Solar Energy is getting really cheap

[splat]

The future that should already be here would make every roof a generator and leave distribution to the utilities. Long distance transmission would all but be gone, since transmission loses shittons of energy and, with better storage and local generation, the power is far more efficient. When all that happens, Trump will bring the nuclear winter because the utilities have excellent lobbyists.

[SB]

I agree with that first part.

Although maintaining and operating a renewable energy system is moar than most people can handle. Luckily modern systems are mostly gas n go.

Keep those panels clean and yer till pointed into the wind.

[Bunion 2020]

NW Energy (main power supplier and Grid Owner in this neck of the wood) has already shown a willingness to fight rooftop systems tooth and nail. The have the PSC in their pocket and will do all they can to maintain their monopoly.

[iceman]

Here in Mass., we have reverse metering and an organized active marketplace to sell renewable energy tax credits. I routinely get $0.00 power bills and also a substantial quarterly check from the sale of the credits (a super simple, almost hands-free process). System will be completely paid off this year (year 5) so I'm basically in the electric power generation business. It's a solar paradise except it's not that sunny.

[::: :::]

Has anyone looked into powerwall or similar battery storage systems?

[iceman]

I got on the waiting list right when they came out with the Powerwall but never heard from them. But when they came out I was under the impression that it was a real advance in storage but all it was was a pretty standard li-ion system in a sleek box so I never followed up with them.

I know stfu put a large lead-acid array at his place (unless he moved) and talked about how he decided to go that route and financially it seemed to make sense.

[Buster Highmen]

Here in Mass., we have reverse metering and an organized active marketplace to sell renewable energy tax credits. I routinely get $0.00 power bills and also a substantial quarterly check from the sale of the credits (a super simple, almost hands-free process). System will be completely paid off this year (year 5) so I'm basically in the electric power generation business. It's a solar paradise except it's not that sunny.

socialism!

[iceman]

Yeah we're pretty much commies here in the Commonwealth. Everyone has health care, weed's legal, education is well-funded, there's social programs galore, guns are tightly regulated, renewable power is a priority, etc etc. Somehow we still survive.

[::: :::]

Interesting to hear the powerwall was just a pretty box. I had a client who was supposed to get one but bailed because they wanted you to buy it before giving you the specs you needed for pricing the install.

[PB]

Just got off the Tesla web page: they now provide a pretty simple, straight forward calc on what you need based on current electrical use, and a cost estimate. Seemed like the install cost they provided was low, but .....
Evaluating whether to get a battery to go with our current solar, or wait for another 5-8 years for a new roof coming due and then upgrading the solar and add the battery. I'm expecting an increase in power outages as the infrastructure continues to age ahead of deferred maintenance, and preventative fire shutdowns.

Saw a quick reference to salt water batteries, but couldn't find much other than Aquino Energy- any body?

[neufox47]

This will be hooked up Monday. We looked at batteries but would need two power walls in order to act as backup power. Also looked at a 11, 16 or 22kw generator, but the cost was about $6-9k, so I’m waiting to see if prices come down and hope pg&e doesn’t shut down the power too many days. Looked like it would $16ish thousand for two powerwalls installed.

[SumJongGuy]

This will be hooked up Monday. We looked at batteries but would need two power walls in order to act as backup power. Also looked at a 11, 16 or 22kw generator, but the cost was about $6-9k, so I’m waiting to see if prices come down and hope pg&e doesn’t shut down the power too many days. Looked like it would $16ish thousand for two powerwalls installed.

Say you've got something like that hooked up to a 2000 square foot house and the grid goes down. Can you still run stuff in the daytime assuming good sun beams? Or, if the utility power goes out are the panels not enough to be self sufficient until the grid comes back online??

[basinbeater]

That ought to be enough power for a single house in the day time no problem. We have an array about that size, and we leave the back door open so the dog can come and go, while running a/c at 72 all goddamn day, and we generate more than we use all spring summer and through about mid October. Nov-feb, we use more than we generate.

sent from Utah.

[iceman]

Damn, maybe try a dog door.

These are the ones to get btw: https://www.securitybosspetdoors.com

[Harry]

NW Energy (main power supplier and Grid Owner in this neck of the wood) has already shown a willingness to fight rooftop systems tooth and nail. The have the PSC in their pocket and will do all they can to maintain their monopoly.

Yup.

And remember how 15 or 20 years ago NW Energy was all about the "free market for electricity" ? That lasted until they ran Montana Power into the ground and NW Energy had a monopoly again. Now they are just another vampire squid company, sucking the life out of everything.

[neufox47]

Say you've got something like that hooked up to a 2000 square foot house and the grid goes down. Can you still run stuff in the daytime assuming good sun beams? Or, if the utility power goes out are the panels not enough to be self sufficient until the grid comes back online??

Nope, you need a battery. No grid no power.

[AKPogue]

Yeah we're pretty much commies here in the Commonwealth. Everyone has health care, weed's legal, education is well-funded, there's social programs galore, guns are tightly regulated, renewable power is a priority, etc etc. Somehow we still survive.

https://www.mercatus.org/statefiscal.../massachusetts

[pureantigravity]

Re: SOLAR ENERGY IS GETTING REALLY CHEAP

So are fuel cells. One 4 L jug of Methanol and a fuel cell displaces a lot of solar equipment.
Or so says the marine outfitter down the street.
Cheap as in $5K per reactor and super-cheap per jug of juice.
https://www.efoy.com/

[mcsquared]

I have a funny story. I had Tesla install panels on my house about a year ago. No complaints. Haven't had an electric bill since. My BIL is in town and was convinced that they were some liberal hippy dippy nonsense waste of money. Now at his house, he doesn't have A/C because well, it costs money. But he has been pretty comfortable in my air conditioned 70d house. He has been here a week and just asked me yesterday in a condescending tone "I can only guess what your utility bill is every month!" I literally pointed at the solar panels and said "ZERO" And he got a look on his face like he just discovered that 4 is actually just 2 + 2. Yea, bro. It is like a real thing that you can convert the sunlight to electricity that is actually useful for something. Science!

[4matic]

Nope, you need a battery. No grid no power.

I didn't get battery because I just couldn't find value. The power has never been down here for more than an hour. Even the salesman couldn't explain value. If you are using 100% of your output to the grid I just can't see the need.

[schuss]

Re: SOLAR ENERGY IS GETTING REALLY CHEAP

So are fuel cells. One 4 L jug of Methanol and a fuel cell displaces a lot of solar equipment.
Or so says the marine outfitter down the street.
Cheap as in $5K per reactor and super-cheap per jug of juice.
https://www.efoy.com/

Makes sense for marine and other space-constrained uses. Solar is killer as there's nothing to buy post-install to keep it going.

[::: :::]

I didn't get battery because I just couldn't find value. The power has never been down here for more than an hour. Even the salesman couldn't explain value. If you are using 100% of your output to the grid I just can't see the need.

Overnight?
Shorter winter days?
During weather events?

[mcsquared]

Overnight?
Shorter winter days?
During weather events?

The grid is the battery.

[4matic]

Overnight?
Shorter winter days?
During weather events?

Sure, as a luxury it has value but it's not saving you any money.

[::: :::]

It’s been on my mind here because our power system is above ground & when we lose power we seem to be the last to get it back

Been mulling diesel generator or solar...& of course how much of the house NEEDS to run when power goes down