[ExI] solar is looking better all the time: was RE: Efficiency of wind power

[spike]

>... On Behalf Of Kelly Anderson
...

>> I have a friend who is installing a hundred kWh peak on a ranch in 
>> Oregon to run pumps.  I am concerned, his brother is worried, he is
terrified.

>If the system runs when it is sunny, and doesn't run when it is not sunny,
has no batteries and runs on DC, then it probably isn't so bad.  Just get a
VERY good electrician, which is very hard to find. Maybe an investment in
Angie's list??  -Kelly

Thanks Kelly.

I can imagine specialty applications like that where one has plenty of land,
doesn't use the PV for home electronics (and so is still relying on the
commercial grid) but rather uses the PVs to lift water from a deep aquifer
to run a center pivot.  Out there in the eastern Oregon desert, there is
intense sunlight all day every day during the time one needs the water.
This would use a lot of PVs, but is still a specialty application.  I can
imagine this arrangement being very common in the desert US west soon.

The notion of maintaining a bunch of lead acid batteries in the home is not
attractive.  Among other things, you have a huge contamination risk if you
have a house fire, plus the room taken up in your house, oy.

spike