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A solar power and net metering analysis

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A solar power and net metering analysis
Post by thinkstoomuch   » Fri Apr 22, 2016 6:23 am

thinkstoomuch
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Politics because net metering is!

http://euanmearns.com/net-metering-and- ... top-solar/

A good analysis and some really informed comments. For various locales throughout the world. Despite the title. Learned a lot about Solar in Germany from a Commentor.

Hope you like it,
T2M
-----------------------
Q: “How can something be worth more than it costs? Isn’t everything ‘worth’ what it costs?”
A: “No. That’s just the price. ...
Christopher Anvil from Top Line in "War Games"
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Re: A solar power and net metering analysis
Post by HB of CJ   » Sat Apr 23, 2016 7:28 pm

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Follow the money. Who profits from this? Who loses? What conditions are set up for future use? Who profits from that?

Right now I am not sure if this is an example of "business as usual" for short term outlooks or is it a indicator of big changes?

This means is solar in general doomed? Or does it mean solar will continue to be propped up on false legs by others who pay?

I dunno yet. I suspect this might be testing the waters for future laws that pretty much lock out solar for future power needs.
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Re: A solar power and net metering analysis
Post by DDHv   » Sun Apr 24, 2016 12:17 am

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HB of CJ wrote:Follow the money. Who profits from this? Who loses? What conditions are set up for future use? Who profits from that?

Right now I am not sure if this is an example of "business as usual" for short term outlooks or is it a indicator of big changes?

This means is solar in general doomed? Or does it mean solar will continue to be propped up on false legs by others who pay?

I dunno yet. I suspect this might be testing the waters for future laws that pretty much lock out solar for future power needs.


There is much work going on for better storage, and not just for solar purposes - see hybrid and battery cars. It would be nice to have them succeed! Some of the experimental work looks promising, but may be wrong. A local who bought a house not connected to the grid attached an DC>AC converter to his Prius, and minimized his electricity needs. IIRC, the Prius would start up and run for a bit when the battery would get too low.

Locally, within a 300 mile radius we have the Garrison and Oahe dams on the Missouri, providing grid storage. If anyone knows a good way to provide back of the meter storage at a low cost for covering blackouts, PLEASE post it.

We are primarily using seasonal heat storage - the "wing" insulation on the west is done, and that on the east has been started this year. Mostly we do well on cold sunny days; adequately in fall, poorly midwinter, great in spring, and getting enough summer cooling to cover the annual electrical costs for this system. We did run the bedroom air conditioner a few hours in August. Any solar and storage electricity would need to compete with other backup power, not grid prices. Just having enough low cost electricity to run controls and fans would be a big relief
;)
Douglas Hvistendahl
Retired technical nerd

Dumb mistakes are very irritating.
Smart mistakes go on forever
Unless you test your assumptions!
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Re: A solar power and net metering analysis
Post by thinkstoomuch   » Sun Apr 24, 2016 6:18 am

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DDHv wrote:...snip...

Locally, within a 300 mile radius we have the Garrison and Oahe dams on the Missouri, providing grid storage. If anyone knows a good way to provide back of the meter storage at a low cost for covering blackouts, PLEASE post it.

We are primarily using seasonal heat storage - the "wing" insulation on the west is done, and that on the east has been started this year. Mostly we do well on cold sunny days; adequately in fall, poorly midwinter, great in spring, and getting enough summer cooling to cover the annual electrical costs for this system. We did run the bedroom air conditioner a few hours in August. Any solar and storage electricity would need to compete with other backup power, not grid prices. Just having enough low cost electricity to run controls and fans would be a big relief
;)


If all you want is blackout protection just do an internet search for "Uninterruptible power supply". There are a lot of choices out there.

If you want to incorporate power generation it gets a lot more complicated.

The way current solar and wind generators are spec'd. Why I had to be so complicated with the way I suggested in the Solar Power topic.* The grid tied systems all disable the inverter in a power loss situation. This so you don't back feed the grid. Electrocuting your local utility's wire fixer is somewhat frowned upon. ;)

Though Solar Edge does have a "secure power outlet" you can manually enable but have to manually disable when power is restored. Also you have to plug into an outlet on the side of the inverter.

More or less if it were simple anybody could do it and what's the fun in that.

PM me if you want other ideas. I have lots of those just most are not for the average person. I am scared of where my suggestions could be misused and lead to BAD THINGS.

Good luck,
T2M

*To me running wiring is simple and straight forward but not easy. So is running a natural gas line. Electric is less difficult. Even digging the ditch for both. Though the conduit for the ditch with electric makes it as bad as the gas. Need to be water tight.
-----------------------
Q: “How can something be worth more than it costs? Isn’t everything ‘worth’ what it costs?”
A: “No. That’s just the price. ...
Christopher Anvil from Top Line in "War Games"
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Re: A solar power and net metering analysis
Post by thinkstoomuch   » Sun Apr 24, 2016 8:34 am

thinkstoomuch
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Posts: 2727
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Interesting take on the whole net metering thing.

http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/ ... -junk-food

Wish I could compose my ideas and thoughts as well as this guy.

The reusable bag and junk food link is interesting.

Though I would have thought buying a hybrid then driving 80 mph would be better.

It is from the link one of his references.

Though trying to understand your electric bill would be a nightmare.

Have fun,
T2M
-----------------------
Q: “How can something be worth more than it costs? Isn’t everything ‘worth’ what it costs?”
A: “No. That’s just the price. ...
Christopher Anvil from Top Line in "War Games"
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