Electricity prices got you down? BlueGEN

[OVERKILL]

Receiving subsidy in Europe, the company SOLID POWER has developed a novel gas-fired home and small business generator and heater; it's basically cogen for the home and SMB. Yes, when electricity rates get nutty enough, it makes sense for you to just generate your own electricity. You can also leverage net-metering if it is financially lucrative in your location, to sell your gas-fired generation back to the grid.

In addition to producing electricity, it also produces hot water; up to 200L a day. And can be used to heat your home or business or combined with other heating sources like a heat pump.

I can see something like this gaining significant traction in markets like Germany where you are at close to $0.50/kWh for electricity.

https://www.solidpower.com/en/bluegen/for-private-households/

 

[StevieC]

If we didn't end up switching parties in the last election we might have needed it as well here in Ontario.

 

[OVERKILL]

Yup, that's the risk here when agenda gets in the way of common sense.

 

[SirTanon]

I have solar on my home and a beefy system at that. My power bill literally just shrunk in half. I'm good

 

[Kage860]

Good idea. NY is messed up, we're paying like $0.20/kwh so I bought a solar system that makes most of our power. I might convert from oil to gas heat next.

 

[Zee09]

I use a key and a kite....

 

[rshaw125]

No mention of where the gas comes from. Yes you guessed it .........Russia.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted by SirTanon
I have solar on my home and a beefy system at that. My power bill literally just shrunk in half. I'm good

Yeah, you also live in sun land, LOL! You just buy yours straight up and do you get a subsidy through a feed-in tariff or net metering?

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted by rshaw125
No mention of where the gas comes from. Yes you guessed it .........Russia.


Suckling at the ample bosom of Mother Russia. Exactly as the 'ol Vlad intended.

 

[rshaw125]

Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Originally Posted by rshaw125
No mention of where the gas comes from. Yes you guessed it .........Russia.


Suckling at the ample bosom of Mother Russia. Exactly as the 'ol Vlad intended.


The Germans closed or are closing their nuclear power stations. Dependency on their old enemy does not seem to bother them.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted by rshaw125
Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Originally Posted by rshaw125
No mention of where the gas comes from. Yes you guessed it .........Russia.


Suckling at the ample bosom of Mother Russia. Exactly as the 'ol Vlad intended.


The Germans closed or are closing their nuclear power stations. Dependency on their old enemy does not seem to bother them.


Yeah, they are also destroying a 12,000 year old forest so they can expand one of their coal mines. They are insane.

 

[Shannow]

10 years ago, I was watching (actually had invested some dough) in home fuel cells, looked promising...then we started exporting all our natural gas...it's the same price per MJ as E0 in the home now.

 

[Papa Bear]

I'm waiting for the single dwelling nuclear reactor

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted by Shannow
10 years ago, I was watching (actually had invested some dough) in home fuel cells, looked promising...then we started exporting all our natural gas...it's the same price per MJ as E0 in the home now.



That's insane!

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted by Papa Bear
I'm waiting for the single dwelling nuclear reactor


LOL! I'd love one!

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted by Papa Bear
I'm waiting for the single dwelling nuclear reactor

I am waiting for the Hydrogen revolution.

 

[SirTanon]

Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Originally Posted by SirTanon
I have solar on my home and a beefy system at that. My power bill literally just shrunk in half. I'm good

Yeah, you also live in sun land, LOL! You just buy yours straight up and do you get a subsidy through a feed-in tariff or net metering?


There's a net-metering agreement in place here... at least for now. The power companies keep trying to kill it, but they keep getting shot down.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted by SirTanon
Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Originally Posted by SirTanon
I have solar on my home and a beefy system at that. My power bill literally just shrunk in half. I'm good

Yeah, you also live in sun land, LOL! You just buy yours straight up and do you get a subsidy through a feed-in tariff or net metering?


There's a net-metering agreement in place here... at least for now. The power companies keep trying to kill it, but they keep getting shot down.


How much did your system cost if you don't mind me asking? How long until the savings pay it off?

 

[SirTanon]

I was able to negotiate a monthly payment plan at an extremely low rate, which we can pay off at any time with zero fees. I saw savings within a few months.

For example - My August electricity bill used to be between $400 and $440. Between what I pay the power company, and what I pay each month toward the solar system, my last August "bill" came to about $215. Also, I can apply my solar upgrade costs (monthly charges) to offset my taxes, since it's an upgrade to my house.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted by SirTanon
I was able to negotiate a monthly payment plan at an extremely low rate, which we can pay off at any time with zero fees. I saw savings within a few months.

For example - My August electricity bill used to be between $400 and $440. Between what I pay the power company, and what I pay each month toward the solar system, my last August "bill" came to about $215. Also, I can apply my solar upgrade costs (monthly charges) to offset my taxes, since it's an upgrade to my house.


Holy crap that's high! What's your per kWh rate there???

So, say the system was $20,000 (just pulling a number out of my posterior) and your monthly usage was 1200kWh and it provides 600kWh, cutting your bill in half. If it saves you $200/month, in 20 years, ignoring panel degradation, it will have saved you $48,000, putting you ahead by $28K.

My electricity (delivery is separate and is not directly tied to usage) is around $95/month currently for 750kWh. If a similarly priced system cut my usage in half, I'd save $50.00. That's $12K over 20 years, I'd still be in hole $8 grand on my initial investment.