Solar power is getting cheaper every year

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Originally Posted By: SHOZ
Looks like the Tesla Powerwall2 14kWh battery is $6500 US installed plus tax. https://www.tesla.com/powerwall
OK, so I use ~700-800KWh a month. That's 23-27KWh in a 24hr period, in which currently, at this time of year, we have ~10hrs of daylight. During this period, my usage is my furnace blower motor, my computer, networking gear....etc. So my usage is lowest during the day. At night is when the majority of my usage is. In fact, this is how it is broken down on my bill, as daytime usage is the most expensive. October, I used 712KWh Mid-day usage: 95.16KWh Morn/eve usage: 107.26KWh Night usage: 472.58KWh So monthly summary: Daytime: 3KWh Morn/Eve: 3.58Kwh Night: 15.75KWh So, for this to work for me, it would: A) Have to be cheaper than staying on-grid B) Produce enough power to charge the batteries plus provide ~7KWh of power during the periods where light is charging; the panels would need to provide ~27KWh (to be on the safe side) of power during their 10hr window of sunlight exposure. C) In-line with A/B, would need to produce power to pay for itself above and beyond what it produces in B that can be sold back at a profit to the utility. Currently, the 14KWh powerwall would not be sufficient for my daily usage profile, and would need to be coupled with a very large solar array to provide both sufficient charge capacity and power to run everything in the house and still make a profit to offset that initial cost. As solar cells become more efficient, this becomes more and more viable of course.
 
Hope they learn plenty from the Gigafactory - since it not only makes related - but runs off a bunch of renewable sources...
 
Originally Posted By: SHOZ
Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: Shannow
Problem is that as per my previous commentary, it still has to be INTEGRATED into the system, and that requires storage.
It's a great idea, but cheaper than normal roofing materials? Oh, that's right. That will apply once he gets subsidized and they add a crippling tax onto normal roofing materials. Until then, this is another one of his delusions.
Hey this isn't Canada......
Turns out that by "normal" roofing, they mean terracotta and cut slate...thus the less breakage when shipping and installing etc. etc...
 
Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Originally Posted By: Jetronic
the trouble with solar panels is, during a blackout you won't get electric from them no matter how well the sun shines on them. Unless ofcourse you have the foresight to provide their inverters with another AC source like a small generator
How often do you expect to get a black out and how long do you plan to stay dark? If you get a lot of storm that hit you for a couple weeks at a time, chances are you would either buy a battery backup like the power wall if you want solar, or have a diesel generator instead.
It's a few hours, 2-3 times ayear. But the chances of getting a more serious incident are rising, and solely dependant on the severity of winter. I've converted my central heating so that I can use it with wood and without electric, and we're cooking/making hot water with natural gas. As long as that supply isn't interuppted we're actually good for a few days of no electric. I did look into getting adiesel generator, as in normal operation the heater uses heating fuel, which will also run the generator. Thinking of getting a water cooled example and connecting it to the central heating system aswell, so that energy isn't wasted either. Solar panels howeverare interesting as it could reduce our electric bill by 50-70 euro per month. the meter would run backwards all summer and we'd be pullingcurrentout of the net in winter when available. Meter gets checked in May every year.
 
Originally Posted By: SHOZ
Here's Musk's explanation of why cheaper.
It was mighty "convenient" of Musk to happen to choose the competitors that cost the most per square, and by a significant margin. So, a person that can afford a $100,000 roofing job might save money from solar panels. What about the average Joe that uses asphalt shingles? Shannow: Yes, by "normal" roofing materials, Musk means the materials that billionaires "normally" use.
 
In some areas especially California, fire resistant roofing is worth paying extra for.
 
Originally Posted By: mk378
In some areas especially California, fire resistant roofing is worth paying extra for.
Down here, bushfire central, they recommend sheet steel anywhere that's fire prone, easiest to seal.
 
Tesla's Powerwall 2 can pay for itself i...iew on Facebook
Quote:
Michael Vorstermans ran the numbers on Tesla's Powerwall home battery when it hit the market last year, and it didn't add up. The 6kWh battery could store less than half his Rydalmere household of three's daily power usage and would take 18 years to pay off – more than twice the warranty period. But when Tesla released the Powerwall 2 a few weeks ago, the game had changed. It had more than twice the capacity – 14kWh – and the price had come down to just over $10,000. Mr Vorstermans calculated it would take between six and nine years to pay off – and ordered one for delivery in February to store power from his 4kW of solar rooftop panels.
 
Will depend entirely on your local power prices of course. Here in Ontario, where you are getting gang-raped for Hydro, it may actually make sense. In Quebec, it would probably never pay for itself before it EOL'd.
 
Why do i need a "power wall". Why not make my own at a fraction of the cost. Find a sale on car batteries and go to town. This guy is so much marketing hype.
 
Originally Posted By: Shannow
Originally Posted By: turtlevette
Originally Posted By: Shannow
http://www.solarchoice.net.au/blog/levelised-cost-of-storage-compare-battery-value
Someone doesnt know how to spell levelized
Someone doesn't realise that there are other countries in the world, where the correct spelling is different to the US adaptation of the English language...
Indeed good sir, lest we need talk about things like colour and aluminium as well wink
 
Originally Posted By: Shannow
Originally Posted By: turtlevette
Originally Posted By: Shannow
http://www.solarchoice.net.au/blog/levelised-cost-of-storage-compare-battery-value
Someone doesnt know how to spell levelized
Someone doesn't realise that there are other countries in the world, where the correct spelling is different to the US adaptation of the English language...
Fleas don't run the dog. We speak english here. I need a translator to understand you guys. People in England too.
 
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