Solar panels/Wind Turbines....

R

RickH2

New member
Hi,

Has anyone put up Solar Panels/Wind turbines for Reduceing there Elect. Bill /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif

And if you have, what Kind of System (Make) did you Install.....or have Installed.....and due you like the power Savings.

Was it worth it (Total Cost)verses power saved??

Thank You in advance...... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowingsmilie.gif ...

Rick
 
I've never done it, but have investigated it a couple of times.

The last time I checked a totally independent system, one that would provide enough to supply all your needs at peak usage, was very expensive and not worth it. A system that ran basically all the time and fed power into the grid would be worth it if it was a 1:1 exchange.

In a lot of areas the power company doesn't pay you the same amount per kWh for power you put into their grid, as what they charge you per kWh for power you draw out of the grid, often because the law doesn't allow them to.

That calculation is the only thing that kept me from doing it.

Your best resource will probably be your local power company. They normally have a wealth of info on the subject. Our REA in NM would actually help to pay for a system. Unfortunately it still would have taken 11 years for the savings to pay for it, and it only had an expected lifetime of 7 years.
 
Quote:
Check out the tax rebates in your state. That is were you can make it feasable. Justin



nosetonose nailed it.
Without preferential tax credits it is a lost cause. Even with the tax credits you are taking on future maintenance and liabilities that are hard to put a price on.

Jack
 
We lived for 18 years on a solar array because we were 2 miles for the nearest power grid. The system worked great but you must make some sacrifices. We used propane for refrigeration, heated with wood and that includes hot water form the wood source. Nosetonose and nmleon have some good comments.
We moved from there and we now are on the grid but I rewired the house as I remodeled and have a complete system to put together this next summer. It will be a supplemental system not designed to replace the grid but help reduce my grid costs. IMO, anything you can do to lessen your dependence on the "system" is better for you.
 
I've lived off-grid on a 2 kW PV array, 10kW wind generator, and backup 15kW LPG engine generator for the past ten years. I'm on on a ridgetop at 5,000 feet where the wind frequently blows strongly for six months out of the year, and where the sun tends to shine with nary a cloud the remainder of the year. Equipment was already 7-12 years old when I moved in.

The PV array has very low maintenance; that is, if you don't count the large battery bank it charges up. Ours array was $15K in 1990 dollars, not including labor. The payback on solar will be better nowadays, but even with rebates the concept of "free energy" is still elusive because your break-even with solar typically occurs towards the end of the panel's lifespan. As investments go you might do better with the same amount of capital put elsewhere.

Once a wind tubine starts to get a few miles on it, it can be a lot of work to keep it hanging together. Ours is an older design by a reputable company, but even though we have a Jacobs, critical components for it are now unobtainable. Too, our location makes it vulnerable to failing catastrophicallly during high winds (one time, to the tune of $13K+. It'll be even more the next time it happens, as we'll have to swap the whole thing out for another model). Depending on what part of the state, this could be an issue in FL, perhaps? Insurance on this amount of capital equipment needs to be factored in, providing such insurance can even be obtained.

My thought is that if you're doing this for other good and compelling reasons besides simple economics (and there are many), go for it.

LionHo
 
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