Notes on "Identifying Energy Savings Opportunities in the DR Household"

Does the inverter affect consumption to the extent that you use less electricity when there are fewer power cuts, or does it even out?

So far in the new apartment (fingers crossed, touch wood, throw salt over left shoulder and sacrifice a goat and three chickens) our bills have been really low, and I wondered if it is because there have also been fewer apagones compared to where we used to live. It's also a smaller place and we're not using fans because of the cool weather, so those are also important factors.

Chirimoya said:

Does the inverter affect consumption to the extent that you use less electricity when there are fewer power cuts, or does it even out?

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Unquestionably. If you lose 20% each way, making AC out of your DC batteries, then later, recharging them, that's a lot of money tossed away.
Then again, what choice do you have?
I love inverters and I accept the costs associated with operating one.

Chirimoya said:

So far in the new apartment (fingers crossed, touch wood, throw salt over left shoulder and sacrifice a goat and three chickens) our bills have been really low, and I wondered if it is because there have also been fewer apagones compared to where we used to live. It's also a smaller place and we're not using fans because of the cool weather, so those are also important factors.

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Thanks for the laugh.
It's possible you pay a different rate per Kwh than you did in your previous residence, plus all the other factors you mentioned.

My main fear is that they haven't noticed someone has moved in yet, and are charging us as if the apartment was unoccupied. I think the rate per Kwh here is higher if anything.

One neighbour pays RD$6000 and although they probably use some a/c and a dryer (unlike us) they're not the ones I may have mentioned once or twice who run the a/c all night long, every single night. I wonder how much they pay! We're still in triple figures.

Now where's that other goat?

Chirimoya said:

My main fear is that they haven't noticed someone has moved in yet, and are charging us as if the apartment was unoccupied. I think the rate per Kwh here is higher if anything.

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It may be a good idea to go look at your meter, and make sure the numbers correspond to your bill, otherwise, you may find yourself with a gigantic bill, one day soon.

Christa, good point about the inverters (too bad you didn't also put it as a comment on the blog -- why is everybody shy about using the comment button?) Guess we'll should tackle that aspect too. Any volunteers to help an already overworked Team leader?:cheeky: Wish we could draft Mr Mike into doing it...

I do plan to tackle fans as well, albeit briefly, as part of the cooling piece. We managed to surive four years in SD with no AC and only fans, but I will admit I was not happy about it. My wife, who was raised in that environment, was not bothered; I was constructed for different climes, and did not tolerate it well, although tolerate it I did.

I note, though, that when we visited this past August we stayed with a cousin in her 4th floor apt in Gascue, and between the breeze she often got at that height and the ceiling fans, we were fairly comfortable.

Ok, I just edited and posted a revised version of the blog entry to take into account (at least I hope it does!) the suggestions on inverters and fans.

Anything else, guys? All input welcomed, since the point of the whole exercise is to make it as useful and relevant as possible.

wow, I have to say that according to the list of domestic energy users, I come out looking pretty green, as I operate very few electrodomestic appliances. My fridge, which is new (though already in need of adjustment), is rated at 575 kwh/year. I have no air conditioning, as my apartment has excellent feng shui vis a vis orientation to catch the breezes. I do have ceiling fans, but they seem to be a very low energy efficient means of cooling the place, and there are only two. Then I have two computers and a TV. No dryer, no inverter (I live near the palace), a small washer, a radio. My monthly electric bill is about 800 to 900 pesos. Not bad eh?

But here is the question and maybe this has been asked many times before andyou can direct me to the thread: what about solar power? I have begun to look into this, but I am getting conflicting views of its feasibility cost-wise. I want to install panels in our house near Bonao, where there is hardly ever any electricity, so even an inverter is not a great option. Again, we dont use much-- we have a couple fridges, becuase of a little business my m-in-law runs, but besides that a small TV. This will change as I enlarge the place, but I dont anticipate anything greater than what I already have here in the capital. So where can I go to get the skinny on solar power, buy the materials, and not get ripped off?

Hi Macocael. There's been several pretty good past threads on solar power services and considerations in the DR in the Environment Forum -- try the "advanced search" function up top and then enter "solar power" and select the Environment Forum for the search, should yield you quite a bit.

Also, Tom F., who used to work on the solar power in the DR for several years for USAID and then the private sector there, is scheduled to do something for the Green Team blog on the issue soon. So stay tuned.

As far as solar power is concerned, the consensus is that anything more than what is needed to power a few lightbulbs and a small TV is expensive to set up and to maintain. That was our experience in my husband's finca in the campo, and many people who have tried solar or at least looked into the possibility have said the same thing in this forum.

Thanks Keith, I will pay attention to developments. Chiri, this is what I have been hearing, but then a trusted and smart friend of mine recently informed me that he was about to set up panels and scoffed at my objections. So I dont know what to think. Personally, when I am in the campo, I could care less if there are no lights. I go there to get away from lights and noise and computers and tv. But the family wants their juice, so I am looking into ways to provide it without depending on the govt or on dwindling supplies of petroleum. Wind power is giving me the same headache. There has to be solution. Look at the Japanese: they have these new windows they install in skyscrapers -- and homes -- that double as solar panels and also add color to the building. Brilliant. My feeling is that govt's are still not pushing enough to improve the technology, otherwise we would be enjoying cheap and plentiful power by now.

Well, finally able to post the first in the follow-up look at energy savings opps in the home, this time focusing on strategies for cooling the home:

"Personal Choices: Green Cooling the DR Home, Part I"

And now, for the part you cool cats have been waiting for, the Air Conditioning chapter:

"Personal Choices: Green Cooling the DR Home, Part II"

Interesting article in the Economist on stand by power

If you do not subscribe to this publication, I will be happy to cut, paste and email you a copy.

http://www.economist.com/printedition/displaystory.cfm?story_id=E1_VVSTVRN

Hello!
Can you please email me this too?

Another look at energy savings targets in the home:
http://www.dr1.com/blogs/entry.php?u=environment&e_id=1949