[Rekd]

The house I'm buying in Ramona has a Solar Photovoltaic system that generates enough electricity to turn the meter backwards at the house, which is actually selling the excess energy, (what I don't use at the house), back to SDG&E.

With photovoltaic systems, you can either send excess back to the grid to be used by the community, (gas/elec company has to pay you for it), or you can have a set of batteries that the system/house runs off of when there's no sun.

[miljnor]

here is another thought.

Much easyer to make is a solar cell like the one at near the marine bas in baker california. it uses mirrors to focus large quantities of sunlight to a center column that is basicaly a steam turbine.. All proven technologies and much easier on the brain than making a large photo electic cell.

just my 4 cents worth.

[DieGuy]

Here is an interesting example.

http://belizeone.com/BzLibrary/trust39.html

[MBG]

The house I'm buying in Ramona has a Solar Photovoltaic system that generates enough electricity to turn the meter backwards at the house, which is actually selling the excess energy, (what I don't use at the house), back to SDG&E.

With photovoltaic systems, you can either send excess back to the grid to be used by the community, (gas/elec company has to pay you for it), or you can have a set of batteries that the system/house runs off of when there's no sun.

no way really? You can actually send it back to the power company? That is awesome.

[miljnor]

thats an awsome page!

Thanks Dieguy!

[ViperTX]

Well you don't actually send it to the power company...it's put on the grid. Which in a urban neighborhood means that one of your neighbors is actually using it.

Rekd...what are you getting back $0.08 per KWH?

[gus.montoya]

The house I'm buying in Ramona has a Solar Photovoltaic system that generates enough electricity to turn the meter backwards at the house, which is actually selling the excess energy, (what I don't use at the house), back to SDG&E.

With photovoltaic systems, you can either send excess back to the grid to be used by the community, (gas/elec company has to pay you for it), or you can have a set of batteries that the system/house runs off of when there's no sun.

That is not true. Just recently I heard this topic on NPR and a individual asked that question. It turns out that they do not sell it to SDG&E they forfiet all excess electricity to SDG&E. So you are making free electricity for SDG&E if you do not use it all.

Gus

[murphy625]

Here in Michigan, the power company is NOT required to buy your excess power.. However, they are required to give you "power credits" for it....

If you pump 1KW into the "grid", you get 1KW back at some time free...

Murph

[ViperTX]

That's because 1KW is probably under a dime...cost more to administer.

gus.Montoya.....NPR.....maybe that's the problem...they tend to have a very narrow view.....have they ever mentioned how they are using the money that the Kroc family left them.....you would think they wouldn't need outside funding after that donation....

[Rekd]

That is not true. Just recently I heard this topic on NPR and a individual asked that question. It turns out that they do not sell it to SDG&E they forfiet all excess electricity to SDG&E. So you are making free electricity for SDG&E if you do not use it all.

Gus

No, montoyo, we DO sell it back to the power company. (Not sure what the rate is right now, but it's the same as what we buy it for)

I just mailed in the contract with SDG&E regarding that. I'm not sure where you're getting your information, but I'm fairly certain that the contract I just signed with them is legit...

Here in Michigan, the power company is NOT required to buy your excess power.. However, they are required to give you "power credits" for it....

If you pump 1KW into the "grid", you get 1KW back at some time free...

If you generate more than you consume, then you are supposed to be compensated. (That's what I interpreted from the contract anyway, I'll go bak and take another look.) It's highly doubtful you'll be able to do that with anything less than a $50,000.00 system though.

[gus.montoya]

No, montoyo, we DO sell it back to the power company. (Not sure what the rate is right now, but it's the same as what we buy it for)

I just mailed in the contract with SDG&E regarding that. I'm not sure where you're getting your information, but I'm fairly certain that the contract I just signed with them is legit...



If you generate more than you consume, then you are supposed to be compensated. (That's what I interpreted from the contract anyway, I'll go bak and take another look.) It's highly doubtful you'll be able to do that with anything less than a $50,000.00 system though.

Sorry hehe I stuck my foot int he door and it got slammed. I do not know the rules in michigan so I'll retract my statement. But in San Diego that is the case. ANY excess electricity produced at ANY given time will be transfered to the grid and sold to some one like your neighbor. I think that sucks since you are the sole producer of the energy.
But ah well.

Gus

[murphy625]

I know the wind mills can make enough to sell back..

Most people however, will only put up enough supply to eliminate 50%-70% of the house hold bill.. That's enough to sustain you in a power outage, but not enough to have to worry about sending a few free electrons out.

I still think that wind is a much much better choice than solar panels.. The wind blows at night also.. The sun is only good on clear days and the days get cloudier and shorter during the winter.

From what I understand, the choice per dollar per killowatt on your investment is all going to depend on location. People in the higher altitudes use wind because there's allot of it. If your in Hawaii, I guess solar would be better.

Just my 2 cents...
Murph

[DieGuy]

Well here in AZ where the sun is abundant solar is the way to go, Also most utilites here have a weekday billing type based on time, where your draw during the weekday peak hours is priced at about $0.148 per kilowatt hour and nights and weekends is only $0.045 per kilowatt hour. The large load is daytime cooling and it really sucks the juice, so solar suplement would have a faster payback. I have been looking at DIY solar steam project, but commercial solar cells are getting better.

[murphy625]

Well here in AZ where the sun is abundant solar is the way to go, Also most utilites here have a weekday billing type based on time, where your draw during the weekday peak hours is priced at about $0.148 per kilowatt hour and nights and weekends is only $0.045 per kilowatt hour. The large load is daytime cooling and it really sucks the juice, so solar suplement would have a faster payback. I have been looking at DIY solar steam project, but commercial solar cells are getting better.

Ya.. Those rules would dramaticaly change things.

How is the wind out there?
The reason I am so against solar panels is because there is really very little you can do yourself to actually manufactur them from a home owners point of view.
Location means everything here.. If you have close neighbors, a big arse wind turbine is not going to go over very well.. Solar would be the choice here.
Being that the case, I'm thinking there isnt much you can do to make the actual solar panels cheaper for yourself. But the power storage, transmission, installations, etc etc would be the cost saver.


Murph

[MBG]

I am back finally. I have been away and very busy.

But murphy625, I heard that south of chicago there is A LOT of "wind farms" already growing with what I heard 40' high mills.

Me living in florida we really don't get to much wind honestly unless you live near the water.

[murphy625]

Actually, a 40 foot tall turbine would run your home very nicely.. That would be a rotor of about 20 feet diameter..

No wind means no options in your case.. My best suggestion would be to become an expert at power storage and conversion.. Not much of a "used" market for solar panels and I don't expect there ever will be..
Does your state have tax incentives? I heard that California has big incentives..

I was also reading in Popular Science that the price of the panels is going to drop quickly in about 2 years.. Apparently, some dude invented a better panel that was a gazillion times cheaper to manufacture.. (something to do with photo conductive plastic or something like that) I forgot the exact term but the silicon wafer manufacturing has been cut out of the process and the panels are flexible like a sheet of plexi-glass.

Murph

[MBG]

Actually, a 40 foot tall turbine would run your home very nicely.. That would be a rotor of about 20 feet diameter..

No wind means no options in your case.. My best suggestion would be to become an expert at power storage and conversion.. Not much of a "used" market for solar panels and I don't expect there ever will be..
Does your state have tax incentives? I heard that California has big incentives..

I was also reading in Popular Science that the price of the panels is going to drop quickly in about 2 years.. Apparently, some dude invented a better panel that was a gazillion times cheaper to manufacture.. (something to do with photo conductive plastic or something like that) I forgot the exact term but the silicon wafer manufacturing has been cut out of the process and the panels are flexible like a sheet of plexi-glass.

Murph

How do you find out about that? Where can I get a hold of that technology

[Rekd]

... But in San Diego that is the case. ANY excess electricity produced at ANY given time will be transfered to the grid and sold to some one like your neighbor....

I'm IN San Diego... My contract is with San Diego Gas & Electric. They're re-embursing me for any excess I produce.

[DieGuy]

How do you find out about that? Where can I get a hold of that technology

Yep I am in AZ and need to hear about that one too!

[ViperTX]

Unless you have a large open area and live in an area that doesn't have bothersome neighbors or a Home Owner's organization then the wind stuff will never fly. I suppose if I were thinking of reducing my dependency on "Power Utility supplied power"....I would find determine where the energy is being used....Do you have an electric H2O heater, what type of Air Conditioning sytem heats/cools your home....answers to these questions would then allow you to determine the "best / most affordable approach".