Solar/Wind power

[2highpsi]

I'm seriously looking into putting in a solar and wind system in.

Ohio is a net metering state, so any power produced in excess to your usage has to be credited back to you.

I have found tons of tax and grant rebate incentives, but I'm not finding any hard concrete real world reviews from anyone in Ohio with these kind of systems.

 

Anyone here have any knowledge in the subject or experience with either?

[TTQ B4U]

http://www.columbusracing.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1480756&postcount=21

 

I posted more info in the above thread too.

[Sully]

I believe this has been discussed here before not too long ago. IIRC, a wind system is extremely expensive to install and will take a very long time to recover the costs. I'm not totally sure about solar, but they still aren't cheap to have installed.

[SPL_Josh]

Gf's uncles have solar/batteries and a 500watt turbine.

[Big Chief2011647545501]

I've seen a bunch of videos where people have built pretty good wind turbines problem is they have a high maintenance cost and produce very little energy. I would say your best option i solar. I would highly recommend getting them in while there are subsidies for them and before these coal plants start shutting down.

[Trouble Maker]

Anyone know the codes/laws in Columbus?

 

Buying a house, probably in Columbus this year and would really like to do some form of renewable energy down the road... after we make the house efficient since I think that is a far more important part of the equation than renewable energy.

[2highpsi]

I've seen a bunch of videos where people have built pretty good wind turbines problem is they have a high maintenance cost and produce very little energy. I would say your best option i solar. I would highly recommend getting them in while there are subsidies for them and before these coal plants start shutting down.

 

Thats why I want to do it now. However the flip side of the coin is, we are talking about "technology" which usually gets exponentially cheaper with time.

 

I found some systems online that have solar panels (which move with the sun) and a wind turbine together.

They are rated for like 5k watts and run 20k before any subsidies. If I could double dip with the tax credits and grants for both since the system does both it should reduce the real out of pocket expense to around 10k.

 

My biggest question are if these systems actually produce that kind of power in Ohio given our lesser exposure to sun than say the south west.

[M0nk3y]

Possible Google Earth of your house and any annual energy usage?

 

Even though I'm going for Energy Efficiency in School...I'm not sold in Solar Panels or Wind Turbines.

 

I'm pretty sure Wind Turbines, regardless of size need to have a fall radius. That meaning you can't have anything under it.

 

Solar Panels for residential and even bigger buildings typically never take full load off the house and turn you into an off the grid house.

 

From calculations I did with I did internships, we sized a 200kW System of a school. It was approx a 260,000 sq ft building. 200kW means you will make 200kWh a day, on a perfect day that is.

 

The school uses around 2000kWh though on a given day, so going through the calcs, you're only looking at 10% load from panels. Not even worth the 1.5mil cost that was associated with it.

 

Just my .02 cents

 

As for moving panels, it requires them to be ground mounted from what my research showed me. As well, when you're in winter...you have no energy from panels when they are covered in snow.

 

 

As for energy efficiency, I'd suggest you covert all your lights to proper CFLs or equivalents, make sure windows are properly sealed...etc the list can go on and on

[Akula]

I have looked at it and looked at it, you cannot approach it from the perspective of you will recover the money you spend in less than 15 years.

[copperhead]

Solar would be nice if we had sunlight here

[M0nk3y]

I have looked at it and looked at it, you cannot approach it from the perspective of you will recover the money you spend in less than 15 years.

 

The sad thing is, is that the average lifespan of panels before they need service items is about 15 years. So add a couple more onto that when you need to replace the ballasts/inverters or whatever the hell it's called

[2highpsi]

I've already switched every light to CFLs, all high effient appliances, etc.

I'm also looking into geothermal to further reduce power usage.

 

I have looked at it and looked at it, you cannot approach it from the perspective of you will recover the money you spend in less than 15 years.

 

That's what I keep coming up with too.

Damn if I could make it work out to 10 years somehow I'd be game.

 

Also on the 15 year panel lifespan, I have found a bunch with 25 year warranties.

[M0nk3y]

Also on the 15 year panel lifespan, I have found a bunch with 25 year warranties.

 

Gotcha, from the company that I contacted, I was told it's 15 years on the ballasts. And then by year 30 the panels themselves are done for.

[2highpsi]

Gotcha, from the company that I contacted, I was told it's 15 years on the ballasts. And then by year 30 the panels themselves are done for.

 

Maybe I need to read the fine print. I'm going to keep researching it.

 

On top of the whole money saving/ green thing, It would be really nice to not be grid dependent. I know some months maybe even most I would still be buying power, but should something happen I could still run most of the important stuff in the house.

[87GT]

I've been thinking about solar panels for when I move out into the country with much land. I would like to make a solar array mini-farm. I would never be off grid but I would have alternative power options. If I am going to live there 15+ years the cost would pay off. You should start thinking of different ways to power electronic devices in your home. You can create lighting everywhere in your house with propane. There are other ways to cool/heat then just using electricity. Think about ways to reduce your electric draw and solar, wind, or turbine generation will make it worth your time.

[Akula]

I live in a pretty big power hungry house. My Wind setup was going to be $28,000, Solar was going to be a bit less for a roof mount array. I would have to had spent about $16,000 on it.

 

I still want to do it but I want it to work correctly. Dual Axis Tracking Array can cut down on the need for a large footprint for the solar. Hybrid solar and wind is the best solution but there you are talking about money for both systems.

[Akula]

I live in a pretty big power hungry house. My Wind setup was going to be $28,000, Solar was going to be a bit less for a roof mount array. I would have to had spent about $16,000 on it.

 

I still want to do it but I want it to work correctly. Dual Axis Tracking Array can cut down on the need for a large footprint for the solar. Hybrid solar and wind is the best solution but there you are talking about money for both systems.

[spankis]

Possible Google Earth of your house and any annual energy usage?

 

Even though I'm going for Energy Efficiency in School...I'm not sold in Solar Panels or Wind Turbines.

 

I'm pretty sure Wind Turbines, regardless of size need to have a fall radius. That meaning you can't have anything under it.

 

Solar Panels for residential and even bigger buildings typically never take full load off the house and turn you into an off the grid house.

 

From calculations I did with I did internships, we sized a 200kW System of a school. It was approx a 260,000 sq ft building. 200kW means you will make 200kWh a day, on a perfect day that is.

 

The school uses around 2000kWh though on a given day, so going through the calcs, you're only looking at 10% load from panels. Not even worth the 1.5mil cost that was associated with it.

 

Just my .02 cents

 

As for moving panels, it requires them to be ground mounted from what my research showed me. As well, when you're in winter...you have no energy from panels when they are covered in snow.

 

 

As for energy efficiency, I'd suggest you covert all your lights to proper CFLs or equivalents, make sure windows are properly sealed...etc the list can go on and on

 

My degree is in Environmental Science, with a focus on Building Efficiency/Sustainability, so I'm in a similar boat.

 

As far as no-build radius for turbines, it's a combination of possible falling (which is effectively engineered out of the equation) and "ice throw". Ice throw, like it sounds, is the potentially dangerous condition where ice builds on the turbine blades and eventually breaks/slides off, being thrown substantial distances depending on how fast it's spinning. Basically think ice projectiles lol. But yes, you're right, you can't erect one within so many feet of an occupied structure, I believe based on the height of the turbine.

 

As for photovoltaic arrays, they're not super efficient in most cases, but Ohio is not nearly as poor a solar energy location as people suggest. The solar potential of the majority of Ohio is ~70% that of a popular solar energy state like Arizona, so not that bad. The questionable viability of photovoltaics is as mostly related to the efficiency of panels that are economically viable right now. Very efficient units are still pretty pricey, but technology continues to improve and get cheaper.

[EssFo]

If you want to put in a BIG one we make the foundation systems.

 

Wind

[M0nk3y]

My degree is in Environmental Science, with a focus on Building Efficiency/Sustainability, so I'm in a similar boat.

 

As far as no-build radius for turbines, it's a combination of possible falling (which is effectively engineered out of the equation) and "ice throw". Ice throw, like it sounds, is the potentially dangerous condition where ice builds on the turbine blades and eventually breaks/slides off, being thrown substantial distances depending on how fast it's spinning. Basically think ice projectiles lol. But yes, you're right, you can't erect one within so many feet of an occupied structure, I believe based on the height of the turbine.

 

As for photovoltaic arrays, they're not super efficient in most cases, but Ohio is not nearly as poor a solar energy location as people suggest. The solar potential of the majority of Ohio is ~70% that of a popular solar energy state like Arizona, so not that bad. The questionable viability of photovoltaics is as mostly related to the efficiency of panels that are economically viable right now. Very efficient units are still pretty pricey, but technology continues to improve and get cheaper.

 

I'm a MEE with Energy Systems concentration and Energy Efficiency minor. I hope to find myself with HVAC doing Sustainable Systems/Energy Efficient Buildings. Good to know I'm not the only "hippy" here...haha

 

Most Solar Projects are being funded right now by "sponsors" so to speak. The big projects are being bought by 3rd party people (rich people basically). They invest into these projects because they can reap the benefits from rebates...so a $750,000 system, by the end of rebates they invested a total of $100k-200,000. Over the time of the system though, they finally make profit off of the panels....but it takes a long time for them to make the profits, that's why most people don't bite the bullet. You can't afford the upfront cost.