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Plug-in solar is coming. Plug-in batteries should follow

regen.co.uk

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Re: Plug-in solar is coming. Plug-in batteries should follow

#61

Post by bob1029 »

Scoundreller wrote: post #50
tempestn wrote: post #26

I assume plug-in batteries are considerably more workable in the UK on 240V, since they could charge and deploy at double the rate of a plug-in system here. Of course 240V plugs exist in North America, but they're generally only installed for dryers, ranges, and EV chargers, so people don't tend to have one just free.

What makes it easier on 240v systems is that your entire household is on the same “circuit”. If you’re on a 120v system, there’s a ~50/50 chance that your load is on the wrong side (except for 240v loads where you’ll imbalance things a tad but it should average out). Unless you’re in an apartment/conso and have 208v instead of 240v… dunno what happens then.

Every US household has at least some big circuits across both lives. You could theoretically put the battery in the laundry room and use the 240v outlet. This is effectively what I did when my power was out during a hurricane. I backfed my entire house through my laundry room. Not to code but nothing was that week. The circuit wasn't rated for enough to handle the HVAC load so I eventually installed a separate 50A inlet on the side of the house.

Re: Plug-in solar is coming. Plug-in batteries should follow

#62

Post by mullingitover »

perpetuallunch wrote: post #52
mkozlows wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not a scam. Connecting to the grid has enormous value, and keeping the grid up has real costs. A model where your generation pays you retail prices doesn't make sense. California's current net metering system, which is more reflective of the true benefits and costs of solar to the power system, has been incentivizing people to add storage to keep their solar rather than get paid big money to feed back midday low…

Since all we’re doing is opinions, and all opinions are equal. It’s a scam. All that money we’re coughing up for rooftop solar and batteries at home would be better spent investing in grid scale electricity generation, of any technology. That way the best ideas generate more profit than the lesser ideas, and market discovery can solve problems. Maybe governments could incentivise renters and home owners alike by disc…

> All that money we’re coughing up for rooftop solar and batteries at home would be better spent investing in grid scale electricity generation, of any technology.

In my city we literally can't buy any more grid scale solar. We rely on the county for transmission, we're buying all we can, and we're maxed. So you either get solar installed or you're paying some of the highest rates for electricity in the country.

I'm installing the max balcony solar the law allows the day it's legal. It's the biggest no-brainer every, it'll pay itself off in ~2 years in my case because it's knocking out the most expensive part of my power bill.

Re: Plug-in solar is coming. Plug-in batteries should follow

#63

Post by perpetuallunch »

chris222 wrote: post #43
perpetuallunch wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Similarly here in Australia. Electricity prices keep increasing, daily supply charge keeps increasing (this ones supposed to pay for the transmission network), while the solar feed-in tariff keeps decreasing. With the added stupidity that, obviously the sun works during the day and so do you. Now tax payers are forced to subsidies residential batteries as well as rooftop solar, which results in a wealth transfer from…

Australia has been a great success for solar and battery storage. Your statement about a wealth transfer is putting no value on climate change or good air quality which benefits all.

No it hasn’t.

What it has done is resulted in ridiculously high electricity prices, such that manufacturing anything in this country has become progressively less viable.

The Net Zero story sold to Australians is, and always was always will be, complete bs, as evidenced by three facts:

1) It’s no longer the narrative, because “data centres”

and

2) even when it was the narrative, it was always bs because Australia exports huge amounts of gas, and a metric ship load of coal, so other countries can have affordable electricity. So why don’t we just use it. There’s only one atmosphere.

and

3) Australia could double or triple its emissions and it would have approximately no additional impact on total atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations.

We haven’t reduced our emissions, we’ve merely exported them.

In before you say “shut up Pauline”, yes I did vote One Nation at the last federal election.

And if you’re so sure I’m just drowning in koolaid, how certain are you you aren’t?

Remember the good old days when governments weren’t to be trusted and we criticised them when they laid out idiotic policy?

Re: Plug-in solar is coming. Plug-in batteries should follow

#64

Post by perpetuallunch »

theshackleford wrote: post #58
perpetuallunch wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Similarly here in Australia. Electricity prices keep increasing, daily supply charge keeps increasing (this ones supposed to pay for the transmission network), while the solar feed-in tariff keeps decreasing. With the added stupidity that, obviously the sun works during the day and so do you. Now tax payers are forced to subsidies residential batteries as well as rooftop solar, which results in a wealth transfer from…

[flagged]

Very convincing argument.

Thank you for your contribution.

Re: Plug-in solar is coming. Plug-in batteries should follow

#65

Post by hparadiz »

labcomputer wrote: post #53
appplication wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The solar situation in CA is truly mind boggling for a state that is ostensibly progressive.

It’s not just solar. Property taxes increase at a rate legally-mandated to be less than inflation. Not just that, you can inherit your parents (or grandparents) property tax rate. Didn’t have parents who owned property in 1978 (shortly after racial covenants were declared unconstitutional)? Well, why don’t you just go fuck yourself? Everywhere you look are policies that are ostensibly progressive, but actually quite…

That doesn't really matter when you're buying a house in CA. It's a relatively small percentage of a difference in my overall mortgage. I'd rather have Prop 13 even if that means some people inherit a tax break. Homes that stay in a family have less administrative churn and keep neighborhoods more stable in the long term.

Re: Plug-in solar is coming. Plug-in batteries should follow

#66

Post by pkulak »

reenorap wrote: post #4

Why bother? Power companies will complain they are losing money and regulators will allow them to buy energy from residential solar panels basically for free (NEM 3.0). This is California. California has spent decades convincing people to convert to solar panels and EVs and now that many have switched, they doubled electricity prices and told us not to charge when it’s too hot. Now they want solar panel owners to pay…

If being connected to the grid is a "scam", then disconnect. Buy 100 grand worth of batteries (which still may not get you through the winter), and pull the ol' plug.

Re: Plug-in solar is coming. Plug-in batteries should follow

#67

Post by hparadiz »

labcomputer wrote: post #51
bsder wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Yet in most locales it's illegal to disconnect from the grid. That's kind of ... required? Otherwise you have a bunch of people who are off the grid until the sun doesn't shine for a week and they run their batteries down and then they all try to connect simultaneously and collapse your grid. Most places I know of don't care if you never connect to the grid--you get your exemption and get on with life. However, onc…

Are you being deliberately obtuse? It is illegal to discontinue your relationship with your local electrical utility. As in, completely disconnect from the grid, cut the wires and never look back. As the previous poster said, charging for the “privilege” of connecting to the enormously-valuable grid would be a little bit defensible if having a connection were not legally required in most places.

You know I can just not use that grid electricity, pay the absolute minimum, and then do everything off grid right?

Re: Plug-in solar is coming. Plug-in batteries should follow

#68

Post by DANmode »

labcomputer wrote: post #51
bsder wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Yet in most locales it's illegal to disconnect from the grid. That's kind of ... required? Otherwise you have a bunch of people who are off the grid until the sun doesn't shine for a week and they run their batteries down and then they all try to connect simultaneously and collapse your grid. Most places I know of don't care if you never connect to the grid--you get your exemption and get on with life. However, onc…

Are you being deliberately obtuse? It is illegal to discontinue your relationship with your local electrical utility. As in, completely disconnect from the grid, cut the wires and never look back. As the previous poster said, charging for the “privilege” of connecting to the enormously-valuable grid would be a little bit defensible if having a connection were not legally required in most places.

Depending on jurisdiction.

This is not ubiquitous. It is common.

Re: Plug-in solar is coming. Plug-in batteries should follow

#69

Post by hparadiz »

chris222 wrote: post #47
fortran77 wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When we got our solar system in CA, our electric bill went to zero. We calculated the payback to be 9 years. Eventually, they stopped buying back electricity and changed the way they metered and our bill was as high as ever. We save a bit because we're able to charge our electric car at times of peak PV output. We left California last year for this and many other reasons. They just don't want anyone to be productive…

Dishonest post. When you bought your system you were grandfathered into either NEM 1 or NEM 2. Please provide proof that your arrangement changed.

NEM 2.0 doesn't pay as much anymore but that could just be increased grid electricity costs.

Re: Plug-in solar is coming. Plug-in batteries should follow

#70

Post by [deleted] »

perpetuallunch wrote: post #63
chris222 wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Australia has been a great success for solar and battery storage. Your statement about a wealth transfer is putting no value on climate change or good air quality which benefits all.

No it hasn’t. What it has done is resulted in ridiculously high electricity prices, such that manufacturing anything in this country has become progressively less viable. The Net Zero story sold to Australians is, and always was always will be, complete bs, as evidenced by three facts: 1) It’s no longer the narrative, because “data centres” and 2) even when it was the narrative, it was always bs because Australia exp…

[deleted]
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