A fairly strong December allowed us to exceed the magic 4,200 kWhr mark for 2011.
In the 12th month of the year, we generated 256 kWhrs of electricity. That was enough to bring our annual total to 4,237 kWhrs - 4,200 kWhrs being an average year.
The two inverters continue to hum quietly and generate very little heat.
Our solar thermal panels generated December heat at a fine pace - the heated water is stored in two, 500-gallons tanks in the basement and is then circulated in our radiant floors. The hot water tanks have average 130 degrees during sunny days.
We've received a great deal of media attention over the years. The video below is a sampling as well as an inside look are living in Maine in the winter in a solar house.
Now in our 18th year, our home is a living testimony to the value of solar investment over the long term.
UPDATE: On January 1, 2012, we had a sunny day with temperatures in the mid-40s. When the solar thermal pumps began circulating the water on the roof in the morning, the tank temperature was 95 degrees. It ended up at 130 by mid afternoon. If my calculations are correct, the sun gave us 291,900 BTU of heat for overnight use in our radiant floors. Thanks be to God's creation!
Last Updated on Thursday, 26 January 2012 18:14
November, 2011 Power Production
Written by Administrator
Wednesday, 07 December 2011 13:22
Power output continues strong as we head toward the end of the year.
We generated 312 kWhrs in November which pushes us near the 4,000 kWhr mark (3,981). Depending on the amount of sun this month, we'll likely hit the 4,200 kWhr mark which has been our average annual output since the panels were installed 18 years ago.
The unusual warm fall means that I'll be harvesting the last spinach crop today or tomorrow. Life is good when solar delivers the goods!
National Solar Tour - 2011 - Inspite of...
Written by Administrator
Saturday, 27 August 2011 05:56
...rain, fog, etc! Thankfully, there was no snow.
Solar enthusiasts are a hardy bunch. The sun must have been visiting other solar homes in the country, because it passed us by.
Our hot water tanks, heated by the previous day's sun, still showed 138 degrees and the PV panels generated a paltry 600 watts instead of the 20,000 watts usually manufactured during a sunny day in the fall. It was impressive, even to me, to see that 'daylight' was capable of generating any wattage at all.
Several of the visitors were in the process of designing their new solar homes. One will be constructed on a fabled Maine island where hooking up to the grid costs 50 cents/kWr! Our current rate is 12 cents/kWhr and that's considered high. Needless to say, going 'off-the-grid' has considerable appeal to this couple. Another couple had closed down their farmhouse, costing $5,000/per winter to heat, and were ready to go solar for electricity and heat.
This year's visitors were a committed group. The questions asked were specific and knowledge-based. Our 17 years of experience helped seprate fact from fiction. A couple who visited our home in past years called and invited us to drop by their solar home which is currently under construction in a neighboring town.
These are good stories of folks who are creating their own energy policy and not waiting for Washington or their state capital to lead them by the hand. (We all know that government can drop our hand at the most incovenient time.)
You can view the video from last year's sunny tour by going here. Nearly 2,000 viewers have visited our home to date via YouTube!
In addition, I've updated our home's pollution offset statistics. They are AMAZING!!!
Last Updated on Sunday, 02 October 2011 04:50
October, 2011 Power Production
Written by Administrator
Tuesday, 01 November 2011 10:30
October was, overall, a good post-summer month for solar electricity production. Our 4.2 kWatt array generated 294 kWhrs of electricity which we eagerly consumed at no cost.
By the way, the unseasonable end-of-October snow storm gave us a mere 4 inches of snow along this part of the Maine coast, and the next day the familiar rumble of snow hitting the ground was felt (it would register on a seismometer) after the snow came roaring off our roof.
Last Updated on Wednesday, 07 December 2011 13:36
September, 2011 Power Production
Written by Administrator
Sunday, 02 October 2011 04:54
September saw the sun generate some 376 kWrs of electriciy.
It was a beautiful month along the Maine coast - comfortable temperatures and sunny weather.
We are well on our way to generating 4,000+ kWrs of electricity for this year. Currently, we have measure 3,580 kWrs.
Our 17-year-old array is still a strong producer of sun-inspired power.
A fairly strong December allowed us to exceed the magic 4,200 kWhr mark for 2011.
Power output continues strong as we head toward the end of the year.
...rain, fog, etc! Thankfully, there was no snow.
October was, overall, a good post-summer month for solar electricity production. Our 4.2 kWatt array generated 294 kWhrs of electricity which we eagerly consumed at no cost.
September saw the sun generate some 376 kWrs of electriciy.