Perpetual Innovation

Category: alternative energy

  • Backup to a Better Backup Generator Solution

    You may already have a backup generator for the house. In
    fact, you may have the backup generator with you just about everywhere you go.
    Plus, it might be totally quiet, for hours.
    Yep, we are talking about your hybrid gas-electric vehicle.
    Hybrids have been selling like crazy on the farms because they can easily be
    used to generate 120-volt electricity to run hand tools and generally provide
    backup power.
    Most newer vehicles offer a 120 plug, but they won’t power
    much. What you need is an inverter that will power whatever you want,
    frequently 300 to 400 watts will be sufficient for many applications. Smaller
    inverters can be simply plugged into a cigarette lighter, but bigger inverters
    should be wired directly to the battery.

    A backup solution for the house is rather awkward,
    inconvenient and requires fuel at a time when the least fuel is available,
    storms and outages. Here’s the cost for a generator solution.
    Generator
    The generator solution costs something like this:
    ·        
    Generator $500 (or about $500 to $1,000 for an
    inverter that is much quieter and provides smoother power).
    ·        
    Fuel, maybe 8 to 12 gals per day. At 10 gals x
    $3 is $30 per day.
    ·        
    Storage of generator and fuel cans.
    Traditional generators (gas or propane or diesel) provide
    lots of smoke, noise, and require maintenance. The generator produces
    electricity, even under very low loads, so much (maybe most) of the electricity
    (and fuel) is wasted.
    Generators are best used some distance from the house so as
    not to asphyxiate the inhabitants.
    Tip. Make sure not to allow the generator to run out of
    fuel, the sputtering causes the generator to surge which kills off appliances
    at an alarming rate.
    Auto with Inverter
    Hooking an inverter to the vehicle may be a very good
    solution for many purposes, especially lower loads in the house such as
    refrigerator, lights and fans. However, you will have to go start the vehicle before
    the battery gets too low. (Taking regular lead batteries below 50% will
    seriously erode their life span.)
    A 1000-Watt inverter can cost between $80 and $110
    (modified-sine wave), and about twice that for the higher quality output of a
    pure-sine wave recommended for sensitive electronics.
    Your vehicle is rather quiet, and rather fuel efficient
    compared to a generator. Your typical vehicle will not be able to handle large
    loads, however. One approach is to set up a battery (or battery bank) that can
    be recharged via the vehicle.
    Even better is to hook up to your hybrid vehicle.
    Hybrid Vehicle with Inverter
    The hybrid vehicle is a wonderful backup power supply, just
    like the uninterruptable power supply (UPS) you use for your computers and wifi.
    You can have continuous power as needed, when needed. Plus, the hybrid vehicle is
    designed to start up the motor and recharge when the collective batteries get
    low. Very cool.
    Here’s how you do it. Hook up your power inverter directly
    to the 12-Volt (direct current) battery of the hybrid vehicle to produce
    alternating current (120 AC). Put the vehicle in the “on” mode, but with all
    the vehicle electronics turned off, i.e., turn the air conditioner and lights
    off. Now, when the batteries run low, the vehicle will automatically start to
    recharge all the batteries, lithium as well as the 12-volt battery.
    Tip: Please make sure the vehicle is in a safely ventilated
    area. Do not set this arrangement up in the garage!
    Add in a Battery
    (Bank) and a Solar Panel (or More)
    So good news, you now have an inverter with your vehicle so
    you can use good, clean, quiet power anywhere you and your Prius happen to be.
    Yippee!
    But how about the home or cabin when the Prius is away?
    Get a battery or more, and hook up the inverter to it. This
    should help you get through several hours with just the refrigerator. Batteries
    of this type (deep cycle, for example) will cost $150 to $350 each.
    Then, get a solar panel, or more, and hook them up to
    recharge your batteries during sunlight hours. (Costco has a 100W Coleman with
    8.5 amp charge controller for $159.)
    Now, I have continuous power for low load (the battery plus
    a 1100W inverter at $90, all for under $400). I’ll buy more batteries and/or
    more solar panels as and when I need them. The 1100-watt inverter does
    everything that I want to do in emergency or in the cabin. It does a small air
    conditioner (window unit or small mini-split for a short period of time; a
    refrigerator for several hours; LED lights and fans for days). It won’t do
    central air, well pump, oven, dryer, hot-water heater, microwave, or several
    heavy load items simultaneously. Bigger load electronics include blenders
    (making Hurricanes and Margaritas), blow dryer; coffee pots, electric saw, etc…
    Be careful putting together your system and your battery
    banks. Hooking two 12V 100 amp batteries together can result in doubling of the
    voltage (48 Volt in series) or double the amps (200 amp hours in parallel)
    depending on how you hook them together. Make sure you get the right inverter
    to match the higher voltage if you go in series. Try to get the same batteries
    if you bank ‘em.
    I can see you eyeing your electric golf cart, you already
    have your own battery bank on wheels. Unfortunately, the voltage will be 36 or
    48 Volts (say 6 x 6-volt batteries hooked up in series is 36 volt). Your
    inverter would need to match the voltage of your cart (or carefully hook up a 12-volt inverter to 12-volt battery equivalent,
    which in this case is two 6-volt batteries).
    In short, you may already have a great backup power supply
    solution. Hook up your hybrid to an inverter and you are good to go. Add in a
    battery (or more) and a solar panel (or more) and you have a nice, quiet,
    renewable power solution.
    Tip. Use a volt meter. The meter is cheap. Burning out electronics
    can be expensive, cause fires, shock the bejeebers out of you, and generally be
    very inconvenient!
    Tip2. When you buy your new hybrid vehicle you get “up to”
    $7,500 back in the form of current-year tax credits! The federal tax credits for new
    EV and PHEV cars (and for home solar, as well) are phasing down, so you might
    want to accelerate your purchasing decisions. (See ins
    and outs of tax credit     for vehicles at Edmonds.)
    Do we all need to rethink the way the design/plan for (emergency) backup power? Let us know what you think? 

  • Tesla Solar Roofs. Better, Cheaper, Stronger, Longer

    Tesla Solar | Tesla:

    Here is the information to order your roof from Tesla (that has now merged with SolarCity).

    The tempered glass tiles are much stronger, much cheaper and last long (lifetime of the house or infinity warranty, whichever comes first).

    Oh, and then there’s the PV electricity generation, above that. It is 30-years warranty on the PV, it seems.

    This is something that is called an “irrefusable” value proposition. Especially if the house (building) is new, or an older roof that should be replaced within a few years.

    Here’s how it works. Most of the roof tiles are not PV. Only 30% to 40% of the roof would be in prime solar view.  The PV panels are about $40 sq ft, but the averages should be about $22. That also depends on the sizing of the system, no need to over produce in most cases (states).

    Here’s Tesal’s Specs and Sizing Calculator.

    Apparently, from the street, you can’t tell the difference between regular and PV tiles. Top view (helicopter) view you can, although it should be far less conspicuous than the usual PV panels.

    Also, remember those 5 GigaFactories for batteries and cars going up around the worlds. Well, couple in US and next one in Europe (?UK?).

    The pricing for preorder that started in May 2017, includes an installed 14kWh Powerwall  2 system. With battery backup, they entire building could go off grid, assuming the local power company and state law allow it. A generator (fuel cell) would do the trick.

    Of course, hooking to the grid provides the opportunity to sell back to the grid and assist with peaking. This type of building can help twice with peaking.  The excess electricity during peak times (heat of the day, usually) can be sold back. The batteries can be used as well at peak. They can be replenished in off times by the PV system or during low-load off-hours by the power company.
    This idea of battery pack backup can also apply to your favorite EV car as well. Dare I say Tesla or Bold. If the car will not be used today, why not use it to help with peaking loads, if needed, as needed?

    For an existing home/building, you will want to do an energy audit and reduce the energy usage first, then size and install the roof (with power system).

    Very cool.

    This appears to be a game changer.

    ‘via Blog this’

  • ECO:nomics | The Wall Street Journal

    ECO:nomics | The Wall Street Journal:

    The WSJ’s big forum on ECOnomics seems to have been a great learning and sharing session for divergent ideas on how to blend economic growth/development with environmental needs.

    A special report in the WSJ on Wed, April 13, 2016 offers several takes and interviews covering the spectrum of associated topics.

    A couple base statistics are that coal generated electricity has dropped from half of all US generation to less than 1/3 within about 10 years. The big gain is Nat Gas, but that too is changing. In 2015 solar was the #1 install base with 9.5 gw (37% of new), NatGas 8 gw (31%), wind 6.8 gw (26%). Only 4% new nuclear and fractions of other.

    Related to the switch from coal to NatGas, this is only a stop-gap measure: moving from one really bad non-renewable, coal; to a relatively better non-renewable, NatGas. Michael Brune from the Sierra Club comments on the methane and other issues that brings NatGas closer to parody with coal (really ugly vs. relatively ugly).

    Coal is really taking a hit, as Peabody goes bankrupt this week, bringing down all of the big coal companies. No victory laps here; the pain and suffering in the mining communities is going to be horrendous. (Also, bankruptcy doesn’t mean the mines will all stop, just that the debt associated with the companies will replace the equity positions.)

    Even against crashing oil/coal prices, solar & wind are winning major solid footing. Even with the likelihood of subsidies going away, are now starting to be very price competitive (especially if you consider externality costs). BUT when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine (night) we still need regular power generation. Or battery-type storage.

    You have to marvel at the gain of renewables during the second year of record low fossil fuel costs. That is really, really impressive.

    Check out all the articles on the ECOnomics conference and interviews at the special business & energy section of the WSJ: http://www.wsj.com/news/types/journal-reports-energy

    ‘via Blog this’

  • Power Struggle: How the Energy Market Could Shift in 2016 – Bloomberg Business

    Power Struggle: How the Energy Market Could Shift in 2016 – Bloomberg Business:

    Wow. Absolutely perfect assessment of the energy world, past and future.

    With pretty graphics to go along with the trends in energy.

    So what will be the energy source(s) of the future.

    The one thing for sure, is that it won’t be coal. As the rest of the world gets out of coal, so will the 2.3B people in China and India. They simply can’t afford the pollution and health costs that come free with cheap coal.

    The assessment seems puts energy into perspective, and indicates how a clear transition from one form to another (wood to coal, and coal to oil) might not be what we can expect to look forward to in the future.

    Don’t want to ruin the ending, you will have to watch all 3 minutes of the video to find out what to expect in the energy world.

    ‘via Blog this’

  • Obama to Unveil Tougher Environmental Plan With His Legacy in Mind – The New York Times

    Obama to Unveil Tougher Environmental Plan With His Legacy in Mind – The New York Times:

    There’s some good and some bad about this.

    We really should have an energy policy in the country, but we don’t. And the congress should be doing that planning and guiding of long-term energy and economic development. But no.

    The video says saving on energy. That’s not true, it will cost more for energy, the massive savings will come from improved health. Coal causes huge health and environmental impacts.

    “The Clean Power Plan will ultimately save about $45 billion a year, the EPA says, by both shrinking Americans’ energy use and reducing health costs for asthma, lung cancer and other illnesses caused by air pollution. The EPA estimates the rule will also cut about $85 a year from the average American’s utility bill.”  via USA News.

    Expect that the costs at the meter will be more, especially since it is so easy for the power utilities to pass them on, given a good (or bad) excuses. However, the health savings are each and every year forever. These are massive savings. Probably far greater than the $45B or so estimated.

    The switch from coal is happening already without any such effort by the EPA. Clean(er) NatGas has been over-abundant and been the main gainer over the last 8 years. Also, we flair about half of the NatGas in the USA from fracking, why not figure out how to flair it into an electric generator and wire the energy back home?

    Two secrets of coal is that about 10,000 people die each year in mining accidents, mostly coal. That’s more than die in many years from natural disasters. The really dirty little secret of coal is coal ash. It has very high levels of heavy metals and such. It appears that we have no plan as to what to do with the ash, so it sits around in every state just waiting for disaster. Much like we have not plan for Nuclear waste.

    NatGas is far better than coal, but it is still not sustainable. Since power plant planning is 50 to 100 years forward thinking, it seems that we should be doing likewise. Wind only works when the wind blows. Solar only works with the sun signs.

    It seems that if we had a plan to be sustainable eventually, we would be better able to make decisions on the actions that a rational man (or woman) would make today.

    Sadly, the coal miners and coal economies are stuck in the middle of this ugly downturn to their livelihood way of life.

    Just saying…

    ‘via Blog this’