The Sun Rises on Solar Power

 

Bronze Member
Username: Kent_island50

Post Number: 100
Registered: Mar-11
The price of solar electric systems has fallen rapidly in recent years, making solar energy more accessible than ever. In 2010, the installed cost of residential and commercial solar photovoltaic power systems fell by 17 percent from the previous year, falling an additional 11 percent in the first half of 2011, according to a report by the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). So is now the time to take the plunge?



Well, such statistics don't mean that solar power systems are cheap. The average cost nationwide last year was $6.20 per watt, says Ryan Wiser, a Berkeley Lab scientist. An average-size home (about 2,000 square feet) generally requires a 5-kilowatt system -- approximately a $31,000 investment.



"There's a large up-front cost, but there's also economies of scale," Wiser says. "The cost per unit on a smaller system will be higher." So if you opt for more power -- say, a 10-kilowatt system -- the price per watt will be substantially lower. Your circumstances could also help: It's cheaper to install a system on new construction versus an existing home.

A Consumer's Guide

http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy04osti/35297.pdf
 

Diamond Member
Username: Nydas

Post Number: 22479
Registered: Jun-06
Excellent PROGRAM : Must Watch how the sun rises on poor people.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qqqVwM6bMM

The cost is much much lower and the installers are much more versatile.
 

Silver Member
Username: Kent_island50

Post Number: 105
Registered: Mar-11
Anyone interested in Solar Panel Kit
http://www.harborfreight.com/45-watt-solar-panel-kit-90599.html
 

Diamond Member
Username: Nydas

Post Number: 22546
Registered: Jun-06
Are you kidding?
45 Watt Solar Panel Kit claiming to power computer, TV, etc.
A desktop computer requires over 120 watts as a bare minimum.
Even a 22" TV requires at least 80 watt and more like 120 watts of power, and most people have at least a 32" TV
 

Silver Member
Username: Kent_island50

Post Number: 106
Registered: Mar-11
nydas

Diamond Member
Username: Nydas

Post Number: 22546
Registered: Jun-06


Nydas posted on Sunday, January 29, 2012 - 19:07 GMT

Are you kidding?
45 Watt Solar Panel Kit claiming to power computer, TV,
Excuse me where did you read that?

A desktop computer requires over 120 watts as a bare minimum.
Even a 22" TV requires at least 80 watt and more like 120 watts of power, and most people have at least a 32" TV
 

Diamond Member
Username: Wingmanalive

Www.stainles... .ecrater.com

Post Number: 25306
Registered: Jun-06
The output of any off grid solar system is directly related to the size of the battery bank. 45 watts in panels is tiny indeed and would take several days if not longer to charge a battery bank that could power items like a tv or computer. Just like in automobile electrical systems there is no substitution for production.

You CAN, however, do this. The battery bank is there to supply the constant voltage to the inverter, which provides power to your devices at the correct voltage. It's inevitable however that if your consumption of power exceeds your production then your devices will fail eventually and you risk damaging your batteries if they are not deep cycle. Small systems like those are for shed lights or small outdoor landscaping lighting.

I used to have a small solar setup that I used sparingly to power my 52" tv among other appliances. My bank was a modest 210 amp hour system initially built as an experiment. It worked. I used the same HF 45w kit and purchased an additional charge controller and system monitor because the gear they supply is almost garbage. What you're really after is the panels anyway.

Connected a 2000w inverter to the bank and after several days of sun I was able to harness enough power stored in the bank to run my tv for a couple hours. Ideally I would have liked 200w in panels but as an experiment I wasn't going to drop THAT kinda $$ just yet.

Many people use small stand alone systems for remote locations like out buildings in a barn or a cabin in the mountains. Just where you need to run something large infrequently or something small all the time.

With the price of solar panels about half what they were just 10 years ago it's a good time to look into it. Typically the smaller the panel the more you'll pay per watt. Stay away from panels that are costing $4/watt or more. Search around enough and you can find them from wholesalers for $3/watt or less. I laugh when I see a 5w trickle charger for $50. $10/watt is insane.
 

Diamond Member
Username: Nydas

Post Number: 22550
Registered: Jun-06
Government gives subsidies to people installing solar power. A whole roof is ideal. There are arrangements for the Utility company to buy your generated power, so you can have s a smooth supply.
A system that will meet your electricity needs up to 40% seems feasible
 

Gold Member
Username: Krishn

Post Number: 1686
Registered: Sep-06
nydas see this link, in case you have not already seen. I understand investement could be recovered in about 10 years and will generate income later on. They do buy it back at about 4 times the rate you pay.
microFIT program
 

Diamond Member
Username: Wingmanalive

Www.stainles... .ecrater.com

Post Number: 25308
Registered: Jun-06
Subsidies and federal and state rebate programs may still be alive but for the most part are getting sucked up and dried out due to insufficient funds. Plus the money isn't instant which means the cost of the install will fall directly on the homeowner. Add in the required new roof costs, which, depending on the size of your roof, can be anywhere from an additional $3500 to $10,000, and you have a very substantial investment staring you right in the eyes. Grid tie systems are financially viable in the long run but you HAVE to consider the initial costs and also routine maintenance. Areas with snow will mean frequent snow removal which all but eliminates productivity of the panels.

Off grid? Remember those batteries often carry the same lifespan as car batteries and will frequently need swapped out every so many years. That alone can be a $2000 "tune up". The panels themselves are generally good for 25+ years so as long as your installer is up to par with his techniques your attention will mainly be focused on just keeping them clear of debris.

You also NEVER want to consider a ground install, unless you live inside a gated and monitored property lol. Solar panels are fast becoming one of the hottest stolen items, mainly due to their lightweight and "price per pound" worth. A $900 panel can be carried by a 7 year old. Even panels on highway call stations are missing. Thieves will stop at nothing to make a $!
 

Diamond Member
Username: Wingmanalive

Www.stainles... .ecrater.com

Post Number: 25309
Registered: Jun-06
Hey I'm just trying to add some intelligent content to a thread I can contribute to in this train wreck of a section you guys call the sat section lol.


 

Diamond Member
Username: Nydas

Post Number: 22552
Registered: Jun-06
You forgot to add the added cost of insurance. If these panels are likely to get stolen, the insurance company will charge more for insurance.
The technology is still in its infancy as far as a normal home-owner is concerned.
Subash: I know of the Ontario government plan, but how many are actually using the incentive?
 

Platinum Member
Username: Lklives

Post Number: 16830
Registered: Jan-06
I have a new solar system on my roof...7 panels...heats my house hot water and my pool,,,..all for less than $3000...if ya look around ya can make it happen inexpensively..
 

Diamond Member
Username: Nydas

Post Number: 22554
Registered: Jun-06
That translates to an amortization in 10 years at the rate of about $30 per month. Not a bad bargain at all for heating the pool and hot water for the house.
 

New member
Username: Fish_hawk

Ocean City, New Jersey USA

Post Number: 8
Registered: Sep-06
C/P
Hot water heated by the sun is used in many ways. While perhaps best known in a residential setting to provide domestic hot water, solar hot water also has industrial applications, e.g. to generate electricity.[1] Designs suitable for hot climates can be much simpler and cheaper, and can be considered an appropriate technology for these places. The global solar thermal market is dominated by China, Europe, Japan and India.

A solar hot water heater installed on a house in Belgium
In order to heat water using solar energy, a collector, often fastened to a roof or a wall facing the sun, heats working fluid that is either pumped (active system) or driven by natural convection (passive system) through it. The collector could be made of a simple glass topped insulated box with a flat solar absorber made of sheet metal attached to copper pipes and painted black, or a set of metal tubes surrounded by an evacuated (near vacuum) glass cylinder. In industrial cases a parabolic mirror can concentrate sunlight on the tube. Heat is stored in a hot water storage tank. The volume of this tank needs to be larger with solar heating systems in order to allow for bad weather, and because the optimum final temperature for the solar collector is lower than a typical immersion or combustion heater. The heat transfer fluid (HTF) for the absorber may be the hot water from the tank, but more commonly (at least in active systems) is a separate loop of fluid containing anti-freeze and a corrosion inhibitor which delivers heat to the tank through a heat exchanger (commonly a coil of copper tubing within the tank). Another lower-maintenance concept is the 'drain-back': no anti-freeze is required; instead all the piping is sloped to cause water to drain back to the tank. The tank is not pressurized and is open to atmospheric pressure. As soon as the pump shuts off, flow reverses and the pipes are empty before freezing could occur.

Residential solar thermal installations fall into two groups: passive (sometimes called "compact") and active (sometimes called "pumped") systems. Both typically include an auxiliary energy source (electric heating element or connection to a gas or fuel oil central heating system) that is activated when the water in the tank falls below a minimum temperature setting such as 55 °C. Hence, hot water is always available. The combination of solar water heating and using the back-up heat from a wood stove chimney to heat water[2] can enable a hot water system to work all year round in cooler climates, without the supplemental heat requirement of a solar water heating system being met with fossil fuels or electricity.

When a solar water heating and hot-water central heating system are used in conjunction, solar heat will either be concentrated in a pre-heating tank that feeds into the tank heated by the central heating, or the solar heat exchanger will replace the lower heating element and the upper element will remain in place to provide for any heating that solar cannot provide. However, the primary need for central heating is at night and in winter when solar gain is lower. Therefore, solar water heating for washing and bathing is often a better application than central heating because supply and demand are better matched. In many climates, a solar hot water system can provide up to 85% of domestic hot water energy. This can include domestic non-electric concentrating solar thermal systems. In many northern European countries, combined hot water and space heating systems (solar combisystems) are used to provide 15 to 25% of home heating energy.
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New member
Username: Fish_hawk

Ocean City, New Jersey USA

Post Number: 9
Registered: Sep-06
nydas

Diamond Member
Username: Nydas

Post Number: 22552
Registered: Jun-06


Nydas posted on Tuesday, January 31, 2012 - 04:07 GMT

You forgot to add the added cost of insurance. If these panels are likely to get stolen, the insurance company will charge more for insurance.


Yeah, I can see someone with an extension ladder climbing on
a man's roof to steal his Solar panels
 

Diamond Member
Username: Nydas

Post Number: 22555
Registered: Jun-06
1. Fish asked: Where did I read that? meaning "45 Watt Solar Panel Kit claiming to power computer, TV, ..."

I read it in your own URL

2. Geronmo: I was responding to Paul's statement "Solar panels are fast becoming one of the hottest stolen items, mainly due to their lightweight and "price per pound" worth. "
 

Bronze Member
Username: Thx_34l7

Post Number: 23
Registered: Nov-10
So you are omitting that most of your posts are C/Ps
 

Bronze Member
Username: Tommy_h

Post Number: 37
Registered: Jan-12
"I was responding to Paul's statement "Solar panels are fast becoming one of the hottest stolen items, mainly due to their lightweight and "price per pound" worth. "

You are talking about your average back yard solar panels for pools and such bought at Wal-Mart. Larger panels are different all together and not that easily taken down or easy to just walk away with without anyone noticing you.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Lklives

Post Number: 16831
Registered: Jan-06
The rubberized panels are 4x10 and are actually very light, about 10-20 pounds each...and under $200 each, depending on which brand and warranty ones ya buy, but cannot be bought at Walmart..then all ya really need is PVC piping and a few relief valves, hoses and clamps, with a thermostat for a home hot water system and pool use...and just simply tap into your existing water heater that will kick on electrically (heat element) when there's not enough sun to heat the water or if ya use it all up too soon. ...but I don't think anybody will be throwing a ladder up to my roof and climbing there to steal them..

Geronmo..U have the right idea..
 

Silver Member
Username: Luke_scotchdrinker

Post Number: 200
Registered: Nov-11
Did anyone ever expect an intelligent debate with a moron? Google is Nydass' best friend.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Kent_island

Post Number: 21
Registered: Mar-11
You don't see him around do you?
he waiting until things cool down
he has been getting his rear end ream out the past few days
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Silver Member
Username: Luke_scotchdrinker

Post Number: 201
Registered: Nov-11
There was some serious reaming going on last night by Goatfuker/Subash and cumguzzler/playmutt. This admin is never gonna get it. Won't be the last time they get bent over.
 

Diamond Member
Username: Nydas

Post Number: 22558
Registered: Jun-06
You watch it mate.
In the second term he is going to kick the aarse of the Israelies.

And the sun will rise again in the United States of America.
 

Silver Member
Username: Cheap_trick

Post Number: 380
Registered: Oct-09
Solar power? .....nothing new under the sun...


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Silver Member
Username: Tartarus

Post Number: 106
Registered: May-11
Cheap trick.......we missed your trick
where can I find the one about the 2 rats
leaving the ship?
 

Diamond Member
Username: Nydas

Post Number: 22560
Registered: Jun-06
Watch it mate. Cheap Trick and Don Diego will jump ship like two rats as soon as the Feds arrive.
 

Gold Member
Username: Jitu

Post Number: 1194
Registered: Jan-08
Nydass/Subass - Due to your signal pilfering activities so many business loose and people get affected by loosing their honest jobs

You are a low life criminal and have actively posted files to steal signals and approved them members have time to time have posted your criminal activities here criminals like you deface the nation community and honest people you are a blot on them.

Feds are looking for you your only home is Jail
 

Silver Member
Username: Cheap_trick

Post Number: 381
Registered: Oct-09
here....

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Bronze Member
Username: Tommy_h

Post Number: 42
Registered: Jan-12
Nydas your posts are contradictory to say the least. In one thread you inforce or warn about the laws and in others you break those same laws by giving information to use IKs which is very illegal. What side are you one?
Same goes for this subash character. He calls everyone a crook, but at the same time posts the same kind of information regarding how to use IKS.
 

Diamond Member
Username: Nydas

Post Number: 22566
Registered: Jun-06
tommyhesaw: The only posts I have made in this thread are related to Solar panels.
There have been a few interruptions by others and a comment by you which should have been addressed to Paul not me.
If any of the interruptions were made by you in another name, than comment in that name.
 

Silver Member
Username: Cheap_trick

Post Number: 382
Registered: Oct-09
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Silver Member
Username: Boss_hog

Post Number: 316
Registered: Oct-08
..........."Cheap trick you are the man".........
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