Holzer Clinic in Athens, Ohio built their new 68,000 square foot facility in 2008 to better serve the Athens area and offer cutting-edge diagnostic technology. Their decision to include a solar power system followed that same theme. The solar array sits on the flat roof next to a garden area where patients and visitors can get some fresh air and drink coffee from the local café. The array is a Sunpower system, which is comprised of Sunpower solar panels on a T10 non-penetrating racking system. The 6 inverters are located in a utility room just below the array and connect directly into the building to offset power use.

Holzer Clinic Installation and a Proud Third Sun Solar Crew

In 2008, the City of Akron began construction on their new transit facility, and decided to go for a LEED Gold rating. The facility, which serves 4,000 Metro riders a day as well as hundreds of Greyhound passengers, is an environmentally-friendly structure that includes the largest roof-mounted solar array in Ohio, installed by Third Sun Solar. The array should provide about 33% of the building’s power. Other green features include a geothermal system, insulated glass, on-site use of rainwater for restrooms and landscaping, and recycling of 80% of construction waste.

Akron Metro Regional Transit Authority Installation: 135kW

This is the first residential solar installation in the city of Dublin, Ohio, just outside of Columbus. Owner Matt Stowell wanted to reduce his impact on the environment, as well as hedge against future electricity price inflation. As a teacher, Matt is excited to teach others about his system and has a website dedicated to tracking the installation and power output of the system.

The system consists of 24 Sunpower 205 modules mounted on the south-facing roof. The system is grid-tied with no battery back up. The owner received an Ohio rebate and qualified for the federal tax credit.

Stowell Residence Installation In Progress

This residential solar installation in Cincinnati is a great example of a low-profile and attractive solar installation. The back of this home faces south, enabling the solar array to be hidden from street view. The black Sunpower modules blend in with the black shingled roof.

The system consists of 21 Sunpower 205 modules mounted on the south-facing roof. The system is grid-tied with no battery back up. The owner received an Ohio rebate and will qualify for the federal tax credit. The system is expected to provide approximately 400 kWh monthly as an annualized average.

Wiring Up the Navaro Residence Installation In Progress

The owners at Mathews Insurance are looking towards the future with the purchase of this solar power system. With uncertainty about how quickly the cost of utility power might rise in the coming years, they wanted to lock in the price of at least half of their power, insulating themselves against rate inflation. It was also the perfect time to install the system (2007), because they were able to take advantage of the state of Ohio rebate and the 30% federal tax credit.

Third Sun Solar braved cold snowy days in late February to install 72 solar panels on the south-southwest face of the agency’s roof. At 16.2 kW, the system should produce about 50% of the building’s power needs.

Mathews Insurance Installation In Progress

An environmentally-motivated customer wanted to harvest the free energy of the sun, and called Third Sun Solar to help. After a site visit concluded that there was too much shade on the roof, Third Sun Solar provided a variety of custom-tailored options, including different mounting styles and both stand-alone and battery-free net metered systems.

Third Sun Solar helped the customer sort through the options and apply for State grants. Third Sun Solar then completed the entire project, including design, trenching, and excavation. The result is clean energy by the kilowatt and an attractive hedge against utility price hikes.

Evans Residence Ground-mounted Installation In Progress

Denison University in Granville, Ohio saw the vast flat roof space on the top of their library building as an opportunity. Why not cover the roof space in solar panels to make a portion of the building’s power, while also offering a hands-on educational system for students? With help from the Environmental Studies department and students, Third Sun Solar designed a system that worked within their budget and the available roof space.

Third Sun Solar installed a system that uses a ballasted mounting system, requiring no roof penetrations. This system utilizes the Fat Spaniel monitoring system so that students and faculty can access solar energy production data at any time.

Denison University Library Installation

For this commercial/institutional project, Third Sun Solar provided a full design along with components to a college in Michigan. The college used a local Electrical Contractor to mount and install the panels. Third Sun Solar then came to the college to insure that the contractor had installed the components correctly, checked that wiring and connections by the contractor were correct and to code, and performed the final system commissioning.

Delta College Installation

The City of Cincinnati is committed to moving in a green direction. One of the first steps was installing this solar and wind hybrid demonstration system at Eden Park. Third Sun Solar assisted in the entire process, from pre-planning, to grant writing, to design and installation. The Park Board received the solar panels as a donation from Duke Energy. The ground mounting is accessible and designed to blend in with the hillside, while the wind generator sits atop a hill behind the array. All electrical equipment is mounted and connected to the main park administration building and is fully monitored and metered by a Fat Spaniel monitoring system.

Cincinnati Parks, Eden Park Installation

Third Sun Solar was asked to provide simple solar addition for this already-efficient home. A careful computer-modeled shading analysis resulted in a system using higher-efficiency panels squeezed into the sunniest portion of the roof.

In order to meet the safety standards of the electrical code, the home’s small, older electrical service was upgraded as part of the installation. With electricians on staff, Third Sun Solar was able to offer a “one-stop,” turn-key solution for this customer, keeping the project simple and on track.

Burianek Residence Installation

A high-end custom home builder chose Third Sun Solar as a design/build partner for his own “showcase” home. During the design phase, we chose a discreet ground mount, due to the home’s complicated roof line. In this case, Third Sun Solar performed the final installation after the customer’s subcontractors completed trenching and foundation work.

The array was commissioned early in the construction phase, generating most of the power needed by the crews. Solar is a natural fit for this super-high-tech house, even contributing to heating through the super-efficient geothermal heating system.

Smith Residence Installation In Progress

We were approached by an innovative architectural design firm early in the planning stages of a project for their office entrance. With the firm’s commercial and public school clientele, this installation had to both perform and look great!

Third Sun Solar provided modules with a transparent backing to deliver a pleasing view from below. The system also included web-based monitoring. The finished product serves as a showpiece for the firm’s design skills, positioning them as a regional leader in solar integration.

Schmidt Architects Awning Installation

A University professor teaching courses on sustainability and solar wanted a different kind of teaching aid. Third Sun Solar was retained and asked to work within a grant-funded budget to design a tracking array using cutting-edge, energy-dense modules. The trenching and foundation work were performed by the university facilities crew. The inverter selected included a computer interactive data collection system. Today, students get hands on experience with a state-of-the-art PV solar system.

Clarion College Installation

An ecologically-motivated science teacher striving to “walk his talk” chose Third Sun Solar as his partner in pursuit of a carbon-neutral goal. Formerly a research scientist, all his choices were carefully considered. He had calculated that his PV solar array would offset more CO2 per dollar than switching to a hybrid car.

After careful planning and a grant from the state, he now has an attractive “solar roof” on the back of an otherwise conventional suburban home. Through his teaching and promotion, this array serves as an example for others as well as benefiting his household.

Carpenter Residence Installation In Progress

The Buskirk home was already a showpiece of efficient and environmentally-sensitive design, and adding active solar was the culmination of a long-term dream.

With only two (very conscientious) occupants, the electric use was very low, so a smaller system was chosen. The inverter and roof location were selected to allow for easy future expansion if desired.

Buskirk Residence Installation In Progress

Due in large part to the volunteer efforts of Third Sun Solar Project Manger Ben Applebee, The Athens Middle School has a high-performance educational and demonstration solar energy system. This project is the result of panels donated by AEP, labor and expertise donated by Third Sun Solar and a grant for equipment from the Athens Foundation.

While the power generated from a 2kW system is small compared to the electrical loads of a building this large, the interest and knowledge generated by this system are tremendous. Great job, Ben!

Athens Middle School Installation: 2kW

The owner of this rural homestead was giving his custom home an update and face lift, and the availability of incentives combined with the simplicity of today’s solar systems brought him to the conclusion that the time for solar is now.

His battery-free system wouldn’t work on his complicated and west-facing roof, so a ground mount was planned. After evaluating the costs of the rack and foundation, the owner concluded he would spend just a little more and build a perfectly oriented garage instead.

Yahini Garage Installation In Progress

This high performance “green” school has many advanced features, including a substantial solar PV system. Third Sun Solar was recommended by the utility company donating the panels, and worked closely with the architects, engineers and general contractor to ensure an optimum system.

In addition to the roof-mounted solar system, this project included a courtyard-mounted, low-voltage “solar experiment” station for teaching purposes, and a wall-mounted display with data and animated graphics.

Twenhofel School Installation In Progress

This high-performance greenhouse is fully integrated: energy systems, bio-systems, aquaculture systems, heating and cooling, all working together. It is a masterpiece of design and the culmination of many years of planning and dreaming.

Third Sun Solar worked with the architect and the owner to integrate solar and wind into the structure’s systems, and the result is food production that is not only organic, but also renewable. Third Sun Solar was proud to play a part in this project striving for truly holistic sustainability.

Rainfresh Harvests Installation

A home builder and cabinetry maker built his shop years ago with a roof ready for solar. He called in Third Sun Solar, and with the support of an Ohio grant, his goal of solar-powered woodworking became reality.

When the shop is in use, the utility grid provides the high amperage power needed by the large shop motors. While work is done off-site, the array of solar panels steadily and silently generates a trickle of power. Over the course of a year the use and production average out for a 100% solar-powered business, practical only through net metering.

Kreig Woodshop Installation In Progress

An environmentally-motivated customer knew who to call when he was ready to harness the clean power of the sun. Third Sun Solar delivered a simple, efficient and great-looking system sized to fit his average annual power consumption.

The experienced Third Sun Solar crew installed this system in one day. The right tools and equipment, a team of professional installers and excellent planning minimized any disruption of his life and sped up the joyful moment when he could “throw the switch” and be powered by the sun.

Burns Residence Installation In Progress

At the request of the governor and first lady, Green Energy Ohio created a solar system worthy of the state’s leader. In addition to providing reliable clean power, this system is seen by thousands of visitors in person and via a web-based monitoring system.

Reinforcing the notion that clean energy technology is an important part of our state’s economic future, the system used many Ohio-manufactured and -supplied products, including PV panels, inverter and installation expertise! Other states have followed, but Ohio was the first to put solar on the governor’s residence.

Solar Ribbon Cutting at the Ohio Governor's Residence

Ohio University wanted to include as many high-performance features as possible on a new building designed to house a business incubator. The architects suggested a solar electric system, and since a standing seam metal roof was in the design, a “peel and seal” Uni-Solar PV Laminate system was chosen.

Third Sun Solar was on the installation team, and the results look great. At completion, we were invited to be a tenant. We are proud to operate out of such a high-performance building, complete with PV on the roof!

Ohio University Innovation Center Thin-film Installation In Progress