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 for over 40 years.  Even though our warehouse and office buildings have PG&E power, we don’t use them.  In fact, we produce more power than we use and send power to the grid to help our neighbors.  You’ve probably heard about California utility companies shutting power off to its 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.

​

LiFePO4 Energy Systems

We were one of the first companies to incorporate industrial lead acid battery banks in off grid, stand alone, primary power systems.  And we are the first to install lithium ion systems in off grid primary power systems in California.  We manufacture our own line of LiFePO4 energy systems.  Not cobalt, which is not only toxic, but is well documented to be extremely volatile during charging and discharging.  LiFePO4 is just the opposite,  non toxic, non corrosive, non explosive and non gassing.  In fact, LiFePO4 is documented as being the safest energy storage system in the world.  We have been manufacturing our LiFePO4 systems for over 10 years.  We are now on our 12th generation.  Our cells are ETL and UL certified.  Tests prove that our cells are over 98% efficient.  We have done numerous charge/discharge cycles of our 252 AH cells, removing 250 AH and recharging them with 251 AH, and the cells are full.  This is totally impossible with any other energy storage system.  We also have our own line of proprietary Li charging systems that are upwards of 98% efficient and a very smooth power supply quality.  Our systems are superior to the industry norm of AC coupling.  Our systems do not switch between grid, generator, inverter, and battery bank.  Our systems run off inverters 100% of the time.  The most reliable, efficient and only truly independent power system. 

 

The Future is Energy Independence

Solar grid tie systems and AC coupled systems are on the way out.  If you use California and Germany as an example of the future, you will see that all systems connected to the grid are required to have communications protocols that allow the government and utility companies to control all systems, components and power.  In California, the utility companies control all inverters connected to the grid.  They can turn them off/on anytime.  They can change them from lag to lead any time.  They can even steal your stored energy in the battery bank, whenever they “deem” it necessary.  And they can program your inverter to not allow you to charge the battery bank off the grid power but only off your solar power.  And if that is not bad enough, the company that is leasing you the battery bank gets the energy credits. In Germany, the battery banks are the utility company.  The utility companies/government will use your stored power to prop up the grid.  To support it when they “deem” it necessary.  We at Advance Power are fiercely independent.  We want nothing to do with the utility companies.  In fact our primary business is energy independence, we take people off the grid.

 

The technology, knowledge and products we have today make it not only possible to live a life of energy independence, but makes us wonder why anyone would even have utility power any more.  Granted, most people in the cities are totally out of luck, and are caught up in the entanglement of city life.  But anyone who has land, and it does not take  much, can easily be energy independent.  For example 4.44 kW only requires a 20’ x 13 1/3’ area.  The average house in California uses 25 kWh per day.  The average sun hours in our area is 5 hours a day.  To give you a simple example of power, area vs use and need.

 

Advance Power has designed and installed hundreds of thousands of off grid, stand alone, primary power systems worldwide.  We are in the final stages of designing and installing the first solar, LiFePO4 primary power system in Nepal.  We are doing numerous systems in Africa.  We designed and installed the first LiFePO4 system in Alaska when everyone said it would never work because it’s too cold.  The system has been running for close to 4 years.  Plus we installed the only VAWT that work.  Stanford University, through government grants,  installed many, many VAWT in Alaska and none of them have worked.  But as they told us, “we sure learned a lot”.  We have designed and installed hundreds of solar, hydro, wind LiFePO4 energy systems in CA, off grid and primary systems.  Plus many, many LiFePO4 systems taking people off the grid.  The future is energy independence.  Not grid tied, not utility and government controlled but truly independent and the future is here, now, ADVANCE!

​

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 have lived without conventional power since 1975. 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.

​

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 two large roof mounted solar arrays. One array is a utility interface system that feeds the grid during day. The other is an independent primary power system. The independent primary power system consists of a roof mounted PV array, industrial battery banks (180Kw), pure sine wave inverter (22 kW Exeltech), monitoring and safety gear. 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. If the primary power system requires additional power, it will automatically, at night, tap into some of our stored grid power. The grid tie solar system produces much more power in the summer than we use. This also allows us to tap into our stored grid power in the winter. Every kWh of power we send to the grid during summer days (peak power time) is worth 3 kWh during summer nights (off peak time) and 2 kWh during winter days (partial peak time). Our primary power system gives us energy independence and protects us from power surges, sags, spikes and most of all power outages.

​

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.

​

Ceramic Coatings

Advance Power Co. 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.

​

Wind Technology

Advance Power Co. Inc. is also heavily involved in wind technology. Our 5 kW wind turbine can be switched between grid tie and backup power production. In the summer we send our wind power to the grid. In the winter we send the wind power to our battery based primary power system. We will have this exciting technology available to our customers very soon. We are continually testing new wind systems and technologies. At present we are evaluating axial wind turbines. This exciting technology allows wind turbines to be placed in turbulent wind conditions, such as roofs, mountainous areas and areas where wind directions change regularly.

​

Hydro Electric Systems

Advance Power Co. Inc. also installs designs and services hydro electric 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 hydro electric systems. Advance Power continually strives to design power production systems to accommodate a wide verity of benefits.

​

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.

​

LED Lights

Power production is a major portion of energy independence, carbon reduction, and lowering the vulnerability to utility company pricing volatility. Power usage is also critical. Lighting in homes and businesses is a large part of energy consumption and heat production. AdvanceLED.com is the answer. The most efficient and economical way to solve all lighting needs. LEDs are over 50% more efficient than compact fluorescents (CFL). They don’t flicker, produce less heat, are fast start, don’t require ballasts, don’t contain mercury and are the most environmentally friendly way to solve any lighting task. Advance Power is LED lighting. Don’t be fooled by the CFL technology. Advance Power is one of the largest stocking distributors for world renowned LED manufacturers. As with all our energy related products we bring them to you with the knowledge and expertise of experience and at prices you can afford.