[ExI] Wind, solar could provide 99.9% of ALL POWER by 2030

[Eugen Leitl]

On Sun, Jan 13, 2013 at 11:48:58PM +0100, Tomasz Rola wrote:

> I see :-) but I guess there is always a possibility on their side to make 
> life of users harder in response. Like, force them to change electricity 
> counters, to such operating in one direction only and "burning" when 

Right now they're trying to introduce smart meters, which stalls
so badly the idea appears dead in the water. Just the privacy
implications are likely to make this a no-go.

> driven in reverse. When mob gets angry and starts complaining to 
> newspapers, a PR person says something like "uh, blame those diy bastards 
> for the current sorry state of things, we always want only the good for 

Right about half of all installations are individually owned
smallish-scale plants, officially connected and receiving FITS.
As FITS are being phased out, and PV prices are plummeting while
electricity costs go up (just 25% since January) we'll likely
see smaller-scale plants which just lower your electricity
costs and don't bother with buffering feeding-in (with 300 Wp
your energy counter is likely to never run backwards, just
slower).

> Of course later on, more people may realize they really want to feed grid 
> with their own energy, so such tricks (FUD etc) are good only for a while. 
> Assuming that people learn, which is optimistic version.

This is the current status in Germany.
 
> But overally, money speaks to both sides, right? If users would want to 
> keep more of theirs in the pockets, providers would want even more to put 
> hands into those pockets, too, because there would be money there.

Right now energy providers are shitting bricks because the expensive
peak power is completely cut off almost all of the time, so they're
losing money, and are forced to jack up night power prices.
 
> > > other high level organisations. I am sure the micro/nano grids will 
> > 
> > I personally will do a parallel insular 12 V installation, probably
> > this spring.
> 
> All right, this is very cool idea. I have been fancing myself with it for 
> some time, but I'm not sure when I could start because first I'll have to 
> deal with a (very physical) heap of printed paper. The bloody heap starts 

I can relate. I spent probably a week housecleaning. Taxes for 2011
still not done, but should be there this week. We've got plenty of
work on our hands with cryonics lab as well.

> to threaten me, and we sometimes make jokes about various animals living 
> inside - which is not true, of course (or maybe it is, I don't know), even 
> thou animals got bigger over time, I mean, could I host a crocodile there? 
> Yes I could. Well, maybe a young cayman, rather than an old fully grown 
> well fed croc. In worst case, I will buy a cork helmet and harpoon. And 
> maybe start guiding tourists.

Same thing with cables and hardware here.
 
> Other than this small obstacle, I will be glad to give a 12v idea a try. 
> There is plenty of devices and adapters ready, so choice of voltage is 
> good, I think.

If wire crossection is large and paths short 12 V isn't much
of a handicap.
 
> BTW, are you going to start small (as in experimenting) or are you going 
> to start big (wire all house)? Myself, I will rather start small. There 

I plan to wire just my work room, and keep the PV panels less than 5 m
away. The idea is to power a small but important parts (e.g. gas furnace
in the cellar in case grid is down, LED lighting, Internet connection 
and some low-power computers, mesh and ham radio). It appears to be quite 
feasible for a <kWp plant which is cheap enough, but for battery capacity.
The less I need to buffer, the better.

> is still a lot to learn, small is easier to redesign etc. I guess it is 
> going to sit on a table during first few incarnations, so very small :-).
> 
> Perhaps you could write some bits to a blog?