My wife and I have decided to put in some solar collectors (photovoltiac?) I emailed 7 venders on saturday, 5 days later, 1 email answer, no phone calls. We want to go grid connected with tracking on both planes and with battery backup. Thinking about 4 kw. My emails said this, gave phone numbers and stated that we have 3 other quotes for them to do for others. Can they all be so busy they just can't respond? Now that's the business to be in! We think 4kw will give us a very slight amount in our favor and the utilities must buy the power at retail until our 12 mo. production equals our purchases, after that they only need to pay cost and not retail. With this setup the meter will run backwards when we make more than we use and that is going to be GREAT to see, but the cost is high enough that trying to make money at it would be near impossible, especially at our lattitude. I'll keep you updated as this unfolds.
8) 8) 8)I'm going to be a power company 8) 8) 8)
We sold Solarex panels. Google them direct and see if they give you dealers. They did make solar panels using solar panels. They are in Maryland, i believe.
DanGit, just did the search and BP bought them out in 2001 heres the http://www.bp.com/modularhome.do?categoryId=4260&contentId=7004852
If you have a reasonable amount of wind at your location think about adding a wind turbine for a hybrid system. I believe wind is cheaper per KW for the initial investment than solar. There were some 30 KW wind turbines on ebay recently with tower and blades. I believe they were 3 phase but that can be converted.
Jason
I agree with Jason, go wind power if you can. But, if you really want solar then consider Schott's, www.us.schott.com/photovoltaic/english/. When I was working in the Pentagon's Energy Office, we had an outfit called Applied Power from the Boston area install a large,30 KW, PV array. But, Applied Power was bought out by a company in Seattle, who in turn was purchases by Schott's. Anyway, the product that was installed, both the PV cells and grid rated inverters turned out to be very reliable. BTW - Haven't had anything to do with them in five years, so I don't know if they are as good as Applied Power or not.
If yer gonna look into Wind Power, check out Bergey in Oklahoma City. We sold those also. Best machine on the market and pretty bulletproof. They were always talking about a 4 KW, but, I got away from the business and don't know if they made any. We sold 1KW and HAD a 10KW sold when I moved to Fl. Think Forklift Batteries for starters, and you can add the Synchronous Inverter. ;) ;D
Cost is high enough? What are you looking at in ball park numbers? How long do you estimate it will take to recover your cost?
Quote from: maple flats on October 05, 2005, 09:15:32 PM
We think 4kw will give us a very slight amount in our favor and the utilities must buy the power at retail until our 12 mo. production equals our purchases, after that they only need to pay cost and not retail. With this setup the meter will run backwards when we make more than we use and that is going to be GREAT to see, but the cost is high enough that trying to make money at it would be near impossible, especially at our lattitude. I'll keep you updated as this unfolds.
8) 8) 8)I'm going to be a power company 8) 8) 8)
Well it sounds like your government got it right. Our pisses and moans continually about coal fired plants and how they plan to shut them done. This is not such a bad idea but the hydro company has spent huge $$s on at least two coal plants making them almost as clean as gas and this government won't even look at that just coal bad therefore it must go. This issue is causing a huge power shortage in the province but there are a bunch of pencil pushers in Toronto that are afraid to make it too easy for us to generate our own power because we might actually do it. Then the government will have to write off billions of $s for their "stranded assets" the neclear plants that they are currently trying to brain wash us into thinking are the answers to all our problems.
Now they are talking about allowing us to buy smart meters which will allow us to track out usage of power to diffrentiate the price between peak and off peak times. This is the same technology that would be part of a two way meter but nooo..... they won't let us do that.
I would be careful about wind power. Yes they have a lower start up cost but I'm not convinced wind is cheaper than solar over the life of the equipment. I don't know anyone who has invested in solar who has given up on this alternative energy source. I know many who start with wind and either give up after a decade or so or switch to solar. The reason I'm given is maintaince and life span. Wind is just a lot more work than solar.
Solar technology is also advancing and cost per kw is coming done continually.
At my current location I would not try wind, but I plan to build a new home at my sugarhouse and I may try a small wind unit too. My tower would need to be about 75' or more because the land is flat and the woods completely surround the locations where I could put a tower, the trees are up at least 60' with a few upwards to 80'. I understand wind needs yearly maintainance and I would need to have a way to get the windmill down or me up to service. When and if I try wind I have looked at one at 900 watts called a whisper that looks pretty good. If I had a good wind sight I would go much bigger most likely. For now just thinking solar.
Wind gen MUST be 30 feet above any surrounding trees. Trees cause turbulance and you want "clean" wind. Crawlin up a 100 foot tower is nuttin. I suggested the Bergey Wind Gen. No maintance to speak of. Mighty good units and start at 1000 watts output AC or DC.
Now here's one for ya. ;D
Windmills in the Sky (http://www.popsci.com/popsci/science/ae7bf79cab965010vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd.html)
Pie in the sky. Too many uncontrollable forces. ::) ::)
Do you think someone ought to tell them that the jetstream moves all over the country? :D :D
-Doug
:D :D :D I wonder if they realized it spends a good deel of time up here in Canada also. I want my dibbs on the use of my airspace. ;D :D :D :D