[ausev] Solar panels

[Chris Frandsen]

You might also check our own Hill Country Ecobuilders, http://www.hcecobuilders.com 
   Lloyd Lee and friends have built a net zero house out on Fitzhugh  
Road that uses geo thermal for cooling and heating and it also  
supplies the hot water during the A/C days. House includes 6KW of  
solar panels as well to get to net zero energy usage.

Chris Frandsen

On Mar 3, 2009, at 3:22 PM, John Allen wrote:

> Since you all seem to be interested in geothermal heat pumps and  
> solar,
> check out this website http://www.danshomeenergyproject.com/   got  
> this from
> a friend on the ASES mail list.
> Dan lives near San Antonio and his projects have been featured on  
> Discovery
> channel.    He's attempted or installed most of what you're  
> contemplating.
> He assembled his solar arrays and is using some energy from them to  
> also
> pump water for the heat pump and solar water heater.
>
> John
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ausev-bounces at austinev.org [mailto:ausev-bounces at austinev.org]  
> On
> Behalf Of Brian Lasseter
> Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2009 2:37 PM
> To: AustinEV News Announcements and General Discussion
> Subject: Re: [ausev] Solar panels
>
> On Tue, Mar 3, 2009 at 9:17 AM, Josh Handel <jhandel at ktomics.net>  
> wrote:
>> Oh one thing to note is you can keep adding on to your solar system  
>> each
>> year.. so you can start with 3k (then with a big enough inverter) add
>> another couple of K next year and qualify for a second rebate from
> austin..
>> At least thats what my solar guys told me.
>
> It's true... I have a pair of 3.328kw systems using 208w Sharp
> panels... Making for 6.656 kw total on my roof.  All told the city
> paid me $27k to put the panels up there, and Uncle Sam paid me another
> $4k.  (That was over 2 years of course.)  I've probably got room up
> there for another 6 kw of solar on my roof, but I'm investing in a
> Geothermal heat pump this year as my A/C is almost dead and the
> stimulus bill also lifted the $2k cap on tax credits for geothermal
> heat pumps.  The geothermal heat pump should cut my electric bill by
> 2/3rds, meaning that I will be generating more electricity than I use
> (even with the electric car).
>
> As for cleaning... I am embarrassed to say that I have never cleaned
> my solar panels.  The oldest ones up on my roof are almost 2 years
> old.  However I have never noticed any significant power drop off, nor
> have I noticed any real difference between the power generated my
> first set and my second set.  I imagine the occasional rain and hail
> cleans them enough to keep my power generation well within spec.
>
> I will take this as notice that I should go up and do that.    :-)
>
>
> -- 
> TTFN,
> Brian "Lasso" Lasseter
>
> "No Sane man will dance."   -Cicero (106-43 B.C.)
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