For a Devotee of Solar Energy, a Shot at Earning Respect

NY Times ^ | October 27, 2007 | J. MICHAEL KENNEDY

[neverdem]

TACOMA, Wash., Oct. 22 — The sun was shining for a change, which was good news for Richard Thompson, known throughout these parts as Solar Richard.

“Pennies from heaven,” Mr. Thompson said as his electric meter spun round — in reverse.

Not that a shining sun is required for the meter to spin backward. An overcast sky does the job. The meter just spins a bit more slowly.

That would be the meter attached to Mr. Thompson’s house, painted sunshine yellow with a large solar panel out front next to the bedraggled remains of giant sunflowers — “organic solar trackers,” he calls them.

In the driveway sits Mr. Thompson’s ancient diesel-powered Volkswagen, with “Electricity From the Sun, Duh” emblazoned on one side. A solar-powered motor scooter sits next to two decrepit phone booths that are reminders of his past.

Not that many years ago, Solar Richard was simply Richard Thompson, a working stiff trying to make a buck. But since he began powering his home completely with solar power in 2001, he has been transformed into a certified character in this port city just south of Seattle. He is recognized on the street. He gives talks on solar energy to grade schools, and last February he traveled to Nigeria to address a conference on solar matters. His message is always the same: solar energy will save the planet, but the planet needs to get going.

“We could take out all the dams because we wouldn’t need them,” he said. “We could take out the nuclear plants and...”

--snip--

With some trepidation, Mr. Gilmour said, he hired Mr. Thompson to equip the house for solar energy. After spending $70,000 for parts and labor, Mr. Gilmour’s home also has reverse meter readings, along with plenty of hot water and a heated floor...

[hinckley buzzard]

A serious problem which complicates rational discussion occurs when people conflate two separate issues. In this case, decentralization via solar, and solar generation per se.

There will always be the need for large-capacity generating and grid infrastructure, no matter how many rooftop solar panels get installed. But the real future of solar will lie in large-scale installations, probably using thermal solar rather than photovoltaics, supporting the energy grid.

[steve-b]

Unless you’re trying to live out in the far hinterlands or setting up a survivalist self-sufficiency system, you don’t need batteries — it’s simpler to just sell surplus power to the grid during the day and tap the grid at night.

[steve-b]

Residences use more electricity when its dark out (most folks work in the day and come home at night to their household activities). If this person doesn't have batteries then he is selling electricity to the grid during the day and buying it back at night. This presents a problem for the utilities...and will lead to electricity being more expensive at night and cheaper during the day.

The biggest load peak is summer daytime air conditioning. As it happens, that's the very time when solar collectors feeding back into the grid produce the most power. If anything, this is helpful to the utilities.

Solar isn't going to replace main-load energy sources, but it does provide a useful supplement.