One of the myths that gets bandied about a lot is the idea that it takes more energy to create a solar panel: through mining, transport, manufacturing and distribution, than will ever be generated by that solar panel over its lifetime.
20 years ago that was a valid argument against solar power. However in 2012 that myth is pure BS. Hopefully this post can set the record straight.
A solar inverter is like any other electronic device in your home and it will produce some Electromagnetic radiation and potentially Radio Frequency interference. There is a standard that all approved electrical devices in Australia are required to meet (C Tick) but it does not guarantee zero emissions.
Solar is compatible with 3 phase
There is an awful lot of confusion (and misinformation) out there about the practicalities of installing solar on a house that has a 3 phase supply. So I’ve written this post to clear up the confusion. [Read more…]
What’s the payback?
Note: This post was written in 2012 and is way out of date. For the latest payback figures please read this page which is kept up to date >>> Are Solar Batteries Worth It
In my previous 2 posts I looked at the concept and design of Hybrid Solar systems.
The main conclusion of those 2 articles was that
a) Hybrid solar rocks!
b) But you gotta pay for it!
So the question this post will try to answer is:
How Much Extra Does Hybrid Solar Cost?
and bearing in mind the extra costs:
What is the payback of Hybrid Solar Compared To Regular Grid Connect Solar?
So let’s look at the cost of a quality 5kW system and then see what it costs to upgrade it to “Hybrid”. [Read more…]
If you live in Adelaide and would like to hear about a 100% renewable powered future then come along and say hi next Wednesday At UniSA:
Hybrid Solar Too?
Please note: this post was written in 2012 and is way out of date.
>>> Please visit this page on solar batteries, which is constantly updated. <<<
In my previous blog post on hybrid solar systems (aka grid connect with battery backup) I promised to follow up with a post that went into more detail on the costs and give examples of inverter hardware that can be used to make such a beast.
I’ve realised that if I go into the costs and paybacks then this blog post may be longer than War and Peace. So in this post I’ll cover the hardware and I’ll save the financials for next time.
As I said in the previous post, your motivation for spending more on a hybrid solar system will likely be either: [Read more…]
Don’t fall for it!
I’m angry.
I get a lot of emails asking for me to look over quotes. I try to answer every one. Sometimes it takes a couple of weeks to reply, but generally I manage to reply.
Tonight I got 3 emails in a row with quotes from 3 separate companies which all appeared to be trying the same trick. They appear to be deceiving the customer into thinking they are getting a great deal and then hitting them with a bill for thousands more than the quoted price when the system is installed.
I love the solar industry, and to see these guys operating like this makes me so freaking angry I want to scream! [Read more…]
Batteries + Solar?
Note: This post was written in 2012 and is way out of date.
>>> Please read this post on solar batteries for the latest information. <<<
A few weeks ago I blogged about my mate who really hates his electricity company. In fact he hates them so much he wanted his new house to have an expensive off grid solar system with battery backup, diesel genset, the works.
I blogged how the cost of going off grid with solar would be over $50,000 compared to about $12,000 for a standard, grid connect 5kW system and that it would be economically barmy to go completely off grid if your home already has a connection to the grid which you can use.
The German press has just announced that one of my favourite solar companies plans to file for insolvency tomorrow (April 4th).
Dirt is one of 5 losses
Is your new solar system producing the power output it should?
A very common question I get from people who have just got a new solar power system is: “Now the solar panels are on my roof, how do I know what the solar system output should be?”.
The solar power system owners are usually a bit concerned because they have bought, for example, a 5kW system but their inverter is telling them that they only got 4kW of peak power yesterday! Where’s the missing 1kW? Most people expect a 5kW solar system output!
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