Anybody Else Here Into "Renewable Energy" ?

[Chloe]

My son & I just finished installing a 1440 watt solar array (6 Astronergy-240 panels) that's capable of generating upto 14amps at 105VOC ! That's dc mind you and am using an 3600w Outback VFX3648 pure sine-wave off-grid inverter (to ac house power) backed up by 500AHs of 48volt batteries (lol currently 4 deep cycle Walmart specials).

The heart of the system is a separate Outback FlexMax80 MPPT smart charge controller that, in tracking solar output continuously, powers the ac house inverter and HYDROGEN generators soley via The Sun God "Ra" !

Good Bye electric bill CNG and gasoline use is next ! Am actively seeking employment as an "solar installer", want to obtain NABCEP "certification" and go into business myself. Regrettably "The South" ain't real big on such things apparently "the Lord shall provide all" ?

[Felix]

I think that's wonderful.

[Chloe]

Thx for the nod Felix - hope more are paying attention to something other than themselves !

It is clear that the earth experiences natural cycles in temperature. However, science shows that human activity probably does play a role in stimulating the current fluctuations.

The question is: how much? Rather than taking a "sky is falling" approach, I think there are common-sense steps we can take to cut emissions and preserve our environment. I am, after all, a conservative and seek to conserve not just American traditions and our Constitution, but our natural resources as well.

We should start by ending subsidies for oil companies. And we should never, ever go to war to protect our perceived oil interests. If oil were allowed to rise to its natural price, there would be tremendous market incentives to find alternate sources of energy. At the same time, I can't support government "investment" in alternative sources either, for this is not investment at all.

Ron Paul for President 2012

[Vanora]

My son & I just finished installing a 1440 watt solar array (6 Astronergy-240 panels) that's capable of generating upto 14amps at 105VOC ! That's dc mind you and am using an 3600w Outback VFX3648 pure sine-wave off-grid inverter (to ac house power) backed up by 500AHs of 48volt batteries (lol currently 4 deep cycle Walmart specials).

The heart of the system is a separate Outback FlexMax80 MPPT smart charge controller that, in tracking solar output continuously, powers the ac house inverter and HYDROGEN generators soley via The Sun God "Ra" !

Good Bye electric bill CNG and gasoline use is next ! Am actively seeking employment as an "solar installer", want to obtain NABCEP "certification" and go into business myself. Regrettably "The South" ain't real big on such things apparently "the Lord shall provide all" ?

That's cool. How much did it cost?

[Devlyn]

I remembere reading how much free sunlight falls on the Earth. I believe the number was around 1,500 watts per square meter. Of course, no collection system is 100% efficient, but that's still a lot of free power. Great topic, hugs, Devlyn

[Jeneva]

We actually live in a place where turbines would be worthwhile, but it is just so expensive for the reasonably sized ones.  If we went the solar route and do grid-intertie (with option to go off grid too - which is yet another expensive piece of gear) I could get some major funding from the government and TVA and TVA would do net billing.  If I could do it myself I would in a heartbeat (and I have the right skill set), but no it has to be a certified tech or you don't get the money and suddenly it is way to expensive to consider.

The other biggy for us is pay back time.  I live in the heart of the TVA.  Our power is SO much cheaper than most places thanks to all the hydro.

So for now it is a pipe dream.  I know I could make it happen if I really wanted it, but it is so much lower on the priority list than transition related tasks that it won't get traction for years.

[Padma]

I'm actually trying to get myself on a Renewable Energy BSc degree at Exeter university next year (in the UK - the course is based in Cornwall, though - by a surreal coincidence, 20 minutes' walk from my girlfriend, so that'll keep my carbon footprint down ).

I figured a 49 year old unqualified trans woman is going to find herself not very employable in the future, and wanted to retrain in something that was meaningful to me. I've a particular fascination with wind power. So I'm just starting an Open University (distance learning) module on Environmental Studies as a way into the BSc. Fingers crossed.

[V M]

I really dig the Renewable Energy thing, have for years     Unfortunately I live in an apt. so I'm kinda stuck and my energy bill is killing me 

The most recent thing happening in my area has been some people arguing about where to put some wind turbines     The bureaucracy makes me think of the Monty Python players 

@ Padma -  That's a great idea, I'll have to see if there is some kind of schooling available in my area 

[Chloe]

The EU is soooo far ahead of the US it's seriously not funny; efficiency is currently around 25 - 30% depending upon module type used which translates into added cost. It is said initial prices of equipment have slowly come down about 50% in the past 10 years but availability problems & shipping freight charges have partially offset increased demand so we still have a long way to go !

Have yet to add it up but around $5,000 doing it myself? Wasn't EASY with a 35deg Southern roof pitch and huge, tall Georgia pines that i'm still afraid of, trying to chop down!

As long as "per code" and inspected when done chances are one can probably get around the "pro-install" requirement but i'm sure local mileage will vary. Outback is a US company that makes a cadillac , highly user configurable, automatic and expandable system that has "grid tie" as well.

I chose "off-grid" because: 1)slightly cheaper 2) a basic dislike of bureaucracy, increased inspection requirements coupled with ever decreasing Fed/State incentives & rebates anyway as overall prices continue to supposedly come down 3) inverter is more tolerant of alternate "charger /pass-thru" power fluctuations via alternate CNG genset and . . .

being fully programmable" with practice making perfect *given currently limited panel capacity*

4) I like the idea of learning how to survive On My Own in this "wild, concrete asphalt jungle suburbia" very possibly one day in the middle of "nowhere" !

This "girl with kids" only has 1 single-shot gun and about 1.5 acres to Cultivate & Defend How About You ? ( sorry about the "apt thing" starving NYC rat been there/done that too ! ) Haven't seen the weather yet but it's about an hour before dawn, checked the "phantom loads", and switched to "off-grid" !

Cheers

[Vanora]

That's cool. It will be interesting to see how many people go off grid when the prices come down further or if some other technology will take over (like large solar arrays in centralized locations.)

[Felix]

You know, I pay extra for 'Green Source' service from my electric company, so all I get comes from renewable resources. I was trepidatious about it, and put it off for at least a year because I'm super-poor and often have to give up bank statements and utility bills to government aid and charity agencies. I didn't want them to think I was being extravagant. It balanced out, though. I get almost enough energy credits and incentive subsidies to completely cover the price difference.

[Jamie D]

I can tell you from first hand experience, sales of solar systems to private residences have crashed since the Solyndra affair, utility company rebates and tax credits not withstanding.

[Alyx.]

Neat Keira, I didn't even realize going completely offgrid and using the same about of power was even feasible!

Felix, what country are you from?

[Chloe]

Neat Keira, I didn't even realize going completely offgrid and using the same about of power was even feasible!

Felix, what country are you from?

Am trying desperately to get hands on 3 more Chint Group (China made) Astronergy CHSM 6610P 240 solar panels; with 6 currently in place am daily peaking 25amps @ 107volts DC and, in needing to keep electrics matched, need a total of 9 to run house air conditioning this summer and still stay completely "off grid".

I live in Georgia's sun-belt South which gets very HOT! They will give me 2.3KW per hour which is plenty for entire house; the 48volt "battery backup" is more intended to handle momentary loads up to 3.6KW max !

The idiot neocon "Obama administration" is considering anti-trade "import tariffs" as we speak and with World-War III threatened and the global collapse of the US dollar imminent prices on just about everything will soon DOUBLE if we're able to trade with China at all !

( more later )

[smittyFTM]

Ah Kiera that's awesome!
I'd love to be completely off the grid......
for now, however, it's my semi Amish life of being TV-free, car-free, growing my own veggies & staying as far out of consumer culture as possible.......

[Chloe]

. . .my semi Amish life of being TV-free, car-free, growing my own veggies & staying as far out of consumer culture as possible.......

Wise Move for sure! Your not far from moi, am generally very impressed with the FtM's here ! Do you have a gun, any good with self-defense too? Don't have TV either, get all NEWS from Alex Jones via XBox youtube on "infowars.com/category/us-news/" and planning to "cultivate own garden" with "non-genetically modified" seeds . . . check it out they have a lot of good ads !

BUY ESSENTIALS NOW before food become scarce and prices go thru the roof !

The wife of Jason Russell, co-founder of the Invisible Children charity, has blamed her husband's sudden hospitalisation on stress brought about by the extraordinary global attention garnered by the organisation's work exposing Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony.

Russell, a devout evangelical Christian (lol yea RIGHT!), was detained by police in San Diego at about 11.30am on Thursday after being spotted apparently nude in the street, screaming and interfering with traffic. Police said they had received several reports of him making sexual gestures or masturbating.

lol Figures, he's MARRIED! Isn't that STRESS enough? Musta been a really wild party what with all those "charitable contributions" received !
   

Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: "It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman." But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.(1 Corinthians 7:1-2 ESV)    This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.
   I want you to be free from anxieties. (1 Corinthians 7:29-32 ESV)

(ps: the Prophecy of The Watchman Ezekiel HAS ALREADY come to pass and being a Georgia delegate to both the district and state Republican conventions . . .
Ron Paul Will Be Our Next President or we're in trouble for sure ! )

[smittyFTM]

Yup yup hey if you like alex jones you may like abovetopsecret and of course there's good stuff on >-bleeped-<. I've been shooting guns my whole life (grew up in the woods!) & actually am a brown belt in tae kwon do 

Lots of water stock piled and I've even been canning. I've had a survivalist mentality my whole life, complete with bug out bag lol

Thanks for the links!

[Jamie D]

Am trying desperately to get hands on 3 more Chint Group (China made) Astronergy CHSM 6610P 240 solar panels; with 6 currently in place am daily peaking 25amps @ 107volts DC and, in needing to keep electrics matched, need a total of 9 to run house air conditioning this summer and still stay completely "off grid".

I live in Georgia's sun-belt South which gets very HOT! They will give me 2.3KW per hour which is plenty for entire house; the 48volt "battery backup" is more intended to handle momentary loads up to 3.6KW max !

The idiot neocon "Obama administration" is considering anti-trade "import tariffs" as we speak and with World-War III threatened and the global collapse of the US dollar imminent prices on just about everything will soon DOUBLE if we're able to trade with China at all !

( more later )

I like the idea you are able to go "off grid" with your battery storage capacity.  I had an American manufacturer of panels near me just go out of business.

[Chloe]

Wholesale Solar - Shelby to me
show details 1:20 PM (11 minutes ago)
Thanks for your order.  Attached in PDF form is your receipt. Your tracking number will be emailed to you as soon as we have it.  ****  Important Shipping Information  ****
Your order is being shipped to you by an independent commercial trucking company.

Yes ! Confirmed on way! Last truck "liftgate dropped" right in front of driveway and wheeled the pallet straight into my garage but ya PAY for that privileged screwup, not this time around !

I like the idea you are able to go "off grid" with your battery storage capacity.  I had an American manufacturer of panels near me just go out of business.

Jamie, I use a Outback's U.S. made  VFX3648 inverter and FlexMax80 charge controller but, for the price, Chint's Astronergy panels are the best but getting hard to get ! We've only got a *totally fail* US Energy Policy to blame for the pickle our manufacturers are now finding themselves in; CEO's always profit but no-body else !

The batts, 8 WalMart (cheeep!) 12v deep cycles series/parralled together for 48v output are more for "surge suppression" as the Outback inverter itself also has a 80amp 110v AC charger that automatically starts a CNG fired 7kW Generac 5837 CorePower Generator, also US made, that is direct connected from street to house pipes! I really wanted the batts for powering some home built Hydrogen generators *soon to be connected* onto house and cars both . . . .

Yea yea - i know - my sister, who works in a nuclear plant, already warned me 'bout Hydrogen's boom-boom potential ! lol

Ever hear of a "virtual motion" machine? No "outside input" at all? Son (6th grade) and I soon to investigate those plans next (for school project Science competition! He WON 1st Place in Engineering 5th grade last year, went to County Fair, for our Hydrogen generator(s) that we're perfecting even more ! )

[BlonT]

I am green/blond Most forget Goverments tax energy so the more you use the more the get !
Dont believe the double tongue talk the care for the environment.
If it was the wouldn't put import , state and sale tax on real *green* things.