Posted by jdemaris on February 11, 2010 at 09:22:08 from (67.142.130.25):
In Reply to: Re: Less then zero? posted by RodInNS on February 11, 2010 at 09:02:19:
We probably live in one of the worst areas of the USA for solar electric (dark, cold central New York). If we lived in the southwest, we could make the same power with half the solar panels.
To answer your question, we have 2-3 months each year when we make very little electricity. But, some other months we make twice or three times our useage. So, on an annual basis, we make more then we use.
In our area, without grid-tie to the power company, it would not work. During those months when we make a surplus, it would ALL be wasted. There is NO way to save it for later. With the power company hooked to us, they have to buy it from us and, sell it back at the same rate when we want it - with NO delivery charges.
My neighbor has that problem. He's totally off grid with solar and wind power. He has no way to save his excess. And during dark and windless months, he gets most of his electricity from a propane powered generator which is very expensive to run. He should, at least, get a diesel genset that can make a lot more power for the dollar. Natural gas would be the cheapest, but that is not available around here.
One note about off-grid though. If you build an off-grid system, you can buy equipment at half the price or less. And, you can still get Federal tax exemptions to help pay - but can't get state incentives that demand grid-tie only. So, in some ways it's better. I've got an off-grid 1000 watt system at a remote site I have in the Adirondack mountains. I keep a 17 KW gas powered genset there, just in case I need a lot of electricity for welding. Otherwise, for a small cabin we do fine. And, I don't have to pay any service charge to a power company every month. If we lived there full-time though, we'd need more power.
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