Posts: 581
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Joined: Feb 2006
Check out this Youtube video on a new cheap technology under development for solar cells:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8eNeReo-hw
If this works out, it would really simplify living off-grid in Hawaii.
Allen
Baton Rouge, LA & HPP
Allen
Finally in HPP
Posts: 151
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Joined: Mar 2007
Great maybe put the power and gas company out of business and have power for our home and auto for free. All this and she is only 23.
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Don't forget the batteries!
Puna: Our roosters crow first
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Joined: Jun 2003
Awesome!!!! Can only hope the Bill Gates of the solar world don't buy it out and bury it.
David
Ninole Resident
Ninole Resident
That almost sounds as if they are giving her all the credit. many companies have been working on this exact stuff for a long time.
When they get some 2' X 4' panels putting out 200 watts at a dollar per watt, they really have something.
In your set up you also have to spend from 2000.00 to 5000.00 for batteries and another 2500.00 for mppt and inverter.
Plus all this crap breaks and wears out and has to be replaced.
I saw a deal about Larry Hagman spending 250,000.00 for his set up.
Posts: 990
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In HPP, it's 40k for a rig with HELCO's blessing. No battery standby and little payback if you generate excess.
Gordon J Tilley
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I seem to remember something about HELCO not paying for power put back into the grid. I would think that a policy like that could be contested in court..... if you have deep pockets and was bored.
Royall
What goes around comes around!
Posts: 254
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Regarding net metering, here's a clip from HELCO's website describing their policy.
"What happens to my electric bill if I generate more electricity than I use from the utility?
Billing is on a monthly basis and you are responsible for a minimum charge even if you export more electricity than you use from the utility. The minimum charge covers some of the fixed costs of maintaining your electric account, including reading your meter and billing.
Unused credit (excess net generation expressed as a monetary value) is carried over monthly for 12 months. Unused credit left at the end of each 12-month reconciliation period may not be carried over to the next 12-month period. With net energy metering, you can only receive credit."
In order not to donate money to HELCO with a solarPV system, one would need to size the system fairly precisely so as to approximately equal one's average usage over a 12 month period. I would suggest not installing a PV system until at least a year's worth of bills have been recorded.
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Very good advice. This also ensures that you don't buy more capacity (panels) than what is needed.
Noel
http://HiloParadise.com
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Our battery bank is less than $1K, but our system is smaller since our house is really energy efficient.
"I like yard sales," he said. "All true survivalists like yard sales."
Kurt Wilson