Grid-tied solar

[KiwiBro]

In case it matters to anyone, the discharge power ratings of the Tesla Powerwall batteries have doubled, without any increase in cost, before the first orders are even shipped. Energy capacity stays the same, so now you can empty them twice as fast.

So, I guess they now deliver a reasonable amount of power - 5kW continuous, 7kW peak (30 mins max).

 

[ultrarunner]

I was just reading similar... looks like the they are tweaking before final release.

 

[houstonscott]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHswxauDGVg - Video Tube for YouTube - iPhone/iPad

HS

 

[ultrarunner]

A lot depends on availability of power and at what cost...

I have a friend that is remote in Hawaii... he is totally off grid and believes it money well spent... last I checked he said 35 cent kW plus it would have cost 30k to run power from the grid... besides... the sun shines a lot where he is.

I just reviewed this months electric bill at work.... 13k at and average price of 22.5 cents per kW... summer rates have started plus peak tier pricing... not to mention load factor cost of $1800....

Many things to consider.

 

[houstonscott]

A lot depends on availability of power and at what cost... I have a friend that is remote in Hawaii... he is totally off grid and believes it money well spent... last I checked he said 35 cent kW plus it would have cost 30k to run power from the grid... besides... the sun shines a lot where he is. I just reviewed this months electric bill at work.... 13k at and average price of 22.5 cents per kW... summer rates have started plus peak tier pricing... not to mention load factor cost of $1800.... Many things to consider.

Having net metering is the key to making PV work. HS

 

[ultrarunner]

Have two problems with going solar at work...

One is the building only has 10 more years on the master lease.

Second I'm not sure how vulnerable the panels/hardware would be to theft.

I've had to cage and lock all kinds of things from Backflow Valves to HVAC cooling towers...

The metal thieves will try to get anything they can...

Today, one of my projects was to disable all outdoor electrical outlets... I've got calls early in the morning and found homeless using a hot plate in addition to charging their cell phones... only in America do homeless people have cell phones...

It's not the theft of power... it is the trash left behind and using doorways for toilets...

 

[houstonscott]

Have two problems with going solar at work... One is the building only has 10 more years on the master lease. Second I'm not sure how vulnerable the panels/hardware would be to theft. I've had to cage and lock all kinds of things from Backflow Valves to HVAC cooling towers... The metal thieves will try to get anything they can... Today, one of my projects was to disable all outdoor electrical outlets... I've got calls early in the morning and found homeless using a hot plate in addition to charging their cell phones... only in America do homeless people have cell phones... It's not the theft of power... it is the trash left behind and using doorways for toilets...

If you only use 12kwh a day I wouldn't do it. I did share your concerns about theft, and singling out your residence as a place that can afford such things brings issues too. My front is blocked by oak trees so the array can't really be seen from the road and shouldn't attract attention. HS

 

[ultrarunner]

The big qualifier here seems to be central A/C

Where I live, it is almost unheard of for single family and apartments... only larger Commercial with controlled ventilation like the Hospital where I work.

Drive 20 minutes away and every new home has Central A/C and most older ones now... except in the 60's and even 70's it was usually a single window unit...

My how times have changed.

 

[houstonscott]

The big qualifier here seems to be central A/C Where I live, it is almost unheard of for single family and apartments... only larger Commercial with controlled ventilation like the Hospital where I work. Drive 20 minutes away and every new home has Central A/C and most older ones now... except in the 60's and even 70's it was usually a single window unit... My how times have changed.

When I lived in Bay Area no one had AC. HS

 

[dave1949]

Some more storage battery news:

Intersolar Europe: Germany?s Sonnenbatterie races Tesla into US market | PV-Tech Storage

Grid-stabilising battery park goes online in northern Germany | PV-Tech Storage

I "think" battery integration into residential and grid systems will become common over time. I figure they are just scratching the surface now; learning how to utilize a new product/concept capability.

 

[ultrarunner]

Don't overlook electric cars as part of residential storage... there are already some that use the EV batteries for home power...

 

[MossRoad]

Here's another interesting article....
GM turns your old Chevy Volt battery into a whole-house UPS | ExtremeTech

 

[ultrarunner]

I remember the local news showcasing the San Francisco event...

Lots of folks with money are really into solar here in the Bay Area...

In 1970 I did a Science Fair project to demonstrate solar with my premise "Solar is the future"... got an A for my project.

Did set up 2000W inverters on the service vehicle as early as 1990...

 

[houstonscott]

I remember the local news showcasing the San Francisco event... Lots of folks with money are really into solar here in the Bay Area... In 1970 I did a Science Fair project to demonstrate solar with my premise "Solar is the future"... got an A for my project. Did set up 2000W inverters on the service vehicle as early as 1990...

Yeah nothing new about solar or any of this so called green stuff. Conservation, glass recycle, save the redwoods, save the whales, pollution cleanup, mulching, saving water, paper drives, were all in full gear in 1964 in Sunnyvale grade school! Young 20 types are 50 years late to the party. Seen it all 50 years ago. That's why I laugh when someone puts a battery on a wall and calls it futuristic. I hate to bust the chops of the younger types but the air, water, and pollution has already been cleaned up and solved by the 60 something's, it's done. HS

 

[buickanddeere]

HS pretty much has it covered. Most people don't understand how little capacity there is in an electric vehicle or tesla wall battery.
How does discharging an EV battery at night to operate your home make anything better? Power by day is more expensive and has a higher fossil generation mix. At night power is surplus, cleaner and lower priced.

 

[KiwiBro]

Two sides to most equations. Can bemoan storage energy density but perhaps there are better gains to be made on the other side of the equation. Take a look, for example, at average household energy needs in America compared to somewhere like Germany.

Also we seldom do enough modelling of our needs to work out how much and when. Instead many of use have come to expect the Max we will need at any one point to be available on call 24/7.

 

[ultrarunner]

True... all of my friends in Bavaria have very efficient wood fired boilers or ovens...

Here... wood heat is almost outlawed... here being California.

 

[KiwiBro]

True... all of my friends in Bavaria have very efficient wood fired boilers or ovens...

Here... wood heat is almost outlawed... here being California.

I wonder what Passivhaus sounds like when said with an American accent. Here in NZ, especially in the rural areas, the average housing stock is hopelessly inefficient. New builds are coming along and far more efficient but the whole concept hasn't really sunk into our consciousness let alone the legal framework enough.

 

[ultrarunner]

Simple steps can make homes more efficient...

One of the easiest is quality LED lamps that use existing Edison sockets.

Weatherstrip, Insulation, Improved Windows, etc are all steps...

Seen a lot managing Rental Property... as when tenants will turn the water heater to maximum or heat/cool with windows and doors open...

One case in point... I managed a small builing with one bedroom apartments... gas heat.

The elderly women that lived in one unit paid between $20 and $45 for utilities depending on summer or winter...

I later rented to a young 21 year old women with a daughter... she bitterly complained of $300 utility bills... standing in front of the house door was like opening an over door when baking... she was always in dressed like summer at the beach...

After she left... a young couple moved in and the bill was between $30 and $60...

Lifestyle is the one thing everyone can do something about...

I lived for many years in a 1200 square foot 3 br 1 ba home from 1922.... the electric service main was a single 30 amp Edison screw in fuse... never blew the fuse once...

Even today, in a 2300 square foot 4 br, 2 ba home from the 1959 my electric usage year round is 12 kWh per day...

 

[aczlan]

Simple steps can make homes more efficient...
One of the easiest is quality LED lamps that use existing Edison sockets.

One thing we are doing is replacing the 65w bulbs in the can lights (which need new trims anyway) with LED replacements (trim and bulb in one).
IMO, that should hold up better than LED PAR bulbs.

Aaron Z