Photovoltaic systems (and other renewable energy's) discussion and show-off thread

[J_D 2.0]

Insulation is very important including double glazing. Not so much for heating as cooling. Solar cells are starting to be recycled and as more is learned will be utilised more for the components. There is a lot of bullshit about batteries, the technology is progressing fast and changing. Like most stuff in life you get what you pay for, buy a cheaparse component and that's what you'll get. We started with some secondhand lead acid batteries with the intention of getting new ones when needed, been 6 years and they are still working well. I was worried about how the batteries were cycling to start with now I never look at it, power has never been a problem.

Insulation is the first thing any homeowner should look at if you’re heating or cooling your home. It’s pointless paying for energy to heat or cool you house if it’s escaping the house at a great rate of knots.

My house was built in 1974 so theres only so much that can be done cost effectively but just having insulation in the roof makes a massive difference. The cheapest way to sort windows out if you can’t do double glazing cost effectively is to have heavy curtains on your windows as this adds another insulating layer between the inside of the house and the windows.

 

[the_boozer]

Solar cells are starting to be recycled and as more is learned will be utilised more for the components

Where does that happen? I see people being tricked into taking away old cells that still work but how long will a 10 year old cell keep working?

 

[J_D 2.0]

Where does that happen? I see people being tricked into taking away old cells that still work but how long will a 10 year old cell keep working?

Normally the panels don’t just flat out stop working, their efficiency just keeps dropping off as they get older.

 

[the_boozer]

I've seen heaps of them that are rooted hail damage or something thrown on the roof. Thats not counting the dirty cells or cells that make half there rating. Every house I goto I have a suss of what their solar is doing most do sfa from what I see.

 

[figjam]

We bought a 2.2kw system in early 2010 for $8K, after smoke and mirrors rebates, because the FIT would save us money (at the expense of all the poor people) and we believed the propaganda.
That FIT was just about enough to pay for the system over the years, so we saved SFA overall, before they changed the system to using your own solar generated power.
So, our panels are now about 13 years old. How much longer will they last ? Dunno, and beyond caring.
Currently, we do not use grid electricity during the day, and still export a bit to the grid, which works out to about $8 per month averaged over the last 12 months. In the meantime, our $ consumption per kw is about 25% more than this time last year.

The electricity companies have got all of us by the short and curlys, and don't look like letting go.
Doesn't matter which way you go about it, it is going to cost money in the long run, for consumers and the country. For what good reason ?

 

[J_D 2.0]

We bought a 2.2kw system in early 2010 for $8K, after smoke and mirrors rebates, because the FIT would save us money (at the expense of all the poor people) and we believed the propaganda.
That FIT was just about enough to pay for the system over the years, so we saved SFA overall, before they changed the system to using your own solar generated power.
So, our panels are now about 13 years old. How much longer will they last ? Dunno, and beyond caring.
Currently, we do not use grid electricity during the day, and still export a bit to the grid, which works out to about $8 per month averaged over the last 12 months. In the meantime, our $ consumption per kw is about 25% more than this time last year.

The electricity companies have got all of us by the short and curlys, and don't look like letting go.
Doesn't matter which way you go about it, it is going to cost money in the long run, for consumers and the country. For what good reason ?

Well my system is calculated to net me enough money from the crappy FIT to offset any electricity I use after the sun has gone down. Everything used during the day will run off the solar being generated.

My system is generating 4kw right now at 9:45 in the morning, well and truely enough to offset all the power I’m using right now.

 

[Baldoldfart]

We bought a 2.2kw system in early 2010 for $8K, after smoke and mirrors rebates, because the FIT would save us money (at the expense of all the poor people) and we believed the propaganda.
That FIT was just about enough to pay for the system over the years, so we saved SFA overall, before they changed the system to using your own solar generated power.
So, our panels are now about 13 years old. How much longer will they last ? Dunno, and beyond caring.
Currently, we do not use grid electricity during the day, and still export a bit to the grid, which works out to about $8 per month averaged over the last 12 months. In the meantime, our $ consumption per kw is about 25% more than this time last year.

The electricity companies have got all of us by the short and curlys, and don't look like letting go.
Doesn't matter which way you go about it, it is going to cost money in the long run, for consumers and the country. For what good reason ?

Stand alone, haven't paid any power bill for 6 years. I couldn't get them to tell me how much power connection would cost, when they finally got back it was 120k!!!!! The more you can be self sufficient the better. Power is only going one way and that's more expensive. They keep charging more because they have a captive market and because they can, that's free enterprise. Privatise the profits and socialise the losses, the modern way to screw the great unwashed.

 

[figjam]

The more you can be self sufficient the better.

Going off grid for isolated country people is the way to go now.
For us, still up for $1.10 per day, whether we are connected or not .......... because the electricity is 'there and available.'

 

[J_D 2.0]

 

[Baldoldfart]

Going off grid for isolated country people is the way to go now.
For us, still up for $1.10 per day, whether we are connected or not .......... because the electricity is 'there and available.'

If you had a spare couple of million to pay for a smart lawyer I'm sure you could get that waived.