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Batteries
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Renewable Energy System Design Tools
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Home Solar Power Online Order / Quote Form
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Solar Water Pumping Calculator
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Solar
Power Site Assessment Form
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Stand Alone Power Systems (SAPS) -Determining your energy consumption |
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| Calculate
Your Energy Consumption & Costs The calculator uses a residential rate of 11.796 cents/kilowatt hour. Applicable taxes have been pre-calculated and will automatically populate on the bottom portion of the calculator (HST is 13%). These calculations do not include monthly charges. |
Are you connected
to the electricity grid?
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Do you need electricity
in places where it is not available? |
Online DC cable sizing tool, use this tool to determine thickness of cable required for your system. The right sized cable will give you the best efficiency! |
Solar pumping calculator - Use this tool to determine what kind of solar pump you'll need, how much solar power is required, and how much water will be delivered. |
Calculators
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Find Solar |
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FirstLook Wind and Solar Datasets through an APIWind And Solar Performance Assesment
3TIER's FirstLook
Prospecting tool is a powerful web-based application
that provides basic wind resource data for any
location worldwide and basic solar resource data
for any location in the Western Hemisphere. It
has become the "go-to" sales tool for
residential and commercial-scale renewable energy
installers and manufactures, helping them educate
customers on the value of their on-site renewable
resources, inform hardware and installation decisions,
and calculate returns-on-investment.
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A Performance
Calculator For Grid-Connected PV Systems - PV
WattsCalculates electrical
energy produced by a grid-connected photovoltaic
system. Created by researchers at the National
Renewable Energy Laboratory to enable experts to
obtain performance estimates for grid-connected
PV systems with the US. This solar calculator,
while getting many referrals on the web, appears
to be made by rocket scientists for rocket
scientists. It is very difficult to
use for the average consumer, but there are instructions
that can teach you the science behind the solar
calculations. more
info
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This is a very
complete and comprehensive solar calculator. This
calculator is almost identical o the Sharp and
Kyocera calculators below. It is built by Clean Power Research.
You definitely have to know your stuff to answer
all the questions, and to get an answer.
The nice thing about this solar calculator
is that it compares your costs to actually leasing
a system through SunPower.
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Sharp USA |
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Kyocera Clean Power Estimator Select the residential
option, and input your Zip Code to get
started. Does incorporate tax benefits.
This calculator is used by a number of websites,
and can be easily identified by the “cleanpower”
text in a webpage URL. We didn’t find this
solar calculator particularily useful for the
average consumer because it required you to put
in what you think the size of your PV System should
be (e.g. 4,000 Watts) and a cost per Watt (e.g.
$8 per Watt dc). We question whether the average
consumer trying to make a solar decision
knows this?
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Arizona (Phoenix) Residents |
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Southern
California Solar Calculator (Southern
Cal Edison & San Diego Gas Electric) Heritage Solar offers a solar calculator that is easy
to use and provides savings information for ”small”,
“medium” and “large” installation scenarios.
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The
Solar Programs Options Tool (SPOT) |
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The PVWatts Solar Calculator
The purpose of this tool is to allow you to calculate how much energy
will be produced by photovoltaic solar panels in a geographical
area. It takes into account the amount of sun in the area
and average electric rates.
To start the PV Watts Calculator from National Renewable Energy Laboratory
(NREL), please click here:
The
PV Watt Photovoltaic Solar System Performance Calculator
See Also:
Tilt
and Angle Orientation of Solar Panels
Other Energy Calculators and Tools:
Clean
Power EstimatorTM is
an economic evaluation software program the California
Energy Commission is licensing for use from Clean Power
Research. The program provides California residential
and commercial electric customers a personalized
estimate of the costs and benefits of investing in a photovoltaic
(PV) solar or small wind electric generation system.
The
program takes into consideration customer-specific information
in order to provide the best estimate of a given system's
costs and benefits. This information includes the estimated
cost of the particular system under consideration, the
customer's location, electric rate schedules, and other
customer information.
List of Decision-Making
Tools from the U.S. Department of Energy
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/decision_tools.html
FindSolar.Com Solar
Estimator - The Solar Estimator is meant only to give
you an idea of price, savings and system size.
http://www.findsolar.com/
The CECPV
Calculator is a detailed hourly calculation
tool based on the 5-parameter model developed by Dr. Beckman's
group at the University of Wisconsin, incorporating detailed
inverter performance modeling and uses the weather data
from the 16 climate zones in California
Here are some decision-making tools to aid you
in the process of learning about and using energy-efficient
and solar electric technologies and products. Your home's
energy efficiency is very important; because energy efficiency
reduces the costs of energy use, it should be taken into
consideration as you decide on the best solar electric
power system for your needs. In fact, we recommend making
your house as energy efficient as possible before considering
a photovoltaic or PV system, because
then you might not need such a large system, especially
for heating and cooling.
This list of computer software programs can help you analyze your home's energy use and the impact of energy-efficient design features.
DSIRE is a comprehensive source of information on state, local, and selected federal incentives that promote renewable energy.
Here are some resources on installing a solar pool-heating system, including financing and incentives, solar resources, orientation of the pool and collector, and state and community codes.
Energy
Savers: Tips on Saving Energy and Money at Home
This online guide can help you make your home more
energy efficient.
Energy
Star® Home Improvement Toolbox
These tools can help you save money and energy when
remodeling, repairing, or improving your home. Energy
Star® Products
Here's a list of appliances, electronics, and building
products that meet Energy Star's rigorous energy efficiency
requirements.
FindSolar.com
Solar Estimator
Estimate the price, savings, and system size of solar
energy systems to produce electricity, heat your water,
or heat your spa or pool. From the American Solar Energy
Society, the Solar Electric Power Association, Energy
Matters LLC, and the U.S. Department of Energy
Home
Energy Saver
To use this online do-it-yourself home energy audit
tool, all you need is your zip code. Based on your zip
code, the tool can tell you how you can make your home
more energy efficient.
NASA's
Surface Meteorology and Solar Energy Data
This is a renewable energy resource web site sponsored
by NASA's Earth
Science Enterprise Program that contains over 200
satellite-derived meteorological and solar energy parameters,
monthly averaged from 10 years of data, and data tables
for a particular location.
The RReDC provides information on several types of renewable
energy resources in the United States, in the form of
publications, data, and maps.
RETScreen
Renewable Energy Project Analysis Software
This free software can be used worldwide to evaluate
energy production, life-cycle costs, and reductions in
greenhouse gas emissions for various types of renewable
energy technologies.
The North American Insulation Manufacturers Association
provides information on how to lower your energy usage
by properly insulating your home. Included are calculators
to determine your energy savings through home insulation,
and ways to determine the recommended amount of insulation
depending on the state you live in. The site also includes
resources on state financial incentives for installing
and purchasing insulation.
Six Easy Steps To Estimate Cost of a Solar
Power System
Solar power energy
systems are not inexpensive. That said it's important
to compare them within context of other types of home
improvement projects. Home buyers and realtors view a solar photovoltaic or solar hot water heating system as a significant
value-added improvement – similar to adding a deck or
remodeling your kitchen. Plus unlike a deck or kitchen
remodel, you also gain one-up on your power bills with
significant solar
energy savings over the life of the system.
Solar power systems
often get an additional financial boost as well: many
jurisdictions and utilities across the USA offer attractive financial
incentives to drive down the upfront capital costs
associated with a solar power system.
Here are some foolproof
ways to estimate the cost of a solar photovoltaic or solar
thermal system and to figure out if a solar energy
system makes sense for you. Let's start with a home photovoltaic
(PV) system.
Step 1: Estimate your home's electricity needs
New Home Construction
If you
are constructing a new home, then you'll need to estimate
your demand based on the type of equipment you plan to
install and your home's square footage. The pross call
this "your load".
To figure
out your anticipated load, create a table to record the
watt use for each appliance. Each appliance – be it a
water heater, electric light, computer, or refrigerator
– should have a nameplate that lists its power rating
in watts. Or you can get the information from the manufacturer's
website.
Some
labels list amperage and voltage only; to obtain watts
multiply the two together (amperage x voltage = watts).
In another column, record the number of hours each appliance
is expected to operate. Then multiple the watts and hours
together to estimate watt-hours used per day. Since it's
hard to anticipate all electric loads (it may get tedious
scouting out every toothbrush and mobile phone cell charger),
you might want to add a multiplier of 1.5 to be safe.
To get started,
it's good to have a sense of how much electricity you
use. You'll have a better point for comparison if you
find out how many kilowatt
hours (kWh) you use per day, per month, per year.
Your utility bill should include that information.
Of course, the
utility bill will also display your costs and many utilities
include a graph that displays how your monthly energy
use/cost varies throughout the year. That helps you estimate
where your highest energy use is and at what time of year.
Step 2: Anticipate the future
In 2005, average
residential electricity rates across the USA ranged from
about 6 to nearly 16 cents per kilowatt hour depending
on where you lived. Average retail and commercial electricity
rates have increased roughly 30% since 1999 and the upward
trend will likely continue especially as costs for the
coal and hydropower used to generate that electricity
rise as well.
So think about
your home electricity needs and present and future cost
in relation to one another. Here's a quick chart comparing
2005 average electricity rates in several states around
the country to estimated future rates 20 years from now
(a conservative estimate for the lifespan of a PV system).
For sake of comparison, we assume a home uses 1,100 kilowatt
hours of electricity per month.
State
|
2005 Average Electricity Rate |
2005 Yearly Cost
|
2025 Average Electricity Rate |
2025 Yearly Cost
|
Arizona
|
8.9 cents
|
$1,170
|
28.4 cents
|
$3,751
|
California
|
12.5 cents
|
$1,652
|
40.1 cents
|
$5,296
|
Colorado
|
9.0 cents
|
$1,996
|
29.1 cents
|
$3,835
|
Massachusetts
|
13.4 cents
|
$1,769
|
43.0 cents
|
$5,673
|
Maryland
|
8.5 cents
|
$1,122
|
27.3 cents
|
$3,598
|
New Jersey
|
11.7 cents
|
$1,544
|
37.5 cents
|
$4,953
|
New York
|
15.7 cents
|
$2,072
|
50.4 cents
|
$6,646
|
Texas
|
10.9 cents
|
$1,439
|
35.0 cents
|
$4,614
|
Step 3: How much sun do you get?
The Florida Solar
Energy Center has conducted a study to examine how a 2-kW
photovoltaic system would perform if installed on a highly
energy efficient home across the continental USA.
The study accounted
for all factors that impact a PV system's performance
such as the temperature effect on the photovoltaic cells, the amount of sun peak hours
in various regions, and the efficiency of inverter to
convert solar derived energy from DC to AC. The image
to the right depicts the results.
As the image illustrates,
solar photovoltaic systems work just about anywhere in
the US. Even in the Northeast or in "rainy Seattle",
a pv system can pencil out if
designed and installed properly. In New York or New Jersey,
a one kilowatt system should produce about 1,270 kilowatt
hours of electricity per year, in Seattle, a one kilowatt
system should produce about 1,200 kilowatt hours per year.
In the Southwest, of course, those ratios will be much
greater.
Verified Solar Installers in your area can help
determine the best size for your solar photovoltaic system.
Peak Solar Maps
To view new photovoltaic potential and solar resource
maps and data for Canada, go to Natural Resources Canada website [link] Annual Mean Daily
Solar Radiation (Megajoules per square metre) Incident
on a South-Facing Surface Tilted at an Angle Equal to
the Latitude of the Location
January
|
February
|
March
|
April
|
May
|
June
|
July
|
August
|
September
|
October
|
November
|
December
|
Annual
Understanding
these figures:Solar
irradiance is the intensity of solar radiation
received on a surface at a given time. It is usually expressed
in Watts per m2. Irradiance varies from zero
at sunrise to a maxiumum at solar noon.Insolation is the amount
of solar energy received on a surface over a period of
time. It is usually expressed in units of kilowatts-hours
per square metre (kwH/m2), "peak sun hours",
megajoules per square metre (MJ/m2) or Langleys
(L), for the given period such as a day or hour.
1 kWh/m2
|
= 1 peak hour
|
|
= 3.6 MJ/m2
|
|
= 0.00116 L
|
Daily
values of insolation are usually presented as monthly
averages for different latitudes, tilts and specific locations
(to allow for differences in weather effects).The most
common measure of insolation used is 'peak sun hours'.Numbers
on figures indicate the average daily number of peak sunlight
hours for the given month/time period.
Step 4: Size your system
Also as a side
note, here's a rule of thumb to remember to help you estimate
the physical space your PV system might need: one square
foot yields 10 watts. So in bright sunlight, a square
foot of a conventional photovoltaic panel will produce 10 watts of power. A 1,000
watt system, for example, may need 100 – 200 square feet
of area, depending on the type of PV module used.
Step 5: Know your rebates
Many states and
local jurisdictions offer rebates, tax credits and other
types of incentives to homeowners for installing residential photovoltaic and solar domestic water systems. To view a
comprehensive database of the incentives available for
renewable energy visit Governmental
Incentives & Grants Link
At the Federal
Level, you can take advantage of a 30% tax credit (of
up to $2,000) for the purchase of a residential solar
system at least until December 31, 2008. Starting at the
beginning of 2009 the 30% tax credit will NOT have a cap.
Step 6: Run the numbers
Although the cost
for a solar PV system will depend on the size of the system
you intend to install, your electricity rate, the amount
of kilowatt hours you expect to generate, and the state/local
rebates/tax credits that may be available, the formulas
for calculating the returns are pretty much the same.
For those who appreciate
having the formulas, use the ones listed below to do a
quick ballpark estimate of how much a solar photovoltaic system might cost you.
Initial Investment
|
|
|
Retail Price for Solar Photovoltaic System |
+
|
Building Permits
|
-
|
$2,000 Federal Tax Credit
|
-
|
State or Local Tax Credit or Rebate
|
-
|
Utility Rebate or Other Incentive
|
=
|
Net Investment
|
Annual Electricity Bill Savings
|
|
|
Kilowatts of electricity generated from
PV per year
|
x
|
Kilowatt hours used per year
|
=
|
Annual Kilowatt energy from the PV system
|
|
|
|
Annual Kilowatt energy from the PV system
|
x
|
Current Residential Electricity Rate
|
=
|
Annual $$ Saved
|
Net Metering or Resource Conservation Credits (where applicable)
|
|
|
Yearly Excess PV Energy Produced
|
x
|
$$ credit applied per watt
|
=
|
Annual Value from Net Metering
|
Of course, a more
accurate assessment can be made by a pro. Work with a solar power contractor to size and price the
right system for you. As is true with any major purchase,
don't hesitate to ask for several bids from different
contractors.
Of course, a more
accurate assessment can be made by a pro. Work with GreenerEnergy.ca
and Verified Solar Installer to size and price the right
system for you. As is true with any major purchase, don't
hesitate to ask for several bids from different contractors.
GreenerEnergy.ca has an extensive Solar Directory of professional installers ready to assist
you with your home or commercial solar project.
- Total
cost to make the system operational (labor cost for
design and installation and equipment costs)
- Equipment
(Make and Model)
- Warranty
info
- Permit
costs, if needed
- Tax,
where applicable
- Federal
tax credits
- State
or local jurisdiction tax credits or rebates
- Utility
rebates
- Expected
Renewable Energy Certificates or Net metering credits
- Expected
operation and maintenance costs
- Projected
savings
Solar
Thermal (also called Solar Hot Water)
Solar thermal systems
capture the sun's energy to heat water and are one of
the most cost-effective renewable energy systems. They are used to heat hot water
tanks and/or a heating system. A solar
pool heating system is another type of solar thermal
system designed specifically to heat a pool or hot tub.
Generally it's
worth investigating the economic viability of installing
a solar hot water system if you have an electric water
heater with utility rates of at least 5 cents per kilowatt
hour and have tax credits or rebates available. (It may
even be worth changing out a gas-powered water heater
if your costs are at least $8/million BTU).
The formulas for
costing out a solar water heater system are
similar to estimating the cost for installing solar PV system. Many solar energy professionals can help you
determine what system might work best for you.
Heating
Your Swimming Pool with Solar Power
Although few jurisdictions
provide financial incentives for using solar
energy to heat a swimming pool or hot tub, in general,
using solar power to heat your pool is a "no-brainer"
from a return on investment standpoint.
The electricity
used to heat a pool during the swimming season often amounts
to the same amount of energy that homes-without-pools
consume over a year. Combining a solar thermal system
to generate heat for the pool with a solar thermal pool
cover to retain the heat generated can further maximize
efficiencies and extend your swimming season.
Most installers
recommend that a solar collector used to heat a pool is
sized at roughly half the square footage of your pool
surface area. Solar thermal panels typically last 10 –
20 years and come with a 10-year warranty.
How long it takes
to break even on the cost of your solar
power pool system depends on where you live. In California
or other parts of the Southwest, you'll break even in
1 to 3 years but places as "far north" as Canada,
a solar pool heating system pencils out over a slightly
longer period of time.
System
Power Yeilds
Below are details
for different sized system options, costs and performance
based on your electricity consumption and geographical
location.
Grid Connect Solar Systems
1
kW - 1.5
kW - 2 kW - 2.5
kW - 3 kW - 3.5
kW
4
kW produces more solar electricity than
is used
4.5
kW produces more solar electricity than
is used
5
kW produces more solar
electricity than is used
1.02 kW grid connected solar system
- Unshaded
south facing roof space required 8 m2
- Yearly
power generation 1489 - 2606 kWh, depending on your
area.
· Greenhouse gas emission reduction 1936 - 3388 kg per
year, depending on your area.
System specifications
|
grid connect solar inverter |
Warranty on Solar Panels
|
25 years
|
System annual output
|
|
Greenhouse gas emission
reduction
|
|
Expected annual energy consumption after install
|
4274 kWh per year
|
Energy consumption reduction
|
26.82%
|
1.53 kW grid connected solar system
- Unshaded
south facing roof space required 12 m2
- Yearly
power generation 2234 - 3909 kWh, depending on your
area.
- Greenhouse
gas emission reduction 2904 - 5082 kg per year, depending
on your area.
System specifications
|
grid connect solar inverter |
Warranty on Solar Panels
|
25 years
|
System annual output
|
|
Greenhouse gas emission
reduction
|
|
Expected annual energy consumption after install
|
3491 kWh per year
|
Energy consumption reduction
|
40.22%
|
2.04 kW grid
connected solar system
- Unshaded
south facing roof space required 16 m2
- Yearly
power generation 2978 - 5212 kWh, depending on your
area.
- Greenhouse gas emission reduction 3872 - 6776 kg per
year, depending on your area.
System specifications
|
grid connect solar inverter |
Warranty on Solar Panels
|
25 years
|
System annual output
|
|
Greenhouse gas emission
reduction
|
|
Expected annual energy consumption after install
|
2708 kWh per year
|
Energy consumption reduction
|
53.63%
|
2.55 kW grid connected solar system
- Unshaded
south facing roof space required 20 m2
- Yearly
power generation 3723 - 6515 kWh, depending on your
area.
- Greenhouse
gas emission reduction 4840 - 8470 kg per year, depending
on your area.
System specifications
|
grid connect solar inverter |
Warranty on Solar Panels
|
25 years
|
System annual output
|
|
Greenhouse gas emission
reduction
|
|
Expected annual energy consumption after install
|
1925 kWh per year
|
Energy consumption reduction
|
67.04%
|
3.06 kW grid connected solar system
- Unshaded
south facing roof space required 24 m2
- Yearly
power generation 4468 - 7818 kWh, depending on your
area.
- Greenhouse
gas emission reduction 5808 - 10164 kg per year, depending
on your area.
System specifications
|
grid connect solar inverter |
Warranty on Solar Panels
|
25 years
|
System annual output
|
|
Greenhouse gas emission
reduction
|
|
Expected annual energy consumption after install
|
1142 kWh per year
|
Energy consumption reduction
|
80.45%
|
3.57 kW grid connected solar system
- Unshaded
south facing roof space required 28 m2
- Yearly
power generation 5212 - 9121 kWh, depending on your
area.
- Greenhouse
gas emission reduction 6776 - 11858 kg per year, depending
on your area.
System specifications
|
grid connect solar inverter |
Warranty on Solar Panels
|
25 years
|
System annual output
|
|
Greenhouse gas emission
reduction
|
|
Expected annual energy consumption after install
|
359 kWh per year
|
Energy consumption reduction
|
93.85%
|
4.08 kW grid connected solar system
- Unshaded
south facing roof space required 32 m2
- Yearly
power generation 5957 - 10424 kWh, depending on your
area.
- Greenhouse
gas emission reduction 7744 - 13552 kg per year, depending
on your area.
System specifications
|
grid connect solar inverter |
Warranty on Solar Panels
|
25 years
|
System annual output
|
|
Greenhouse gas emission
reduction
|
|
Expected annual energy production after install
|
424 kWh per year
|
4.59 kW grid connected solar system
- Unshaded
south facing roof space required 36 m2
- Yearly
power generation 6701 - 11727 kWh, depending on your
area.
- Greenhouse
gas emission reduction 8712 - 15246 kg per year, depending
on your area.
System specifications
|
grid connect solar inverter |
Warranty on Solar Panels
|
25 years
|
System annual output
|
|
Greenhouse gas emission
reduction
|
|
Expected annual energy production after install
|
1207 kWh per year
|
5.1 kW grid connected solar system
- Unshaded
south facing roof space required 40 m2
- Yearly
power generation 7446 - 13031 kWh, depending on your
area.
- Greenhouse
gas emission reduction 9680 - 16940 kg per year, depending
on your area.
System specifications
|
grid connect solar inverter |
Warranty on Solar Panels
|
25 years
|
System annual output
|
|
Greenhouse gas emission
reduction
|
|
Expected annual energy production after install
|
1990 kWh per year
|
# Data Source:
NASA (using ground and satellite climate data)
NOTE: Information
above is based on your inputs and is a a guide as to the
renewable energy equipment required. Please consult
an GreenerEnergy.ca representative for more detailed
information.
Determining Your Electricity Consumption
Two methods for
determining energy consumption are available. Calculate
Your Energy Costs
Option 1 - look at your current
electricity bill
To determine your
energy consumption you can look at your electricity bill
and get your average daily energy usage, usually measured
in kilowatts (kWh)
Note: The average household uses about 16 kWh per day
Option 2 - Custom energy consumption
details
If you do not have
your electricity bill, or plan on changing your energy
consumption you can fill out the load analysis tables
below.
Electrical
load analysis
The load analysis
will assist you in determining your load and calculating
energy use. It lists power requirements (loads) of typical
lights and appliances used in the various rooms of your
house.
The total energy
consumed per day is calculated by multiplying the rating
of the appliances by the number of hours that they are
used. It is measured in watt-hours per day.
Add
ALL the appliances that you plan to power with this renewable
energy system.
Tip: 24 hours = 1440 mins, 12 hours = 720 mins, etc
 |
FAQ
s
|
|
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WORLD
INCENTIVES & GOVERNMENT GRANTS
|
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DESIGN
TOOLS -
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