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Angela Send message Joined: 16 Oct 07 Posts: 13130 Credit: 39,854,104 RAC: 31 |
Eric and I are scheduled for solar installation this coming spring. Solar installation is like the wild, wild west out here. The technology is moving fast, there is very high interest in our sunny area and there is not a lot of regulation yet. It took us a while to find two reputable companies to submit estimates. Random contractors call all the time offering to install solar, but if somebody is going to put holes in my roof, I want to make sure they know what they are doing. The company we are using predicts a break-even point for us in 4.2 years, and yes... I believe our meters will run backwards whenever we produce more energy than we use. This is likely in the summertime, less so in the winter. I remain mildly skeptical about the 4.2 year break even point. I think the calculations assume that I will have our front yard trees trimmed super aggressively initially and that I will keep them well trimmed all through the growing season. I am not planning to sacrifice all aesthetics in the name of energy efficiency. If our system breaks even in 5-7 years, I am fine with that. |
SciManStev Send message Joined: 20 Jun 99 Posts: 6653 Credit: 121,090,076 RAC: 0 |
I have planned a wind/solar system for several years now. With what I spend in electricity each month, $375-$475, a system would pay for itself in about 8 years. That includes solar panels, two 3000 watt mag-lev wind turbines, a huge bank of batteries, a charge converter, and a power inverter, all of the appropriate wattage. When I am fully converted, I can get rid of my oil heat, and propane water heater. The trick is to make the system handle everything. I get power outages here in the North East US, so not only would I be independent of power outages, but my monthly bill would be zero, or a surplus sold back to the utility company. As I grow older, this is a win-win situation. Steve Vic, I hope you can achieve this, as it is a really good thing. Warning, addicted to SETI crunching! Crunching as a member of GPU Users Group. GPUUG Website |
Carlos Send message Joined: 9 Jun 99 Posts: 29856 Credit: 57,275,487 RAC: 157 |
Sorry I missed a lot of this discussion. Vic, first don't buy one panel at a time. Panels degrade in storage and degrade even faster if exposed to light without a load. We put huge resistors on the rows of installed panels to bleed off the energy waiting for the interconnect. Remember I just finished building the worlds largest solar power plant. Topaz Solar Farms Also you would need to buy a new inverter each time you changed the energy configuration. So forget buying one this year then another next. Plus the panels made today will not be the panels made in a year. Our panels went from 75 watts each three years ago to 105 watt now and our R&D people expect to break the 200 watt mark…(sorry I was told I can’t say that). Second avoid thin film (stick on) panels. The panels need to be kept cool. The cooler the better, but stuck to a metal roof with no air flow would be bad. They might not last even a year in that condition. Our panels are thin film (Cad-Tel). I have all the technical documentation on this but it's propritary. Just don't do it. Third contact Grid Alternatives. They are a non-profit that installs solar power for economically disadvantaged people in California for free. They have an inland empire division. They might be able to help you if you ask. I have worked with them in San Luis Obispo County. I know they are now in Riverside. |
zoom3+1=4 Send message Joined: 30 Nov 03 Posts: 65762 Credit: 55,293,173 RAC: 49 |
I sent an email to Grid Alternatives, since they have installed systems in nearby Barstow CA, though they may still say I'm not in their area, I don't have anything to lose. The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's |
Blurf Send message Joined: 2 Sep 06 Posts: 8962 Credit: 12,678,685 RAC: 0 |
My brother has a full solar roof in the mountains outside Salt Lake City and is making a killing. If it wasn't for our gray falls I'd consider it |
zoom3+1=4 Send message Joined: 30 Nov 03 Posts: 65762 Credit: 55,293,173 RAC: 49 |
I received an email from the Grid Alternatives SASH program, I left the required info, now I wait. The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's |
Julie Send message Joined: 28 Oct 09 Posts: 34053 Credit: 18,883,157 RAC: 18 |
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The Simonator Send message Joined: 18 Nov 04 Posts: 5700 Credit: 3,855,702 RAC: 50 |
My parents just got in before the government killed the subsidies (by about a week). They have a large 16 panel system with a total theoretical output of 4kW. They get paid 21p/kWh generated, regardless of whether it's used in the house or goes to the grid (feed-in tariff). In the two years or so that it's been on the roof it has generated just over £1700 return, which at an installation cost of £11,000 is just under 13 years to break even. So one needs to stay in the house for quite a while to start saving money on such a system, fortunately my mother plans to leave the house feet first so that's not a problem. Life on earth is the global equivalent of not storing things in the fridge. |
Angela Send message Joined: 16 Oct 07 Posts: 13130 Credit: 39,854,104 RAC: 31 |
Eric and I are scheduled for solar installation this coming spring. We are not going solar with a primary goal of saving money, although of course that is a nice long term benefit! We are going solar because in sunny California it is the right thing to do, if one reasonably can, in order to reduce one's carbon footprint. A consideration of potential interest earned on capital expended was not part of the calculation that was done by the solar company. They reviewed, with our permission, only our energy bills paid out over a duration of one full year. If Eric and I did not have a primary "green" goal in mind with this installation, we might have taken other factors into consideration. |
Angela Send message Joined: 16 Oct 07 Posts: 13130 Credit: 39,854,104 RAC: 31 |
What will be the expected KW/H output on a good day? Based on our roof size and orientation our annual energy production is predicted at 6,529kWh. I don't know yet what a "good day" vs a "bad day" will look like. Our array is expected to measure 318 square feet. |
Dena Wiltsie Send message Joined: 19 Apr 01 Posts: 1628 Credit: 24,230,968 RAC: 26 |
What will be the expected KW/H output on a good day? Your numbers may vary but a square yard receives about 1000 watts of sun so at 10% conversion a square yard produces about 100 watts peak power. |
W-K 666 Send message Joined: 18 May 99 Posts: 19074 Credit: 40,757,560 RAC: 67 |
What will be the expected KW/H output on a good day? The real question is "Will you now have to do more cooking, to use all this "free" energy? |
Julie Send message Joined: 28 Oct 09 Posts: 34053 Credit: 18,883,157 RAC: 18 |
What will be the expected KW/H output on a good day? Is that your total yearly usage Angela? Seems a lot... A regular family of 4 people in Belgium uses around 3500 kWh without electrical heating. Of course, when your heating is on electricity, then the usage on your exclusive nightmeter can go up to 10000 kWh a year. rOZZ Music Pictures |
Julie Send message Joined: 28 Oct 09 Posts: 34053 Credit: 18,883,157 RAC: 18 |
our annual energy production is predicted at 6,529kWh Yes Chris, I see them everyday. Belgians are known though for their small ecological footprint:) rOZZ Music Pictures |
Julie Send message Joined: 28 Oct 09 Posts: 34053 Credit: 18,883,157 RAC: 18 |
UK figures Average gas consumption from a 4 people household would be 19000 kWh over here and believe it or not, Luminus makes a hell of a lot of money! They obtain their capital mainly because of their professional customers and their extra services like the Comfort Service. rOZZ Music Pictures |
zoom3+1=4 Send message Joined: 30 Nov 03 Posts: 65762 Credit: 55,293,173 RAC: 49 |
Ok after doing some searching for 1 whole years worth of electric bills, I know how many KW I used in 2013-2014... 6,852 KW And this is with just 1 PC with 1 gpu... I don't know what it will be like with, 3 PCs, using 20 gpus and 4 Platinum psus... The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's |
zoom3+1=4 Send message Joined: 30 Nov 03 Posts: 65762 Credit: 55,293,173 RAC: 49 |
3 PCs, using 20 gpus and 4 Platinum psus... They will be using up electricity, just being complete. Those might 3 might add another 1,679 KW + 6,852 KW = 8,531 KW. And I have no idea how much real central a/c would add, probably 200-500KW a month since 2 months are in the 400KW hour range, most are in the 500-800KW hour range. That's a guess on My part. This might require 6,000w of panels or 24 - 250w panels. The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's |
Julie Send message Joined: 28 Oct 09 Posts: 34053 Credit: 18,883,157 RAC: 18 |
3 PCs, using 20 gpus and 4 Platinum psus... My rigs use a lot as well, I used up around 3000kWh total on day and night meter and 6000 kWh on the Excl nightmeter the last year, I paid sufficient monthly invoices. I will get my yearly invoice in Februari with a credit of 533 euros! (made the calculation today) Woohoo!! rOZZ Music Pictures |
Mike Send message Joined: 17 Feb 01 Posts: 34258 Credit: 79,922,639 RAC: 80 |
3 PCs, using 20 gpus and 4 Platinum psus... I`m burning approx 10.000 KWH a year. 6000 is just my PC. With each crime and every kindness we birth our future. |
Julie Send message Joined: 28 Oct 09 Posts: 34053 Credit: 18,883,157 RAC: 18 |
3 PCs, using 20 gpus and 4 Platinum psus... Oh my... rOZZ Music Pictures |
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