Reply to: Thinking of Getting Solar Panels?

[AtW]

LED gun in 10 watt range... hmmmmmmm

No, NEXT!

[vetran]

I see it's no longer possible to buy incadescent bulbs from outlets like Homebase etc.

They started off with the higher wattage bulbs e.g. not selling 100w incandescent bulbs just the energy saver version.

Seems it's gone right across the board now.

Not sure what's the greenest though - LED, eco-halogen, energy saving (the ones that take 30 seconds to light up - not keen on those at all; when I'm in a rush in the morning for a clean pair of socks out the spare room, I don't want to wait 30 seconds to see what I'm doing!)

I'm guessing the LEDs are the greenest; especially if they have the claimed lifetime.

LEDs seem to be leading the pack, 10w led compares favorably with a 100w halogen. They don't have free mercury like CFL and the lifetime is years (I had 5w GU10s for about 3 years without failures, 2w ones before).

[AtW]

I'm guessing the LEDs are the greenest

No, having no light at all is the greenest.

HTH

[Gumbo Robot]

they aren't car batteries, different discharge curve. The lead is a different shape, the case is the same though.

If you take heating, cooling & cooking out of the equation and switch to led lighting most houses can use very little energy.

My manshack uses 63Watts of power to turn it into daylight in there.It can run with 20 watts and be quite bright. The house lighting is probably 200 watts with everything on.

I see it's no longer possible to buy incadescent bulbs from outlets like Homebase etc.

They started off with the higher wattage bulbs e.g. not selling 100w incandescent bulbs just the energy saver version.

Seems it's gone right across the board now.

Not sure what's the greenest though - LED, eco-halogen, energy saving (the ones that take 30 seconds to light up - not keen on those at all; when I'm in a rush in the morning for a clean pair of socks out the spare room, I don't want to wait 30 seconds to see what I'm doing!)

I'm guessing the LEDs are the greenest; especially if they have the claimed lifetime.

[vetran]

Was that the bloke in the forest, or was it a new one?

I get sucked into watching all the Alaska programmes on Discovery, and many of them have solar panels and wind turbines combined with batteries - car batteries or similar by the looks of it. But then they also spend half their lives chopping wood for heat, and these aren't the sort of people that sit in front of the TV or have lots of computers or other electrical devices to power. And they all have petrol/diesel generators to use too for when they need it.

they aren't car batteries, different discharge curve. The lead is a different shape, the case is the same though.

If you take heating, cooling & cooking out of the equation and switch to led lighting most houses can use very little energy.

My manshack uses 63Watts of power to turn it into daylight in there.It can run with 20 watts and be quite bright. The house lighting is probably 200 watts with everything on.

[JRCT]

But then they also spend half their lives chopping wood for heat.

He who chops the wood, warms himself twice.

Confuscious, 1721-1948.

[VectraMan]

I was interested to see that on Grand Designs (2 weeks ago I think) they guy built an "off-grid" house i.e. no mains water or power. It wasn't even a hippy house, looked fairly normal but they got all their power from solar panels and a tiny (like a kid's toy almost) wind turbine. Obviously they had batteries but it wasn't mentioned how this was set up.

I was quite impressed - assuming someone did their sums right and it actually works of course.

Was that the bloke in the forest, or was it a new one?

I get sucked into watching all the Alaska programmes on Discovery, and many of them have solar panels and wind turbines combined with batteries - car batteries or similar by the looks of it. But then they also spend half their lives chopping wood for heat, and these aren't the sort of people that sit in front of the TV or have lots of computers or other electrical devices to power. And they all have petrol/diesel generators to use too for when they need it.

[d000hg]

I've got a 4kw array on t'roof, usually produces around 2kwh in summer, getting around £500pa in income, and the aga is powered for free (or mostly) between 11am and 2pm most weeks of the year.

The problem with solar is obvious. We generate when we don't need it and don't when we do. I'm waiting for those batteries...

I was interested to see that on Grand Designs (2 weeks ago I think) they guy built an "off-grid" house i.e. no mains water or power. It wasn't even a hippy house, looked fairly normal but they got all their power from solar panels and a tiny (like a kid's toy almost) wind turbine. Obviously they had batteries but it wasn't mentioned how this was set up.

I was quite impressed - assuming someone did their sums right and it actually works of course.

[TykeMerc]

Elon Musk-backed solar power firm blames subsidy cuts for UK exit | Environment | The Guardian

The Greenest Government ever. Not.

Since when have "green credentials" been anything other than a complete con? If you're actually taken in by the term or its application then you've less sense than a 2 year old.

Any chance they'll be able to to a thatched version?

Thanks for that input GittinsGimp.

They do seem to be improving the aesthetics of solar tiles

I'm waiting for the roof tiles that will split water into H & O using sunlight then pipe off the H to run a genny / car off it

Good point

[Archangel]

I've got a 4kw array on t'roof, usually produces around 2kwh in summer, getting around £500pa in income, and the aga is powered for free (or mostly) between 11am and 2pm most weeks of the year.

The problem with solar is obvious. We generate when we don't need it and don't when we do. I'm waiting for those batteries...

[Gumbo Robot]

They do seem to be improving the aesthetics of solar tiles

I'm waiting for the roof tiles that will split water into H & O using sunlight then pipe off the H to run a genny / car off it

Any chance they'll be able to to a thatched version?

[Troll]

They do seem to be improving the aesthetics of solar tiles

I'm waiting for the roof tiles that will split water into H & O using sunlight then pipe off the H to run a genny / car off it

[MarillionFan]

I've got some on a rental property. They seem to cut the leccy bill by 25% according to the tenants & compared to next door which doesn't have them.

Feed in Tariff. I've had a cracking 75 quid back so far in a year.

Cost me 3 grand.

[d000hg]

Don't forget to the factor in the impact on the re-sale value of the property. Not everyone wants a load of ugly solar panels on the roof and will be unsure of the benefit so may shy away so reducing the marketable value of the house. Depends on how visible it is and all that I guess and yes it's a green way to go but not everyone will see it as a benefit.

Yes but some people will want them and will prefer to buy such a house. At this time they're popular although as mentioned they really don't suit some houses.

But how much power would actually be generated if that were so? Maybe they've done the sums and worked out the money is much better spent on something that actually can produce enough power, all day and all year round.

Neither should need generous government subsidies to make them viable.

Long term I agree but to spur take up it is not a bad idea, when it requires quite a big up-front cost. Like the grants/subsidies on insulation. Same principle as a shop doing an introductory discount on a new product really.

[OwlHoot]

I have a feeling solar panels today are where PCs were in about 1978, i.e. just about to plummet in price and increase markedly in efficiency.

Hardly a day goes by without some new article I receive on one of the tech email lists I subscribe to detailing a new advance in solar cell technology.

If so then the implication is that it would be daft to spend a fortune on a set of panels today when they will soon be much cheaper and better.

e.g:

2015-10-22 Shining more light on solar panels

Solar panels are the beacon of renewable energy, yet they are not getting as much light as they could be. Joshua Pearce from Michigan Technological Univ. and a team from Queen’s Univ. in Canada have found a way to get more sun to shine on the panels and crank up the output by 30% or more. The work is published in the Journal of Photovoltaics. ...