Solar Gardens?? - Page 2

where2 · 02-16-15, 10:04 PM

I've got plenty of "rich cats" around me. I'm at the distant low end of the economic scale in the world of real estate in South Florida. However, having access to the water, I get to see (by boat) into neighborhoods that I wouldn't be able to ride my bicycle into. I find it quite interesting that very few of the multi-million dollar homes have PV arrays. They may have a 50'-100' yacht, but PV arrays are actually quite rare. The PV arrays are actually springing up on the $400k-$1M homes. The least expensive local home I have seen a PV array on was last offered for $200k, it was a 2bd/2ba, built in 2012, and isn't on the water.

As for the "rich get richer on real sunny days": I sometimes make $2 on sunny days!

If an electric company connects a natural gas fired generator and a utility scale PV array on the same grid and charges end users $0.05/kWh fuel charge (based on the market cost of NG) and $0.06/kWh distribution charge, is it only the PV generated electrons which are lost during transmission? I keep wondering who gets the energy with no fuel fee, because fuel to run a PV system is pretty much free.

If you don't think the government is in the back pocket of the electric utility, explain why the utility customers are able to be charged in advance for design, permitting, and construction expenses relative to new generation plants and upgrades to existing utility plants? I thought their investors had some risk in this business venture??

Xringer · 02-17-15, 08:44 AM

When we used to bike around in Lexington, you could tell house cost by the kind of cars they owned.
If you see a Prius parked at a million dollar home, it belongs to the maid.

I'm seeing more and more homes in my neighborhood getting PV on their roofs.
Mostly in the 3 kW range.

IIRC, the state (MA) used to give us a tax break per/kW of PV installed..
But, there was a top limit. I think it was 4 or 5 kW..

I really wonder if someone who had a large lot, could install 20 or 30 kW of PV?
Which would be a money maker..
I'll bet a few of our members here are in the 'money making' category with their large PV systems..

Instead of buying an annuity, invest in a solar farm? Steady Income for 20 or 30 years?

It's too bad that people can't just run their own little Coop and cut out all the middle men..
I would love to see them in this size range.. http://youtu.be/Z7_VticT-6U
Maybe in another 100 years..

pinballlooking · 02-17-15, 08:58 AM

That is a huge install!

Xringer · 02-17-15, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pinballlooking

That is a huge install!

That's the way they do stuff in Texas..

where2 · 02-17-15, 09:28 PM

Huge is the ~500 acre solar thermal array my utility has, in addition to their two PV plants. Here's the solar thermal Google Map coordinates: 27.052156, -80.549154

Here's the one PV plant: 27.323170, -81.800837
Here's the other smaller PV plant: 28.485264, -80.681056

No wonder the electric utility here limits "residential" to under 10kW PV systems.

02-17-15, 08:44 AM	#12
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	When we used to bike around in Lexington, you could tell house cost by the kind of cars they owned. If you see a Prius parked at a million dollar home, it belongs to the maid. I'm seeing more and more homes in my neighborhood getting PV on their roofs. Mostly in the 3 kW range. IIRC, the state (MA) used to give us a tax break per/kW of PV installed.. But, there was a top limit. I think it was 4 or 5 kW.. I really wonder if someone who had a large lot, could install 20 or 30 kW of PV? Which would be a money maker.. I'll bet a few of our members here are in the 'money making' category with their large PV systems.. Instead of buying an annuity, invest in a solar farm? Steady Income for 20 or 30 years? It's too bad that people can't just run their own little Coop and cut out all the middle men.. I would love to see them in this size range.. http://youtu.be/Z7_VticT-6U Maybe in another 100 years.. __________________ My hobby is installing & trying to repair mini-splits EPA 608 Type 1 Technician Certification ~ 5 lbs or less..

02-16-15, 10:04 PM	#11
where2 DIY Geek Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Sunny Florida Posts: 401 Thanks: 74 Thanked 83 Times in 73 Posts	I've got plenty of "rich cats" around me. I'm at the distant low end of the economic scale in the world of real estate in South Florida. However, having access to the water, I get to see (by boat) into neighborhoods that I wouldn't be able to ride my bicycle into. I find it quite interesting that very few of the multi-million dollar homes have PV arrays. They may have a 50'-100' yacht, but PV arrays are actually quite rare. The PV arrays are actually springing up on the $400k-$1M homes. The least expensive local home I have seen a PV array on was last offered for $200k, it was a 2bd/2ba, built in 2012, and isn't on the water. As for the "rich get richer on real sunny days": I sometimes make $2 on sunny days! If an electric company connects a natural gas fired generator and a utility scale PV array on the same grid and charges end users $0.05/kWh fuel charge (based on the market cost of NG) and $0.06/kWh distribution charge, is it only the PV generated electrons which are lost during transmission? I keep wondering who gets the energy with no fuel fee, because fuel to run a PV system is pretty much free. If you don't think the government is in the back pocket of the electric utility, explain why the utility customers are able to be charged in advance for design, permitting, and construction expenses relative to new generation plants and upgrades to existing utility plants? I thought their investors had some risk in this business venture??

02-17-15, 08:58 AM	#13
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,923 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	That is a huge install!

02-17-15, 09:28 PM	#15
where2 DIY Geek Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Sunny Florida Posts: 401 Thanks: 74 Thanked 83 Times in 73 Posts	Huge is the ~500 acre solar thermal array my utility has, in addition to their two PV plants. Here's the solar thermal Google Map coordinates: 27.052156, -80.549154 Here's the one PV plant: 27.323170, -81.800837 Here's the other smaller PV plant: 28.485264, -80.681056 No wonder the electric utility here limits "residential" to under 10kW PV systems.