Welcome to Advance Solar, Hydro, Wind Power, Inc., the world’s leader in high quality energy systems and components since 1978.  We are one of very few who started the solar, hydro, wind energy systems revolution.  And we are now the only company in the world that is still, after all these years, run by the original owners.  We are a private, family owned business, and we are stronger than ever with yearly sales well into the millions of dollars.  We don’t just sell it, we live it.  We were the first company in California to be solar and wind powered.  Our principal officers have lived off grid close to 50 years.  Even though our warehouse and office buildings have PG&E power, we don’t use them.  You’ve probably heard about California utility companies shutting power off to their customers.  Just a few years ago this would have created numerous liability lawsuits.  But in California, the PUC has authorized utility companies to shut off the power whenever they “deem” it necessary.  During these power outages we open our doors to everyone to come in and charge up their laptop computers, cell phones, and whatever device they need to survive.  Because, we have more than enough power to run our business.

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LiFePO4 Energy Systems

We have been designing and manufacturing our own line of API LiFePO4 energy storage systems for over 10 years.  We absolutely will not have anything to do with LMC or NMC.  The C stands for cobalt, which is toxic and worse yet volatile.  Cobalt is well documented to create excess heat during charge and discharge.  Our systems are LiFePO4, nontoxic, non-explosive, and non-gassing.  They are the safest energy storage systems in the world.

 

Our Li systems have gone through many changes over the years.  We are now on the 14th generation of manufacturing our own API Li systems.  Over the years we concentrated on off grid because that is who we are.  We came from off grid, got into grid tied around the year 2000 and now we have progressed to the point where we no longer design or install grid tied export systems.  We are back to where we came from, energy independence.   We now take people and businesses off grid, not backup power systems but energy independence.  We use the utility grid as backup power for our systems.  Most grid tied solar and energy storage systems are designed to still use the utility grid as the primary power source.  We do not.  Why purchase a Li system to only use it as backup?  It's crazy, you already invested in the technology, why not use it continually?  Over the years we have perfected the whole house/building, residential, commercial, and industrial primary power systems.  We are presently installing a totally off grid residential primary power system with an 80kW inverter (120/24vac, 60Hz), 400kWh of Li, 50kW of solar and 70kW of AC charging, basically a 400amp service entrance.  We have now been asked to also include VAWT. Our expertise in primary power systems for homes, businesses and villages is the industry's goal.  We are the ones who started most of this.  We were the first to incorporate industrial grade lead acid batteries in off grid power systems and we are the first to transition to LiFePO4 Li energy storage systems in off grid systems.  We were also amongst the first to incorporate Li systems in grid tied, backup and primary systems.  But we are one of the only corporations that use our own designed, tested, and proprietary systems.  We do not install other manufacturers' systems.   We do not install Tesla, Sonon, etc., and we do not sell these systems.  We only install our own API systems, which you can only benefit from by going to our Redding and Stockton locations or our location.  

 

Over the last year, we have been working on a lower cost, high efficiency, high powered Li system. The quest was to manufacture and install systems that are lower cost, smaller package but high powered and reliable, with technologies that are above and beyond.  We have come up with a very unique system: a 5kW hybrid inverter with stackable 5.12kWh LiFePO4 energy systems priced well under comparable systems of this type and quality.  The API inverter is a hybrid inverter.  To keep costs down, the inverter is 120vac 60Hz only.  Our API inverter incorporates an AC charging system that can be powered off generator or grid, but this is not a grid tie export system.  This is a primary power system, backup, primary, load shaving, etc., If you need to supplement or replace the grid and also an off grid system.  Our API inverter also incorporates a 500vdc, 5kW MPPT solar input circuit.  This system can be 'stacked' to 30.72 kWh Li.

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These systems are ideal for cabins and homes and for people with limited housing such as apartments and condominiums.  These systems can give you backup power and /or whole house power.  But they are primarily designed not to run the whole house but to allow you to "remove" a few circuits from your utility powered main panel and run these circuits through this system.  These systems are primary power systems and can also be used to supply power during power outages. Or just plug our Family Energy Storage system into an outlet.  It will stay fully charged and during a power outage it will supply power to whatever loads are attached to it.  You can even use this system for load shaving and/or demand charges.  During peak power charges use this system and charge it during non peak lower cost energy prices.  The uses are endless.  

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Our Family Energy Storage Systems are 5kW (120vac, 60 Hz) inverters, 5.12kWh Li systems stackable to 30.72kWh.  These systems are very powerful, not your "normal' pretend power systems of very limited power and energy storage.  We are off grid, primary power systems, our experience is energy independence.  And we live by that.  

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Leading by Example

Advance Power is committed to providing affordable energy systems, reducing energy usage and ultimately, providing energy independence. Advance Power was the first company in California to be totally solar and wind powered. Our company founders and many who work here have lived without conventional power since the early 70's. Their homes are totally solar, hydro and wind powered. To achieve energy independence in an age where practically everything a person does requires energy is truly an accomplishment. To help others attain this goal requires a commitment. It is easy to sell this technology. It is another thing entirely to be the example and gain the knowledge and insight this technology requires.

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Advance Power Inc. is totally energy independent. Even though Advance Power has local utility (PG&E) service we use them only as backup for our primary power system. We produce our power from numerous large roof mounted solar arrays. The primary power system supplies power to all our loads, all the time. We do not bring the utility power to any of our loads. Our primary power system gives us energy independence and protects us from power surges, sags, spikes and most of all power outages.

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Solar Thermal Collectors

Advance Power Co. Inc. also has a large solar thermal vacuum tube array on the roof. A few years ago we replaced our old inefficient boiler with this system. Our average natural gas bills dropped from $1,800.00 a month to under $400.00. That’s close to 80% in savings. This system consists of roof mounted vacuum tube solar thermal collectors, a 400 gallon heat exchanger tank backed up by two highly efficient instantaneous boilers and water to air heat exchangers in our warehouse and offices. In an ongoing effort to maximize this system we are evaluating Sterling engine technology, turning the summer thermal gain into electrical energy, and the winter heat gain into thermal energy.

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Ceramic Coatings

Advance Power Inc. is also a leader in ceramic coatings. Many years ago, we coated our entire building with this unique and exciting technology. During the summer months when temperatures reach over 110 degrees, we are comfortable and don’t need to run air conditioners. The roof coating gives us an added benefit. Not only is the building cooler but so is the roof and our solar electric modules. This, with the highly reflective properties of this amazing technology optimizes the solar power production during hot summer days. Solar electric modules are very temperature sensitive. As their temperature rises power output diminishes drastically. We have overcome the hurdles of reduced power production during hot summer days without the use of reflectors that can damage and degrade the solar cell's crystalline structure.

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Wind Technology

Advance Power Inc. also utilizes a 5kW horizontal axis wind turbine and a 5kW vertical axis wind turbine.  Our line of VAWT is renowned over the world as the highest quality in the industry.  Our VAWT hold many world patents, making them unique in this industry.  They are self vaining, have controlled braking and incorporate engineered designs that no other VAWT have.  We have turbines in Mongolia, China, USA, Canada, Alaska, many parts of Europe and Africa.  

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Hydro Electric Systems

Advance Power Inc. also installs designs and services hydroelectric systems. Hydro electric systems are very cost effective and the return on investment is rapid. However, obviously water is needed. Not just water, but water at velocity and moderate to high flow rates. Water is becoming more and more precious. It is increasingly more difficult to dam up rivers and estuaries. Fish and water supply are becoming more and more dominant when designing hydroelectric systems. Advance Power continually strives to design power production systems to accommodate a wide verity of benefits.

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An example of this is a hydro electric system installed at the home of Advance Power Inc. CEO. At the top of the property is a 3 acre foot reservoir. Above the residence is half acre foot reservoir. This “little” reservoir is used to supply water for irrigation and livestock. Instead of reducing the pressure, this system sends the water from the big reservoir, through a hydro electric plant (over 180 psi), to the little reservoir. Whenever the little reservoir goes down a half a foot, an automatic motorized valve turns on, sending water from the big reservoir through this hydro plant to replenish the little reservoir and produce power. During the summer months this system produces electrical power automatically, depending on the amount of water used for livestock and irrigation. In the winter this system runs 24/7. This system is multi functional. It supplies electric power, irrigation, livestock, plus it can easily be turned into a high pressure fire suppression system. It also supplies water for swimming and recreational use. This system is in parallel with a smaller hydro system lower on the property. This smaller hydro system is plumbed into the little reservoir and a collection point midway up the mountain in a ravine. This smaller hydro system is the first to run and produce power during the late months of fall and early months of winter. It automatically switches between the ravine flow and the little reservoir based on winter storm rains. Once the big reservoir fills, both these systems run 24/7. It is a true luxury to have this power available in the winter months when sun light is minimal and the days are short and cold. These hydros supply more power than the residence usually needs. Because of this they are able to keep lights on, and enjoy a very comfortable life during the cold, dark winter months. Winter visitors usually comment that the home looks like a space ship from far away because it is so lit up.

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