 percent of the food we consume, run a small animal farm, and grow and prepare medicinal topical, hydrotherapeutic and internal herbs. Using alternative solar power energy made pure sense in what we do and how we live,” says Kalish. “This is a great example of generating power in a rural area where roof space is limited and idle ground is readily available,” Briand Achong, president of GPT says. “A ground mount system is ideal in situations like this where there is limited, or no utility connection, or in instances where there is feeder saturation. It also helps to maximize the land’s potential while meeting the facility’s energy requirements.” GreenPath Technologies Inc., a SBA Certified 8(a) Native Hawaiian owned and established renewable energy firm from Hawaii, is one of Hawaii’s leading alternative energy solar contractors in the business of developing, integrating and installing new technological applications and sustainable turnkey energy systems. Mahalo Aina Sanctuary owners Steven Kalish and Fabi Vlchek show off their ground-mounted PV system. 14 June - July 2013 BMH The Technology The ground mount PV system includes 46 Conergy PowerPlus 225 modules. The modules are connected to a 2 x SMA SB5000US inverters for a system size of 10.350 kW DC that provides power to the main residence. The off-grid system, which provides power to the separate agricultural facility, consists of 18 Conergy PowerPlus 225W modules that are connected to an Outback Radian inverter and a 48V 240 AH battery bank for a system size of 4.050 kW DC. The Cost According to Achong, both systems — ground mount and off-grid — produce enough electrical energy to run the sanctuary’s agricultural facility, while the battery pack stores additional energy when there is demand for such. “The cost of a ground mount system is usually 25 percent costlier than a roof-mounted system and the cost of a roofmounted off-grid system is estimated to be 2.5 times the cost of a roof-mounted grid tied system. Still, the long term returns are greater than without any solar PV system at all.” www.buildingmanagementhawaii.com http://www.buildingmanagementhawaii.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Building Management Hawaii June/July 2013

Special Section: BIA Renaissance Awards
Solar & More - Made In The Shade
Solar Options For Condos
Beyond PV…The Power Of The Negawatts
Solar On The Highrise
On The Farm With PV
The Reality Of Exploring Solar
Steep-Slope Solar
Concrete & Asphalt - Fresh Surfaces for Work & Play
Pavement Maintenance 101
Asphalt Alternatives
Rocky Road
Pavement Preservation
Painting Top 5 Painting Tips
Painting & Exterior Finishes
Lead & Rules
On Site: Renting Delinquent Units

Building Management Hawaii June/July 2013