tieing into the grid, simple style...

[Shannow]

JMH,
come to my work, there's an energy expo that will save you some money, by showing what you can achieve. The energy expo shows coal fired power production, the cycle, the environmental controls etc.

They've got demo area, with a solar panel about 12 feet, by 4 feet, mounted at 30something degrees. They've got a wind turbine (about 3' dia), they've got a reclining bicycle, a wich machine, and a step machine.

All are hooked to watt meters.

I've seen people clock up to 800W (generated), and for some seconds at a time. I've not seen anyone hold 300W for more than a few minutes. And the stepping machine generates the highest average, as the time between the steps allows gravity to help you down.

I doubt that you'd ever achieve a net grid output through a bike.

That being said, I had a workmate who used a low voltage caravan TV, an exercise bike, and an automotive alternator to allow his children to watch all of the television that they wanted.

 

[alreadygone]

Forget Gilligan's Island here,,,think Rube Goldberg.

Bob

 

[JHZR2]

150-260W is nothing to sneeze at. Though non-continuous, 260W at 130VDC is the output of 1-2 $900 solar cells.

For someone who would beinterested in buying solar cells, and feeding into an inverter and then the grid, I do not see how adding 200W of output, particularly if done at night or in the AM when the sun isnt out, is a bad thing...

100Wh a day is the approximate use of all of my CFLs from when the sun goes down until when I go to bed. This is bad how???!!?

JMH

 

[JHZR2]

http://www.mattshaver.com/bikegen/index.htm

one of MANY sites outthere.

While theyre not running a 9A circular saw, they do put out something non-trivial.

JMH

 

[oilyriser]

For the cost of putting up your own home power system (wind, solar), you won't be able to make power cheaper than buying it from the grid, over the lifetime of your equipment. However, if you own an apartment building, a factory, or other large consumer and have a large piece of land and a windy location, you can install a real wind turbine, and make power for about 5 cents/kwh. Spending 4 million $ on a 3 MW wind turbine can give you power for way less than buying from the grid. You'd still need the grid connection for when the wind isn't blowing, but your utility might have a monthly "net metering" option.

Storing your own power is also very expensive, unless you happen to have a good sized hydroelectric setup, and can pump water back behind the dam when you don't need the full output of the wind turbine.

Wind turbine machinery lasts about 20 years. But the steel tower can last 50 or more years. The first 20 years your wind power will cost 5 cents/kwh, but the next 20 years will be 2.5, since installation and towers is half the cost of the system.

 

[JHZR2]

Perhaps that is the case, however, the enjoyment of knowing that I am harvesting energy from the sun provides a "value", which may not be determined in dollar values, but is interesting and satisfying by virtue of my personality and so-called ideals.

My home uses about 10kWh/day, if Im not mistaken. If I can produce 10-20% of that use myself (via solar, my bike generator wont be doing that!), it is at the bare minimum fun and interesting to me.

I could waste thousands on gasoline with a low-MPG vehicle, I could waste thousands on credit card interest... if I waste a few thousand (IIRC, you can get an ~700W system for about $3500) and can offset my electrical usage, and have a fun and interesting project to pursue at the same time, is it really that bad?

JMH

 

[oilyriser]

I do have a couple of 1W panels I use to recharge AA batteries. It gives a feeling of independence.

Using solar heating panels will save money, compared to burning natural gas or oil.

http://www.sunpower.com/index.php?pg=5

They have done for stirling engines what I always wanted to try with internal combustion engines - a linear motor to control the piston and extract power. Amazing.

 

[tom slick]

I don't know about your area but here we use yearly net metering if you are generating your own. whatever excess you are generating goes back into the grid and your "meter turns backward". at the end of the year you pay for the difference. if your net is positive into the grid then you gave them free electricity, they don't pay you for your excess.

It certainly has a quicker ROI for business, they have a lot more incentives, but it isn't that bad for residential use.

 

[Oldmoparguy1]

All excellent reasons for what you want to do. And it doesn't hurt to push that little "whappens if I do this" button.

I wish I had the energy of my youth coupled with my years of experiance and todays technology. I used to push that button often, sometimes with explosive results.

 

[oilyriser]

Solar PV panels, if you include installation, use more energy to make than they ever produce during their lifespan. Solar heaters, on the other hand, turn a profit by displacing high grade energy sources like oil, natural gas, or electricity.

http://www.solarovens.org/

A very simple one can be made using a sheet metal box painted black inside, insulated with glass fibre, all put inside a cardboard box. The transparent lid is insulated using two layers of high temperature plastic film, sold as "oven bag" in grocery stores, separated by an air space.

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/radabaugh30.html
this one is made of cardboard, sheet metal and glass.

 

[Shannow]

Funny, earlier this week I bought a mag with a pedal powered permanent magnet generator in it (plus an aftermarket EV).

Apparently conversion kits can be found here

http://www.rpc.com.au/