From equipment sales and service to system design and installation, Long Spring Solar LLC is a leader in Alaska’s growing renewable energy sector. We’ll help you understand the ins and outs of solar and wind power, and energy storage.
Find some of the more Frequently Asked Questions below.
Contact us if you need further assistance. We’re here to make your renewable project a success.
Below is the output performance of a hypothetical 5KW rooftop grid-tied residential system. Generally, late February through March will have increased performance with a strong albedo effect. Slightly oversizing the array can also add power into the fall months. Residential systems without battery backup generally payback in 10-years or less.
Adding solar to an off-grid power system can reduce costs and increase longevity. Often, the generator will not run spring through fall with an appropriately sized array. Wall or pole mounted panels help shed snow to capture what power is available in the winter. Add lithium batteries and an auto start for reduced maintenance and reliable power. Newer hybrid inverters will seamlessly blend the sources (solar, battery, generator) for consistent and glitch free power.
The inflation Reduction Act makes solar more affordable than ever.
Commercial Solar – most of Alaska will qualify for a 40% Federal Tax Credit. There are some instances where that percentage can increase depending on the project and location. In addition, Small Business outside of the Municipality of Anchorage can apply for and additional 40% grant through the UDSA. If you are interested, let us know well before the March 31st annual deadline so we can help with the process. Any remainder not covered by the credits or grants is depreciable. Some businesses are ending at 10 cents on the dollar before factoring the value of power produced. Energy storage (i.e. lithium batteries) is also included for the first time. Split phase (120/240) and three phase (208/120 and 480/277) solutions are available. Never close again during a power outage, backup your critical processes, or power the business at night from the battery charged by the sun.
Residential Solar – All homeowners qualify for a 30% Federal Tax Credit. In January, submit your paid invoice to your tax preparer. A hypothetical $20,000 system would reduce your tax liability $6000. This cannot be applied to a refund but can be carried forward. Like commercial, energy storage is also eligible with robust battery backup and even generator integration available. We specialize in Clean and professional installations adding value to your home. We can also build a complete DIY package for your own installation.
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The most cost-effective installation location is a south facing or flat roof. We can install a rail system on asphalt shingle or metal roofs that carry a 25-year warranty and engineer stamp. Obviously, newer roofs make the most sense. Ballasted tray systems are also available for larger commercial asphalt or rubber roofs. Pole mounts that track on a single or dual-axis are incredible when there are space issues or winter gain is important. These generally install on pile driven steel poles and significantly increase production. Lastly, we can install fixed ground mounts using earth screws or helical piers. Lots of engineered solutions for consideration.
Absolutely! Lodges and off-grid homes benefit in terms off savings and reliability when we design and install hybrid solar systems. Newer equipment is a true jump ahead for power, reliability, simplicity, and remote monitoring. Our team of installers are experts at installation and remote logistics. Generally, smaller projects and knowledgeable owners benefit from DIY installation with a well built package. We only sell high quality equipment with solid tech support for this reason.
We are the only lithium battery service center in Alaska. If your HomeGrid battery has an unlikely issue, we are equipped for diagnostics, repair, and serve as your representative to Lithion. We are also a direct distributor for Sol-Ark and KiloVault for the same reason. We stand behind our workmanship and can provide ongoing operations and maintenance for your system.
We work with every customer to find the best solution. We can deliver packages anywhere along the road system and even offer cross-terrain delivery. Often the owner has the best feel for what works in their particular location. We can also palletize for the barge or deliver for air transport. Pickup in Eagle River is always free!
Ok, we’re a little contrarian here. There are some circumstances where wind makes sense. From a simplicity and reliability standpoint, there are easier and cheaper ways to produce power at the individual user level. Small turbines like the US made Primus Air40 are solid winter “trickle chargers” but lack the capacity for real production. Maintenance, tip-up and fixed towers, burned out alternators, sporadic production, dump loads, etcetera – no thanks. Solar and storage coupled with a solid generator make more consistent sense.
