When I first read your post a while back I had figured it wasn't feasible. I just (two minutes ago) learned of a simular project being done near where I live. They plan to manufacture solar panels starting with 6-8 empolyees and moving to 20 to 30 in a couple of years. I was happy to learn that the local electrical company (in Taos, NM) was planning to purchase the panels for commercial energy generation. If you PM me I can try to look up who's involved and find more info. I would be glad to help out the alternative energy cause. I imagine that the company would feel that way too.
BTW, to those dissing solar; the current average energy payback for solar panel production in the US is about 2 years, this will decrease as thin film becomes a more popular production technique. Also the vast majority of solar users go through their homes to reduce the electrical requirements with more efficient items, making solar even more friendly. The pollution payback is quick as well, but much harder to define as lifecycle costs vary a lot by manufacturer and the mainstream choice one compares them too.
Generators are indeed far more poluting that most large scale plants. But, you could produce bio-diesel if you wanted and the emmisions are much lower normal for the plant size you use. Some believe that biodiesel actually removes net carbon-dioxide, once the life cycle of the fuel is considered. Biodiesel production from waste veggie oil is simple and involves only lye and methanol (ethanol is possible but really tricky). The net cost of a gallon of biodiesel assuming your used greese is free is around 40 cents, in the US. The veggie oil is almost always used as waste oil is cheap or free.
BTW, if your batteries are becoming sulfated (the normal reason they loose capacity with age), try a chemical called EDTA. In the US this can be obtained from a few solar dealers as well as alternative photochemical supplyer Bostick and Sullivan (
www.bostick-sullivan.com). The EDTA removes the sulfite deposits on the plates and restores like dead batteries to almost new. In really bad cases you might also want to swap the electrolyte out. I have used this with my solar batteries and it is amazing how well it works. You mix the EDTA powder (a tablespoon per cell or more in larger cells) with DISTILLED water (or the purest water you can find) until disolved and then use it to replentish the evaporated water in your batteries. I have seen people take free dead batteries and use them for years.
The EDTA won't work for gel cells. Gels sound good in theory, but are far less tolerant of the sort of treatment people give them with the whole invterter charge/discharge deal than flooded batteries. They are just as bad for the environment. Their only plus is that they have a far greater ability to accept and provide amperage vs. battery size (ie you need fewer to deal with an a/c or refridgerators surge). They don't need watering either if you consider that a plus.
Someone asked about using a car as a planta. Bad idea, your car will run hot as its designed to be moving while the engine is under load. You can do it in a pinch but regular use will put a lot of wear on it. If you do it, use an inverter, don't go from 12v car to 12v battery bank as you won't fully charge the battery bank and will quickly sulfate your plates.
I've lived on solar electric for two and half years now near Taos, NM, USA and set up two homes with solar electricity.
