PV panel on public utility pole?

Xringer · 12-24-12, 09:27 AM

See if you can spot it..

drone flight - YouTube

Fornax · 12-24-12, 05:07 PM

/raises hand and yells: bingo!

Knowing what to look for made it easy to find it, also it is in view several times. More interesting is the question who put it there and with what purpose? Over here in the Netherlands we have several PV-powered thingies next to roads in distant areas (ahum, distant areas in the Netherlands?!?)

So what is on that pole that needs solar power, judging the thickness of the cables there is power there already.

Ryland · 12-24-12, 10:40 PM

I've seen solar panels like that being used for weather stations, wireless internet hubs and other communication hubs, most of the power lines are high voltage and would need a transformer

to drop it down to regular 220v to go in to a house and for a small weather station or whatever it would need to drop the voltage again, then the power company tends to want to put a meter in and send a bill out for that single device, at that point the $300 per year in service fees plus the cost of the electricity used make spending $200 on a solar panel, or $350 for a larger one like is in the video, seem like a pretty good deal!

celblazer · 12-25-12, 10:08 AM

A local town down from me has them on almost every pole.

celblazer · 12-25-12, 10:08 AM

Needed 5 post.

Link

techhi · 01-07-13, 02:55 PM

I Live in S.Jersey and the local Utility company PSE&G has them on most all their utility pools they look about 100-150 watt panels with Micro-inverters - they been up for about 4-5 years now - I took many pictures of them I can post

Xringer · 01-07-13, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by techhi

I Live in S.Jersey and the local Utility company PSE&G has them on most all their utility pools they look about 100-150 watt panels with Micro-inverters - they been up for about 4-5 years now - I took many pictures of them I can post

That's not much wattage. Makes me wonder why they put them up.

Daox · 01-07-13, 03:23 PM

I can think of a few reasons. Easy to install, mount is already there, good sun exposure. It may not be a lot of wattage, but if you have a few hundred polls with these on top it adds up. If its cost effective vs a large field of panels, why not?

celblazer · 01-07-13, 10:18 PM

In the link I provided they were shooting for 40 megawatts of energy

Xringer · 01-08-13, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by celblazer

In the link I provided they were shooting for 40 megawatts of energy

I'll bet the installed cost of those PV-on-a-post is about $1,000 each. Or, about $5 a watt.
(But, assuming union labor & police detail attendance, it could be 2x to 5x more).

Humm.. 200,000 panels & inverters installed? Wow, at $1,000 each that's what?
200 million bucks?

"40 megawatts of energy - enough to power about 40,000 homes. "
$5,000 per home.?.

Maybe they should have just given $5,000 to 40,000 home owners so they could PV on their roofs.. ?

Or, If they put it up for bids, at $5,000 and got $3 per watt installed, that would be 1.6 kW per house. 66 megawatts?

Better yet, instead of having the taxpayers/ratepayers take a $200 million hit,
let those 40k home owners use their own money.?.

01-07-13, 03:23 PM	#8
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	I can think of a few reasons. Easy to install, mount is already there, good sun exposure. It may not be a lot of wattage, but if you have a few hundred polls with these on top it adds up. If its cost effective vs a large field of panels, why not? __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

12-24-12, 05:07 PM	#2
Fornax Helper EcoRenovator Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Beuningen (Gld), the Netherlands Posts: 64 Thanks: 4 Thanked 19 Times in 16 Posts	/raises hand and yells: bingo! Knowing what to look for made it easy to find it, also it is in view several times. More interesting is the question who put it there and with what purpose? Over here in the Netherlands we have several PV-powered thingies next to roads in distant areas (ahum, distant areas in the Netherlands?!?) So what is on that pole that needs solar power, judging the thickness of the cables there is power there already.

12-24-12, 10:40 PM	#3
Ryland Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Western Wisconsin. Posts: 913 Thanks: 127 Thanked 82 Times in 71 Posts	I've seen solar panels like that being used for weather stations, wireless internet hubs and other communication hubs, most of the power lines are high voltage and would need a transformer to drop it down to regular 220v to go in to a house and for a small weather station or whatever it would need to drop the voltage again, then the power company tends to want to put a meter in and send a bill out for that single device, at that point the $300 per year in service fees plus the cost of the electricity used make spending $200 on a solar panel, or $350 for a larger one like is in the video, seem like a pretty good deal!

12-25-12, 10:08 AM	#4
celblazer Helper EcoRenovator Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: South Jersey Posts: 57 Thanks: 42 Thanked 17 Times in 11 Posts	A local town down from me has them on almost every pole.

12-25-12, 10:08 AM	#5
celblazer Helper EcoRenovator Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: South Jersey Posts: 57 Thanks: 42 Thanked 17 Times in 11 Posts	Needed 5 post. Link

01-07-13, 02:55 PM	#6
techhi Lurking Renovator Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: S.Jersey Posts: 20 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I Live in S.Jersey and the local Utility company PSE&G has them on most all their utility pools they look about 100-150 watt panels with Micro-inverters - they been up for about 4-5 years now - I took many pictures of them I can post

01-07-13, 10:18 PM	#9
celblazer Helper EcoRenovator Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: South Jersey Posts: 57 Thanks: 42 Thanked 17 Times in 11 Posts	In the link I provided they were shooting for 40 megawatts of energy