Comments on: Solar Electricity http://great-hikes.com/blog/solar-electricity/ Living and hiking on the island of Kauai Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:47:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Andy http://great-hikes.com/blog/solar-electricity/#comment-18860 Andy Wed, 19 Mar 2008 21:33:29 +0000 http://great-hikes.com/blog/?p=33#comment-18860 "Joe" has an interesting point about peak demand. I thought all the sealed buildings running A/C in the hot sun would be peak. But given the temperatures aren't too high and the breezes blow, I could believe that when everybody gets home and uses hot water, it creates a bigger peak when all the hot water heaters turn on. Does the electricity co-op publish these numbers, if not they should. Given how well solar hot water works on Kauai, you'd think there would be more effort by the co-op to reduce that peak. They do have a solar hot water incentive program, but they only contract with the most expensive installers, so I can see why it's not very successful. I wonder if there are electric water tanks that delay turning on by 0-2 hours to avoid this peak effect--it wouldn't even be noticeable for big tanks. As for the grid-tied PV issues, I know it's a problem for the utility to handle all the uncontrolled input. It seems like this is one of those cases where the early adopters have all the benefit, but real problems will surface if more and more people are grid-tied. However, I see that as a problem that is nice to have (too much PV generation out of peak), one that is solvable, for example by pushing the solar hot water. And yes, to be realistic, grid-tied customers should sell their output at a certain percentage of the KWH rate, or perhaps pay a flat monthly fee to cover hookup and fixed costs. By the way, I haven't installed PV yet, and probably won't soon--the up-front cost is just too high. It looks like residential wind power might work on Kauai too, with a lower entry cost. But the tower and noice of windmill are more of an issue with neighbors, and it does have the same problem when tied to the grid. “Joe” has an interesting point about peak demand. I thought all the sealed buildings running A/C in the hot sun would be peak. But given the temperatures aren’t too high and the breezes blow, I could believe that when everybody gets home and uses hot water, it creates a bigger peak when all the hot water heaters turn on. Does the electricity co-op publish these numbers, if not they should.

Given how well solar hot water works on Kauai, you’d think there would be more effort by the co-op to reduce that peak. They do have a solar hot water incentive program, but they only contract with the most expensive installers, so I can see why it’s not very successful. I wonder if there are electric water tanks that delay turning on by 0-2 hours to avoid this peak effect–it wouldn’t even be noticeable for big tanks.

As for the grid-tied PV issues, I know it’s a problem for the utility to handle all the uncontrolled input. It seems like this is one of those cases where the early adopters have all the benefit, but real problems will surface if more and more people are grid-tied. However, I see that as a problem that is nice to have (too much PV generation out of peak), one that is solvable, for example by pushing the solar hot water. And yes, to be realistic, grid-tied customers should sell their output at a certain percentage of the KWH rate, or perhaps pay a flat monthly fee to cover hookup and fixed costs.

By the way, I haven’t installed PV yet, and probably won’t soon–the up-front cost is just too high. It looks like residential wind power might work on Kauai too, with a lower entry cost. But the tower and noice of windmill are more of an issue with neighbors, and it does have the same problem when tied to the grid.

]]> By: Joe Blow http://great-hikes.com/blog/solar-electricity/#comment-18785 Joe Blow Tue, 18 Mar 2008 22:52:26 +0000 http://great-hikes.com/blog/?p=33#comment-18785 The peak here on Kauai is driven by residential hot water consumption, not A/C. Grid tied PV systems are not particularly good for this utility or others. PV doesn't help the Kauai peak , beacuse it happens in the late evening, after the sun goes down and electricty is being purchased. Grid tied systems also allow for an in equitable alocation of utility fixed costs. The peak here on Kauai is driven by residential hot water consumption, not A/C. Grid tied PV systems are not particularly good for this utility or others. PV doesn’t help the Kauai peak , beacuse it happens in the late evening, after the sun goes down and electricty is being purchased. Grid tied systems also allow for an in equitable alocation of utility fixed costs.

]]> By: Andy http://great-hikes.com/blog/solar-electricity/#comment-19 Andy Tue, 06 Sep 2005 07:45:16 +0000 http://great-hikes.com/blog/?p=33#comment-19 Agribusiness and solar farming seem very complimentary: lots of space for the panels, seasonal usage, and low cosumption. To them it's just another crop on the land, one with high investment, zero maintenance, and big subsidies. I think if I got a 50% rebate and annualized generation credit, I could pay for my system in 5 years. Agribusiness and solar farming seem very complimentary: lots of space for the panels, seasonal usage, and low cosumption. To them it’s just another crop on the land, one with high investment, zero maintenance, and big subsidies. I think if I got a 50% rebate and annualized generation credit, I could pay for my system in 5 years.

]]> By: Lisa http://great-hikes.com/blog/solar-electricity/#comment-17 Lisa Mon, 05 Sep 2005 19:04:50 +0000 http://great-hikes.com/blog/?p=33#comment-17 I was interested to read the following article in the montly California Farm Bureau magazine: http://www.cfbf.com/CCMag2/2005/2005_5_3.cfm, talking about the same type of grid-tied solar energy. Who'd think that mega-agribusiness would be on the cutting edge of installing solar systems like this? I was interested to read the following article in the montly California Farm Bureau magazine: http://www.cfbf.com/CCMag2/2005/2005_5_3.cfm, talking about the same type of grid-tied solar energy.

Who’d think that mega-agribusiness would be on the cutting edge of installing solar systems like this?

]]>