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Ask HN: What can I do with extra electricity?

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Ask HN: What can I do with extra electricity?

#1

Post by traverseda »

I'm looking at solar power systems, with the intention of eventually not being connected to the electrical grid at all and only having intermittent internet access.

In order to do that I need to over-provision my solar panels. Solar panels remain a lot cheaper than batteries, so for me at least it makes sense to get a lot of solar panels and only a few "hours" worth of batteries.

Let's assume that some sunny days I have an extra KW of power generation for ~8 hours. On overcast days I probably don't have any extra power, unless I'm not at home and can shut everything down.

What can I use the waste electricity for?

Re: Ask HN: What can I do with extra electricity?

#4

Post by traverseda »

PaulHoule wrote: post #2

Heat water?

There are some intermittent things like drying my laundry that it makes sense to do only when I have extra power.

I'm probably going to go tankless propane for hot water heating though. Heating water takes a lot of power, storing hot water produces a lot of waste heat, and in the winter when I could most make use of that waste heat is when I'm expecting to not have much of a power surplus.

If I could get a hot water tank that was well enough insulated...

It's a good point, I'll need to do some math, and it would probably need to be in addition to some type of tankless/propane heater, since I still need to shower in the winter when I don't have as much extra power.

Re: Ask HN: What can I do with extra electricity?

#7

Post by traverseda »

programatico wrote: post #5

energy efficient server:old link https://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/11/11/diy_zero_energy_hom... Make hydrogen (H2)with electrolysis. Need to found a good technology for that, and be careful hydrogen is very explosive.

Running a server isn't really a predictably intermittent load, and there are plenty of servers/computer already in my power budget.

Not sure what I'd do with a bunch of hydrogen. Fuel cells still aren't really a practical thing. I'd thought about maybe some kind of wood-gas biodiesel thing, but I don't know of any way to do that on a small scale with intermittent power.

Re: Ask HN: What can I do with extra electricity?

#8

Post by gus_massa »

knopkop_ wrote: post #6

Mine some crypto

I agree. I think that the OP must look carefully for a coin that is profitable when mined intermently (perhaps using common hardware instead of ASICs?). (I think most of the cost analysis assume that you are mining 24/7, and that is important for the amortization cost of the ASICs.)
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