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Aloha Everyone,
I have been contemplating Solar energy for our home in Hawaii and after considerable research I've decided not to do it.
It seems I was born with practicality genes from both sides of the family. If our pocket was limitless I would, out of environmental consciousness do this any way, but the $'s don't add up to make it a practical and economical solution for us.
Living in a state with 35 million plus population and in an area whose solar radiation averages twice the amount to be expected in Mt. View, Hawaii, the state and utilities subsidize solar at 50% to encourage this resource.
I have asked Protec for an estimate on a 2.4 KW system, parts and labor estimate and still haven't had a response. That being said I do know that in California a 2.4KW system parts and labor will cost close to $1,000.00 a Watt. So 2.4 KW times 1,000 equals 24,000 watts which equals $24,000.00 for this system. Less the 50% rebates in CA that system would cost us $12,000.00 here.
Now I'm sure there will be a Hawaii cost for this system in excess of the CA price of $24,000.00 less the HI rebate of $1500.00.
The utilities in CA can afford this size rebate as they will eventually benefit from the power generated on private residences to provide power to new population influx, and take the drain off the system. The economies of scale make it profitable for them to do this in CA.
So the link shows I would create only 1/2 the solar energy in HI than would be generated in CA. So I would pay more on island and get almost 1/2 the energy. Not our solution I'm afraid, but hope it works for others!
http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/old_data/nsrdb/
bluebook/
mella l
Edited by - mella l on 01/22/2006 13:02:06
mella l
Art and Science
bytheSEA
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Mella
Your link didn't work for me 
Your comment as to half the production in Hawaii got my attention. I've seen 4.5 and 5 hrs per day used as the planning figure, but would be surprised that even Ca is twice that. Did your evaluation factor in the cost of HELCO electricity? I suspect the per kw charge is considerably higher here and not about to get any cheaper. As for your $1000/watt system cost, that matches the quote I have for my new system here in Ninole.
I'm nowhere approaching environmental tree hugger etc type, but after living off grid this short time, I like it.
David
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mella l
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bytheSEA
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HADave, I did not factor in the Helco costs per KWH as we will only be using it for limited things. As we will have more daylight there, use florescents, and rely mostly on propane. There are tradeoffs I know. But with limited Helco, we will have no maintence issues and such. It is like the three legged stool I'm thinking.
Love a quote I read on another forum recently, "your mileage may vary"! Doesn't that just tear it, LOL!
mella l
mella l
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Just a link for more info regarding energy alternatives. Very good and very easy reading.
www.eere.energy.gov/redirects/consumerinfo.html
Aloha HADave & Mz P
Hawaiian Acres
The best things in life are free.... or have no interest or payments for one full year.
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HADave, thanks for the complete link. Yes it is a good site for sure! It takes some time and dedication to look thru all the info here and presently I'm focused on another area for a week or two raising monies for scholarships so can't dig in too deep yet! But thanks, will do!
Oh yeah one more thing for a tree hugger I'm alright. You see it was an aquired taste! My poor state has gone from 12.5 million peoples to over 37 million in less than 30 years! The wonderful, beautiful, friable farm lands are being covered with the cancer of McMansions! Why not build in the hills and leave the fields for food for the future? These McMansions are so awful looking. Your bathroom window is 4 feet from you neighbors so if you open windows in both homes you could shake hands, no telling what else you can hear! You wouldn't even believe the build quality and guess what the overhangs are on the roofs, 6" that's right! Anyway I divert, these homes? are huge and they are encircled by huge walls, so they look like prisons, taking no prisoners, no one gets in and no one gets out. Oh need to mention they are all a lighter shade of pale, beige that is! I know people need a place to live but ouch between here and Sacramento 80 miles of prime farmlands is becoming a LA shopping mall.
Oh well, rant off here, your reclusive neighbor, who does love people, go figure!! Mella L
mella l
mella l
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Mella, I know what you mean! We were in the suburbs of Chicago - nothing close to CA, but still - these people have huge beautiful houses with NO land! Then since you build such a big house and work 70 hours a week just to afford it, you can't take care of your place and have a gardener, nanny, cleaning lady - it's crazy! It's the American Dream right? Ok, enough of my rant too  There is light at the end of the tunnel Mella, your suburban fever will melt away once you live here
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Follow up to my earlier post regarding tankless, on demand hot water.
Yesterday, I installed our Tagaki TK-Jr. Five people (we have 3 guests) immediately took hot showers. About a 20 plus second delay from turning on faucet until hot water, but it works flawlessly. It is mounted outside, so uses the vent cap.
Best price I found for this unit was at http://www.tanklessamerica.com/. Even with shipping, it was cheaper than local purchase.
This is a far superior product than the Excel product I purchased on ebay.
We will be installing the TK-Jrs in the main house.
David
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Aloha HA Dave & All,
Solar photovoltaics have come a long way in the past several decades. I was off the grid in the early eighties and am off the grid again, but today's systems are much better.
We have $4,600 worth of photovoltaic equipment, wire, batteries, etc., that was bought from Inter-Island Solar four years ago. We run several computers, the refrigerator, washing machine, lights, aquariums, table saws, a big plotter, a big screen tv and miscellaneous other things. The stove and water heater (instantaneous type - a Paloma) are gas. There is also the "iron sun" (a gas generator) for when it isn't sunny enough or if we want to do loads of laundry followed by all night videos. So far the only thing we haven't been able to run has been the 1/2 HP jacuzzi pump. Sigh!
The inverter we have, a Trace DR1524 makes fifteen amps of 120volt regualar house current. Inverters can be stacked to make three phase power, but we just have single phase. You can also start out with a smaller system and add to it. We have four photovoltaic panels now and I would like to either add a few more panels or a wind generator. (Wind may not be so good in some areas.)
If I was going to do another system, I'd go with an Outback inverter (true sinewave!). The engineers at what used to be Trace and are now Xantrex left in a herd and started Outback when the "beancounters" got too involved in inverter design. At least, that's how the legend goes.
Right now, from what I hear, there is also a waiting line for photovoltaic panels.
A hui hou,
Cathy
Hawaii Drafting Service
hotzcatz@yahoo.com
"I like yard sales," he said. "All true survivalists like yard sales."
Kurt Wilson
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Royall, I am thinking maybe a simple batch heater to preheat the water from the catchment and then into a gas or electric 30 or 40 gal. standard water heater might be the most economical way to go. There are lots more ways to go for more dollars but I wonder if they are really worth all the bucks. A search on Google for batch water heater will bring up lots of ideas for you.
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