Solar Panels Declined

 

We looked hard into solar panels.  We were super close to going with a company that would install and maintain them and we more or less would rent them from them.

It sounded all good like we would be able to more or less run the house from solar panels and only have the grid connection for the odd necessity. This is not how it ended up working at all.

At first we were told that this was how it would work.  Then they wanted us to sign more agreements before getting the full information and design.  Then as we were thinking about it someone else in the company said that the system would be much different and that solar would only cover 60% of our need.  So on top of everything we were being told different things by different people.  In the end we looked into doing it ourselves.  We quickly realized now unregulated so much of solar still is.

If I had more land and the ability to take a hit if parts needed replacement due to failures, then maybe.  As it is we don't have the room for solar (way better to be ground mounted) and do our gardening and have a yard.  Whereas the roof gives more sun access, it also voids the roof warranty and is hard on maintenance. They perform better mounted down and if they can move some with the sun even better.  The roof is seldom optimal for the angle. 

We also talked to a guy who has installed more systems than I could have imagined, a real pro.  He recommended not doing solar for our situation for many of the reasons above.  I know there is the government support right now but I don't see going solar any time soon.

What these companies are doing is using the government programs to cover the install and staff payroll and at the same time "renting the panels to you."  They are in effect paid twice for a good portion of the panels.  If you want the panels they sell them to you at full price, prorated for value but not the discount they got up front.  On top of that they probably got a bulk discount on the panels as well.

If someone tells you that your house will be considered an energy producer with Oncor, it's a lie.  A house will NEVER be more than a house.  Oncor will always get their cut in all directions.

2024 Total Solar Eclipse

 

I can't believe it's already been so many years and I hadn't put up my solar eclipse pictures.

Yes, I've been waiting this long to view it and it finally came and went.

Here's a recap from my gardening blog:

So many people said they really didn't care to watch the eclipse.  It's so confusing since these same people are the kind of person that would spend thousands of dollars on other events that might be considered once in a lifetime events.

Considering where we are and how much effort it really took most people you'd think that at least they would bother to look up.

I don't know how many pictures I've seen of the eclipse.  Most of them are similar to this one I took where it's exactly as you'd expect and have been told by thousands of media outlets that you'd see.

Whereas the image itself is really nothing special, and frankly I've seen so many better pictures, the event was something I'm glad I took off work to experience.  I was able to spend hours with friends chatting about the eclipse as well as anything but the eclipse.  For the most part it was an excuse to have an off day.

What I didn't expect was the speed at which the sky darkened and got lighter afterwards.  Also the chill in the air as the sun was slowly dimming.  I guess I should have thought of that but to experience it was akin to being a small child and having an airplane fly overhead and cast its shadow on you.  But this was the moon.  It put into perspective the massive size of everything and how I'm just one person on this huge planet.

I also found it interesting that everyone experienced the eclipse differently.  Different clouds, different duration, different mood.  Although we were looking at the same thing, we didn't experience the same thing.

In conclusion, yeah, I'd do it again.

Again,  I should have posted here first.

On a side note, now that we've gotten back into a house we're seriously considering solar panels.  So stay tuned for our adventures into the solar panel fray!

If you've gone solar let me know how it went for you.

Super solar collectors?

I would expect more from an engineering site...

I have talked to quite a few people about this already for a few years now. The inherent problems with this stems from the concentration of heat (energy). It does more than let the solar cell output (not make) electricity. It also heats the poor cell up.
Now take the sun, it has a lot of energy coming off of it. If you concentrate it by 4 you have an oven able to broil food. Multiply it by 1000? Silicon might sublimate, not to mention the steel supports holding the cell. Not very condusive to harnessing it into electricity.
If you could keep it in a solid electrically outputting cell, it's lifespan which is usually 20-30 years drops to around 10 days. If it took 6 hours to replace it would drop it's efficiency by 2.5%.
That's not the worst drain on efficiency though. Hot metal is a much worse conducter than cold metal. The near liquid state would make any electrical current a mere trickle.

http://www.engineering.com/Videos/VideoPlayer/tabid/4627/VideoId/2140/A-Solar-Cell-1000-Times-More-Powerful.aspx

Solar Panels 3

I went to Prairie Fest last weekend and talked with a group promoting solar power in north central texas. I asked them about the suped up panels where light was concentrated onto a small solar panel and asked, as I believed, if it would deteriorate the panel quickly.

They confirmed it as the heat would make the panel work worse. As you might know superconducters are kept COLD. Electricity works better this way.