TMW
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Solar Panels
This is an article from an engineer who had solar panels installed on his house in CO. I think it's related to Baja since so many have solar and many
more are interested in it. I found the article and the comments both informative and interesting.
If you are thinking about installing solar panels, check
our this engineer's view to fine tune your thinking:
http://tinyurl.com/SolarView
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BAJA.DESERT.RAT
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Hola TW, i thank you for the solar info. a bit strange that after all day, nobody responded ? i always did think of solar in los barriles but was
always dicouraged by the high prices. i am not aware if there are incentives in mexico as there are in the states.
thanks for making it a bit easier for me as i am not able to do the numbers but with your guidance, i will discuss it with my wife in los angeles.
sure makes a lot of sense.
muchas gracias,
BIEN SALUD, DA RAT
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Santiago
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Thanks for that link TW.
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Casey67
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FYI. Online and retail stores in Quartzsite and Phoenix Arizona offer terrific deals on solar panels; running in the neighborhood of $500 for 200
watts. I looked in a key solar store in La Paz (Todo Solar) last winter and found panels there were running around $500 for 65 watts!!! Up here in
Canada, the solar prices are closer to La Paz than in Arizona. I'll certainly be stopping in AZ on my way down for a few 200's for my trailer.
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k-rico
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From the article, which is excellent:
"Starting in March 2009, I saw dramatic changes in my utility bill, which includes both electricity and gas. The power company also began tacking on a
$7.50 per month connection charge for the privilege of having the solar panels connected to the grid. That’s still a whole lot cheaper than having to
put in a bank of batteries."
So his system is connected to the grid and the way it is paying off is by supplying energy to the grid when he's using less than the system is
generating?
Is that correct?
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capt. mike
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mexico has no grid tie programs at the moment.
and no incentives either via their utilities or gov't.
formerly Ordained in Rev. Ewing\'s Church by Mail - busted on tax fraud.......
Now joined L. Ron Hoover\'s church of Appliantology
\"Remember there is a big difference between kneeling down and bending over....\"
www.facebook.com/michael.l.goering |
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Santiago
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| Quote: | Originally posted by k-rico
From the article, which is excellent:
So his system is connected to the grid and the way it is paying off is by supplying energy to the grid when he's using less than the system is
generating?
Is that correct? |
Yes, during the day his system produces more than it uses and his meter spins 'backwards', i.e. he is using the grid as a huge battery. At night, he
pulls from the grid. This system is very common in my area of north central California. My sister, who lives in the southern San Joaquin valley put a
system up last year just like this, no batteries, just connect to the grid and 'sell' your excess.
The downside to this is when there is a power outage, you go offline too even though you are making juice. The power company does not want their
workers to be messing with a system that they think is down when someone is pumping into it from the other side.
At least, this is how folks a lot smarter than I esplain it to me.
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wessongroup
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TW .... it is one that I keep thinking about.. have done all the work.. and know what I need but, can't make my mind up on being tied to the grid...
I don't like the battery aspect, but then I don't like Uncle Ed or PG&E with their hand on my electrical supply or water or gas ... that is
exactly what I would like to move away from ... off the grid, while in Orange County, CA.. but, that makes it a bit more expensive... ya lose some of
those tax breaks...
The smell of wood burning from my thinking on this is quite strong right now ....
Thanks I think.. it has just brought this to the front burner again... along with wanting to have my own well.. TW.. that's one good thing about being
up in the Valley, one can still put in a well.... never asked... maybe I should here in Mission Viejo, but I don't think so, you have to ask what
color you can paint your house, as for the water, to water is around 185' where I am, it's been impacted by the El Torro Marine Base, can deal with
that ... but, I know they can't get one of those hard rock drilling rigs into my back yard .. 
Used to be in the valley.. had my own water well .. was going to go with the solar when they got to where I could afford it.. this back in 1986 and
then we moved ... had a few acres out of town a long ways.. and was trying to go off grid back in the 70's ... as we figured it would be getting to
the way it is about now... still would like to have a couple of acres for extra cars, and stuff... plus some chickens and a goat...
If it weren't for the Tule Fog, and those damn hot summers .... and a couple other things.. it is a place where one can get off the grid.. and still
be in California.. and the United States .. have guns.. and some other cool kind of set up....
There is someone here, I forget who right now.. that lives up in Redding.. its pretty nice up there... but, again.. those summers just do me in any
more... just can't take the heat in my old age... used to, but not anymore...
But, will again be checking out the solar... those panel prices in AZ are damn good.. have not looked at materials in a couple of years.. perhaps
prices may have gone done...
I most definelty agree with the added value to the house... better than adding a pool or a new kitchen (now that is man thinking of course, the wife
already wants to change out the "granite counter tops" we put in about 4 or 5 years ago with something else that has come along.... at the moment.. I
still ahead with NO for the time being... they are very hard to deal with when it comes to what they want in THEIR house...
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rob
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Location: Pacific Coast, BCS
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Actually Mexico DOES have a grid tie program, and has for at least two years. Finding someone at your local CFE office who knows something about it is
another matter.
A couple of links
http://www.grupoinsolar.com/grid.html
http://www.anes.org/contrato_cfe/cifespe.pdf
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CortezBlue
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Santiago
| Quote: | Originally posted by k-rico
From the article, which is excellent:
So his system is connected to the grid and the way it is paying off is by supplying energy to the grid when he's using less than the system is
generating?
Is that correct? |
Yes, during the day his system produces more than it uses and his meter spins 'backwards', i.e. he is using the grid as a huge battery. At night, he
pulls from the grid. This system is very common in my area of north central California. My sister, who lives in the southern San Joaquin valley put a
system up last year just like this, no batteries, just connect to the grid and 'sell' your excess.
The downside to this is when there is a power outage, you go offline too even though you are making juice. The power company does not want their
workers to be messing with a system that they think is down when someone is pumping into it from the other side.
At least, this is how folks a lot smarter than I esplain it to me. |
Just for clarification, here in AZ anyway, it doesn't literrally spin the meter backwards. There is a 2nd meter the captures how mucy energy you are
pumping into the grid during the day via the solar panel and then the regular meter tells how much electricty you use when the solar panels are not
producing. Not sure about other locations, but in AZ the electric company reduces your bill on how much electricity you produce but our electricity
is broken into 2 parts. Electricity and Deliver Charge. So they kind of srew you with the deliver charge, which is about the same cost as the
electricity. I think it should be a one for one credit, maybe some day.
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larryC
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While I am a huge solar promoter, this article has almost no practical use for anyone living is Baja. As Capt mike said, there are no incentives for
that type installation down here and if someone did it on the sly, it could be dangerous to a utility worker trying to restore power to a system that
he thought was dead.
One thing I have seen done was a home owner installed an inverter system in their house and a battery bank, when the grid power went down he just
switched to his battery bank. When the utility power was working he used his inverter/charger to keep his battery bank charged. So no expensive solar
panels in his system. His battery bank was sized so that it could power his house for a couple of days, which is long enough to last through most
power outages.
If anyone is looking for good prices on solar panels try this site:
http://sunelec.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=5&...
http://sunelec.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=5&...
http://sunelec.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=5&... and
http://sunelec.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=5&...
200 watt panels right around $1.82 a watt or $364
Hope this helps someone,
Larry
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k-rico
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Location: Playas de Tijuana
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Someday maybe they'll have photovoltaic roofing materials enabling all roofs to generate some electricity which is then dumped into the grid. Then you
won't have to cover your roof twice, once with shingles or whatever, and then again with solar panels. If everybody used PV materials the efficiency
could be quite low and still produce a lot energy.
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wessongroup
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Registered: 8-9-2009
Location: Mission Viejo
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Mood: Suicide Hot line ... please hold
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Larry, thanks much.... they have come down quite a bit... had been looking at the Evergreen 200 watt panel a few years ago... and, I mite be mistaken,
but seems they were around $800 dollars..
This might be the right time... have to go back over all the numbers again... and check with the City of Mission Viejo, they were giving free permits
for a solar installation, but, again think it was linked into being "tied" to the grid...
We don't get that hot here but may be 4 weeks in a year... with fans it's tolerable.. with a ice cold beer ... would be no sweat... about the primary
thing.. refrigerator, and a little for the basics can pass on the air... I think..
You guys are really great.... Wow...
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rob
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Posts: 509
Registered: 10-19-2004
Location: Pacific Coast, BCS
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re LarryC "As Capt mike said, there are no incentives for that type installation down here . . . "
Again, this statement is incorrect (see below) - although as stated in my previous post, actually DOING it would currently be challenging.
Extract from "Modelo de Contrato de Interconexión" - basically it says you get paid if you put more into the grid than you consume.
NOVENA. Facturación y pagos. Para fines de facturación, el consumo de kWh del Generador, se determinará como la diferencia entre la energía eléctrica
entregada por el Suministrador y la entregada por el Generador al Suministrador.
Cuando la diferencia sea negativa, se considerará como un crédito a favor del Generador que podrá ser compensado dentro del periodo de 12 meses
siguientes. De no efectuarse la compensación en ese periodo, el crédito será cancelado y el Generador renuncia a cualquier pago por este concepto.
Cuando la diferencia sea positiva, se considerará como un crédito a favor del Suministrador y se facturará en la tarifa aplicable según el contrato
mencionado en la cláusula octava"
[Edited on 9-21-2010 by rob]
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Bajajorge
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I live on solar and generator in the Baja. Every part of my system was bought brand new shopping off the internet. Prices are outrageous in places,
but hugh bargains can be found from companies with websites from all over the US. Lots of them give free shipping and don't charge sales tax either.
About 2 years ago I bought a 120watt, name brand panel for $600 including shipping to my USA house, no taxes. Prices may have come down even more
since then.
I started my set up some 10 years ago. I bought what was then a "big" panel, 100 watts for over $650, plus $50 shipping, plus tax.
Costs are coming down, but if they want more "green living", prices need to come down even more.
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bajagrouper
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I believe there is an inline automatic switch that stops the flow of electricity that you are sending back through the grid so no workers are killed
while responding to a blackout...
I hear the whales song
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BajaGringo
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3922
Registered: 8-24-2006
Location: La Chorera
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Mood: Let's have a BBQ!
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajajorge
I live on solar and generator in the Baja. Every part of my system was bought brand new shopping off the internet. Prices are outrageous in places,
but hugh bargains can be found from companies with websites from all over the US. Lots of them give free shipping and don't charge sales tax either.
About 2 years ago I bought a 120watt, name brand panel for $600 including shipping to my USA house, no taxes. Prices may have come down even more
since then.
I started my set up some 10 years ago. I bought what was then a "big" panel, 100 watts for over $650, plus $50 shipping, plus tax.
Costs are coming down, but if they want more "green living", prices need to come down even more. |
There are a couple of links here on this thread for some good prices on panels. Check craigslist in the larger metropolitan areas when you are north
of the border for some good deals as well which should include zero shipping costs for local pickup.
Shop around online and you might be surprised. I lucked out recently, picking up four brand new 240watt mono-crystalline panels for $1500.
Hope to have them installed by next week with my new wind turbine. I need the extra power to run my sound system late into the evening...
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Bob and Susan
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you need to be careful when you get " a deal"
there are units out there that are "out of spec"
sometimes producing too muchsometimes too little
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BajaGringo
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Good point Bob, which is why I try to buy all this stuff via PayPal. It gives you a vehicle to get your money back, just in case...
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Bajajorge
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bob and Susan
you need to be careful when you get " a deal"
there are units out there that are "out of spec"
sometimes producing too muchsometimes too little |
Craigs List or Ebay are the real places to pay attention to when buying.
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