PV Gap

Myrtle Said:

solar power energy...cost and who installs them?

We Answered:

I'd suggest going to the website below, finding someone in your area who has installed a lot of solar arrays, and asking them for a price quote and installation details.

It's impossible to size the unit based on the info that you've given us. Because the sun only shines some of the time, you'll need to store some energy - if your 220W appliance ever runs when the sun isn't out. And the amount you need to store will depend on whether your appliance runs continuously, or cycles, or whatever.

Good luck.

Shannon Said:

How much solar powered interior lighting save than normal light bulbs? And how much will installation cost?

We Answered:

Solar powered light bulbs?!?!?!

I seriously *hope* you are talking about those outside lights, because if someone is trying to sell you solar powered light bulbs for inside the house, I think you're being scammed!

Installing an outside light shouldn't be a problem -- the ones I am thinking of aren't that big. And they are self contained -- the Solar unit is wired directly into the light. Usually all you have to do is remove a cover from the solar cell (They usually cover the cell so the thing can't power up in the store and burn out the bulb before you even buy it!) and shove them into the ground. You may want to mount the larger ones on a pole.

If you are really thinking about indoor light bulbs, forget solar power. Call a contractor and ask him about installing SKYLIGHTS in your roof!

Terri Said:

are all solar power costs kept high by energy suppliers ,and if so why.dont they understand usage is best. OK

We Answered:

Solar power is actually very inefficient and expensive to harvest, which is why it isn't used much. It just can't compete with fossil fuels.

Also we don't actually have much sunshine in the UK, particularly in winter, which is when we need the power most.

So it's not a conspiracy, it's economics.

Paradoxically, one of the best alternative energy sources is the methane generated by decomposing landfill sites!

Josephine Said:

What's the cost effective way to learn to be solar power technician?

We Answered:

You need to figure out how much power you need. Make up a loads list of what you will be running, how many watts it uses (usually listed on the back of the device), and how many hours a day it needs to run. Put that info into the loads list calculator to figure out how many watt hours you will use. Then take that number and put it in the off-grid calculator to figure out how many solar panels and batteries you need. http://www.altestore.com/howto/Calculato…

Another accurate way of figuring that out is to plug it all into a Kill-a-watt meter (only works with North American appliances; 120V 60Hz). It will tell you how many watt hours over a period of time. http://www.altestore.com/store/Meters-Co…

Once you know the size of system you need, you can see some complete kits to see what it will cost here, http://www.altestore.com/store/Kits-and-… These kits are for North American devices, but we can change the kit to use European/African devices (230V 50Hz), if you are planning on buying them there. Also, if you need a bigger or smaller kit, we can do that too.

We also have classes in Massachusetts to learn how to do installations. http://www.altestore.com/classes/PV-301-…

Nelson Said:

Are solar power plants worth the cost and amount of land it covers?

We Answered:

Not always but most often it is worth the cost in the long run.
The amount of land it would cover is not much of a problem. They can be placed on top of roofs or covering parking lots. This way they take up no more space than is already used and provide shade and rain protection as well.