Replies to post #3459 on A.I.M. Users Bulletin Board (AIMUSERS)

[ButchB]

*** OFF TOPIC ***

ET, I have noticed a substantial increase in government owned "devices" around our hiways and biways. Most of these new devices are powered by solar power. This usually involves a small solar panel or several panels and sometimes batteries to store the days energy for later use. If you think about it, solar is their only option because it would cost them a fortune to run power to all of these devices!


This Alternative Energy subject has always interested me. I have been digging up my old research lately because I am about to build a new home. The reasons for "going solar" are still the same... It's not about payback or breakeven because it's still way more expensive that attaching to "the grid". Most people that go solar do it either because there is no "grid" where they are building or it will cost a fortune to extend the existing utility to their site and then they will still have monthly energy bills. The other reason to go solar is because you know that it's "the right thing to do" environmentally.

I plan to build my new house as energy efficient as possible. There are a bunch of great new ideas and products out there. I would love to use solar generated electricity and not even attach to the grid, or attach only as a backup, in my new house, but the simple fact of the matter is that I cannot afford to "do the right thing" as it would add $30,000 to $40,000 to the price of the home and the only way to justify that is if I think energy prices will skyrocket over the next 10-20 years. Some states (California) offer incentives to aid in the purchase of Alternative Energy equipment. I don't live in one of those states so I havent done the math but it makes it easier to justify.

I find it interesting that the government can subsidize an industry that is so bad for our environment and those of us that want to generate clean power cant afford to because the equipment is "too expensive"! If Solar power was cheaper to generate, the power companies would shut down the coal fired plants and build Solar plants because if they didn't their customers would!

I had better stop before my blood pressure starts to rise.

I have many thoughts on all of this but I doubt that all AIMers want to hear them. I can be reached at [e-mail] for further discussion!

Butch
Dallas, Texas

[Toofuzzy]

OT: Solar Demand.

First of all putting solar on a house at the present time is stupid. Spend the money on conservation. Sunfrost refrigerator,12v 10watt halogen (or LED) lighting,more insulation, plant trees instead of air coditioning etc. The money spent on conservation will save more money and energy than that spent on solar (at least till you get your useage down to what mine is).Only use solar if grid power is not available.

If you have a ultility to hook up to that is the way to go. A grid intertie system is perferable to using batteries but see first sentance above.

Solar REALLY makes sence for things that use batteries! Especially if you always use that thing where there is light (calculators, watch, radio etc)

If you have temporary portable equipment that you move around a lot that it would be expensive to bring power to like highway construction signs.

If you have remote equipment that uses relatively small amounts of power like radio repeters on mountain tops or navigation buoys.

But apparently the big demand for solar is overseas. Electricity really improves peoples lives but the standard of living is such that the cost of bringing grid power to a village is prohibitively expensive. Sometimes someone starts a small business that builds a fairly large system in a village and then charges people to charge their batteries.It allows an electric light to be used instead of kerosine and radios but the big use ends up being watching TV!

Amazingly a lot of solar equipment is sold in the middle east. It is a place that gets a lot of sun/day as apposed to a place like San Fransisco for instance (cloudy weather). The more sun the lower the cost of the power output.

If a family was given one 50W pannel that could provide 150- 200wh of electricity per day that would be enough for lighting, radio, charging flashlight batteries and other SMALL loads.The whole setup could cost $400 to $500 including batteries and wiring.Only a year or two pay for some people!!!!

Electricity is an amazing thing. The amount of power a person can generate with a bicycle generator is about 100w. If your electric bill is about $50/ month at .12/killowatt it would take 5 people pedaling 24hrs/day to provide your electrical useage. Could you afford to pay them?? Actually if you open up a health club you could get them to pay you!!!

To be truely cost effective (in the developed world)I think solar needs to get down to $2.00/w (It is now about $10.00/w for the whole system)Since everything else but the solar pannels(batteries, fusing, inverter) now cost $5.00/w I do not think that will happen without being tied to the grid. But solar does have its place which the ultilities are refusing to recognize. That is for peaking loads. Solar produces the most power when the ultilities need it most. When it is hot and sunny.It is also very modular.It is also very reliable. If you can not afford to be without power solar(with a battery bank) is the way to go.But then cost is no object.

As far as I know (which is not very much>>grin<<)Astropower is the only company making money making solar pannels.Most of the other companies are owned by oil companies. Kycera is a big electronics company.

toofuzzy