[clug] OT: Solar power recommendations and advice

Peter Barker pbarker at barker.dropbear.id.au
Mon Apr 19 17:47:29 MDT 2010


On Mon, 19 Apr 2010, Felix Karpfen wrote:

> emissions.  I found that the solar systems then on offer might (averaged
> over a 24 hour period) generate more electricity than I use on summer
> days (when my consumption is small), but even the largest available
> system was totally inadequate to generate the electricity that I use on
> winter days (when electricity is used [in heat-banks] to keep the house
> warm).  And, even in summer, the system generates *no* electricity when I
> use most of it (at night).

But.... this is why the systems are grid-tied!  While you may not be using 
that surplus power in the middle of the day, someone else at home is using 
that power for their air-conditioning.  And... when you're not producing 
enough power, there's always the grid for you to suck power from.

> I also concluded that if domestically-generated electric power became
> widespread, it might impact on the profit margins of existing power
> generators; it would do little to diminish greenhouse gas emissions. At

I would be interested in your reasoning there.  Domestically generated 
power from solar *should* reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and the more 
widespread the better.  Whether it's the best use of that money is another 
matter.

> Felix Karpfen

Yours,
-- 
Peter Barker                          |   Programmer,Sysadmin,Geek.
pbarker at barker.dropbear.id.au	      |   You need a bigger hammer.
:: It's a hack! Expect underscores! - Nigel Williams


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