So far so good. My home grid tie solar system from SolarCity just produced its for megawatt hour (1000KWH) of electrical energy. How much electricity is a million watt hours?
A microwave oven typically draws 1000 watts of power. So a kilowatt hour is the energy it takes to run your microwave for an hour. So a megawatt hour is running a microwave oven continuously for 1000 hours, which is 41 days, 16 hours.
This is enough electricity to drive a Tesla Model S or a Nissan Leaf from Los Angeles to New York. (range 3000 – 3500 miles per MWH)
1 megawatt hour is enough energy to lift something weighing 1 million pounds (500 tons) 2655 feet into the air (1/2 mile).
So – how much is that electricity worth? That depends on if you’re buying or selling it. If I bought a megawatt hour from PG&E I would pay $170 at their lowest home consumer rate. But for excess power PG&E pays me $40 for it. is that a good deal? I think so. Considering PG&E is my storage battery it’s definitely worth it. And PG&E is ahead too. Every MWH I make is a MWH they don’t have to generate or transmit to Gilroy.
In addition my home made yard solar collector has made over 200 KWH of additional energy.
BTW – for those who are interested – I’m building a tracker for this array so it’s going to move and follow the sun. Parts are on order. Using plumbing unions as bearings seems to work so far. Stay tuned for that.
If I recall correctly, it isn’t actually yours.
If we could be paid for Energy savings, there are Lots of ways to reduced energy use..
But there is a problem,,
Efficiency SUCKS..
The less power/energy we use, means the Corp makes less money..
Corp making less money, Raises prices, FOR energy..
Corps making less money Cuts corners..
Corps making less money, cuts employees..
After a time, the corp makes as much money, by charging you for ANY power you need.
You said that before…and my response is still that that is the way any market works. The winners are those like MarC who get in ahead of the masses and surf the wave.
Do you have any other way to phrase the issue to make a viable point?
………….I’m still waiting for you to say
a government regulated monopoly is not a market player?
So………..How do solar cells/DC current work?
Can I connect any 12 volt item (like a solar water pump) to any 12 volt solar system…or must wattage (or amps?) be taken into account?
Seems to me I recall I think DC motors only draw as much power as they need?
My house is woefully under amped. Constantly tripping the breaker.
Bo,
Many companies and corps, that can buy up enough land are doing tons to lower bills.
And its not hard if you have enough property..
If housing was designed well, many things can be done very easily, and fairly cheap.
I can point to an air conditioning/heat exchange system, that saves TONS of money, if you can dig up your property. And works year round.
Think that would solve California’s electrical problems? NOPE. Even the state gov. didnt know they were being OVER CHARGED, about 10 years back..(Enron)
The corps are not nice, they arnt supposed to be. They are only there to make money. by hook or crook. If they loose money they get it back from the Gov. as a loss.. It they make money, they hide it so it cant be taxed.
Even the electric company, makes money ON YOU, when you go solar. An individual can not CLAIM a return on unused solar power in most states. They Add it to your account, for when you DO USE the power. Then they charge you a higher rate..as well as the Monthly fee for having ameter on your home.
Everything you say is………CORRECT. It sucks.
I pay for gas and garbage service even though I don’t use gas (use electricity and extra clothes) and so little garbage I could compost it. Put my can out about once a month.
BUT===society could not provide the service to “anyone” if the cost of same was not spread out over everyone. I view it as just another general tax….like property tax for schools when I don’t have kiddies.
Its called: living in society.
LIVING IN SOCIETY: a wonderful life, healthy, expect to live to on average 83 years old.
LIFE ON MY OWN: without all these taxes and unnecessary services?==sad, miserable, dead by 28.
Wake up. Consider and Balance ALL THE FACTORS.
…………………..or Devo to become a liebertardian, puke, or some other idealogically driven fantacist.
Using solar electricity does not mean corporations have to make less money, it only means that the market is shifting to something new and corporations have to change in order to survive.
You won’t see any company running machines on whale oil nowadays, but at some point in the past that’s how they operated.
They paid a lot of money for that and I am sure at some point, when fossil fuel (gasoline) was introduced, someone complained that “efficiency sucks” and “corp makes less money”
Actually, the more efficient something is, the more of it we use.
http://amazon.com/Bottomless-Well-Twilight-Virtue-Energy/dp/0465031161
Solar photo voltaic panels produce DC current that varies in voltage and power with the amount of sun falling on the panels. Special inverters are used to convert the DC voltage to AC which is fed back to the utility grid, and/or used to supplement utility power being consumed at the location where the panels are installed. Storage batteries are used on some systems to allow the power to be used at times when the PV panels are not producing electricity. DC voltage converters can be used to supply 12, 24, 48 or other DC voltages directly to DC loads.
Sounds about right. I saw a note that implied an “output controller” was needed with the panel. so…I’m assuming a 12 volt solar system more technically only produces a maximum of 12 volts?
Connected to a pool, I was wanting to connect the small panel to the pump and with low sun I assume less than 12 volts would be produced making the pump run slow or not at all with no damage to it? And in Full Bright Sun, the construction of it limits the output to 12 volts and again no damange to my pump? Having to buy a controller almost doubles the price.
Looking at my computer stuff DC converters, its volts and Amps that vary. I assume a little two square foot solar panel can only output a Max amperage that the pump should usually handle wihout issue?
Electricity………….obviously………. a form of magic.
That’s great that you’re making your own electricity with solar panels. But here’s a little fact you may not have considered: those solar panels took a LOT more than a KWH just to construct.
Think about the raw materials and maybe you will realize that you’re still way behind the “break even” point of energy used to energy produced. If you doubt it, just consider the aluminum in your panels which took a ton of electricity just to smelt. Now consider the energy used to make glass! See where I’m going? Now ask if you will keep making energy or possibly even damage your solar panels if they’re not kept absolutely clean. For example, leave something like a leaf laying on your panel for very long and it acts like a capacitor that eventually damages that small section of the solar panel. And, of course, there’s the energy it takes to keep things clean too (as if water isn’t taking energy to filter and get piped to your home).
I really do like the idea of solar panels. But it’s just not there for any real serious use yet. The area necessary for solar panels to power a small city is almost mind boggling — it’s huge! So please come down to earth and stop all this “I’m better than you because I have the money to waste on solar panels” preaching — you’re simply NOT seeing the whole picture. Quite frankly, it sounds like you’re just bragging about your money (which we all know is really the property of the privately owned Federal Reserve).
He’s not wasting his money on solar panels. He is wasting your money on solar panels. He got the system for free while Musk collects subsidies from the government.
Tru dis. Too bad we all don’t have enuff money and/or proper real estate to get in on this scam.
You nailed it! Green isn’t green at all.
This isn’t a logical, fact based decision.
It’s an ideology, and ideologues don’t let facts get in the way.
Nonetheless, I’m still interested in getting in on the scam as soon as I can.
I’m not an ideologue, I know the core “Green” is a scam. I also know it’s a good time to get in on the fix.
Rarely as stupid as this Oh No.
NAME THE SCAM!!! I double dog dare you.
Your alternative to burning fossil fuels forever is what? Or do you think burning fossil fuels forever is the right thing to do?
Germany getting 70% of base load now from Solar. ((That “sounds” wrong to me. Base load is HUGE!!!–but why bother with facts when talking to Oh No?===why to be correct on the matter, of course!))
Not sure what you call “huge”, since with current tech on solar, an area of 100 sq miles, or 10×10 miles of AZ desert is suppose to be enough to power the United States at current efficiency levels.
Its 100 Miles squared, you’re off by a factor of 100.
http://mediamatters.org/research/2013/01/24/myths-and-facts-about-solar-energy/192364
…and ambiguously, thats to replace the electricity needs. That leaves transportation and heating…and other energy needs.
My bad, getting old :). All though, transportation and heating could also be covered to an extent, just not as in a straight forward manor as the regular electrical use.
Perhaps, 400×400 miles, just tossing it out there with no facts to back it up. Am a fan of solar, but see hydrogen as more of an answer for transportation and heating, with perhaps creating it from solar generated electricity.
Ha, ha…..you are bouncing around a bit.
I also advocate/admire/look forward to a hydrogen based energy structure. Even with the tranformation energy losses, hydrogen is a good use of excess solar production.
I also agree transportation presents challenges to electricity. Its doable, but hydrogen could be a valuable addition to the mix.
All transitional to whereever we are going?
A well constructed aluminum solar panel will last (at least) 20 years and it produces energy.
A well constructed aluminum can of Coke will last, in your hands, 2 minutes and it produces nothing.
See where I’m going?
A can of coke, however, will produce excess gas (and bloating).
About the cost in melting glass and aluminum, I wonder, does one such as yourself complain about the energy it costs when Budweiser uses those materials to make beer bottles and cans?
And no they don’t have to be absolutely clean and a leaf or leaves falling and sticking to the outer glass doesn’t act as as the dielectric or the plate of a capacitor.
And I also don’t get the impression he’s implying that he’s than you. Perhaps he just feels better about himself for at least trying to make an effort and better still for succeeding.
Go to this site http://onlineconversion.com/energy.htm to do the calculation that 1 megawatt-hour = the energy contained in 27.322 gallons of gasoline. At 100% efficiency in energy conversion, an automobile would need to get 109 miles per gallon with this much gasoline to travel 3000 miles. Your math is off by around 50%.
Marc’s First Megawatt Hour — give the man a cigar! 😉
Seriously, the nattering nabobs be damned, Marc, you’re generating more electricity than 99.99% of Americans. Woo hoo — you’re a maker, not a taker!
Congrats on your success…
Is the one megawatt hour produced your total since installation? One megawatt hour ($40) in six months?
More like $200 where Marc lives.
Nice recontexting of the post.
Google says the average house uses roughly 1 megawatt per month.
My place uses less than average because I designed my own air conditioning system.
This I’m interested in!!
I want to build a decentralized AC/Heating system for my home and would like any pointers.
P.S.
Thank again for these posts.
Even though it’s obvious that Solar and Wind isn’t going to make a large enough impact due to the rarity of rare earth metals and the costs of production/fabrication…
That doesn’t mean that some of us cannot get in on the goods while the getting is good.
He’s posted about it here.
Thanks for the heads up. Found it and it’s worth looking at.
It’s about 3 1/2 months. But it’s the winter so the best months are ahead. System is supposed to make 5 megawatts a year.
Too many variables, so my bottom line: how much of your electricity needs are going to be met by your solar cells? It sounds like you will be buying energy from the grid…….so, what was your design criteria?
I could see it being solar to meet 80% of summer needs with gas heat for the winter?….and if solar could provide the heat in winter, that would be great.
Its all very area (amount of sunlight/heat/cold) dependent with Gilroy, my gut tells me, one of the best areas in the country for year around use?
Alternative: design for 100% summer cooling needs and use any excess capactity to manufacture hydrogren? Hydrogen to fuel car or power a fuel cell for the house? Too combustible?
Fun to play with.
Have you chopped down that tree yet?
The amount produced is not minor. It’s not like Perkel is trying to power the whole country.
Do you note the inconsistency/conflict of sentence one to sentence two?
My perception so far is that Marc has need of less than an average homes electricity and generates less than average as well. Like buying any new equipment/service, once you use it for awhile, you should have a better idea on what some better options would have been…even if not available.
So===MarC==did you size your system just right or would you like it larger or smaller….. and why?
There should be a sweet spot between generation/cost/payback–especially since there isn’t much profit in oversizing and betting a minimum payment from Elect Co.
The SolarCity system is right sized. My additional yard collector is excess. Will probably never pay for itself but I had fun.
Well, thanks for that. And the lessen not to ask a simple direct question the answer to which provides no information?
So—how did you size your system? Did New Solar walk you through any options?
What is your expected total load and how much does your system provide?
Did you not oversize your system because you did recognize the low buy from PGE was not worth it? You have said such low payment is a substitute for having a battery….but I wonder if PGE should encourage Solar by given a direct offset?
You know………everyone interested in Solar would like to know what a real user has to say?
As I stated, pure WAG: size it at 80% of your peak load for maximum usage/cost effectiveness ((or should that be average load? Average load for summer or winter???))
Fun stuff for the coming green age.
You know he has posted about this before. Why not go read those posts?
The answer to that is rather obvious?
Post back to admit you don’t have clue.
First I’ve heard of this: low flow energy capture from sewer water:
http://gizmag.com/portland-lucidpipe-power-system/36130/?utm_source=Gizmag+Subscribers&utm_campaign=9a2fc40689-UA-2235360-4&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_65b67362bd-9a2fc40689-89824278
Gizmag is great. Free weekly newsletter.
They have figures that seem near that 1MW per year average per house figure…can’t do it in my head….so … forgeddaboutit.