I've recently looked into PV home installations in California. Unfortunately, here at least, the power company is only required to pay you the WHOLESALE cost of electricity. This amounts to 3 to 4 cents per kw-hr. Hence, most folks size their PV system to exactly meet their needs. I have three friends who have had systems running for 3 years. You get credits from the power company for the power you generated during the year. Then they even up at the end of the year. If you made more electricity than you used, you lose it. If you made less, then you owe them the difference. Since they have sized the systems correctly, they owe very little money.
One of my friends installed a water spray system to cool the panels since they lose efficiency fast as the temperature goes up. Also, it doesn't take much dust or bird poop to cut the efficiency. So if you install a system, be prepared to get on the roof every month or so to clean the panels.
Regards,
Pete
WA6WOA
--- On Thu, 10/1/09, Jeff Yanko wb3jfs@cox.net wrote:
From: Jeff Yanko wb3jfs@cox.net Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Solar Power (I was wrong) To: bruninga@usna.edu, amsat-bb@amsat.org Date: Thursday, October 1, 2009, 6:04 PM
Interesting topic. Here in the desert, Las Vegas, NV, I've seen a few homes with solar panels on their roofs. Not a lot but a few here and there. Actually, I see more with roof heating systems for the pools than anything else. However, I'm sure there are more out there than I'm seeing. In any case, a topic has risen about generating and selling power back to the utility company.....taxes. Some states are now implementing taxes on residential owners who generate and "sell back" their power to the utility company. Pennsylvania happens to be one of them. I believe the standing is if you sell back over 50,000 watts of power you will incur additional taxes, adding to your state personal income tax. Apparantly, after 50,000 watts your considered a "generating" or "generator" entity and are subject to tax. Lets say you were able to generate and sell back 100,000 watts to the utility company. The first 50,000 watts would be "free". From then on out, it's taxed. Not sure what rate they are or would be applying but lets say 15 cents per KW. At 50,000 watts that would be $7.50. Doesn't sound like much, then again 15 cents per KW is probably nowhere near what they really want.
I believe you will see this happen more often as states look for additional revenue.
73,
Jeff WB3JFS
----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert Bruninga" bruninga@usna.edu To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Thursday, October 01, 2009 5:37 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] Solar Power (I was wrong)
Since Satellite design is heavy into Solar power, and I talk about that a lot, you may have heard me compare my Solar car to Solar panels on the roof of your house as not economical, I WAS WRONG. I was overlooking many recent changes in the environment:
- Solar panels (PV) are 1% of what they cost in 1970
- PV dropped 40% this year due to 2007 Energy Boom and 2009
economic bust 4) $5,000 to $20,000 tax and cash back incentives for YOU 5) Grid-tie systems operate at 95% efficiency compared to 70% of battery systems 6) Local electric rates DOUBLED in the last 2 years 7) Laws require utilities to pay you the same peak rates they charge you. 8) Solar Energy credits can gain an additional $275 per 1Kw system per year 9) Payback is at least 10% per year or better 10) The same money in the bank gets 1% interest
So I was wrong in not keeping current with all the changing environment, and now I am full speed to get my system approved and built and correct any miss-guidance I may have helped propagate.
Sorry. I am claiming this particular email is on-topic because of public statements to the contrary I have made at satellite forums. But this hot topic should probably spin off elsewhere. We need a HAM Solar Power group somewhere...?
Summary: Do NOT make the mistake (as most of us do) of thinking in terms of stand-alone Battery back-up solar power systems . They cost more and you don't need it in most places where you have access to the grid. They cost $5 to $10,000 more, are only 70% efficient (compared to 95% for grid-tie) and are a never ending maintenance headache. Instead, most any enterprising ham should be able to provide his own backup power using a cheap 1 kW inverter for about $150 from any auto store or radio shack running off his car's 12V system for any power outages.
That, a few deep cycle batteries, (and using CFL lightbulbs in your house) will give you enough emergency power to operate your full Ham station, all the lights in the house you want plus your refrigerator for as long as you can buy gas. But the other 99.99% of the time, sell your solar power to the power company (at peak rates during the day) and buy it back cheap at night (you win and you don't even have to worrry about batteries)...
And even if your grid-tie solar array produces nothing (in the way of AC power) when the grid goes out, you still have many Killowatts of DC power on your roof, that you can surely find lots of things to do with until the grid comes back. For example, have the electrician wire a 250 volt string of the 200 Watt solar panels in the array to a DPDT switch so they can be disconnected from the Grid Tie system and the 250 VDC can be available to you. THen you can plug in as many modern DC/DC pwer supplies into that 250 VDC to give you LOTS of amps at 12 volts, or ... almost any modern gizmo has a universal power supply input that will run on anything from 110V to 330V DC as is.
Anyway, for similar hints www.aprs.org/FD-Prius-Power.html
Sorry for the off-topic. But I was wrong. PV works! (even in Maryland). If you live in the SW, you are lucky, and it works TWICE as much or at HALF the price!
A Born-again Home PV junkie Bob, WB4APR
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
_______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb