[Novalug] OT: energy options

Derek LaHousse dlahouss@mtu.edu
Sat Feb 8 17:41:06 EST 2014


The market for renewable energy credits bottomed out.  They were a big
deal about three years ago.  Today, they're not so much.  Still, I think
Dominion has a program where they'll buy solar at ABOVE the net-metering
rate.

I agree, various subsidies do make solar cost effective in some places.
I've certainly considered taking advantage of it myself, and places like
Solar City will allow you to mitigate risk (at the cost of not gaining
all the benefit).

I also like the idea of a concrete flywheel for energy storage.  When on
permanent magnetic bearings, they can be darn efficient.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flywheel_energy_storage

Of course, being cost-effective with a subsidy is equal to sticking a
gun in someone's face and making them pay for my solar panel.

On Sat, 2014-02-08 at 17:21 -0500, Bonnie Dalzell wrote:
> On Sat, 8 Feb 2014, Derek LaHousse wrote:
> >> 6. Special interest and IP ( patents) are preventing truly
> >> renewable resources from being cost effective.
> > Even the sun will die out.  What is "truly renewable"?  Solar requires
> > toxic components during manufacture, and seems to be cost-effective in
> > some areas due to poorly-placed subsidies.  Germany is cloudy.
> 
> central germany has roughly same latitude as New York City
> 
> modern solar electric generation panels work on ultraviolet as much as on 
> visible light.
> 
> you get ultraviolet through clouds
> 
> my 44 panels made 13.3 KWH today which is overcast. Peak production on a 
> sunny winter day is 28Kwh or so.
> 
> We make 56% of our household (~50KWjh/day) needed power annually with the 
> 44 panels.
> 
> the saving is around $2000 a year at current rates.
> 
> there were tax breaks for the installation which brought the actual cost 
> down to $27,00 so pay down to zero without considering increased power 
> costs and the value of the saleable SRECS (solar renewable energy 
> credist) is 13 years. panels and installation is warrenteed for 25 
> years. so 12 years of free electricity at current rates is $24,000.
> 
> also state does not up your property assessment because of the solar 
> installation.
> 
> this is a grid tied system, not off grid.
> 
> here is an interesting link to a non-chemical battery power storage 
> system
> 
> http://www.triplepundit.com/2011/03/gravity-power-module-aims-revolutionize-pumped-hydro-energy-storage/
> 
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>                         Bonnie Dalzell, MA
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