Satellite powered estimation of global solar potential

Post by throwaway2037 » Fri, Dec 20, 2024, 7:49 AM UTC

rgmerk wrote: post #123

xnx wrote: post #12

This is a very impressive refinement of their existing tool, but is this type of advanced calculation of roof-pitch (etc.) still relevant? Haven't we more or less concluded that a million piecemeal rooftop installations of solar are about the worst way to do it? More complicated and expensive to permit and install, less efficient operation, difficult to repair, difficult to insure, difficult to upgrade, inefficient t…

Australia manages to install rooftop solar at well under half the cost the USA does (most of that is soft costs) and integrate large amounts of it into the grid. As of lunchtime today, nearly 50% of all electrical generation on the national grid was rooftop solar (and another ~10% was utility-scale solar). Rooftop solar works just fine if utilities don’t actively try and obstruct its use.

    > As of lunchtime today, nearly 50% of all electrical generation on the national grid was rooftop solar

Post by szvsw » Fri, Dec 20, 2024, 8:00 AM UTC

PaulDavisThe1st wrote: post #119

szvsw wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There’s not always a lot of freedom to control roof angles like that - it might eg be directly determined by the orientation of the street - and even if there is, it might come into conflict with other thermal considerations. For instance, perhaps orienting the building such that the roof midline is E/W and the surface is due south results in more windows pointed due south, which in turn drives much more solar gain o…

> more windows pointed due south, which in turn drives much more solar gain on the interior and greater cooling loads as a result C'mon ... people figured this out in 70s ... and centuries before that in various parts of the world. You put a shade above the window the excludes direct summer sun, but allows direct winter sun to enter the window. The angle and extent of the shade depends on where you are in the world.…

Post by throwaway2037 » Fri, Dec 20, 2024, 8:25 AM UTC

macintux wrote: post #131

bruce511 wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's the perception that it's an "either" question. When in reality its both. Home solar is a big win, and if nothing else allows capital to be sourced from a million home owners. Centralized solar is a big win, generating grid power Erich is obviously important. It's not a question of either, it's a question of both.

I should have made it clear: I’m referring to people who are adamantly opposed to large solar installations, apparently because it’s a threat to agriculture? It’s very odd, but I see yard signs and bumper stickers everywhere in rural Indiana.

Post by throwaway2037 » Fri, Dec 20, 2024, 8:34 AM UTC

ccozan wrote: post #60

stainablesteel wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

i've heard of some business models that install these and have you pay what would be the difference to your electric bill to the company until they pay themselves off, not sure if the panels last long enough to make that work though

Yes. In Germany they are selling a lot of models, but none, I mean, really, none asked about the rentability. So I went to a neighbour who just installed his 25kW and was very proud and happy, and asked him, in how many years is the return of investment. Siderated, he could not answer and then a few days later, with a very stern face: 25 years or more because if more people install these, the price that the city is p…

Post by throwaway2037 » Fri, Dec 20, 2024, 8:36 AM UTC

dzhiurgis wrote: post #78

stainablesteel wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

i've heard of some business models that install these and have you pay what would be the difference to your electric bill to the company until they pay themselves off, not sure if the panels last long enough to make that work though

One of these wouldn't sign me up as they couldn't offer any savings (92% of my use is off peak, around 16ct NZD (9 USD) / kWh). A lot of the time such companies pray on people on stupid plans (or those paying thru the nose for "exclusively renewable") power.