Posted on 09/30/2014 9:23:07 AM PDT by Utilizer
Im pretty sure solar is a static rate and on a separate meter.
You make a good point, and now I am trying to think of a way to add on some sort of boiler to an external burner to generate at least a bit of electricity along with heat for this upcoming winter.
Perhaps a bit more research into the matter is called for...
I have been considering going totally solar-powered for some time now, but since I need not just cooling in the height of summer but electricity for heating in the winter makes the demand placed upon any solar source for the needs here make it very unlikely that I can achieve that with today’s current state of photovoltaic power generation capabilities and cost.
At any campsite I spend time at, if I do not have a small generator handy then pretty much the only thing I can run off of a portable solar panel or three is a small laptop. With, yes, rechargeable batteries for LED lights after dark. Very limited runtimes for each item as well.
I’ve been considering adding some panels here to help at least a bit with energy costs, but the zoning codes are confusing and the prices even for the very limited space available here are making that look like a losing proposition at the moment.
While it’s still in a sort of DIY geek stage, there are what appear to be reasonably priced thermoelectric generator units coming available, that can be placed on any source of heat such as a stove flue, with the temperature differential used to generate electricity. The most widely known commercial application of this to my knowledge would be those BioLite camp stoves with a USB port for charging cellphones and the like, but the thermoelectric units can be had individually for other uses. Here’s one source that popped up, no idea how reputable of a company they may be:
Thanks for the info. I did a quick bit of checking on the site but could find no information concerning it or what it was all about. Did not seem like the typical blog site, and the info in the article referenced seemed pretty well laid out with lots of information and links to follow up with.
If solar was such a great solution, why do most installations only get done with some government grant? My town as installed “at no cost to the taxpayer” solar panels on several municipal buildings. When questioned, the select critter refused to answer where the money came from.
I recently started selling solar in AZ. It makes sense to design a system that generates the power for the peak periods (noon to 7PM) when the cost of electricity is ~$.30/kWh w/taxes and fees. For my house my last bill was $128 vs $278 last month and $312 last year. Of course your mileage may differ, but my payback period is about 5 years when you include the 30% fed tax credit and $1000 AZ credit. Solar in this area helps sell itself.
No criticism intended. The content of the article should stand on its own, but I try not to give click traffic to unworthy websites, such as the NYT, WaPo, Puffinton Host, etc. I put Vox on that list also.
My roof here in S.E. Michigan was snow covered for at least 3 months straight last winter.......I don't think a solar panel would have helped much
Exactly. Whatever happened to all the complaints the left had with corporate welfare? These leftist millionaires are making hand over fist based on Gov't handouts.
Sheesh.
It appears to me that the intent is to drive up electric rates to make solar and wind cost competitive. In other words, it’s coming, like it or not, rational or not. The best anyone can do is to educate themselves on how to avoid this imposed cost. If it means taking advantage of subsidy, then it does. Off-grid solar is a commitment, it’s a lot of work. Lifestyle changes are necessary. That clothes dryer, dishwasher and even climate control as it has come to be understood really add to the cost of off-grid power generation. It feels as if we’re being herded into it, because we are. Just my take on it, could be wrong.
There are long-handled, soft bristle brooms specifically for clearing solar panels of snow. A sunny day with snow cover is good for generating electricity.
Understood. I did a bit of checking when I first chanced across the article, but could not find another source with similar material and it seemed to be well thought out. So, despite some misgivings about the vox site in particular I decided to take a chance and get some feedback not only on the article but about the subject itself since so many FReepers are interested in the topic.
The author took no political stance that I could catch on a quick skim-through, and provided a lot of interesting and linked information. Hope it helps.
If you do solar with a 12 volt system and keep good old fashioned lead acid batteries for storeage and generation at night and in bad weather you come out ahead all around. Personally if I could afford it I would have rooftop solar with batteries and a 6000 or so watt NatGas generator for backup. When hurricanes take out the electric system the gas usually stays on.
And where would go to get such a device???
It’s just a matter of time till utilities place an “upcharge” on power bills where rooftop solar is installed.
We are planning to install a solar system at our mountain house. We are putting all appliances on gas and a gas on demand water heater. That only leaves a small freezer, well pump, lights etc for the solar system to run. In GA it will work like a charm.
The utility will jack up rates no matter.
I put in a small 4 panel 400 watt system with 1000 amp hour of batteries for nighttime. During daylight I run all excess solar power to household devices. At night the batteries store enough to act as a solar generator for power outages which are frequent. My wife relies on an O2 machine so backup power is important. I do NOT grid tie to the utility, I make sure to use all excess power after batteries recharge from overnight.
I just did a summary of the first 9 months of this year compared to last year. In 2013 I used just over 19,000 kwh in 9 months and this year over 2,000 kwh less at just over 17,000 kwh. It worked out to about 10% kwh usage savings. BUT my 9 months billing only saved $45.00 because of rate hikes. In reality I saved almost $300.00 over the period that I would have paid for the 2,000 or so kwh if I had used it from the utility instead of solar.
Hard to win, but you can get ahead.
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