Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

[Caneri]

Well the solar project is coming along.

For all you people that don't know about my solar project, well here's the poop.

In the next few months I will have solar panels installed on my farm.

The first phase is a 10KW install only. This is to comply with the Canadian gov and the programme they provide.

The next installs are going to be much more and hopefully enough to say that Puppy.ca is solar powered...this will take time.

What I am saying is, if .ca is hosted on some future host and I'm still involved we can safely say that .ca is solar powered.

I think this is VERY cool...Eric

[sunburnt]

Hey Caneri, have you considered wind generators?
We can`t have them here in the city of course, but if you have a farm...
Even small ones provide several KW and they`re much cheaper than solar panels.
Also solar panels only last 10 to 20 years average, a wind gen. can be rebuilt indefinitely.

In a year or so I`ll be looking for a farm in the eastern US. Where in Canada are you?

[NathanO]

Have to disagree with you on the life of the solar panels, some in our area are still working at almost 30 years, and even more at 20 to 25.

[sunburnt]

Yes, I`ve heard that some of the newer generation panels last longer but many I hear don`t.
I added up the lifetime cost per KW and solar just doesn`t pay unless there`s gov. rebates.
However wind gens. do stand on their own and with gov. rebates companies buy them.
That`s usually a good indicator of the cost effectiveness of items with a long term payback.
And I like the idea of an item that`s permanently renewable and never needs to be scrapped.
Solar is about all we have here in the desert ( no wind ), but everywhere else there`s wind,
especially on the coast, up in high places, and in northern latitudes where there`s little solar.
Rain and snow really cut down on solar gain, but they usually up the wind speed ( weather ).

[Caneri]

Hi sunburnt, NathanO,

I'm in the far south of Canada near Point Pelee. We have the most sunny days in Canada but not as many as you guys no doubt....around 300 days of sun here I think but that may be wrong.

I will get 0.28/kw hr for what I produce or 5% so it can be a good income. This is a lease agreement so I don't handle the equipment costs...whew!...just the land and access and bragging rights

There are huge wind projects happening here as well as solar...I want the solar as there are no moving parts, less conspicuous and my contracts are for 20 years at least so no worries for break downs and the panels or hardware will be made in my local area so it helps the local economy...hooray


@Pizza or Flash,
Hmm...maybe this thread should be moved to off topic now that I think of it.

[Aitch]

Hi Eric

Nice to hear it's coming together.....maybe you'll need to consider some low power clustered puppy server?

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy//viewtopic.php?p=410657#410657

http://helmer.sfe.se/

Aitch

[ezeze5000]

I have a small solar array here in Missouri U.S.A.
It's about 200 watts, and it keeps my battery pack charged for night time use
in my shop. I switched all the lighting to CFL or florescent, so as to not use so much power. I plan on increasing to about 1/2 KW so I can run other items. I have had these panels foe about 4 years now.

Just my 2 cents worth.

[Caneri]

Well after all this time here it is.
Eric

[sunburnt]

Pretty damn big array, how much output from it did you say?

Being as you`re up in dim-light country I thought I`d ask...

[Caneri]

Hi sunburnt,

It's only 10kW/h

There are 3240 PV cells and it's 120 feet long.

I'm not hooked into the grid yet but we should run around 40A and 333V per side (I think).

I'm still trying to understand it so when the electricians get here I'll ask some questions.

Inverters I use are here.
http://www.cleanenergybrands.com/shoppingcart/products/PVP5200SD-PV-POWERED-5200W-%285.2-KW%29-240VAC-Inverters-w%7B47%7DDisconnect-.html

[aarf]

marvelous .
big commercial solar seems to be heading to those parabolic trough type reflector that boil stuff.
often wish i had the motivation and ability to actually do material things:)

[Aitch]

ezeze5000

The tide has turned against CFLs....it seems there's a mercury problem when they break...hoovering up spreads it everywhere...very toxic/carcinogenic......change to LED or ESL

http://epa.gov/cfl/

http://www.ecogeek.org/efficiency/3711

http://www.earth.org.uk/LED-lighting.html

7/11 watt LEDs provide good light levels, but are more focused than ESLs/CFLs, and work best in up/downlighters or reading lights


WE are such energy junkies....just use less!

Aitch

[Aitch]

Dirty politics involved in Solar failures

http://www.davidicke.com/headlines/64259-worlds-largest-solar-plant-with-second-largest-ever-department-of-energy-loan-guarantee-files-for-bankruptcy

[see here for Canadian banking lesson http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?p=620505#620505 ]

Aitch

[aarf]

www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-04-24/solar-silicon-falling-9-widens-slump-that-hit-solyndra.html ask for a margin increase:)

[Caneri]

Hi aarf et al,

There are always problems with "start-up" operations.

It doesn't help when governments change the rules in mid stream like they did to me.

All in all, I think it's worth the effort to promote solar, as it can't hurt to have a source of power when Dec 21 2012 comes along...yikes...Eric