Solar power eliminates utility bills in New Jersey home

Reuters on Yahoo ^ | 1/17/07 | Jon Hurdle

[NormsRevenge]

Engineer homeowner Mike Strizki carries a solar panel past an array of panels at the shop next to his residence in Hopewell, New Jersey, January 4, 2007. Strizki's conventional-looking family home in the pinewoods of western New Jersey is the first in the United States to show that a combination of solar and hydrogen power can generate all the electricity needed for a home. (Tim Shaffer/Reuters)

[Sherman Logan]

a number of hydrogen tanks that store the gas until it is needed by the fuel cell. In the summer, the solar panels generate 60 percent more electricity than the super-insulated house needs. The excess is stored in the form of hydrogen which is used in the winter -- when the solar panels can't meet all the domestic demand -- to make electricity in the fuel cell.

Very skeptical of this. My understanding is that hydrogen is really difficult, not to mention dangerour, to store, especially in volume. Is it stored in liquid form? If so, how is it compressed? If in gas form, I suepect it will take up a great deal of space.

[JerseyJohn61]

East Amwell is just a little west of me and I know of
at least three homes in my township who have already
installed this technology.

What I like the most is that any excess energy
produced by your home system, is sold back into
the power-grid.

The state is heavily subsidizing this program-which
in this state-usually spells disaster. We shall see....JJ61

[RussP]

Nuclear power would already be providing a much cleaner environment had the know-nothings not blocked it in the US.

See http://RussP.us/nucpower.htm

[Marie]

When the price drops to $15,000, you can count me in.

[null and void]

My solar array was $12K. I don't generate hydrogen, but the electrical portion of my PG&E bill is in the single digits.

[goldstategop]

Conventional energy is still cheaper and more affordable than the alternative "green" source. Until that equation changes, don't look for homeowners to switch anytime soon.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[neb52]

Do you have any links that provide information that is like your setup?

[RussP]

"Conventional energy is still cheaper and more affordable than the alternative "green" source. Until that equation changes, don't look for homeowners to switch anytime soon."

It's only a matter of time. The environuts are working overtime to drive up the cost of "conventional" energy so solar looks more attractive.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

What kind of panels did you use? I'd be curious to know if anyone on this forum has used solar roof shingles.

[null and void]

www.mcsolar.com

They installed my system. I have an inverter capable of supporting 3kW worth of panels, but only have 800W of polycrystalline panels installed.

When and if PUC allows peons to make money from "excess" electricity, I'll add 2 more sets of arrays.

[TKDietz]

A thousand square feet of solar panels works out to about 93 square meters worth. If they convert about 15% of the solar energy that hits them, they'll produce about 150 watts per square meter during peak sun hours. The amount of energy the panels are exposed to will vary throughout the day and with the weather and the seasons, but if it's a sunny spot that averages about five peak hours per day, his system will generate a little over 2000 kilowatt hours worth of electricity a month. At ten cents a kilowatt hour, he'll be producing a little over $200 a month worth of electricity. It would seem he'd have to barely use any energy at home to have enough left over to produce hydrogen to run his car. In order to live like the average homeowner and drive like the average driver I would think he'd have to have a lot more solar panels. It would be nice if you could be energy independent though, not subject to big price increases, not having to contribute to the operating capital of bad guys abroad, protected somewhat from outages (especially if you have the grid as a backup.)

[greasepaint]

I am very skeptical.

Enviro-wackos lie for a profession.

any details on the fuel cells, for the car and/or house?

I just don't believe this garbage.

[neb52]

There was an expo on that field area of the Capitol that displayed various energy efficient ideas for homes. This one of many that a University development. It is quit cool and looks to work well enough. It will need some years of use to get a real idea what it can do. These are not Enviro-wackos but engineers doing what engineers do, innovate and create. I don't like the idea of New Jersey government subsidizing this guys home, but what else is new.

[Straight Vermonter]

Strizki also uses the hydrogen to power his fuel-cell driven car, which, like the domestic power plant, is pollution-free.

If CO2 is a pollutant than water vapor is as well.

[wodinoneeye]

"25-year lifespan of the equipment" I doubt it.


Does it include paying the guy to knock all the snow off the roof every day during the winter ???

Need pictures to see details of how practical it is.


One point -- with an simple malfunction your 'storage tanks' become a pressurized hydrogen/oxygen bomb that can go off by spontaneous combustion and blow the house apart.
Consumer level (idiot proof) safety design is needed for this system.

Hopefully we will have solar panel roofs with the tiles as cheap as normal roofing materials (the wire rig would be another factor though). Even a system with no batteries could save alot of day-load power if it was cheap and widespread....

[neb52]

It would most likely be to much for a current home. but having it intergrated with the orginal design could prove fruitful.

[greasepaint]

without details, I have to assume they are lying.

or could be misinformation...

Could be, car is powered by conventional engine fueled
with hydrogen.....

owner says "hydrogen powered"
reporter writes it is powered by a fuel cell,

[SkyPilot]

Can it eliminate New Jersey property taxes?

[AmericaUnited]

The New Jersey project, also known as the Hindenburg Project...