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Solar Panels - Elsewhere

(8 posts) (7 voices)

Started 1 year ago by JohnMN
Latest reply from solarexpert

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JohnMN
Member

We live in an old house with a heritage overlay which prevents installing solar panels on the roof. We are fine with that, valuing the look of the street. However it would be great to install some grid-connected solar panels to make our contribution (and perhaps as an alternative to the green power we currently purchase.

I've heard of 'solar farming' but there doesn't seem to be much info about it, and so I wondered if anyone on the forum knows anything. I guess if we are to invest in PV generation it doesn't have to be in Victoria (where we are).

Posted Saturday 2 Apr 2011 @ 9:24:51 am from IP #
solarpanel12
Member

if you can learn that how to make solar panel at your place itself then most of your troubles will be resolved such as cost of electricity, process of installing, repair etc. then not only solar farming, you can use the solar cells in various purposes like solar cookers, solar heaters etc.
the following link can help you with this, just try:
http://www.howtomakesolarpanel.biz/

Posted Saturday 9 Apr 2011 @ 3:55:39 pm from IP #
solarpanel12
Member

if you can learn that how to make solar panel at your place itself then most of your troubles will be resolved such as cost of electricity, process of installing, repair etc. then not only solar farming, you can use the solar cells in various purposes like solar cookers, solar heaters etc.
the following link can help you with this, just try:
http://www.howtomakesolarpanel.biz/

Posted Saturday 9 Apr 2011 @ 3:56:23 pm from IP #
Jeffbloggs
Member

Hey JohnMN
(BTW the other poster looks like spam from the USA.)

There are various ways to invest into solar, or renewables for that matter. The best feed in tariff schemes I know of in Australia at the moment are in Queensland (solar only), ACT and WA (rural only though). It obviously will not directly offset your electricity consumption at home, or provide you with renewable energy, but it will allow you to benefit from a Feed in Tariff, and assist to reduce carbon emissions in the long term.

The downside with most "off-site" type solar farming installations is that you require a location to set these up. Do you already have another location available? The cost of land, and in some cases the necessity of having a house connected as well, might not be the extent of investment you are looking for. However there are a few subsidies that can be added as well, and you can end up with a healthy return on investment, depending on the state you prefer. Alternatively it might be possible to lease such a property instead.

What size installation would you like to setup? If you only wish to do 5kW or below I'd say it is hardly worth the effort of trying to organise this, however if your looking at around 30kW (which is the max atm) then let me know, I might be able to hook you up with some opportunities in WA or even the ACT for that matter.

BTW I once recommended to the Office of Energy when they where doing the WA FIT that they should allow consumers to install solar in consolidated "community" style RE plants. That way consumers could reduce their capital investment costs and increase their RE exports, by allowing for larger scale local solar farms etc, where even people in multi story apartment blocks could participate in a FIT. Sadly they didn't fully understand how good the idea actually was!! I think the ACT are allowing this to happen now.
Regards
JB

(also welcome to the ATA forums, sadly I somehow missed your post and nobody else took the time to respond!)

Posted Saturday 9 Apr 2011 @ 4:53:18 pm from IP #
rockabye
Member

I like your community solar idea JB. Good for renters as well.

Posted Saturday 9 Apr 2011 @ 7:51:43 pm from IP #
swanning_it
Member

JohnMN

Have a read of this news article. Seems the Qld Gov't may be open to small investment in the new Cloncurry proposal.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/11/16/3068090.htm

Posted Thursday 14 Apr 2011 @ 2:35:55 am from IP #
Wisey
Member

G'Day JohnMN,

Welcome from us too. See the forum on SOLAR FARMING. Some of it is heavy going, but it may answer some of your questions.

Just some brief pointers from what we know ...

You'll need a patch of land on which you can have panels pointing north. This land will require a clear view of the sky across as large an area as possible. The sun tracks differently in summer and winter by a margin that would probably surprise you.

You can put your panels on free standing racks - some even have flash "tracking systems" in which the solar panels actually track the sun for greater efficiency .... but of course, greater costs involved too.

We have it on good authority that an angled "carport" type structure (that is, a simple iron roof tilted to face the north sky) is cheaper than the racking - and provides a lot more utility for you to use as storage. Get quotes from your favoured shed/garage manufacturer. They will be limited as to the degree to which they can tilt the roof due to wind loading calculations, but get it as angled as you can. The racking that goes on the roof can be tilted too to ensure the panels are pointing as favourably as possible.

Be aware that you may need council approval for your preferred structure.

Find out the latitude of where you are living. I think there are links for finding this out on the Office of Clean Energy website, but both Jeff and Swanning above are very knowledgeable on this and can confirm. This is the angle your installers will aim to achieve ... plus or minus.

We have had a stand-alone solar/battery setup with just 8 Sharp 165 Watt panels for 5 years now, and it makes lashings of energy for us (we are a 5 person family, but very low consumers) - exceeded all expectations. We swore that we would never again connect to the grid BUT the rebates for grid connecting, as you are considering, are the best now that we have EVER seen .... Most folks that install an appropriately sized system report receiving cash back on their power bills - it's a really super setup ... but be aware that there is trouble in paradise.

See the Sydney Morning Herald. Not sure if it was today or yesterday.

Gov't may be about to pull the plug on the whole incentive system due to massive over-subscription and the burden it is placing on power costs!!

In any case I would recommend you research the appropriate Victorian body that regulates such things (check the Clean Energy website); calculate your average useage, size the system that you want to install and get plenty of quotes. Our QLD solar bonus scheme, for example, allows a generous "feed in tariff" of at least 44 cents per kilowatt exported to the grid, paid by your power retailer and mandated until 2028 ... but subject to "review" (we all know what THAT means). You must use some power yourself for this scheme to apply.

There are quite a few web based "specials" about, and given the explosion of interest in these systems, an equivalent number of shonks have been attracted to the game. Again, the Clean Energy website has some great links to guide you through possible pitfalls.

Tread carefully though .... it might be all about to change.

Good luck, and enjoy the ride!!

Cheers,

...Michael & Kirsty...

Posted Thursday 14 Apr 2011 @ 3:20:58 am from IP #
solarexpert
Member

Solar power is probably the cleanest, most viable form of renewable energy available today.Solar panels convert light into electricity using arrays of solar cells (also called photovoltaic cells). This electricity can then be used to power appliances in your home, or if you include a grid tie system you can actually sell unused electricity back to the grid.

Photovoltaic tiles take the place of ordinary roof tiles and can be perfectly blended to fit the look of the outside of your house.Solar Energy has several advantages to the evironment since it is clean, renewable (unlike gas, oil and coal) and sustainable. Governments are beginning to offer grants to assist in paying for photovoltaic roof tiles, which should help making solar power more widely available in the near future.

Posted Friday 29 Apr 2011 @ 8:59:48 am from IP #

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