Solar Power

rellosk

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Mar 18, 2002
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Is it possible to run a 250m2 household completely on Solar Power? This would include running computers, air-conditioning, ceiling fans, large screen TV, etc.

Assuming it could be done, and one is not concerned about setup costs, what would it cost to maintain such a system?
 

Robert

Stay Frosty!
Jan 2, 1999
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3-4 good threads on this topic.

I couldn't tell you how much the on going costs are, but I would assume minimal and very much like any inverter setup.

Once the panels are set up right, you shouldn't need to touch them.

Your going to need a big old invertor for that job.
Especially for the AC, water heater and any water pumps etc.
 

Danny W

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Mar 1, 2003
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I've read most of the threads, and they usually end up too complicated for me to follow. So I'm jumping in right here - $10,000 to be completely off the grid, running air conditioning (conservatively), hot water, appliances? That sounds too good to be true. Seems to me it would pay for itself in 4 years. I'd go for that option in a heartbeat.- D
 

Robert

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Jan 2, 1999
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I just dug up an email from 2004.

If you take option 3.
Add US$2K for batteries and maybe another US$5K for 2 inverters.

Your looking at a fortune as these prices are only for 9kWh/day.

--------------------------------

Here are several options with varying levels of independence from the
grid. The prices here are for panels, control boxes, roof mounting
structure, battery cabinets, and all the essential accessories like
breakers, module connections, fuses, wiring, etc. that's necessary for
installation. Components for installing the entire system--minus
batteries and inverter--are included in this price
, but we'll need some
roof details and installation parameters before we can give you our
installation quote.

As we've mentioned already, it looks like your basic consumption runs
around 9kWh/day (assuming 4 computers, 2 fans, and 3 low-consumption
lights for 8 hours each day.)

Option 1: 4.5 kWh/day from solar
Price: US $10,430 + itbis

You'll produce half of your total energy needs. The solar array can
supply 50%, but the other part has to be supplied through the grid by
recharging the batteries. If the apagones come during the full 8 hours
of your work day, you'll still have problems if you don't cut back your
consumption. Assuming that you have grid power for at least a few hours
a day to help recharge your batteries, this system should serve you well
and fill the gaps during the apagones.

Option 2: 6 kWh/day from solar
Price: US $13,590 + itbis

Same description as above, but this time the solar array is supplying
66% of your needs. You'll be able to ride out most long apagones, and,
incidentally, this is the size of system you'd need if you decided to
work only 5 days/week instead of 7. Those extra two days would give the
panels a chance to charge up your batteries while you wouldn't be using
any energy.

Option 3: 9 kWh/day from solar
Price: US $19,750 + itbis

In this case you're supplying all of your office's essential
electricity. I emphasize that this system has been designed in order to
COMPLETELY fill your energy needs (assuming computers + fans + lights 8
hours/day, 7 days/week.) It has a battery bank that will support 3 days
without sun, and will treat your batteries well by never discharging
them to more than 50% of their capacity so they'll last much longer.)

If you're thinking of staying connected to the grid and believe that the
luz will come on at least a little bit, then you might think about
cutting down the size of this system. That said, there is a certain
sigh of relief knowing that you never have to deal with apagones or gas
shortages for your planta.

I'll look forward to hearing back from you, and I'll be happy to clarify
anything I've laid out here.

-----------------------------

http://www.dr1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33708&
 
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AZB

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Jan 2, 2002
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If it were only 10 grand plus change, many would have been off the grid a long time ago.
Bottom line, if you are thinking of running a/c and water heater, forget it.
Too complicated and too expensive, not to mention, you need an engineering degree to keep up with system maintanence etc.
This is the reason almost no one is off the grid in DR, if they can't live without a/c and water heater. There are folks in the country who are off the grid because the power lines don't go far into the boonies. They only use solar panels to charge up 2-4 batteries and use the energy to light up low consumption light bulbs, a small radio, maybe a small tv, a fan and a laptop etc.
AZB
 

Robert

Stay Frosty!
Jan 2, 1999
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I know a coulple of people that are off the grid at home, but they do it with a planta. They run the planta at night for the AC and to charge their inverter that they use for day time use. One is a gas station owner, so that helps keep down the costs :)

As AZB said, it's just not worth it.
 

Tom F.

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
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A rough estimate to be completely off the grid and have everything you pretty much want except AC would be US$20,000. I would not recommend using AC with solar electricity. The key is to purchase energy efficient appliances and ceiling fans. I like the idea of have DC and AC lines. I used a 24v DC refrigerator with solar and it worked great. 24v DC ceiling fans are also more efficient.

I think I put this in a previous post somewhere, but adding a small generator to charge your batteries for the extended cloudy days and overuse due to visitors or parties or something, can reduce the size of a system needed to cover average daily use.

I've seen websites that help you design the size system you need by putting in all your expected energy needs with hours of use. Then you design a little bigger system you need if cost isn't a problem.

Another good point is you can increase the size of you array of panels or battery bank in the future if you find you need more energy.

Maintenance of the system this size would be important to get maximum battery life. Replacing batteries would be the biggest future cost. I would factor in replacing an inverter somewhere down the road (5-10 years). Does anyone have experience using an inverter for more than 10 years on a daily basis? If you get dust on the panels, maybe hose them off if it doesn?t rain for a while.
 

rellosk

Silver
Mar 18, 2002
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Robert said:
I know a coulple of people that are off the grid at home, but they do it with a planta. They run the planta at night for the AC and to charge their inverter that they use for day time use. One is a gas station owner, so that helps keep down the costs :)

As AZB said, it's just not worth it.
I never asked if it was worth it. I asked if it could be done.

Before I posted my question, I read over all the old threads and most of them dealt with costs and none of them talked about providing 100% of the needs (including AC). My only concern about costs, would be maintenance costs.

To sum it up: The cost of setting up a Solar based power system, a small fortune. To be totally free of the unreliable, overpriced grid and gasoline powered generators, priceless.
 

Rocky

Honorificabilitudinitatibus
Apr 4, 2002
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www.rockysbar.com
rellosk said:
I never asked if it was worth it. I asked if it could be done.

Before I posted my question, I read over all the old threads and most of them dealt with costs and none of them talked about providing 100% of the needs (including AC). My only concern about costs, would be maintenance costs.

To sum it up: The cost of setting up a Solar based power system, a small fortune. To be totally free of the unreliable, overpriced grid and gasoline powered generators, priceless.
My fault.
I started the whole price thing.
I thought it might be important to you, as you were concerned about the upkeep costs.
Anyhow, the upkeep is minimal.
Taking care of you batteries, and repairing equipment that breaks with time.
 

Tom F.

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
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With an inverter big enough to handle the surge of an airconditioner, it could be done, of course. Just to have an AC in your bedroom for 10 hours would consume 6-10kw/hrs a night. The $19,000 system listed as producing 9kw/hrs a day.

I remember seeing charts at renewable energy conferences where a payback for your initial investment of a large system would come in the 8-12 year period.
 

Tom F.

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
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We tried (Soluz) to use small 200 - 400kw turbines and had no luck getting them to work up to specifications. Some friends who worked out of Nagua had more success with some of these systems. The books say how hybird systems are ideal but in our case, the costs of adding a couple of panels on to a wind turbine made it more of a hobby than cost effective. From a business standpoint I stuck my neck out a little bit and probably lost US$10,000 playing around with 5 turbines, putting them up and taking them down. USAID was spending $3 million trying to promote wind, and we thought we would be on the cutting edge. Show our commitment and then develop and dozen projects or so on the North Coast. This was in 98 and 99.

Cueto was looking at doing a big system, Las Galetas was also doing their own thing but very interested, I spoke with a half a dozen gringos who showed an interest, went out to Cabrera and micro sited a system, while our friends in Nagua were doing the same thing. There was also interest in Las Galeras, Barbarao, Punta Cana and a few sites in the mountains. AID installed ananometers in 10 sites (mostly turists type sites) to measure the wind resouces and Cueto's site in Guzmansito and Caberette had the best overall wind, but half showed enough wind to encourage an investment in wind turbines. Seven or eight years later, I doubt whether there is anything to show for it.

Then I met a guy in the Capital in 1999 who was putting together a huge wind farm near Puerto Plata. It was a done deal. 100+, 50ft high turbines. A few year later I read about a similiar project on this website. I still don't see a d*** thing being done. I figured no one in the government figured out how to get enough of a cut to make it happen or something like that.

Tom F.
 
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Tom F.

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
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I've been following these threads and hope it is true. Until I see (or read) these systems are installed and producing energy, I am not a believer.

Tom F.