Q:  I read your study and agree it ain’t feasible. I have to ask where the rebate check, or the money they credit you, comes from. If it’s from the utility company I can guarantee they won’t be giving you a great rate, it’d be like cutting their own throat. And I see you list investing 10,435AUD AGAIN after 10 yrs. Do you use old refurbished marine batteries for storage?

A: All good questions… 1) as a double subsidy; the central gov pays part from a budget set up for this, while the state gov pays another part from a budget they set up. We are talking billions of dollars worth of subsidies all up. All paid by the tax payer. In my mind this is a classic re-distribution project where money from one arena (here its supposedly taxes levied on the high carbon producing industries, which in fact means the user/ consumer pays) and is “given” to another, the solar panel manufacturers/ importers (noting all these systems come from China). To my knowledge there is not a solar panel manufacturer in Aus.

B) My system is on a grid so I don’t have batteries. My solar produces power into the grid, I get paid for this, and pay a lower rate for the power I use from the grid. My power source is in fact the grid, I technically do not use the power I produce. Batteries are required for a self sufficient system and are a big “thing”… they are dirty, costly to produce and even more costly to recycle. Standard auto or marine batteries (lead cell or gel cell units) can work but they are not “deep cycle” so they discharge too quickly noting they are made for a burst of cranking power, not a deep, long store of power.

C) Normally  system batteries are  large arrays of heavy 2v to 4V batteries banked up in series. One normally has twice what they require in batteries, so for a 12v system on inverter to AC you’d have 24 volts minimum, two separate systems… A quick search shows a system here selling for:

24V 690AH 6x230AH AGM Deepcycle Battery Bank
Perfect for applications that require either frequent cycling or renewable power storage
$3,234.0

D) I have never seen a battery bank last more than a “few” years. Batteries are a large amount of work requiring constant attention and maintenance. Often a simple fault in the system (an over-charge or under-charge) will mean your bank self-discharges, over heats, loses it’s memory, or simply cooks itself into history.  If you consistently discharge your bank (say you watch TV late into the night) your batteries never return to 100% charge. It is easy to “use your batteries up” in a short period of time. And then you are basically shot in the foot. Consider that a few days of overcast weather will mean your batteries get “used up”.

I can think of 3, large-scale applications (Iclarm at Nusatupe, Lola Island Resort, and San Bis resort) I was involved in where the batteries were the bane of existence. All three systems were “given up” as primary sources of power due to the constant and costly failure of batteries. In the 3 applications I was involved in we installed standby diesel generators to act as an auxiliary to charge the batteries when the weather was uncooperative. And once you had the genset installed it became more practical to use that as the primary supply and eventually the solar system became a relic of a once “good” idea.

More later

Just to be clear here… I agree that you can take the approach that $11,000.00 up-front does indeed pre-pay your electricity costs. Basically you spend 11k, put solar panels on your roof, supply power back into the grid, receive a subsidy for your feed-in and end up basically stabilising your power costs over a 10 year period.

Commercially this was one point that got me to buy-into solar.

But it do no not make this technology a winner. Nor does it make it “green”.

OK, I am going to collate the facts, my facts about domestic solar power production…

1) COST: paid on 13 June 2012 = 10,435.50

2) Warranty on parts and potential failure due to factory fault = 10 years

3) Looking at my quarterly bill dated 27 Dec 2013 shows: a) I am paying a basic tariff of 0.2630 per kWh, b) + service fee of 0.50219 per day x 91 days, c) + 33.33 GST for 91 day total charge of AUD$366.64.

4) Looking at my quarterly bill dated 27 Dec 2013 shows: a) I am being paid a basic feed-in tariff of 0.4400 per kWh, b) + a “special” fee-in tariff  of .3000 per kWh, c) for a total subsidy of AUD$553.52.

5) So I am paying 0.30977 per kWh; while being paid 0.7400 per kWh fed back into the system.

6) Since I paid for the system in June 2012 my bill tells me I have accumulated a total credit to-date of 438.14 or, a value accumulated at an average of AUD$24.34 per month.

7) My bill tells me usage is averaging a very reasonable 11.82 kWh per day.

8) My bill tells me I am averaging a feed-in of  8.22 kWh per day.

9) the numbers look like this

So, after 10 years, the system remains unpaid for, at current rates of cost, usage and feed-in credits.

Of course, of course, send this into a 20 year amortization table, of course, it’ll work. But my limited warranty is 10 years, so, perhaps I should stick to the facts and not dream here.

Finally: These number show that a 3kW photovoltaic collection system will not produce enough for an average daily use of 12kWh. If I indeed wished to become self-sufficient I would have to invest in more collection capacity – AND – batteries. Without a way to store the power produced you don;t have power unless the collection system is collecting so… without even sucking my thumb and testing the wind…

Domestic solar collection systems simply do not pay, AND, really are only even close to being viable if, IF, big subsidies are paid to entice people to invest in this “GREEN” technology. I note that when (not if) the feed-in credits are cancelled the system on my roof becomes an expense and is of very little real benefit or gain to me, in the long-term.

Doing a bit of work on “GREEN” technologies. Lets see what others have to say…

From: http://www.green-technology.org/what.htm

The term “technology” refers to the application of knowledge for practical purposes.

The field of “green technology” encompasses a continuously evolving group of methods and materials, from techniques for generating energy to non-toxic cleaning products.

The present expectation is that this field will bring innovation and changes in daily life of similar magnitude to the “information technology” explosion over the last two decades. In these early stages, it is impossible to predict what “green technology” may eventually encompass.

The goals that inform developments in this rapidly growing field include:

Sustainability – meeting the needs of society in ways that can continue indefinitely into the future without damaging or depleting natural resources. In short, meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

“Cradle to cradle” design – ending the “cradle to grave” cycle of manufactured products, by creating products that can be fully reclaimed or re-used.

Source reduction – reducing waste and pollution by changing patterns of production and consumption.

Innovation – developing alternatives to technologies – whether fossil fuel or chemical intensive agriculture – that have been demonstrated to damage health and the environment.

Viability – creating a center of economic activity around technologies and products that benefit the environment, speeding their implementation and creating new careers that truly protect the planet.

Examples of green technology subject areas

Energy
Perhaps the most urgent issue for green technology, this includes the development of alternative fuels, new means of generating energy and energy efficiency.

Green building
Green building encompasses everything from the choice of building materials to where a building is located.

Environmentally preferred purchasing
This government innovation involves the search for products whose contents and methods of production have the smallest possible impact on the environment, and mandates that these be the preferred products for government purchasing.

Green chemistry
The invention, design and application of chemical products and processes to reduce or to eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances.

Green nanotechnology
Nanotechnology involves the manipulation of materials at the scale of the nanometer, one billionth of a meter. Some scientists believe that mastery of this subject is forthcoming that will transform the way that everything in the world is manufactured. “Green nanotechnology” is the application of green chemistry and green engineering principles to this field.

OK… Great philosophy… some things to discuss here but I like this as it is being fair and non-marketing. Nothing is being “sold” in this. Though little is really be said as well.

Now, more “GREEN” newz…

CADILLAC SCORES FOR GREEN TECHNOLOGY AT WASHINGTON AUTO SHOW

The new Cadillac ELR features “Regen on Demand” technology that allows the battery to store more energy. (Photo : Cadillac )

Cadillac has received Green Car Journal‘s 2014 Green Car Technology Award for its innovative electric car technology, the company announced Wednesday.

OK… I’ll consider this as “important” and maybe think it is “GREEN” but I note this technology has been around for a long time. Look at a Segway and how it operates. So I am thinking this is more marketing than science.

This is a forum discussion per a self-sufficient solar collection system which, by reading, tells me that a) the subsidy is at work, and b) that even with the subsidy the financial viability is questionable at best…

• My first year of solar – 5.2kW System

Well my first year of production has finally arrived and here is the result:

Total Production=7.273MWh
Efficiency=3.832kWh/kW
Daily average=19.926kWh
No of days=365 days

The system is split with 18x200watt panels on the NE side and 8 on the NW side. There is some shade in the mornings and the house is situated in a hollow.

The readings on the EM1000 meter are +4,666 and -5,029 meaning we’ve exported more than we’ve imported (excluding the hot water on a separate meter). While there is only the two of us living here we do have a pool and A/C. The pool being the biggest consumer as the A/C hardly gets used.

Overall I’m pleased with the system. Export has been sufficient (with a 50cent fit) to get refund checks except for the winter quarter when we had to pay $40.

OK… I’ll keep working on this but I fear this is what people think of as “GREEN” technology…

 

Just thought I would check my facts…

This is my 3.3kW system’s reported output: 

Now today is a blistering, sunny, hot, bright day… 

this tells me that under the best conditions my system is only producing about 65% rated capacity.

Ok, I just grabbed this online from a local supplier offering a special, while stocks last, deal. So commercially we can quickly see that off the street you can buy…

Average annual usage is a bit confused, I will aim to break cost down demographically but we well know that the few consume more than the many…

So I’ll use a high average for western world domestic private consumption of 8000 kWh pa. 8000 kWh pa = an on-call supply of 22kW per day with peak demand being night time.

Every once in a while I’m dragged into these discussions mixing apples n eggs. In most of those conversations it’s common when someone starts mixing up the units: kW vs kWh. Since they both mean something completely different, it’s important to use the correct one.

kW is a unit of power. Unfortunately they often use kWh (kilowatt hour) which is a unit of energy. Let’s apply this on an analogy that most people can relate to: cars. Power is measured in bhp or kW, energy is measured in…. gallons of fuel that can fit in the fuel tank!

So if you are one of those people who mixes up the units I hope this helps.

Now, we’re discussing the “advantage” a photovoltaic collection system offers, noting that most of the published “facts” indeed claim there to be an advantage… lets discuss what we are measuring… and it is easy…

Easy: so say we’ve need 20 kW. That’s 20,000 W, which is 20,000 J/s.
An hour has 3600 seconds (60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour).
In an hour we will use up 20,000 J/s * 3600 s = 72,000,000 joules. A lot of zeros is annoying so let’s shorten that to 72 mega joules or 72 MJ. If we kept up our 20 kW use for a day we’d use 72MJ/hr * 24 hours = 1728 MJ or 1.728 GJ.

So I think it’s obvious that this is… less than ideal. If you use a lot of power or measure over an extended timespan you’ll end up with numbers that are less than meaningful… something economists and the World Bank love. But not ideal for the average consumer.

So let’s make it a bit easier and make up a new unit: kWh!

kWh means kiloWatt-hour. Writing it down as you’ve learned in your physics lessons it would look like: kW*h or kW times an hour. In the real world it’s the amount of energy that you would use if you used 1 kW of power for 1 hour.

Back to our 20 kW that, for 1 hour, uses 20 kWh of energy. Easy right? If we kept the use up  for 24 hours it’s 20*24=480kWh. One year later we’ve used 175,200 kWh or close to 175 MWh. Much easier to calculate, right?!

Ok, so we see the discussion is not as straight forward and that the numbers both bamboozle and confuse.

Also, an average photovoltaic system can only produce full capacity about 50% of the time, noting annual output, rain or shine, for a 1.5kW system would be less than .75kW.  But, even at full output for 10 hours per day a 1.5 system will produce no more usable electricity than a total 5500 kW per annum, and in all reality is at least 50% less for 2700 kW pa.

Thus, if you were aiming to have 100% of your 8000kWh usage covered by a collection system, in my opinion,  you need , conservatively, a full 10 such 1.5kW systems, with a serious battery bank. The system would need to be cranking hard to produce all your day-time power plus would need to be recharging the battery-bank for the night’s demands.

I know this is a flawed equation but continuing with the green theme and the inherent delusion being marketed we see that a system which would cater to a modern domestic household would need to be:

a)    Able to produce for use and storage a static 1.5kWx 10 for an on call 15kW at any given time x 10 hours per day. Note that storing the energy produced requires batteries, a lot of batteries.

b)    The foot print of this system would be huge. The panels plus the batteries would require some serious infrastructure and loads of maintenance.

_c)     Buy-in cost 10 x $2399.00 for a total of $23,990.00. This does not include battery cost which could be up to double the cost of the collection system.

_d)    Looking at a 10 year life span on the collection system we’d  be taking 2399.00 annual cost / 8000kW used pa for an average costing = $0.30kWh.

_e)    If my experience is correct and you only produce 50% of capacity from a collection system, the cost jumps to  $0.60 kWh.

And we don’t have a battery bank factored in here.

I know there is no “definitive” answer in the “energy discussion” but I keep coming up against confused thoughts and discussions when it comes to what is GREEN. We like the warm-fuzzy feel of GREEN. But, indeed, is IT, any of IT,  green?

Noting the world prices for electricity:

I still fail to find an advantage to a domestic photovoltaic collection system, unless – like the one on my roof – it is subsidised.

step 1)

Rich nations to push Third World export

I admit we road a lot but we took many pit stops and coffee breaks.

All up about 2000 ks.

though we meandered and wandered and got a bit lost… this is roughly the route we tooK…

5am here, packed n ready for a 3-day ride south into New South Wales.

… In one piece, semi sane and without injury…

Very Merry day-after Cmas, 2013…

It is time to, once again, look forward to a new, another “calendar year”

We know it is all arbitrary, this date thing.  There has been something like a dozen major calendars used in human history. It is my belief that mankind’s need to define time is a direct result of his realised impotence when it comes to life and nature and the world at large. Mankind understands he has no control thus he exerts control to create a placebo effect. And the placebo effect works with amazing side effects such as math, science and even religion.

So I sit in my suburbian seat, watching the magical pageant rock on past. And it is a good show.

2013 has been pretty cool. Lots of changes have taken place. I feel satisfied and even pleased with what I have experienced in this calendar year.

So my thoughts go to old familiars, recent inductees and the future possibilities. I think of work left undone. I think of a possible BS present to all my faithful readers… a possible boon to those who read my posts, put up with my BS, or even show indifferent attention… So I go back and clean up my unfinished business…

My end year present to my faithful readers…

Nov 21 2013, The price of freedom: Each generation has to deal with their individual contribution, must pay their price of freedom.

It was not that long ago, only a generation or so, that life was simpler. Our grandfathers and fathers, grandmothers and mothers, and elder uncles and aunts paid reasonably clear and tradition prices for freedom. From immigrants to a new land to fighting for an ideal called Liberty. WWI and WWII, The Korean War, all offered traditional themes. To fight against fascism. To fight for personal freedoms. Though complex the basic values of each theatre were of a traditional format.

I admit Korea was the beginning of the new type of war. But we engaged in these theatres in a more than not traditional fashion. Soldiers wore uniforms and certain “rules” applied.

It was Indochina that the “rules” of WAR got confused.

I think distinctly of my generation of sadly fucked up, damaged and lost souls who “fought for Liberty” in Indochina.

Now we have the Middle East theatre. We had Serbia and Croatia. We had Sudan. The rules went from being blurred to being lost. So many sad and lost souls fought for Liberty and returned to a less than happy homecoming.

What is the Price of Freedom? Ask a Vet. Ask a Vet’s wife. Ask a Vet’s mother or father or son or daughter. The price becomes geometric when one person, making a sacrifice in the name of Liberty, inadvertently offers others who are near and dear, on the same altar.

I fear this is the price of Freedom and Liberty. And I feel it is a worthy cause and a price well paid by all who deserve nothing but honour and regard.

June 9 2013, defining our world: I am thinking that the process of defining our world, each of our own personal worlds, is what life is about. Noting that my world is mine and your world is yours and though we have overlap and interaction we each have our own distinctive world.

Some worlds become shared through ideology and training. Religion is a good example here… I was trained as a catholic. I was conditioned to respond to life in a catholic way. My definitions are largely catholic by default. My reactions, after all these years, remain and are comfortingly catholic.

But what can we do to really, really change the definitions of our world?

Are we defined by our possessions? Are we possessed by our possessions? I fear that such is possible, but those who are strong of character do not imitate but rather they emulate. So a possession is only a “thing”, a tool, a functioning distraction, an investment, or a conversation piece.

I have a “thing” for old British motorcycles. I can’t, and have no need to explain my “thing”, but it makes me happy.

Like, my mother who has a large collection of bells. She is lifted by the sound of a small bell. She knows and cherishes her bells for their sounds, looks and how they make her smile.

My bikes are the same… start the 750 3cyl trumpet and you’ll hear a strange imbalanced roar. The 3 pots give a third beat to the 2/4 measure of your average bike. Here you get a ¾ or a 5/6 measure. And it sounds great.

So what defines you?

Though not defined by any possession, I, like my mother, take great delight in the full package.

I guess it is important to not become obsessive. I, with respect, think of some  buddies who I ride with… They wear uniforms… They can’t get on the bike without the death skull scarf, or the chrome studded gloves, or the chain-laden boots. They ride for the image. And they do enjoy the package. But they accept and even welcome the definition that comes with the package.

I rebel against this in that I don’t want to be defined, pigeon–holed, or categorised.

Defining my world is not about things but rather about feelings and light and music and smiles and, you the get the picture.

In ending… I’ll define myself as simply s possible… A happy old Daddy and Granddaddy with more fun and smiles than a person really deserves.

April 14 2013, Traveling Light: Just back from a whirl wind trip of 5 countries, 6 major cities and something like 20,500 nautical miles or 23,600 statute miles or 38,000 kilometres.

Had the pups and Zai and visited and saw and walked and enjoyed a numbers of friends, family and places of interest. It was a good trip.

My main thoughts and lessons to come from this bit of gallivanting is that is best to travel as light as possible at all times.

Four of us, left Brisbane, each with a carry-on sized bag.

General logic calls for a full change of clothes and half-dozen extra undies and 3 or 4 spare socks. The boys each had a couple extra shirts. The boys had their ipads, and Grace and I had our phones. I took my sketch diary, the boys each had a couple of books. Grace of course had a number of heavy tomes.

We returned with 1 large, extra bag and a mandolin in a case. The new bag was mostly occupied by 3 nice afghans Zai Olo had made for the boys and Grace.

The funny thing about the lesson-learned here is that some of the clothes we packed did not get used so, in fact, we over packed.

When we first checked in for the Singapore-Abu Dhabi-London flight the gal at the counter was a bit shocked. How could 4 people be traveling for 2 weeks with only the bare necessities? She admitted that she’d have her full 4okg allowance and probably return over weight.

We could have travelled with 40kgs each. 160 kgs all up.

So, so much baggage.

Just like the people we met, visited and enjoyed being with… I saw so, so much baggage in their lives. I saw their wants and needs being overpowered and obscured by the un-necessaries of life, which each voluntarily collected, and carry.

I think traveling light is best…

In Ending, 2013: What a run. So much energy and commotion. So much fun and glory and tears and fears and stress and heartache and joy and smiles and love and fun and… you get, you get it… It has been a great year and I do wish everyone all the best in the coming, New Year.

More Later

Out feed’n the need for speed today. Our dirt launch-pad has been wore down a bit. I pushed it up, lengthened the entry and cut the ramp off about 1 meter high.

Mendozza did a couple of test passes then hit-it… He got both height and distance, landed hard but kept it all together. It was at least an 8.

But, when he landed, his chest whacked the gas tank and he was winded. One of those violent windings that leave you gasping for breath.

Mendozza brought the bike to a controlled stop and did one of those forlorn and injured head-hanging acts. I was walking up as he managed to get off the bike, set the kick-stand, then he laid down and cried. In a gasping, sobbing, pain filled way.

Of course, Angelo and I were hooting like fools. It was an impressive bit of gravity defying fun.

With good body armour nothing was badly bruised but the whack he took would have broken unprotected ribs. And being right on the sternum it is hard for him not to move and where it don’t hurt, a bit.

But like a “proper-bloke” he was up and moving in short order. Though the bike got put away he tooled around on the quad to prove he wasn’t gun-shy.

But I saw it in his eyes: That adrenalin-dump sparkle that comes from skating close to the razor’s edge.

What a ride! What a flight!

With more to come…

… And air…

Been a long, busy day. Loads of interesting encounters…

found a mummified gecko under an old safe…

Had a blazing day’s end…

And we got our Honiara Cmas tree up… yep, it’s a palm tree…

Good day had by all, except the gecko…

It’s about 80 degrees and heating up. A gun-metal grey sky and the slate flat sea speak of weather coming. The brisk breeze has a hint of rain in it. The skies could open and dump at any moment. or it could be a very warm and humid day here in Honiara.

Wind is picking up. May have to run inside soon.

That “Islands Sunday” quiet hangs over the morning. Most people are moving slowly. Off to church. The trials of smoke where motu fires are cooking are numerous. Faint choruses of hymns can be heard from the valleys.

A nice Sunday morn to ruminate…

I must comment… The following report appears to disregard the facts:

Quick calcs give us that there is a 90% discrepancy/ excess in consumption by the overweight, thus, a 70% short fall is easy to cover, “if we tighten our belts”.

UN report: World must produce more food