Ann and Bob Sextro pose with their new 4.08 kW Silicon Energy array and Nissan Leaf in front of their home in Sequim, WA. The result of integrating the array with a new standing seam metal roof is a very sleek profile with no roof penetrations.

The Sextros have actually installed three solar arrays in the last 3 years. Their first array was installed on their Sequim area farm in 2008.  In 2009 they sold the farm and bought a home just down the street. That year they installed a 4.5 kW SunPower array on their shop roof.  In 2010 the Sextros decided to add a second solar array on the new standing seam metal roof of their house. For this array they chose Silicon Energy made in WA modules. This “blended” 8.58kW system will generate about 9,438 kW hours over the course of the average year providing about $3,800 in energy savings and production incentive payments each year and offsetting a huge percentage of their annual electric consumption. The Sextros will be spinning their PUD meter backwards, a lot!

In addition to powering their home with solar electricity, the Sextros are now driving using solar generated electricity. After a long wait, they have received their all-electric Nissan Leaf which is recharged using a 240V outlet in their solar powered shop. Their combined PV arrays will double as a renewable energy “gas station” for their new Leaf.  If they drive 10,000 miles per year in the Leaf, it is estimated that the batteries will be recharged with the output of 3 kw worth of their PV.

The 4.08kW house array has 24 Silicon Energy 170W modules and a 4.2kW Silicon Energy Aurora inverter. The 4.5kW shop array has 20 Sunpower 225W modules and a 5kW Sunnyboy inverter. Both systems were installed by Power Trip Energy Corp and are net metered on the Clallam PUD grid.