Cheap alternative energy?

PiKe · 14 Jul 2011 at 14:11

I was just mulling over some ideas in my head, solar is all well and good but the panels are expensive and the UK doesn't get masses of sunlight.

I was thinking, what if you had a small wind turbine mounted on the house (descretely) and then you used a bank of lead acid batteries to hold the charge? What would you then require to feed that electricity into your home?

Glaucus · 14 Jul 2011 at 14:13

All micro turbines simply dont work.

Proper turbines cost the same amount as solar panels and return similar amount of energy. 10kish.

However solar panels can be mounted on most houses, wind turbines of such nature require planning permission.

You would require one of these
http://www.nextgenerationturbines.com/guide_prices_for_installing_domestic_wind_turbines.phtml

or £12k for a 4.5kw solar system that will produce most if not all your electrical needs.

RomanNose · 14 Jul 2011 at 14:15

Solar would be good once we improve the efficiency, at the moment 10% is sort of viable but we really want 80%, once it gets that high and is low cost then it will be everywhere.
I posted yesterday that we currently have the technology to print them onto paper, which is going to solve a lot of issues as the cost of mounting them is quite a bit at the moment.

Glaucus · 14 Jul 2011 at 14:17

chaosdestro0 said:
Solar would be good once we improve the efficiency, at the moment 10% is sort of viable but we really want 80%.

why do we need 80%?

nothing wrong with 10% and research panels go upto 40%.
current 10% panels will provide all your power. If they were cheaper, you could line all your roof in them and make several times More than you would use. Meaning you could power electric motorbikes/cars for free.

MuttsNutts · 14 Jul 2011 at 14:20

Why spend 12k or so on alternative energy? just keep the 12k and that's easy 8 years worth of energy bills taken care off.

Dunks · 14 Jul 2011 at 14:20

AcidHell2 said:
why do we want 80%?

So you think we shouldn't strive to have more efficient solar panels? What about for those people who have less space available and can't physically fit larger, less efficient panels.

PiKe · 14 Jul 2011 at 14:21

AcidHell2 said:
why do we need 80%?

Presumably due to cost needed to buy many 10% efficient ones.

Glaucus · 14 Jul 2011 at 14:21

Dunks said:
So you think we shouldn't strive to have more efficient solar panels? What about for those people who have less space available and can't physically fit larger, less efficient panels.

Of course we should, but why do we need them to make solar viable?
He said they will be viable when they reach 80%, they are viable now on 10%

Swifty123 · 14 Jul 2011 at 14:22

MuttsNutts said:
Why spend 12k or so on alternative energy? just keep the 12k and that's easy 8 years worth of energy bills taken care off.

Sigh.

Glaucus · 14 Jul 2011 at 14:22

PiKe said:
Presumably due to cost needed to buy many 10% efficient ones.

That would depend on price to produce.

Glaucus · 14 Jul 2011 at 14:23

MuttsNutts said:
Why spend 12k or so on alternative energy? just keep the 12k and that's easy 8 years worth of energy bills taken care off.

Perhaps because they last 30+ years and with feed in tariffs at the moment will make you £1200 a year.

Dunks · 14 Jul 2011 at 14:23

AcidHell2 said:
Of course we should, but why do we need them to make solar viable?
He said they will be viable when they reach 80%, they are viable now on 10%

Aha, I miss read. I didn't realise that he said we'd need >80% for it to be viable!

Apologies.

Danfoss2011 · 14 Jul 2011 at 14:24

I live in one of these fancy new builds. The build of the house is pretty cool in its own rights!

We've both solar power and solar heating on the roof of the house and garage. These came fitted to the house as STD.

My old man is an eco warrior and bought us a house gift of a wind turbine, it's on the side of the house.

I've not had the boiler on at all for the last few months, no need for the heating the house regulates it's temps but hot water for washing, bath, shower etc is all off the solar and is as hot as the boiler!

PiKe · 14 Jul 2011 at 14:27

Danfoss2011 said:
I live in one of these fancy new builds. The build of the house is pretty cool in its own rights!

We've both solar power and solar heating on the roof of the house and garage. These came fitted to the house as STD.

My old man is an eco warrior and bought us a house gift of a wind turbine, it's on the side of the house.

I've not had the boiler on at all for the last few months, no need for the heating the house regulates it's temps but hot water for washing, bath, shower etc is all off the solar and is as hot as the boiler!

I want to live in a house like that.

badcompany · 14 Jul 2011 at 14:27

PiKe said:
I was just mulling over some ideas in my head, solar is all well and good but the panels are expensive and the UK doesn't get masses of sunlight.

I was thinking, what if you had a small wind turbine mounted on the house (descretely) and then you used a bank of lead acid batteries to hold the charge? What would you then require to feed that electricity into your home?

BATTERY bank will cost £££££ and need replacing every few years.

Danfoss2011 · 14 Jul 2011 at 14:28

PiKe said:
I want to live in a house like that.

You can buy it if you want! Only been here 6 months and moving into something thats just finished being built this week but simualr but much bigger!

Glaucus · 14 Jul 2011 at 14:30

PiKe said:
I want to live in a house like that.

Should start seeing more houses like it, the regs are getting tighter and greener all the time.

Glaucus · 14 Jul 2011 at 14:33

Danfoss2011 said:
I've not had the boiler on at all for the last few months, no need for the heating the house regulates it's temps but hot water for washing, bath, shower etc is all off the solar and is as hot as the boiler!

is it evacuated tubes you got? Any idea what size/how many and what size cylinder you got. Is this topped up with electric? Or is it fed into a gas boiler if it's to cold.

Liampope · 14 Jul 2011 at 14:40

PiKe said:
I was just mulling over some ideas in my head, solar is all well and good but the panels are expensive and the UK doesn't get masses of sunlight.

I was thinking, what if you had a small wind turbine mounted on the house (descretely) and then you used a bank of lead acid batteries to hold the charge? What would you then require to feed that electricity into your home?

Already can. Mate used to work for these guys driving around with one poking out of the top of a car gathering test data

...

http://renewabledevices.com/rd-swift-turbines/overview/

Wont power your whole house though.

RomanNose · 14 Jul 2011 at 14:46

AcidHell2 said:
why do we need 80%?

nothing wrong with 10% and research panels go upto 40%.
current 10% panels will provide all your power. If they were cheaper, you could line all your roof in them and make several times More than you would use. Meaning you could power electric motorbikes/cars for free.

10% is not bad but really 80% would not be bad if the prices were to remain the same.I did not say to be viable, 10% is already viable for home use but the government is subsidising it. I think the reasoning behind this might be because even though the efficiency is increasing, the prices might take longer to drop until a level that most people can afford. As a large reason why the prices has dropped so much over the last 10 years is industry scaling. I just heard the 80% figure being dropped at a talk and I am not sure the reason behind it so it's all guesswork!