$50 oil, now what?

[suntan]

Damn Gestalt is dumb.

I can't comprehend his posts, it seems like he a had a stroke, is he saying that he can get solar installed for $10K?

LOL.

[Gestalt]

Originally posted by Seth1968
Gestalt,

To be clear, you're saying your buddy installed on off grid system and all the parts were around $10,000?

What's he using for batteries, appliances, lights, etc?
Any others in the household?

No, I believe I was clear. It is grid tied. In Alberta, micro producers (us small people) can offset their usage with any generation. That is the smart play right now, because the good batteries are so expensive.

In places the US, where micro generation was getting too big, they capped or grandfathered the amount existing solar users could sell back to the utility. This will happen here, but for now it a straight swap. You produce 2 kwh, they credit that against 2kwh that you might use.

It's called net metering. The meters simply go in either direction. They don't want you showing a surplus every month, because if you look like you are trying to make a profit from the sell back, they will call you a commercial business, and all the rules change.

So our friend carefully balances his use and production, and has not paid a bill in 2 years.

His panels, inverters, controllers were sourced out of the US, mainly Ebay, surplus from big projects. never used stuff, still in packaging. He has about 7kw with if I recall right, 23 panels.

[Gestalt]

Originally posted by R154


Let me break this down for you since clearly you wear a helmet full time.

I basically am calling you an idiot altogether. I am no longer attempting to show you a reasoned argument, I'm attempting to be entertaining at your expense.

For those interested in reading:


Mike would neither confirm nor deny that an individual called in 3 times successively and questioned 2 of his salesmen about a "net-zero" system which was purely solar based with no storage.

He neither confirmed nor denied that said customer tried to tell the salesman that his believed he would be able to reduce his electrical bill substantially (>50%) by operating a 3 panel array year round. Totalling efficiency quote was about a 1.15kWh production during summer months with near perfect cleanliness.

The salesman explained that the customer was told he needed to consider a storage solution with a small transfer switch in order to maximize system efficiency, to which the customer declined.

Wasn't given a name. Which was really what the whole adventure was about.

That's a heck of a story. I'm going to ignore you now, because you are misrepresenting what I said, whoever you claime you talked to was obviously not referring to me, or you are making it up, and you are continually wrong on your tiny technical input.

[Seth1968]

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong here, but it seems a grid tied system isn't going to significantly reduce your electricity as most of the electrify bill isn't consumption, but all the other fees that you'll still have to pay for being connected to the grid.

Plus, you have to take into account the initial cost of the panels, and the inevitable urge to keep buying more.

[A790]

Not an "apples to apples" addition to the "conversation" (if that's even what this thread is between the circlejerking, humbebragging, and name-calling), but interesting nonetheless.

The Edmonton Journal did a piece on net-zero homes in Edmonton that have had a surplus for the last 3 consecutive years (http://edmontonjournal.com/life/home...et-zero-energy). This system is a true net-zero home, though that's because THE ENTIRE HOME is designed to be as efficient as possible.

The closest things I found on specs to the home are here (http://effecthomes.ca/home-builders-...lgravia-green/), and of course, pricing is not mentioned on the website. I'm curious to know what these homes cost so I've reached out to the developer and will update when I know more.

I don't subscribe as a devout to either belief system (re: solar/wind or O&G, and the "all or nothing" mentality that exists). However, I do subscribe to the "I don't see any harm in working to improve efficiency across the board", and the homes from Effect seem to be an example of that type of thinking in action.

[R154]

Originally posted by Gestalt


That's a heck of a story. I'm going to ignore you now, because you are misrepresenting what I said, whoever you claime you talked to was obviously not referring to me, or you are making it up, and you are continually wrong on your tiny technical input.

The truth comes out.

I knew it was you.

[Gestalt]

Originally posted by Seth1968
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong here, but it seems a grid tied system isn't going to significantly reduce your electricity as most of the electrify bill isn't consumption, but all the other fees that you'll still have to pay for being connected to the grid.

Plus, you have to take into account the initial cost of the panels, and the inevitable urge to keep buying more.

You also pay less on anything that is related to usage, like delivery.

[Gestalt]

Originally posted by A790
Not an "apples to apples" addition to the "conversation" (if that's even what this thread is between the circlejerking, humbebragging, and name-calling), but interesting nonetheless.

The Edmonton Journal did a piece on net-zero homes in Edmonton that have had a surplus for the last 3 consecutive years (http://edmontonjournal.com/life/home...et-zero-energy). This system is a true net-zero home, though that's because THE ENTIRE HOME is designed to be as efficient as possible.

The closest things I found on specs to the home are here (http://effecthomes.ca/home-builders-...lgravia-green/), and of course, pricing is not mentioned on the website. I'm curious to know what these homes cost so I've reached out to the developer and will update when I know more.

I don't subscribe as a devout to either belief system (re: solar/wind or O&G, and the "all or nothing" mentality that exists). However, I do subscribe to the "I don't see any harm in working to improve efficiency across the board", and the homes from Effect seem to be an example of that type of thinking in action.

There's a guy in Calgary that put a system on his garage apartment he built. He is mainly into solar heaters, some panels,and now does some consulting and sales. His garage apartment makes excess power and heat he shares with the main house. There was a story on him somewhere, I'll try and find it.

You can get a rough quote on Tesla's website too. Sit down first.

Come to think of it, new homes are perfect. It's like options on a car. No one blinks at $10,000 option, because it's only $58 a month

[A790]

Originally posted by A790
Not an "apples to apples" addition to the "conversation" (if that's even what this thread is between the circlejerking, humbebragging, and name-calling), but interesting nonetheless.

The Edmonton Journal did a piece on net-zero homes in Edmonton that have had a surplus for the last 3 consecutive years (http://edmontonjournal.com/life/home...et-zero-energy). This system is a true net-zero home, though that's because THE ENTIRE HOME is designed to be as efficient as possible.

The closest things I found on specs to the home are here (http://effecthomes.ca/home-builders-...lgravia-green/), and of course, pricing is not mentioned on the website. I'm curious to know what these homes cost so I've reached out to the developer and will update when I know more.

I don't subscribe as a devout to either belief system (re: solar/wind or O&G, and the "all or nothing" mentality that exists). However, I do subscribe to the "I don't see any harm in working to improve efficiency across the board", and the homes from Effect seem to be an example of that type of thinking in action.

So they came back and said a comparable home is around $300 a square foot. They also mentioned that the solar system on the Belgravia, installed in 2012, was $60,000. The same system today is a little under half that.

[Gestalt]

A $300 per square foot home? Wow. Would love to see it actually.

[JRSC00LUDE]

Originally posted by Gestalt
A $300 per square foot home? Wow. Would love to see it actually.

Uhhhh, those are all over the place.....

[rx7_turbo2]

Originally posted by Gestalt
So our friend

Originally posted by Gestalt
There's a guy in Calgary

At least A790 posts actual links to real stories.

"My position is solid because, well, there's a guy"

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Originally posted by JRSC00LUDE


Uhhhh, those are all over the place.....

Yeah, $300/sqft isn't exactly uncommon for a starter home. Ours was $300.07/sqft, interestingly.

[zhao]

Every time someone toots solar power as the end all be all, i'm reminded of this guy's videos on debunking solar roads...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obS6TUVSZds

which is not at all that dissimilar to dumping some solar panels on top of your house (alberta is a pretty inefficient place to try and go solar).

It's a very expensive way to generate power.

[ZenOps]

Solar is an expensive way to produce power *with current production manufacturing*

Computer chips "used" to be expensive to produce for each transistor firing too. If the computer chip had never been mass produced, the average tablet computer and cellphone would not exist today, or it would be on the order of millions of dollars per unit. Arguably, if more money had been put into mass production of computer chips before the moon landing expenses - I can only imagine what technological wonders the mass populace would have by now.

http://www.visualcapitalist.com/the-...ply-1776-2014/

http://www.visualcapitalist.com/visu...mix-1970-2030/

Even in industrial North America, we 100% burned wood for fuel in 1850, basically all trees. We burned 70% wood, 20% coal by 1900.



Electricity is far more utilitarian than burning. You can't power your cellphone with gasoline or wood (though many have tried) Yet, you can heat with electricity. There are probably a thousand things we have yet to think of that require electricity (magnetic levitation and acceleration in the last twenty years is a good example)

Arugably, all materials used to make the solar panel are recycleable. Its usually under a sealed glass panel, none of it "evaporates" so even if you made it out of gold and silver, at end of life you could always melt it down and produce a new one or repurpose it for something else like a piece of jewelry or making a computer chip (same with sealed re-chargeable batteries)

Once you have burned wood, coal or natgas its gone forever, it literally evaporates. There are still a percentage of a Billion people in India who are burning wood to heat their dinners every night...

[Gestalt]

Originally posted by JRSC00LUDE


Uhhhh, those are all over the place.....

Really? Where? That must include lot?

[Gestalt]

Originally posted by zhao
Every time someone toots solar power as the end all be all, i'm reminded of this guy's videos on debunking solar roads...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obS6TUVSZds

which is not at all that dissimilar to dumping some solar panels on top of your house (alberta is a pretty inefficient place to try and go solar).

It's a very expensive way to generate power.

Alberta, ande actually Calgary has excellent solar potential and exposure.

There are solar calculators out there that show you optimal solar angles, we are building a simple manual move a notch system with 4 positions, and we can achieve around 80% efficiency capture only clicking a notch every 3 months.

It's not expensive long term. It's very reasonable, cheaper than gas over 20 years. But yes, short term it can be a bit.

There's guys all over the internet that use Arduino and other cheap toys, a few linear actuators, and they have built full solar tracking panel holders for really cheap. Cool stuff.

I'm surprised that guys that build and tweek and mess with cars for fun aren't more receptive to solar which is similar for people that like to tinker and mod things. It's a diyer paradise.

[A790]

I get the impression that $300/sqft is on top of normal building costs, but I should probably clarify.

[sputnik]

Originally posted by Gestalt
Alberta, and actually Calgary has excellent solar potential and exposure.

I think it doesn't take much to recognize that the further north you go the worse your solar potential gets.

[Darkane]

I sort of skimmed over it but are we talking new(er) efficient homes for $300/ft?

Or is it including the solar energy system? $300/ft homes are easy to find in Calgary if we're talking just the house/lot.