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solar power

K

keh

Well-known Member

From article in the June-July Progressive Farmer;

CA has high electricity rates. Rancher has a 6,000 acre operation west of Reno, 450 pair cattle, 2500 acres in mostly alfalfa. Pumps from wells to irrigate. $150,000 a year electricity bill. He ran the numbers and put in 3 acres of solar cells, which produce 1.2 million kW of electricity. Cost of system, $2.4 million. Pay off in 10 years. Price was reduced by $900,000 of tax credits and subsidy. If he overproduces, he can get credit from the electric company at 6 cents per kW, but there is no incentive to overproduce since it costs him 12 1/2 cents per kW to produce.

KEH
 
Sounds good to me. I would like to make our farm self sufficient, but think the break even point would be too far out.
 
Lots of research on solar energy going on at both AZ universities. They are making progress and licensing some of their inventions, so I would delay buying anything solar until the new innovations come on the market.

At some point they will get costs down so there will be a more reasonable payback.
 
What might work in Reno, may not work in the midwest where we have many over cast days.

I can't believe the wind farms about 100 miles north of Terre Haute, Kentland I think. Went North over the weekend and there are wind farms about 15 miles north of Layfayette too.

There must be a belt of wind barns from 41 to 421.


The windmills are so neat to watch. Wonder there aren't more wrecks.

I would like to see the numbers on both solar and wind to see if there is really a pay off. Can't help to think people who say something will pay for itself in 10 years isn't cooking the numbers, factoring in interest, maintance.

If things really paid for themself, I would tell them to install it and then when they wanted me to pay the bill, I would tell them I'm not going to pay, it's suppose to pay for itself:)
 
I'm adding 200 Watts of Solar Panels on the roof of my RV with provision to tilt toward the sun when parked. That may not sound like a lot, until you consider the RV is only like 200 Sq Ft, 2 people, and the only 12 VDC loads are a few CFL lights (nights a couple 3 hours) maybe the water pump or vent fan now n then plus I have a 4 battery bank of 460 Amp Hrs, a Xantrex Truecharge2 Smart 3 Stage Charger and an Onan 4 KW Genset when needed. My panels were like 1.3 cents per watt.

Its gonna keep gettin cheaper and more practical for a small energy efficient home in a mild climate. The Amish around here are installing 2000 to 3000 watt systems, a 4 KW Inverter, a Generator and a bank of L 16 Batteries.

John T
 
I am planning to put a 12kW system with inverters on my shop roof. That should carry most of my base load and provide a 5 year payback.
 
Lots of problems with that analysis. It can't cost 12.5 cents per KWH generated since there is no cost to operate those units. The cost is in buying, installing, and financing them, and maybe some replacements for storm or hail damage.

Those costs are not variable with output either. Payback over ten years would not allow for interest.
 
There are a lot of solar panels and turbines here in Ontario but the provincial government has become involved and messed the whole thing up. To top it off they just changed the location of a powerplant at a +$millions You should soon be able to see Ontario from space....it will be the big dark spot
 
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