Solar Panels and PHEVs

[jayman]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mad Hatter @ Aug 31 2007, 05:43 PM) [snapback]505173[/snapback]</div>

I'm currently planning a heat-pump geothermal system for next year.
[/b]

I now wish I had installed a geothermal system at my hobby farm, instead of the natural gas furnace and conventional A/C. Neighbors who have built within the past 2-3 years with heat pumps, have utility bills on average one half of mine. I have an ICF home with 8 inch forms, so the finished exterior walls are 12 inches.

Manitoba has about the cheapest power in Canada, and they have some interesting comparisons for yearly heating/ccoling"

http://www.hydro.mb.ca/earthpower/benefits.shtml

http://www.hydro.mb.ca/your_home/home_heat...comparisons.pdf

One last note: The geothermal system is *very* sensitive to the quality of installation. If you have a scam artist or doofus install the system, you'll have problems and be very disappointed.

For example, with our -40 winters, the ground loop pipes should ideally be installed 10 ft down, even deeper if possible. Some doofus installers put the pipes only 3-4 ft down, which is the frost level, and the systems switched to supplementary electric heat once the bitter cold started.

[Sufferin' Prius Envy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jayman @ Sep 2 2007, 10:22 AM) [snapback]505900[/snapback]</div>

One last note: The geothermal system is *very* sensitive to the quality of installation. If you have a scam artist or doofus install the system, you'll have problems and be very disappointed.
For example, with our -40 winters, the ground loop pipes should ideally be installed 10 ft down, even deeper if possible.[/b]

Speaking of "geothermal systems" . . . Mad Hatter may want to think twice about digging down too deep for his system.

He lives in the Clear Lake Volcanic Field.
http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/Califo...clear_lake.html

And about ten miles from Kelseyville is The Geysers . . . the largest complex of geothermal power plants in the world.

http://www.geysers.com/

And not much further south is the Old Faithful Geyser of California, in Calistoga.

http://www.oldfaithfulgeyser.com/

If he isn't careful, he just may have an old faithful geyser of his own shooting up in his back yard.
Cooling his house would then probably be like trying to cool hell itself.

[boulder_bum]

Quick note.

I asked people on a Chevy Volt forum the same question (I'll strongly consider buying the Volt if it lives up to GM's hype), and someone from GM said it would take about 8 kWh to charge the Volt battery (assuming it's fully depleted?):

http://www.chevyvoltforum.com/index.php?sh...0&#entry390

[tripp]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Boulder Bum @ Sep 4 2007, 02:54 AM) [snapback]506682[/snapback]</div>

Quick note.

I asked people on a Chevy Volt forum the same question (I'll strongly consider buying the Volt if it lives up to GM's hype), and someone from GM said it would take about 8 kWh to charge the Volt battery (assuming it's fully depleted?):

http://www.chevyvoltforum.com/index.php?sh...0&#entry390
[/b]

Yeah, that's about right. They're assuming 200 Wh/mile. The Volt is supposed to have a mile range so there you go.

[boulder_bum]

Weaksauce!

I just discovered that Xcel can't provide my energy where I want to move after all, and the local energy co-op not only doesn't offer any help installing solar panels, but has this to say on their website:

http://www.intermountain-rea.com/legislative.htm

UK Documentary: The Great Global Warming Swindle

"According to a group of scientists brought together by documentary-maker Martin Durkin, if the planet is heating up, it isn't your fault and there's nothing you can do about it. We've almost begun to take it for granted that climate change is man-made phenomenon. But just as the environmental lobby think they've got our attention, a group of naysayers have emerged to slay the whole premise of global warming."
[/b]

Basically, it's sort of a redneck outfit that is posting this type of propaganda and fighting tooth and nail against Colorado's efforts to promote renewable energy use (they urged customers to recommend that Colorado state not pass some environmental bills).

[tripp]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Boulder Bum @ Sep 4 2007, 11:16 PM) [snapback]507164[/snapback]</div>

Weaksauce!

I just discovered that Xcel can't provide my energy where I want to move after all, and the local energy co-op not only doesn't offer any help installing solar panels, but has this to say on their website:
Basically, it's sort of a redneck outfit that is posting this type of propaganda and fighting tooth and nail against Colorado's efforts to promote renewable energy use (they urged customers to recommend that Colorado state not pass some environmental bills).
[/b]

Utilities have to serve at least 40K customers to be subject to the requirements of Amendment 37. They're obviously not in that category. Move into the mountains west of boulder. Xcel is the service provider there. My biz partner is installing an 8.1 kW system on the house he's building near Nederland.

[boulder_bum]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tripp @ Sep 5 2007, 10:41 AM) [snapback]507354[/snapback]</div>

Utilities have to serve at least 40K customers to be subject to the requirements of Amendment 37. They're obviously not in that category. Move into the mountains west of boulder. Xcel is the service provider there. My biz partner is installing an 8.1 kW system on the house he's building near Nederland.
[/b]

They actually do service 40k+ customers, believe it or not. Castle Rock's population is around 40k, and IREA services more towns than that.

I do love the mountains west of Boulder (my wife and I just went to Estes Park this weekend), but we work in the DTC.

[tripp]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Boulder Bum @ Sep 5 2007, 10:55 AM) [snapback]507362[/snapback]</div>

They actually do service 40k+ customers, believe it or not. Castle Rock's population is around 40k, and IREA services more towns than that.

I do love the mountains west of Boulder (my wife and I just went to Estes Park this weekend), but we work in the DTC.
[/b]

Ah, but the voters in that area could have overturned it. That was another part of the Amendment. Yeah, that commute would be beyond horrific.

[Tadashi]

I am still going through the other posts but off the top of my head I would not worry about it. I have a 6.5 kW system which is on the large size (at least around here). Normally around 3 kW. I seem to be generating around 27 kwh per day but I use about 50 kwh for a 2500 sq ft house.

You do not want to get a system larger than what you use because you do not get money back for unused power. Only a credit to be settled at the end of the year. Most say size your system for about 90-95% of your needs.

Swamp coolers are really good depending on the area. We had one in El Paso and at 100 deg the house would be around 65 (my wife likes it freezing - opposite of me). Three key points when using a swamp cooler -
1) you need a low humidity (anything over 50 tends to reduce efficiency),
2) maintenance - wash the filters annually and change out every 2-3 years ,
3) you have to keep the windows open to allow air flow or you will build an overpressure system and no more cool air can be blown into the house.

Most the people I met in El Paso who had issues never had a swap cooler before and treated it like a A/C unit.

[Lutzbone]

Regarding your A/C needs, check out Coolerado, made right in Denver.