PV Gap

Bob Said:

Any way to get free energy? Solar board + place to store energy.?

We Answered:

There are many good reasons to conserve energy. If we use less gas, oil and electricity we will save money, and the pollution associated with extracting and using fossil fuels will decrease. Reducing greenhouse gas production may help to reverse global warming. In a nutshell - conservation of energy has both personal and societal benefits.

Most people are concerned with making their money last longer and energy conservation can help by reducing our energy costs. Homeowners can do many things to cut down on their energy needs. Perhaps the best thing they can do to is to install better insulation to retain warm and cool air.

Heating and air conditioning are the biggest energy consumers of the average household. Much of the heat and cool air escapes because of poorly insulated roofs, walls, doors, and windows. In fact in a lot of cases heating and cooling is responsible for around 50% of your energy costs. Improving insulation will result in greater conservation of energy and lesser energy costs. Small changes in this area can result in dramatic reduction in your monthly payment to your utility company.

Old cooling and heating appliances should be replaced with newer models which are more energy efficient. Other large appliances like refrigerators can also be replaced with newer models that are designed to conserve energy. Always make sure you read the energy label, if you do, you will often find that a cheap product in fact can be expensive in its every day use because of its energy consumption.

Traditional light bulbs are inefficient because much of the energy they consume is converted to heat. Replacing all your incandescent bulbs with compact florescent bulbs will provide the same level at light with less energy consumption. Even though the cost of these bulbs is greater than traditional bulbs, they last up to 20 times longer, resulting in significant overall savings.

Using alternative energy sources such as solar panels or wind turbines can greatly reduce the amount of energy needed from traditional sources. The electricity produced by these devices can be fed back into the local power grid if it is not immediately used by the household. This reduces the power bill even further (the power meter runs backwards) while supplying clean power to your community.

Conservation of energy is not just for homes, cars and trucks are available with more energy efficient engines and some can run on alternate power sources such as hydrogen or electricity.

Conservation of energy is something that everyone can contribute to. By being careful in how we use our resources we are building a society for our children and grandchildren.

Marian Said:

who to Free Energy - Solar Powered in Sterling Engine?

We Answered:

Didn't Stirling Solar go bankrupt? They weren't able to design a stirling engine small enough to be used with their reflective set up.

Ethel Said:

solar energy for free? I was?

We Answered:

There are programs where the solar system is installed on your building for free and you sign a contract agreeing to purchase your power over the life of the system at a fixed price, which is lower than what would be anticipated for the total price of that power if purchased from the utility. This has been popular with businesses (like Whole Foods Markets) and is just starting to catch on with residential. It's win-win because the company installing the system will be selling the energy back to the utility at market prices, and anticipates its profit margin to rise as energy prices do. You win because you still save on your monthly bill and are consuming clean energy. The bottom line is instead of fronting the cost of the system, you amortize the total cost of the system out over its lifetime, having a hedge against the unpredictability of the energy market.

Being self-sufficient is another matter. In order for the above system to work, you still have to be connected to the grid, for the company to sell the power back to the utility. Moreover, the cost of a self-contained system is much, much higher because it includes batteries, which need maintenance and replacement and ventilation, and more electronics. The cost of that part of the system (which would allow you to use 100% of your solar power, even if connected to the grid) offers no additional benefit to the installer and would probably have to be borne by the homeowner.

Sharon Said:

Is it possible to get solar energy for free or almost free with the rebate in Australia?

We Answered:

Depending on where you are (In Australia), you can get a 1kw system for $495 through Beyond Building Energy.

But... I'm organising a bulk buy in my area on the Southwest coast of Victoria, and our deal is going to a more expensive supplier, about $3,200 per 1kw system.

Why? Because the company is one that I value and trust, their products are VERY good (Japanese built Sanyo hybrid panels with SME inverter). Their warranty is the best that I've seen (25 years for the panels, 15 for the inverter, 5 for the installation). And the upfront deposit is about $400 instead of of the full $12,000. We've got about 80 people in the buying group so far, and about 30 have paid their deposits and are confirmed to have systems installed soon. We've also got 14 schools putting 6.5kw systems up, which is really great from an energy and VERY importantly from an educational point of view.

But hey it's up to you. I know people that have used Rezeko and are happy. Don't know anyone who's used BBE though. I know a group in Victoria that did and weren't happy, but apparently BBE have got their act together since then. But I honestly don't know.

The important thing is getting the panels up on your roof, so congrats for taking the plunge. Hope it all goes well for you. :O)

Joann Said:

Solar energy the only Free from Mother Nature but we are not competant to harness the same due to Politmafias?

We Answered:

Yes, u r right. Petrol, Gas, Coat etc, which are required for power generation, may extinct or available insufficiently in future. But our governments are giving millions of rupees as subsidy on them. Instead, govt. encourage solar energy by giving subsidy or discounts on batteries, solar panels etc., and encourage research in a big way on different methods of generating solar energy, it will be definitely help economy and nature as well.

Jeffery Said:

Why doesn't solar power count as "Free Energy"?

We Answered:

Perhaps you are thinking of the thermodynamics concept of free energy (see the reference). Otherwise, it depends on who's counting and what they are counting. For photovoltaic and hydroelectric energy, there's no direct operating or fuel cost, but there is a capital cost for the equipment and infrastructure. You could even say petroleum is free, since we don't need to pay God for the oil.

If this doesn't help, tell us who is setting this standard and what they consider free energy.