BYC Café

[pennyJo1960]

So what your saying Bruce not all warm and fuzzy when you try to go off grid.

 

[Offshoreorca]

Good morning Cafe! Coffee is ready.

We are off grid at our "summer" home (there's no option for being on grid because of the location). It's lived in all year round, with primary source being solar, and backup diesel generator for the winter months if there is a day with low production. We have an Outback system.

 

[DobieLover]

Good morning Cafe and thanks for the coffee Orca.

 

[Sally PB]

We would LOVE to go off grid. Michigan is not known for its sunshine in the winter, though we got 100% yesterday, and will get at least 50% today.

A neighbor has panels on their roof. I think they're on "buy back"....? Not sure. They went from $230/month bills to about $30. They leave for the winter, so I'm not sure how it works for the months of December-March. They have to keep the freezers running. Not sure what else.

 

[DobieLover]

@bruceha2000, when the Powerwall goes in today I'll be able to answer more questions. I don't know what NYSEGs policy is on the "use it or lose it" excess energy. I'll also learn more about that today but I was told that NYSEG was recently bought out.

Primary (currently only) heat is the woodstove and will remain so. I hope to install my Mitsubishi mini-split this year for shoulder season heating and whole house A/C then remove the window unit in my bedroom. That is likely going to be a net increase in consumption. As is putting the pond on-line.

Having solar has always been a dream of mine. I always thought it was a pipe dream until my manager started telling me that he and his wife are getting solar too because of how good the Fed & NYS tax credits were. And the Fed raised that credit from 23% to 30% starting this year. The NYS credit is still 25% but capped at $5,000. NYSERDA also offers some incentive. I think I get a bit over a grand back from them but, again, I can't remember. I signed the paperwork for the installation last April and it's only going in now.

 

[aart]

@bruceha2000, when the Powerwall goes in today I'll be able to answer more questions. I don't know what NYSEGs policy is on the "use it or lose it" excess energy. I'll also learn more about that today but I was told that NYSEG was recently bought out.

Primary (currently only) heat is the woodstove and will remain so. I hope to install my Mitsubishi mini-split this year for shoulder season heating and whole house A/C then remove the window unit in my bedroom. That is likely going to be a net increase in consumption. As is putting the pond on-line.

Having solar has always been a dream of mine. I always thought it was a pipe dream until my manager started telling me that he and his wife are getting solar too because of how good the Fed & NYS tax credits were. And the Fed raised that credit from 23% to 30% starting this year. The NYS credit is still 25% but capped at $5,000. NYSERDA also offers some incentive. I think I get a bit over a grand back from them but, again, I can't remember. I signed the paperwork for the installation last April and it's only going in now.

My Bro live in NYS and is on a solar program, equipment installed with many grants/incentives. I don't know the details but he can go on and on about the situation and is/was very active in the alternative energy realm. There are some major problems in the mix with players pulling in and out of deals and the monies involved changing drastically. One thing I thought was ridiculous as that he has no backup storage and when the grid fails, he's out too.

 

[Sally PB]

One thing I thought was ridiculous as that he has no backup storage and when the grid fails, he's out too.

I need to ask my neighbor if this is the case for them. I suspect it is... but don't know. If it is, then we would certainly do something different. Part of the reason we want to go off grid is to be, well, off the grid.

 

[bruceha2000]

So what your saying Bruce not all warm and fuzzy when you try to go off grid.

Well, nothing is all roses

For those that are truly off grid, ie no connection to the grid at all (and no "per day" charges to be connected and other "fees"), one needs power sources (typically solar, wind, fossil fuel generator), and storage.

I imagine there are places that have enough sun daily or at least every other day, people can get by without a generator if they have sufficient storage capacity but I think that isn't a lot of the world.

If you are totally off grid, you definitely need to know your electric usage and not do certain things when the sun doesn't shine and the wind doesn't blow for a period of time. I don't have wind since as far as I've heard the residential units aren't all that reliable and require a fair bit (how much I do not know) of maintenance. Not easy when the turbine is 100' up in the air so ANY maintenance is far more than the no maintenance (other than snow removal on ground mounted) solar.

One thing I thought was ridiculous as that he has no backup storage and when the grid fails, he's out too.

It is done that way on purpose presumably for the safety of the power companies line workers. While the panels COULD provide power to the house when there is no grid power the workers could get whacked with power (coming from the grid tied solar) in a line they think is dead.

BUT I don't understand why that has to be. If the Tesla Powerwall controller (and any other brand) can detect the lack of line power and switch to batteries, then switch back to "normal" when there is line power, I see no reason why any solar installation can't have some sort of controller that will stop power going to the grid when there is no line power but still feed the house. It wouldn't be great since there is no way to modulate what is using the power the panels are generating if it isn't sufficient for all the potential loads. But it sure would be nice to at least have lights and power to the refrigerator and well pump.

 

[sourland]

Good morning, and thanks for the coffee.

 

[DobieLover]

One thing I thought was ridiculous as that he has no backup storage and when the grid fails, he's out too.

Because the Powerwall is a very expensive option not many can afford.
After flipping five houses, downsizing, doing all the work on my current house myself and keeping all the money from selling my first primary residence to finish my retirement home, I had enough money left over to afford this. And I think after all I've gone through I deserve it.