Kenny_
Solar Wizard
Except that they are! Taxing you for Using it like they do Water in Colorado. Such utter BS!It's a good thing greedy people can't hoard sunlight like they do wealth or we'd all be screwed.
Last edited:
Except that they are! Taxing you for Using it like they do Water in Colorado. Such utter BS!It's a good thing greedy people can't hoard sunlight like they do wealth or we'd all be screwed.
They're not getting a red cent from me. Off grid in Mexico. Personally, I think everybody should be off grid. Screw those tax hungry a holes.Except that they are! Taxing you for Using it like the do Water in Colorado. Such utter BS!
Not possible in New England. Enjoy your electrical freedom.They're not getting a red cent from me. Off grid in Mexico. Personally, I think everybody should be off grid. Screw those tax hungry a holes.![]()
Planning an off grid home in Maine. I have several friends nearby that have been off grid for years, comfortably. It's definitely possible.Not possible in New England. Enjoy your electrical freedom.
Regional differences too. Always amazes me. Electric heating here is only marginally more expensive than propane per btuElectric heat costs 8x what gas does, so one roommate using space heater adds $150 ~ $200 to our bill
So basically removing the intrinsic market forces that create consumer demand for a product range. Basically the opposite of Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations with all the (eventual) negative consequences.Goal is to (temporarily) make per kWh cost lower, so operating expensive electric appliances instead of cheap gas appliances won't look so bad
“not for profit” doesn’t equate to economic efficiency. In fact that’s usually going to create budget bloat and “creative” distributions via bonuses and leadership salaries, and ‘programs’ that are supposed to benefit consumers but merely create revenue outflow due to the non-productive non-incentivized staff working that departments.@time2roll said: Ok and my thoughts are the state (CA) should have bought or taken over the utility from bankruptcy and run it as a non profit agency instead of a regulated profit seeking corporation.
That’s a weird perspective to me. How does ‘hoarding’ money affect anyone? There is an ample money supply and it’s devaluing in trend. Money is available, it’s not being withheld from anyone.It's a good thing greedy people can't hoard sunlight like they do wealth or we'd all be screwed.
I’ve been offgrid in New England for ~5 years. There’s powerco poles physically on my current property but I’m not connected to them. They just exist there.Not possible in New England. Enjoy your electrical freedom.
How? My 6.8 KW system produced 74 KWH in January, 1/10 of my monthly usage. I would need a 68 KW system and a boat load of batteries.Planning an off grid home in Maine. I have several friends nearby that have been off grid for years, comfortably. It's definitely possible.
Do everything you can to reduce your power usage. All leds, energy efficient appliances. Change out central ac/heat for ductless mini splits each with it’s own outside unit so you only run the ones you need. Improve insulation of buildings if possible. In winter time keep south side windows uncovered during day/all other windows covered. Etc,How? My 6.8 KW system produced 74 KWH in January, 1/10 of my monthly usage. I would need a 68 KW system and a boat load of batteries.
With all due respect, you need to look at your system and change some things if your production is that low. My little 1.26 KW system, at a terrible winter tilt angle of 26.5 degrees, with shading after about 1:00 - 2:00 PM, In Waldo County, Maine, produced 41.4 KwH in January. And for at least a couple of decent, partly sunny days I was too busy to get the snow off the panels and just let it melt. I’ve also calculated the production at the new place using PV Watts and with an ~12 KW array and less than $10K in batteries I”ll need to run the generator less than 6 hours/month. No offense intended, but if your system is facing close to south, without terrible shading, you have problems somewhere in it.How? My 6.8 KW system produced 74 KWH in January, 1/10 of my monthly usage. I would need a 68 KW system and a boat load of batteries.
I definitely have shading issues (trees). With 2 systems, one has morning shading and the other has afternoon shading. The one with morning shade is the better performer because PV panels run from ridge to eaves and the snow slides off quite readily. The installer for the second roof followed the setback rules according to the IRC. The snow slides off the panels and piles up on the roof. I'm too old to be removing snow off a roof.With all due respect, you need to look at your system and change some things if your production is that low. My little 1.26 KW system, at a terrible winter tilt angle of 26.5 degrees, with shading after about 1:00 - 2:00 PM, In Waldo County, Maine, produced 41.4 KwH in January. And for at least a couple of decent, partly sunny days I was too busy to get the snow off the panels and just let it melt. I’ve also calculated the production at the new place using PV Watts and with an ~12 KW array and less than $10K in batteries I”ll need to run the generator less than 6 hours/month. No offense intended, but if your system is facing close to south, without terrible shading, you have problems somewhere in it.
Very happy production has improved for you! I should also add that for the new place we're planning, we're going with ground mounts that can be tilted to ~60 degrees, largely to shed snow. Off grid solar in New England really is possible, but a wide open space (lots of sun) and avoiding snow and ice when possible are really important.I definitely have shading issues (trees). With 2 systems, one has morning shading and the other has afternoon shading. The one with morning shade is the better performer because PV panels run from ridge to eaves and the snow slides off quite readily. The installer for the second roof followed the setback rules according to the IRC. The snow slides off the panels and piles up on the roof. I'm too old to be removing snow off a roof.
Production has drastically improved for February. 296 KWH to date vs 74 KWH for January.
Roof system? I have a 2kW that produced 120 some and that was a really cloudy month. Genuinely curious as to if something could be fixed, or if that was just a really rough month. That would be like 10 hours of sun.How? My 6.8 KW system produced 74 KWH in January, 1/10 of my monthly usage. I would need a 68 KW system and a boat load of batteries.
Yes, roof system.Roof system? I have a 2kW that produced 120 some and that was a really cloudy month. Genuinely curious as to if something could be fixed, or if that was just a really rough month. That would be like 10 hours of sun.
Either way, sorry to hear that.
Edit: I missed the replies. Glad to see it is working better now!
Unfortunately when it comes to utilities (a guaranteed monopoly) you sort of have to. The only thing worse than a government run/managed organization is a monopoly with absolutely no competition.So basically removing the intrinsic market forces that create consumer demand for a product range. Basically the opposite of Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations with all the (eventual) negative consequences.
Any government manipulation of the free market has historically harmed the very goods they were trying to influence positively- read that “in the end the consumer gets screwed.
“not for profit” doesn’t equate to economic efficiency. In fact that’s usually going to create budget bloat and “creative” distributions via bonuses and leadership salaries, and ‘programs’ that are supposed to benefit consumers but merely create revenue outflow due to the non-productive non-incentivized staff working that departments.
Our financial system is based on debt. All new money is created by creating new debt. And the more of that money that is "hoarded" (kept off the market) the more debt has to be created, which drives up inflation. It's a problem whenever people consider money to be an unlimited resource - and that's either the government or private entities.That’s a weird perspective to me. How does ‘hoarding’ money affect anyone? There is an ample money supply and it’s devaluing in trend. Money is available, it’s not being withheld from anyone.
Our financial system is based on debt. All new money is created by creating new debt. And the more of that money that is "hoarded" (kept off the market) the more debt has to be created, which drives up inflation.
There’s more to it than that. I believe that you missed the point that the mere existence of cash is debt- it’s a “note.”more of that money that is "hoarded" (kept off the market) the more debt has to be created, which drives up inflation
it was always a debt. If someone hands you gold or 10lbs of potatoes in fair exchange for a good or service it has intrinsic value in and of itself.the problem is the printing of endless dollars, and the symptom is that people try to save more to have a chance at a decent life.
Well that, AND that money is debt since the "fed" reserve. Which is a whole other sad story
Unless your Net metering agreement does not allow you to have batteries, how will an agreement with your electrical company to sell your excess power prevent you form having power when the grid goes down?I don't know
I started my solar journey in 1992 when I found a copy of HomePower magazine and "ate it up" and eventually got all 183 issues
Installed my first house system in 2000. you can read about it via the link in my signature MY BUILD
I still refuse to do NetMetering. I want power when the grid fails. THAT is my objective and besides, this solar TECH is really cool and getting more so
Exactly.Unless your Net metering agreement does not allow you to have batteries, how will an agreement with your electrical company to sell your excess power prevent you form having power when the grid goes down?
That's one of the many problems, yes. But people like the result (economy that is growing faster due to availability of money/debt.)Saying that government printing is due to someone trying to retire, or build wealth for future generations. It's circular once the printing starts. You need more to retire, so you try to save more, then gov. prints more. Rinse and repeat.
Inflation hurts the lowest end most, since people without a lot of wealth are often asset poor. I would say the problem is the printing of endless dollars, and the symptom is that people try to save more to have a chance at a decent life.
Initially money was literally gold or silver; coins that contained X ounces of gold were used to trade. This had a lot of side effects, like a gold discovery would drive down the value of your money, and it was very difficult to get loans (since you needed to physically get your hands on the gold to use it.) And of course it was easy to steal. The term for this is "commodity money" where you are trading one thing of value for another. At that point it was not connected to debt.There’s more to it than that. I believe that you missed the point that the mere existence of cash is debt- it’s a “note.”
Fact is there is more ‘money’ on balance sheets than exists from printing it.
It does require an investment so in that sense it does cost money to invest in equipment which will save me money in the long term. I am on a fixed income and that investment does give me a hedge against inflation. It is also a rewarding hobby.I don't do it to save money, it doesn't
The first sentence is figuratively true.conjure the idea that the government just prints money to pay its debts. It doesn't do that (fortunately) since that would collapse the financial system.
From my reading, the early days of solar were adventurous 'stick it to the man' types.
Offgrid/ back to the land...
Now, it's more of "I can save $ .01 by tieing into grid, get some subsidies/grants from government.
Meaning, someone else's money. Is this pretty much in line with all the anti establishment Woodstockers getting to power, and becoming the establishment?
I'm almost 60, and new (5 years) to solar.
I'm pretty much anti everything government (cuz I read history), going for some level of disconnect/self sufficiency.
Isn't that the point of solar??
Save a penny, to commit to the government teat seems ingenious to the founders of 'the cause.'