[Vision2020] Question to Anyone. How do you get off the grid?

[Donovan Arnold]

Thanks Ted!
 
You are always such a fountain of useful information about the environment and energy sources. 
 
Donovan Arnold

From: Ted Moffett <starbliss at gmail.com>
To: Donovan Arnold <donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com> 
Cc: Moscow Vision2020 <vision2020 at moscow.com> 
Sent: Friday, March 23, 2012 4:21 PM
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Question to Anyone. How do you get off the grid?


Totally off grid is an option many who adopt alternative energy for homes do not pursue.  Many now are still on the grid, supplemented by alternative solar or wind energy, able to sell excess electrical power, if this is generated, sending it out on the grid from the home.  Totally off grid is sometimes not recommended when wind or sun are too variable to assure 24/7 baseline power, or when the alternative energy system needed to supply always on baseline is too large or expensive.  

I visited with a farmer west of Spokane who is totally off grid using wind power, more practical in that area known for its winds.  The wind system was sourced from a small time wind energy business near Spokane.  The owner of this system practiced energy conservation as much as possible, which of course is one of the primary goals in solving the energy/fossil fuel/climate change puzzle.  A total systems approach to energy generation, use and conservation is required, exemplified in the Saranac Building in Spokane, which anyone interested in alternative energy and conservation should study:  
http://community.greencupboards.com/2011/04/12/the-greenest-building-in-spokane/

Solar thermal is also an option for homes, for heating water or living space.  I personally know of a home solar thermal installation in Moscow that the owner of insisted will pay for itself over the lifespan of the system.  An in-depth cost analysis was done to demonstrate these savings compared to the thermal energy generated from grid electric.  You can easily research this topic, so I won't continue to pepper this post with references, as I sometimes do... But as with solar or wind electric, a large upfront cost, plus the physical impacts on their home or environment, discourages many from adopting, even if a long term cost analysis indicates savings over a 15 to 20 year system lifespan, compared to grid power over the same time.

To compute the costs of home electrical from wind or solar, the total costs of purchasing and installing the system, plus maintenance and repairs, over the entire lifespan of the system, must be figured, compared to the costs of receiving this power from the grid, which of course involves uncertainties regarding the future cost of grid power.  Most assume grid power rates will continue to increase, and given a solar or wind system lifespan of 15- 20 years, the cost benefits of solar or wind should increase over time.  

Again. you can Google this topic and learn more than I know.

But for some areas of the US, some very smart business people are already selling and installing solar for homes et. al. guaranteeing savings on the electric bill immediately after installation, not 10 or 15 years away.

Bloomberg News' special series, "Venture," interviewed the founders of Solar City, who are expanding selling solar systems to home and businesses on a lease basis, where the savings start on the first bill:  http://www.solarcity.com/

Either these business people don't know what they are doing, or solar is in the long term a money saving and for them profit generating means of generating home electricity compared to grid power, at least in some areas of the US.
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Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett


On Thu, Mar 22, 2012 at 6:20 AM, Donovan Arnold <donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com> wrote:


>
>
>Does anyone know how to get off the electrical grid? I would like to just buy some solar panels and hook them up. How many watts does it take to run a household? I saw this at Costco;
>
>http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11671549&whse=BC&Ne=4000000&eCat=BC%7C3960%7C21248%7C3404&N=4043955&Mo=3&No=0&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&cat=3404&Ns=P_Price%7C1%7C%7CP_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&hierPath=3960*21248*3404*&topnav=
>
>260 Watts, max power? What does that mean? How many would I need to buy? Anyone know? Thanks.
>
>
>Donovan Arnold
>
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