Parents are looking into putting a solar panel system in their retirement house.  I was discussing this with a friend who's into alternative building and energy sources (type of guy who wants to build a strawbale house and live off the "grid") and he mentioned that even during a blackout my parents would have to turn off the solar system because PG & E doesn't want to deal with any live lines because the solar system would be feeding back into the grid because the live lines would be a danger to the workers fixing the problem.

I know that there are 2 different types of systems, Grid Tied and Battery Back-up, and they would most likely go with the grid tied, but has anyone heard of this of this and people having to turn off their solar panels so they don't harm PG & E workers during a blackout or is my friend just misinformed?

you can't untie it? did they use super glue?

Thats the first time Ive heard of that... Is he building the whole thing by himself or is he getting some help from guys who install them for a living?

Nope - he's having someone build the system.  Just when my friend mentioned this, a big question mark came up because I never heard of it either and I would have never thought to even ask this kind of question, I just assumed it would just "work".  

Just was wondering if anyone else has heard of this or my friend is just misinformed.

It makes sense though.  I'm sure that there is some sort of safety mechanism that would recognize if there outer circuit is disrupted by a blackout and close the loop.  Probably best to ask the professional installation companies about it.

I totally want a strawbale house, that'd be rad... and a windmill.

I have never heard of that either, but it makes sense.

I am actually looking into solar for my place as well.  I want to do the solar shingles instead of panels though.

Yeah, that's what bugs me about it, I never heard of it and did a quick google search and didn't see anything mentioned about turning off your solar system during a blackout, but it reasoning behind why you have to do it makes sense.

Guess the parents are just going to have talk to the solar guy.  If it's true, that sucks that you're going to be in the dark with everyone even though you have a way to power your home.

Im interested in learning how to install solar panels. Wonder if there is any school that teaches this..

Chris C. says:

Yeah, that's what bugs me about it, I never heard of it and did a quick google search and didn't see anything mentioned about turning off your solar system during a blackout, but it reasoning behind why you have to do it makes sense.

Guess the parents are just going to have talk to the solar guy.  If it's true, that sucks that you're going to be in the dark with everyone even though you have a way to power your home.

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I too googled, there are a few diagrams here, oksolar.com/roof

It still doesn't say anything, but I'm sure that you can set it up, where it becomes a closed system from the meter, so you can still have power but not feeding back into the grid.  See figure 2 with tie in and backup battery.

there is a lever which stops the flow of electrons from the grid to your house.

therefore it is not in the realm of impossibility that a switch cannot be made which stops the flow back.

call occidental power.

Agree with euge.

oxypower.com

My company has just developed a department for testing photovoltaic power.  I've seen a couple of units with preventative measures for backflow, so they do exist.  But we test product before they hit market typically, so they may not be out yet...

Call PG&E and ask.

Your inverter senses the grid voltage and if PG&E goes offline your inverter will shut down.  Some cities will make you install a disconnect switch as well (some cities want two- one by the inverter and one on the roof), your contractor will work that out for you.

calseia.org
and
renewableenergyworld.com…

are the two places I would ask about powering down, and also search to find out about classes, rebates, purchases etc.

Would there realy be that much voltages trough back flow to cause that kind of danger?

I see a class on Intro to Off grid systems.

solarliving.org/workshops

My friend lives "off the grid" up in Alaska! Her family grows their food and stores hundreds of lbs of fish.
She's a new age hippy, and totally hot!!!

Ron "I TAN SKIN" S. says:

My friend lives "off the grid" up in Alaska! Her family grows their food and stores hundreds of lbs of fish.
She's a new age hippy, and totally hot!!!
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Pic?

PG&E offers free classes in SF (grid tied of course, not off the grid).  Most people do grid-tied systems because it's more affordable, and you don't have to deal with big lead-acid batteries, which have environmental risks on their own.

Thanks for all the responses.  Looks like if I get a chance to talk to the solar people I'm going to have to ask them the question.  Just something I would have never thought of.

luminalt.com

They're located in the Outer Sunset. They just did our roof and were FANTASTIC. They did all of the rebate/permit/gross stuff.
And it's family owned and local!

Call PGE and ask them?

Asking us on Yelp should really give you some really awesome and totally accurate answers.

I like the idea of solar, and would like to one day have it, but one thing to consider, is how much power you will use. And how much power you will make. If you make more power than you use, you will be giving free power back to P.G. & E. There are some, who are working to change the laws regarding this issue.

An other issue is the time in years for the savings to equal the cost. One thing that is true, if more people bought these systems the price would come down.

Hey Chris,
When a blackout happens, your inverter (the thing that converts the AC power from your panels into DC power for your house) shuts down...you don't actually have to do anything. In fact, inverters also automatically go back on when power returns but they wait 5 minutes after it comes back on for safety reasons. I work at Sungevity and I'd be happy to answer any other questions you have about this (510.845.5660). We do only grid-tied systems because they're so much more affordable and because batteries require not just extra expense but also lots of maintenance (and they're toxic).  
In terms of selling power back to the grid...our fingers are crossed for this. For now there's net metering, which gives a return on investment of 10-20% depending on what tier your in.
Hope this info helps!

Solar energy without buying the equipment: sunrunhome.com

Sometimes leasing doesn't make you a better return in the long-run. Definitely check it against a pay as you go financing plan if you're considering a leased solar system. Better yet, look at the returns of paying upfront, paying as you go and leasing before you buy.

Yeah SC... and Hannah R - thanks.  I must add that there is another company, GRID Alternatives, which accepts volunteers whom they teach how to install a grid tied system - no battery back up grid tied.  Typically, they will have a training session one day, and then a week or 2 later, you go out to a relatively low income neighborhood and install a system.  They only have about 1 a month, so if you get on there mailing list, you have to reply promptly to get on the volunteer group.  It's pretty high demand.  Hope that helps!