Renewable Energy (wind/solar)

tres

tres

tres

Soldato
Joined
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I want to put a proposal forward regarding renewable energy to the owner of the island - we spend a six figure sum on electricity annually, and it's only going to get worse.

Am i right in thinking that production methods/new technology means we're entering the era where it's cost effective (over 2 years for example) to implement renewable energy system?

Are there any experts on here?
I can calculate our usage and cost, but would welcome advice regarding solar technology, what's available, costs etc..
 
hydro is the way forward off shore hydro especialy if you are around uk there are some of the fastest tidal waters
 
photovoltaic is a joke for anything except boats and calculators
solar water heating is good, but only if you get enough sun
wave power is a joke
tidal shows promise, but only on a big scale. Its not really mature enough to think about I wouldn't have thought. Being a bit of a pioneer is expensive.
wind is just about your only option. You've probably got plenty of that.

Installation costs will be high but with the hookup to the grid you should make some money on off peak and buy it back cheaper on peak. You get to avoid a retarded and expensive battery system then.

Would it be cheaper....perhaps...when taken over 15 years. Short term? Almost certainly stupidly expensive.
 
It may turn out to be cost effective, dependent on the level of your natural resources (wind, sunlight etc). But whatever way you look at it you're going to be in the ballpark of 20 - 40 years, rather than 2 years. A return in two years would be an insane expectation.

I imagine a wind-farm would be the most realistic option for the island, and there are often subsidies available when planning permission is available for a wind farm to be built. Bear in mind also that you will still need to access the 'traditional' electricity supply for times when wind is not sufficient for demand (ie clamer days, or the commercial breaks in Coronation street where everyone puts on their kettle etc).
 
Why dont we put wind farms in parlament and hydro after all mp`s are full of wind and pi5h
 
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May aswell post this is here...


EU Officials: Just 0.3% Of Saharas Sun Energy Could Power Entire EU



He says that if just 0.3% of the intense solar energy falling on the Sahara was captured, it could power all of Europe. Such a feat would require a solar platform far beyond current installations, approximately the size of Wales. Still, when viewed against the backdrop of the vast, mostly uninhabited Sahara the large chunk of land looks no bigger than a postage stamp.
Click to expand...
 
Dr_Fartypants said:
whatever way you look at it you're going to be in the ballpark of 20 - 40 years, rather than 2 years. A return in two years would be an insane expectation..
Click to expand...

20-40 years?! By then Im sure they will have sorted something out on a global scale. I.E replacing fossil fuels.
 
Masterdog said:
Given 'tresco', I'm assuming Tresco (one of the Scilly Isles).
Click to expand...

Correct!

DingleBerry said:
photovoltaic is a joke for anything except boats and calculators
solar water heating is good, but only if you get enough sun
wave power is a joke
tidal shows promise, but only on a big scale. Its not really mature enough to think about I wouldn't have thought. Being a bit of a pioneer is expensive.
wind is just about your only option. You've probably got plenty of that.

Installation costs will be high but with the hookup to the grid you should make some money on off peak and buy it back cheaper on peak. You get to avoid a retarded and expensive battery system then.

Would it be cheaper....perhaps...when taken over 15 years. Short term? Almost certainly stupidly expensive.
Click to expand...


Ideal, thank you - i tried looking at photovotlaic systems but was looking at 15 year repayment term.

Wind is definately the way forward, and all dependant on size - for example you can get a £60,000 turbine that'll provide £7,000 worth of electricity a year on average (though here, probably more, gets quite windy) so could theoretically pay for itself in 7 years or so.. but then again, moving parts = more maintenance than solar.

hmmmm
 
Then we get to have more fun with energy security. Do we want to buy all our power from the crazy Arabs or the crazy Africans (some of whom are crazy Arabs). Having said that its more plausable than anything else these people come up with. Ish. And what do they mean by power...all of the energy or just electrical. There's a huge difference.

Those reflector power plants are the best idea I've seen for getting power out of sunlight. They just create steam then work the same way all power plants work, which is good because we know how to do that. But they are huge and expensive so no good for the op.
 
Sorry keyboards crud its tin work its full of other peoples food haior and god knows what other kinds of fecal matter.
on that note there is a power station along from mines that burns the **** that comes out of chicken barns theres a few round our way

No swearing
 
Don't forget if its too windy you have to turn the generators off. They can self trim the blades up to a point but after that they have to turn out of the wind to avoid destroying themselves.

The government are going to/have plans to/have/never will force the power companies to buy green leccy for more than they normally would. Which might help.

Oh and good luck getting planning permission ;)
 
It's a private island... he builds what he wants!

Perhaps smaller turbines on all of our cottages to help with the cost... i just want to find something to suggest that would be benefitial over a <5 year period
 
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