Power from Space

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Power from Space
Join us on SolarDIY_at_ Yahoogroups.com

• Bob Bruninga
• WB4APR
• April 2011

www.aprs.org/alternative-energy.html
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(No Transcript)
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Solar Cost!
2010
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Home Solar - I was so wrong!
Ive been interested in solar power all my
life But never had a real need other than
just-for-fun No way was it cost effective (even
if electricity was free!) I hate maintaining
batteries, especially a house full --------
Unless you have no other access to power
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I was so wrong!

• My concept of solar power was this

Battery Storage (off Grid)
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I was so wrong!

• The problem is the Batteries!
• 30 loss of all power in charge/discharge losses
• 50 loss of all summer solar excess
• 50 or less power available in winter
• Economical solar power has NOTHING to do with
  batteries.
• Unless you are off grid

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Its a Whole New World!

• Get rid of the Batteries!

Grid-Tie

• Look AGAIN at the new economics!

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Solar and Emergency Power
This talk will cover Home Solar Electric
Vehicles Backup / emergency power AND a whole
new world of Power!
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Training vs Abstinance
This talk will cover High Voltages Dangerous
Ideas Self sufficiency and reliance AND a
whole new world of Power!
We used to have cub scouts build 2 tube radios
with 150 volts circuits Now? Dont touch it, its
too dangerous
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Home Solar
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My Solar Experience (unique due to Critical
Area) (Variance Required) Its a whole new
world of Power!
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Typical Ham Approach
500
8 cents
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But Why?
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Solar Power What Kind?
Type Availability Cost
Clean Environmental Economical Energy
24-7-365 99.95
25,000 (net)
250
Power Outages
4 hrs / year? 00.05
?
?
Armageddon
These all have completely different solutions!
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When the Grid Goes Down?
Whole House Off Grid System 50,000
Cost per KwH during outages 2400.00/KWH
250
With Battery
60 cents/KWH
OR! Backup
On Grid 15 cents/KWH
Is 6,000 of batteries worth it for 2 of power a
year for 4 hour outage?
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Clean Energy,SOLARYou Betcha!
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1 House, 1 Year4 Tons of Coal
Yes, we have 100 years of coal, but there wont
be anything left!
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Solar Off Grid ?
Perfect when you have no access to the Grid.
Or Armageddon is near Or youre a Battery
salesman Or you like throwing away 2 out of
every 3 you invest
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System Losses Battery vs Grid
40 5
Grid
Battery Systems are typically 60 energy
efficient Compared to Grid-tie Inverters which
are 95 efficient
5 kW system
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Seasonal Losses - Battery
- 50
Summer Battery systems must find a way to use
(or waste) half their excess summer
Energy Winter With only half the solar
energy available, a 50 Lifestyle Change is
required.
Users with modest AC usage
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Storage Capacity
This sketch shows the number of batteries you
would need to equal grid storage of seasonal
energy.
3240 batteries
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Seasonal Balance Grid-Tie
100 free storage year round
Summer You Bank-up excess Summer energy into
the grid Winter You draw it out in the
winter. Result Life style does not change
Users with modest AC usage
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Angles - less important with Grid-Tie
180
150
-3
With Battery System, 17
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Angles - less important with Grid-Tie
Amazing, even due East, you still get 85
effectiveness!
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Angles - less important with Grid-Tie
Amazing! Increase power by 60 to 100 on other
side!
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Angles - less important with Grid-Tie
Why Angles dont matter so much? Summer Sun
Rises in NE and sets in SW So ideal South facing
misses much of summer sun Summer gains make up
for most of winter loss
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Grid Tie Inverters
2.8 kW Inverter
EnPhase 250
UL approved
Import 500W GTI
UL Approved Solar Grants and rebates
80
2000
Not UL Approved
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Electric Meters
Mechanical Net Meter
Electronic Meter
Current
Current
use
feed
use
feed
KWH

KWH



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Shack Sized Grid Ties

• Get full energy value
• from every watt

250W Grid Tie
Without the acid and maintenance! Or Best of
Both Transfer Relay when battery is fully
charged.
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Its a Whole New World!
Grid-Tie

• Cost effective in EVERY state now!

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Prices as low as 3, 2, 1/w
Harbor Freight 150 on sale 45Watt 3/w But
Produces 45W in same area as 180W home panel of
same cost/w.
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Home Power Generation

• Home Solar 4 kW

Gas 4 kW
Wind 5 Kw
Prius 50 kW peak (10 kW average)
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Its a Whole New World!
Grid-Tie

• Cost effective in EVERY state now!

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Grid-Tie Economics!

• The problem of off-grid is the Batteries
• (Only 70 EFFICIENT)!
• Grid-tie IS 95 EFFICIENT! Improvement (factor
  of 1.35)
• No battery replacement costs -1000 per year
  (factor of 2)
• No Solar credits ( 1000 Income per year)
• Economics in 2010 compared to 2007
• Electricity cost has doubled! Factor of 2.0
• Solar panels cost has halved! Factor of 2.0
• Therefore Its 11 times better NOW to go Solar
• But Wait, theres more!
• Government Incentives!

Grid-tie inverter
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Government Incentives!

• Federal gives 30 tax credit. No limit
• As much as 15,000 right into your pocket
• Factor of 1.43!
• State of Maryland Grant
• For my 8kW system thats a 7000 check in my
  pocket
• 1.25 / W for first 2 kw, .075 / W for next 6
  kW
• Factor of 1.3
• AA County Real Estate Tax credit
• up to 50 of total remaining after above (Maybe
  3000)
• Factor of 1.13
• Total Govt Incentive Factors 2.0

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Total Cost Factors!

• Grid-Tie versus no Batteries
• Better effectivness by Factor of 2.7!
• Economics of Electricity and Solar
• X 2 (for higher rates) X 2 (for lower costs)
  Factor of 4
• Tax credits and incentives
• Factor of 2
• CONCLUSION It makes 22 times more sense to go
  solar now than it did 3 years ago (if you think
  in terms of Battery Storage systems (typical for
  hams) like I did).

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But theres more!(Return on Investment)

• Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs)
• About 250 income/year /KW 10 return/yr
• Electric Bill
• Free Electricity for life 10 return /yr
• Cost of 0-net-grid-tie - 5 cost /yr
• (you still have to pay about 10 fixed costs even
  if you use no electricity)
• But SREC income pays 10 times as much!
• Maintenance
• Practically zero
• Total Return on Investment about 12 per year
• Compare that to the banks (2 ?) or stock market
  (- 30 ?!)
• PLUS your 12 only goes up as energy costs go
  up!

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But theres more!(Do it yourself! )

• Commercial system 25,000 for a 4kW
  system?
• Cost of solar panels 12,600 (18
  at 700 vs 1000)
• Cost of inverter
  2100 versus 3000
• Cost of wire, disconnects, breakers, etc
  200
• Cost of Master Electrician to certify system 200
• TOTAL about
  15,000
• Savings (DIY)
  10,000
• Tax credits, Grants, SRECs etc 7,500
• NET COST TO YOU 7,500
• Pays for itself in 4 years. Then FREE POWER for
  LIFE!
• Must hire a Master Electrician for Electrical
  work

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But Im a ham!I want Battery Backup!

• Why?....
• At what cost? 12,000?
• For 4 hours every year you lose power? (90 cents)
• For 2 days you lose once every 10 years? (6)
• Makes practically zero economic sense!
• You pay about 2400 / KWH (compared to 15
  cents/KWH)
• (2000 times more!)

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But Im a ham!I want Battery Backup!

• You can have it!
• EASY AND CHEAP!

120

• Spend 120 for a 1200 Watt Inverter
• Hook to your car battery
• Power Refrigerator and lights in your house for
  days!
• You do use CFL bulbs, right?

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But Im a ham! You do use CFL bulbs, right?

25 of the power! 10 times the life Air
Conditioning savings of 5! 51 savings!
EER of 1-to-1 is 3.412 BTU/ watt. So with EER
of 10, 100W bulb takes 30W of AC!

• Down to 1 each

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Use of Piers for Solar/Wind prohibited
Blocked by State from putting solar panels on a
pier (to avoid shade) Then blocked by Country
from putting in my yard!
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Use of Piers for Solar/Wind prohibited

• This standard pier plan REJECTED by MDE due to
  no-solar-on-pier Laws

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Solar Pier Argument

• My house uses
• 10 MWHrs / yr
• Coal Plant (for me)
• produces
• 22,000 Lbs CO2
• 350 lbs sulfur dioxide
• 1 Oz Uranium and Thorium
• .02g of Mercury

With 8 KW Solar Array, pollution would be Zero.
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2.8 kW Solar Boat Work-around

• Approved by DNR as Boat under 26
• Plug into any shore power and feed grid!
• (But I dont want to maintain it for 30 years)

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Efficiency must gt 70
To get Govt Credits

• Free Home Estimate includes sky survey

No Shadows allowed for 6 hours per day
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Efficiency using PVwatts

• Grid-Tie implies surprising results!

Google it!
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100 South 94 SE 96 SW 85 FLAT!
(battery system 65 worse and must be South)
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Efficiency using PVwatts

• Grid-Tie implies surprising results!

Google it!
Winter 55 deg 94 SE 96 SW 85 FLAT!
Summer 25 deg
Changing TWICE per year only gains 2!
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Portable Power Generation

• 350 W aux power
• 1200W AC inverter
• 120

• Invert to 115 VAC
• For distribution
• 95 efficiency
• Saves 1001 in wire losses

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Modern Power Distribution

• Power
• Systems
• have
• CHANGED!

9 amp
8 amp
18 amp
Switching supply takes up 8 of the space and
only 10 of the mass and works 100-240 VAC AND
150-330 VDC
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Power Distribution 330 VDC

• Nearly ALL modern switching supplies will run on
  VDC

Double to 230 VAC at source Rectify to 330 VDC
for delivery
Eliminate 75 of Distribution losses
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Power Distribution 330 VDC

• Nearly ALL modern switching supplies will run on
  VDC

Kenwood 115 VAC only supply Actually has internal
jumper
Eliminate 75 of Distribution losses
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DC Power 220-330 VDC is EVERYWHERE
50 kW generator in your car(10 kW average)
In every modern Power Supply
In your Home Solar Array

• Advantages
• Light-weight and small
• At half the current
• At twice the power

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DC Power Distribution
But we need simple, cheap, safe,
readily-available connectors
I propose standard 115v 1 plugs and receptacles,
Modified with a blocking pin to prevent incorrect
use.

• Greater distances
• At half the current
• At twice the power
• 18 zip cord can do 1000 watts easily

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Power Distribution ? (the challenge)
Problem 6 hour ops from hill top 3200 from car
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Power Distribution - SWER

• Single
• Wire
• Earth
• Return

3200 from car to top
Not approved by NEC
Double 120 VAC to 330 VDC at source
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Power 3200 from car - SWER

• Single
• Wire
• Earth
• Return

3200 from car to top
Not approved by NEC
2 Laptops, 50W dual band, 2 HTs and APRS 6
Hours
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Power Distribution SWER

• Emergency Power Use Single Wire Earth Return

Double 120 VAC to 330 VDC for delivery
Not approved by NEC
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Power Distribution SWER

• Emergency Power Use Single Wire Earth Return

3200 system fits in laptop bag
Not approved by NEC
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Power Distribution SWER (initial test)

• Emergency Power Use Single Wire Earth Return

Not approved by NEC
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Power Distribution SWER

• Emergency Power Use Single Wire Earth Return

Not approved by NEC
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My 1st Solar Project
2004 Prius (salvage) with 4000 of door/frame
damage 200 W added Solar Panels 100 LBs of added
Batteries
On display at the IEEE PHEV Symposium in Wash DC
2007.
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Wash Post Elex cars nogood for 90
405 models of gas cars
1970s view Detroits view!
44 car MFRs
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Why Fuel Efficiency?

• Who was key-note speaker to Electric Vehicle
  Association?
• Ex-head of CIA
• Why is government interested in Fuel Economy?
• 200,000,000 per day for Middle East Oil
• How many Terrorists does that support?
• Gas costs us 400/gallon in Afghanastan!
• We must cut our dependence on Foreign Oil!
• Iraq, Iran, etc
• Venezuella, Russia

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Why Getting off Gas?
Peak Oil
4
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Electric Vs Oil

• 70 of our Oil comes from overseas (bad!)
• 99 of our electricity comes from USA! (good!)
• At night we can charge 150,000,000 electric cars
  for only 7 of the total USA energy grid.
• At night, electricity is cheaper (50 or less)
  and more plentiful
• During Day Peak demand, electricity costs 10
  times more
• But those same 150,000,000 car batteries contain
  more peak power than FIVE TIMES the entire USA
  power generating capacity!
• V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) could offset 2000 per car
  in energy savings by letting the power companies
  buy some back during brief peak demands but still
  charge your car!

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Prius Motors and Generators

• 76 Hp Engine
• 50 kW Motor/Gen 1
• 50 kW Motor/Gen 2
• Planetary Gear System
• 50 kW Battery (1.6 KWh)

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The 50 kW Inverter

• 220 VDC to 500 VDC
• 220 VDC to 12 VDC at 100 amps
• 220 VDC to any motor voltage as needed

Water cooled
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Regenerative Braking
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Any Car can Benefit from Electric

• Geo Tracker
• Gains 15 from 26
• to 33 MPG

Disconnect Fan belt (fan, alternator and water
pump)
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Parting Shots Salvage Prius Toys

• 2004 in 2007
• Cost 10k
• 29k Miles

P1
2000 of solar panels
Prius Inn
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Other Salvage Prius Toys

• The Woodie!
• A 2005 in 2008
• 7k, 19k miles

The next Solar A 2005 in 2010 6k, 90k miles
P2
P3
Prius Hotel
P2
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Solar Power Emergency Power

• COMPLETELY DIVORCE any thoughts of emergency
  power from Economical power.
• Solar power is for ECONOMICAL POWER
• Emergency power has two completely different
  optimal solutions. (Short term and armageddon)

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Solar Power is Economical
Look at it this way Keep 24,000 in a bank at
1. Continue to pay 200/m for Electricity
After 10 years, you have paid 24,000 with
NOTHING to show for it And every year you have
uncertainty in ever rising prices And you will
keep paying 24,000 or more every ten years Buy
a 48,000 solar system now, ( With incentives,
Pay only 24,000) Have maintenance free
electricity for LIFE It is generating
2400/year return on investment (10) for LIFE
OWN this 48,000 energy system and all its
equity for life After 20 years it is still
producing 80 of todays power! (and will
continue) Or wait another 3 years when the 50
government incentives are all gone, and then pay
48,000 for the same thing
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