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Three Weeks Into October Report |
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Written by Administrator
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Wednesday, 21 October 2015 08:55 |
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 We're sliding toward the really cold months with snow and ice storms the norm. The best thing a properly sited solar house has going for it in the fall and winter is the sun angles - shinning at a much lower angle into our south-facing home. That generates considerable passive solar heat. Our front room can approach 80 degrees even on the coldest of days, thus the need to disipate the extra warmth by opening several windows.
Year-to-date (October 21, 2015), we've generate 3,841 kWhrs of electricity which means we'll easily exceed our annual goal of 4,000 kWrs. Our solar thermal panels are now raising the daily water temperature in our basement tanks to 150 degrees - enough for showers, baths and radiant floor heat.
So as our 20th year of solar living in Maine approaches its end, setting our own energy policy two decades ago has really paid off. Regardless of the rise and fall of fossil fuel prices and national/state policies, we are snug and secure living the solar life. |
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Last Updated on Saturday, 02 January 2016 16:43 |
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Written by Administrator
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Thursday, 02 July 2015 05:36 |
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 2015 June Report
Half of 2015 is now history. The big question is: How has our 4,200 watt PV array done in this 21st year of our home? Accumulated output for six months is - 2,307 kWhrs of electricity. Those numbers allow for some less-than-sunny months this fall and early winter. That is well within our annual goal of 4,000 kWhrs! Here's the meter as of July 1st.
Plug-in Prius
The lease on my PiP (!) expired and I searched for a suitable hybrid to purchase. After touring the local auto dealers, a 2015 Camry caught my eye. In its first month, the MPG is averaging in the mid-40s and there are some short 3-mile roundtrips where the battery can deliver 60+ MPG. Very pleased. This should reduce our electric bill as well (More on that when the bill comes in).
Threat to Solar Growth in Maine
Governor LePage proposed several bills that would have reduced or eliminated net metering in our state. We testified before the PUC some 15 years ago to help create that state policy - now it's in joapardy. The legislature rightly failed to pass the proposed law, but vigilance is required when it rears its ugly head at the next legislative session. Here's the latest news from Maine Public Broadcasting Network.
A Solar Neighbor
Thought you'd enjoy a quick video clip from our QuadCamera of our next door neighbor's PV installation.
It's an 8,000 watt array facing more west than south as it was placed along the property line. The house is an all electric structure (electric heat!). The array is one way to reduce that power bill.
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Last Updated on Monday, 21 December 2015 11:43 |
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Written by Administrator
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Saturday, 28 February 2015 15:56 |
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 Winter is a blast...literally! Snow, wind, freezing temperatures...but warmth inside our house. Wikipedia defines winter as: "...caused by the axis of the Earth in that hemisphere being oriented away from the Sun." Well, I think the axis has been even further tilted from the Sun because of the weight of the snow - averaging a total of 3-4 feet to date, and knowing New England - there's still more to come.
One of the great inventions of our time is the snow blower - without it, no access to the front door and the backup propane tanks until Spring! I'm not sure it's just a Maine thing, but several years ago my neighbor said he didn't need his snow blower any more and wondered if I wanted it. Not wanting to insult his generosity, I immediately said, "yes." As you can see the pathway is a bit crooked but not bad for an amateur.
 Our photovoltaic panels continue to crank out electricity. February's output was 286 kWhrs. That's lower that our normal February generation (usually around 350 kWhrs) due primarily to the parade of snow storms that kept the sun from shinning. But when it's out, it's powerful. Today, for example, we generated 21.5 kWhrs!
Note the inside temperature today - a high of 77.4. That's due primarily to the passive solar gain of our home. The sun shone from sunrise (0 degrees) to sunset (28 degrees) which caused the solar tanks in the basement to heat up to 148 degrees - ample 'fuel' for any overnight heat we might need. That's called a renewable resource! |
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Last Updated on Thursday, 02 April 2015 07:17 |
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Written by Administrator
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Thursday, 02 April 2015 06:54 |
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 Now we're cooking! March PV electrical output was 477 kWhrs! That brings us to a year-to-date total of 1,076 kWhrs which puts us right on course for another 4,000+ kWhr year. The significance of these numbers is that in the 20 years of operation, our PV output has not diminished thanks to the industrial quality of the panels and the efficiency of the inverters. There's still a foot of snow in some parts of our land, but it is inexorably diminishing. Still a cold spring.
This month I'd like to celebrate the 100% solar achievement of the Wells Reserve at Lauholm in Wells, Maine. This federal estuary research lab has proudly installed PV panels on three of its buildings (along with a ground-mount array). Senator Angus King (I) of Maine threw the 'switch' at dedication ceremonies. The aerials, at the beginning and end, as well as the overall coverage were contributed by Maine HDTV (I'm a partner in their aerial photography division and a former Laudholm Trust board member).
The reserve had planned for years to make this leap - with federal money and donations from Laudholm Trust, the goal was reached on-budget and two years early. You can read about the facility, which will generate 73,000 kWhrs of 'free' electricity annually, on the reserve's website. "Where there's a will, there's a way!" |
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Last Updated on Monday, 21 December 2015 11:44 |
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Written by Administrator
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Monday, 02 February 2015 11:30 |
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Overview:
 2015 got off to a good start with a PV generation of 313 kWhrs. It would have been even higher if two snowstorms hadn't decided to 'dump' on us. That's not sour grapes, just a little perspective. In fact, it's snowing now and if the forecast is right, today's 12 inches will be added to the combined total of 21 inches from last week for a 7-day accumulation of 33 inches. Now that's winter.
Solar Living in Maine During the Winter:
You've heard it before, but there is great joy living in a solar home. The benefits in the winter are considerable:
- Passive solar gain through the south-facing windows - yielding an indoor temperature in the high 70s on sunny days.
- Having to open the windows to 'manage' the extra heat.
- Enjoying our wood stove when the temperature goes down below 20 at night.
- Enjoying our radiant heat in the floors and shower in the morning - much of it from our 1,000 gallons of hot water generated by the solar thermal panels on the roof.
- Trusting that if the power goes out, our battery backup system will provide power to our necessary loads until the grid power returns.
- Etc, etc, etc!
Here's a video shot several years ago about Solar Living in Maine:
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Last Updated on Saturday, 28 February 2015 16:03 |
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