> So, I have my roof covered with solar panels.
> my utility, is threatening to at least triple monthly
> "basic connection fees" for solar "customers."
So, 3 times $8/mo is $24/mo. Big deal...
That is far-far (100 times ) cheaper than any home-energy storage
system.
Here is the lunacy of "going off-grid" when you already have it:
EXAMPLE: I have 17kw of solar generating capacity at home. In
Maryland, I
probably get about 60kWh on a good day. (for a net-ZERO annual
electric
kWh bill) ... BUT!!! In the last 2 weeks we have had ONLY ONE sunny
day. (this is rare)... On overcast days, I maybe get 6 kWh.
But my electric load (now during worst winter solstice) is over 120
kWh
per day (geothermal heatpump).
If I was off grid, I'd need at least SIX TESLA equivalent batteries
to be
able to continue living at the same life style, and then, in this
particular weather pattern, we would have run out of heat after 3
days and
been cold fore more than a week. (they are forcasting 3 more days of
clouds)...
But with grid tie, NO PROBLEM. I stored up over 4 months of energy
kWh in
the grid, which should carry me though the winter to break even at
zero by
the spring.
Even if they were not Tesla, but just Lead Acid batteries, and I
wanted
the same 5 day energy storage, I'd need 600 golf cart batteries, at
$100
each or about $60,000 investment in batteries AND I would need to
maintain
them FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE and replace them every few years.
Lets say somehow they last 5 years, That is $12k per year or $1000
per
month.
All of a sudden, the $8 per month compared to $1000 amortized battery
cost looks really great indeed. (and zero maintenance for grid tie).
But, HERE IS THE THING EVERYONE OVERLOOKS:
1) Since you have to oversize your battery capacity to handle cloudy
days,
then BY DEFINITION, on every additional SUNNY day in a row, then your
batteries are FULL and cannot accept any more charge. Thus you are
WASTING almost all of your solar panel investment on GOOD SUNNY DAYS
in a
row!!! (and most every summer day).
2) Even if you have say 5 days storage, that is miniscule compared to
365
days storage you get with the grid! In other words, you have no place
to
store the TWO-TIMES additional PV electricity you generate in the
summer
for when you need it most, in the winter. What a loss!
Talk to anyone off-grid. They live a miserable life in the winter,
barely
scraping by, and then have excess solar power in the summer that they
cannot even find ways to throw away because their batteries cannot
take
the extra.
In Summary, if you have your own storage, and do NOT USE 100% of your
solar capacity EVERY DAY, then you are throwing away your solar
investment
every afternoon after the batteries approach full.
See http://aprs.org/off-grid-NOT.html
The beauty of GRID-TIE is the UNLIMITED storage capacity, the lack of
maintenance, and the ability to store up summer excesss for use in
the
winter when you need it.
Sure, you can burn oil, gas, propane, or wood for heat and
drastically
reduce your electric heating need, but then what about our goal of
EMISSIONS FREE living?
Bob, WB4aPR
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