PHOTOWHAT? b y Richard Gottlieb Besides hard to pronounce, photovoltaics or "PV" presents a number of challenges to both contractor and consumer. Even so, it's often the best choice for electrical power on remote sites. Nicely integrated PV installation in coastal Maine In my work as an installer of and consultant on photovoltaic systems, I often work with electrical contractors assigned to wire a home using photovoltaic power. After the initial "Photo-what ?" or better yet "Did you say 'photogalactics?'" most contractors settle down to a half-hour discussion, ending with "Oh, so we wire the same way, only with fatter wire." For the electrical contractor, it's usually as simple as that, In essence, what we do is bring solar electricity to the house (not unlike when
