Author: Gismo Power Staff Published: 5/19/2022 https://gismopower.com/
The Photovoltaic Deployment Technology for Drive
OUR TEAM
Antonia, President Elliot Vasquez , Marketing and Information Management
Achim, Vice President of Engineering Erika, Chief Operations Officer
Board of Advisors
Foster Swartz Crystal Rose, Ph Gary Kalmanovich, PhD
GismoPower™ is neither rooftop nor ground-mount solar
★ Portability
GismoPower™ is a transformative and enabling technology where rooftop and ground-mount solar do not fit. GismoPower integrates the functionality of a portable canopy on wheels, a high-power bifacial solar PV system and a powerful Class 2 EV-Charger. (US-Utility Patent App. 17326687, filed by Central Coast Patent Inc. Watsonville/CA).
Until now, residential solar system owners had to choose between two photovoltaic deployment methods: Ground mounted structures, which require large tracts of single-use real estate, and “Rooftop”, requiring costly, custom-engineered installations with onerous permitting procedures.
No dedicated single-use real estate area is needed for GismoPower. Fitting neither existing category, GismoPower can be wheeled into garages and barns during adverse weather conditions. This mobile racking system will open the solar PV market to renters and people on the move.
Solar installation companies can increase productivity by deploying several standardized GismoPower systems per day via flatbed trailer, instead of getting caught in unexpected complications during tricky customized rooftop installations which sometimes require dangerous, acrobatic efforts at elevated heights.
The secret sauce to GismoPower is its “Solar On Wheels™.” Heavy-duty caster wheels allow the individual racks to be elevated and wheeled around without major effort. The Inverter/EV-Charger can either be mounted to a close by wall or fixed to its own portable cart using an extension cord. Bad weather ahead? Simply lower the side panels and wheel it into the garage. The car still fits underneath.
The metal racks can optionally be anchored and bolted on asphalt or concrete surfaces. The solar panels pivot up when deployed, and are folded down when the unit is wheeled into a garage or shelter. Florida is notorious for its hurricanes, but look at what just happened with hurricanes in New York & Connecticut and other high wind events in the rest of the nation. GismoPower will give its owners a chance to “unplug and store” beforehand, instead of “install and pray” during storm events.
★ Plug & Play
GismoPower includes solar panel racks, solar panels and UL-1741 certified electronics which conform to the latest distributed generation rapid shutdown safety standards. Customers can choose to assemble the system components themselves, or employ an established solar installer company or a licensed electrician.
Unlike with roof-top solar systems or fixed solar carports, GismoPower allows convenient access to panels, module-based electronic components and wiring for trouble-shooting, maintenance and upgrades. A detailed assembly manual will be provided.
According to a new report from the HTW Berlin – University of Applied Sciences, and German consumer association Verbraucherzentrale NRW, more than 190,000 plug-in solar devices have been installed in Germany in recent years. In 2020 and 2021 alone, up to 128,000 of these photovoltaic systems, with a total output of up to 51MW, were added.
Der Markt für Steckersolargeräte, HTW Berlin, 2022
Quo Vadis Steckersolar, B. Preaetorius, R. Hoelger, 2021
★ Power
The first GismoPower prototype system contains 24 bifacial 375W Solar Panels and can deliver about 14,410KWh per year in SW-Florida. This means that one GismoPower system is powerful enough to generate the entire yearly electricity consumption of an average household in the Southern United States
One of GismoPower’s primary design goals is to create technology which pays for itself quickly, so the team has avoided costly battery backup technology for now. The present electric system was intentionally designed to operate “grid-tied,” but it is of course possible to combine a GismoPower version with different electronic components to operate “off-grid,” and this concept can be pursued in the future, funds permitting. The team understands that a version equipped with battery backup and V2X technologies would be especially helpful for disaster response or in remote locations without reliable electric grid connection.
★ Permitting
On January 13th 2022, the Florida Solar Energy Center approved the FSEC 203-17 certification for the portable and unmounted 4.12KW GismoPower device.
For well over a decade, the Sarasota County Department of Planning & Development Services has continued to be embroiled in corruption and misconduct scandals, involving former Building Officials Kathy Croteau and Greg Yantorno as well as a former code enforcement officer.
Disregarding our state-wide FSEC 203-17 certification, the Sarasota County Building Official unreasonably withholds our photovoltaic permit application.
Pursuant to Florida Land Use and Environmental Dispute Resolution Act (“FLUEDRA”) we filed a petition against unreasonably withholding Solar Photovoltaic Permit Application 21 177673 00 BI.
The Sarasota County Attorney responded to some of the issues raised in our FLUDRA petition.
A public hearing is scheduled for May 21st 2022 1:30PM in Conference Room 1, 1001 Sarasota Center Boulevard, Sarasota 34240 and we encourage everyone to attend.
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Florida Statute 163.04
Energy devices based on renewable resources.
(1) Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter or other provision of general or special law, the adoption of an ordinance by a governing body, as those terms are defined in this chapter, which prohibits or has the effect of prohibiting the installation of solar collectors, clotheslines, or other energy devices based on renewable resources is expressly prohibited.
(2) A deed restriction, covenant, declaration, or similar binding agreement may not prohibit or have the effect of prohibiting solar collectors, clotheslines, or other energy devices based on renewable resources from being installed on buildings erected on the lots or parcels covered by the deed restriction, covenant, declaration, or binding agreement. A property owner may not be denied permission to install solar collectors or other energy devices by any entity granted the power or right in any deed restriction, covenant, declaration, or similar binding agreement to approve, forbid, control, or direct alteration of property with respect to residential dwellings and within the boundaries of a condominium unit. [..]
