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Think a grid-tie home is better than an isolated circuit?
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Fred teaches blue print reading at the college level. He is an
expert on UBC (Universal Building Code), drafting (an artist,
he still does it by hand) and he reviews and approves
plans for one of the wealthiest, richest cities in America where the average home price
is several million dollars, the plots are very large for a city
and the building and planning department picky about every blade of grass.
Fred puts it like this: "There is no way that a grid-tie
system can, overall, be safer than an isolated circuit on it's own panel. If you
dedicate specific outlets to your alternative energy system
and use the correct gauge wire from the generator to your batteries to
the inverter to your outlets and anything happens to the
utility power or if your expensive grid-tie stops working, you still have a home with electricity, your
food stays cold, your lights stay on and you are much
more comfortable while waiting for the grid to come back up. If I had
any medical equipment that I relied on I would never tie my entire
home to a box that could stop working and leave me in the dark. I
would, without question, run isolated circuits in my home and use
multiple, redundant inverters. It's cheaper, about 1/4th the
price for twice the wattage, much more reliable
and having lights and power 24/7 is safe. Anything else is
obviously second best or even worse, could be considerd flat
out dangerous by comparison." |
If Sriannie in the Amazon Jungle can do this on a shoestring, you can too.
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And that is from a UBC expert and college teacher
with over three decades in the building, planning, design and construction industry.
THREE ROAD BLOCKS STAND IN YOUR PATH TO ENERGY INDEPENDENCE:
- 'Conventional' systems are expensive and out of reach for
most family budgets.
- 'Conventional' systems are actually less reliable than
a system you install yourself.
- 'Government' programs 'say' they promote green energy, when in
fact, big government stands in the way of many wind farm operations.
There are a few things you can do to overcome these roadblocks quite easily:
- Educate yourself - it only takes 1 or 2 evenings, and build your
system yourself.
- To get the permits required to put your system up, you simply need
to go to City Hall and explain the facts:
A huge advantage to the circuit we suggest is
you always have power....
...even if some deisel generator doesn't start
...even if the grid goes down and your expensive grid tie fries
...even if your wind gen flies into a lake
...you always have power - 24/7/365
...no matter what else happens!
Most 'conventional' grid tie systems can't make that claim; many will not operate
during a blackout and all of them are worthless if they fry.
The circuit we suggest keeps right on ticking, no matter what the grid or grid-tie is doing.
Which system would you rather have? A complicated, expensive system that you don't
understand or a very simple, extremely inexpensive system that you can add to if so desired,
and you can operate and maintain it easily with components you understand?
Our classes, diagrams, products and videos are designed to show you how.
Below are two nightmares you do not want to encounter with 'conventional' systems and 'big government'.
CONVENTIONAL SYSTEMS ARE NOT RELIABLE DURING BLACKOUTS
Most cities, counties and many states require expensive grid-tie
systems for permits and rebates relating to solar panels and
wind generators. This is sad, since when power goes out, your
wind gen charging system and grid-tie/inverter, may not work?!?
Why is that?
Read a short excerpt from a discussion group (below). It turns out
that many, if not most Grid-Tie/Inverter systems shut down when the
grid goes off (black-out/brown-out), leaving you without power, which
is silly considering you spent all that money to be energy independent.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
The alternative is to pay for expensive alternative energy systems, grid-ties,
solar panels and more, and then find out that when the rolling blackouts
hit, you are no better off than before.
TAKE ACTION NOW!
First article (1 of 5)
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Ian wrote:
Hi Carl,
The Windy Boy is a batteryless, grid-tie inverter. It won't work by
itself in a normal off-grid system.
I have heard of people using another inverter to feed a signal to a
Sunny Boy, so it will run without the grid, but that's an
experimental system, and one that requires buying two inverters. Is
that what you're asking about? You need the ARE clamp/controller to
work with the Windy Boy too. Seems like a very large expense to me,
and a complicated system.
Steven wrote:
Our local utility (City Public Service) is already experiencing
rolling blackouts of power all across the city because of the
premature high temperatures and power demands for air conditioners.
This phenomenon has increased the number of phone calls we are
receiving with consumer interest in renewables. Renewable energy
net-metered power systems that require utility power to even operate
are a useless solution for the rolling blackout or natural disaster
situation. Already leary of the costs when consumers learn that a
renewable energy power supply cannot support them in emergency
situations they run away from renewable energy again. The renewable
energy industry certainly has a talent for shooting itself in the foot.
Matt wrote:
Not so if you use an OutBack or SMA Sunny Island system. OutBack
is less expensive and approved for inter-tie.
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BIG GOVERNMENT IS A KEY ROADBLOCK TO LARGE SCALE WIND FARMS
Sometimes it makes sense to do it at home; in fact, most of the time when
you take control back from government, you can actually get the job done.
Two cases that illustrate both problems and solutions:
Second article (2 of 5)
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Newsweek International
By Benjamin Sutherland
April 24, 2006 issue
As projects to build "wind farms" of massive,
electricity-generating wind turbines continue to multiply, so do
the ranks of "not in my backyard" protesters. The turbines,
some with blades that sweep as high as a 20-story building, are
increasingly seen as unsightly and dangerous manifestations of
the industrialization of the countryside. "The volume is going
up higher on opposition to wind farms," says Kathy Belyeu,
spokeswoman for the Washington, D.C.-based American Wind Energy
Association. Although protests have generally failed to nix many
farms, they frequently translate into costly delays or
relocation to sites with less favorable winds.
Wind advocates thus have high hopes for less obtrusive wind
technology: specifically, high-performance, nonpolluting rooftop
microturbines. Generally not much bigger than a dish antenna,
they hardly mar the skyline. And if wind conditions are optimal,
they can satisfy a typical household's appetite for electricity.
Although a microturbine produces less than one thousandth the
power of a 20-story turbine, the electricity need only be piped
a short distance into the house rather than sent over long
distances. The microturbine can also contribute to the energy
grid via a short power line that connects to utility lines
running along the street. Various models of the turbines, which
generally range in price from $1,000 to $8,000, have started
springing up on top of houses and buildings in Europe and North
America.
Demand has risen so quickly, roughly doubling in the past 12
months that companies are having trouble making the minimills
fast enough. Renewable Devices, an Edinburgh-based manufacturer,
which is growing at 300 percent a year, priced a popular turbine
at $5,000 euro ($6000.00 dollars) while it ramps up production
(it plans to drop the price by two thirds by December). Many
other manufacturers are lowering prices as the growing market
provides economies of scale and local authorities expedite use
permits. (The turbines aren't much louder than the wind, and
birds are no more likely to fly into them than into
windows.)
Earlier this year, the Dutch city of Hoofddorp erected a turbine
on its town hall "to set an example," says Environment
Policymaker Ruud Mesman. The move kicked off a campaign to
install enough turbines to cover 10 percent of the city's
electricity needs within 20 years (the city now advises builders
on the benefits of "small wind" before issuing construction
permits).
In May, Chicago will begin a turbine test on the Daley Center
skyscraper to figure out how to issue permits and whether to
promote the technology with tax incentives.
Most rooftop turbines are designed to pay for themselves after
about five years of moderately favorable winds—conditions
common in temperate climates like those of Europe, the United
States and Japan. After that, the juice is free, save
maintenance costs, until the motors burn out after an additional
15 or so years. Rising electricity costs are sweetening the
deal, as is the proliferation of "net metering" laws that
require utility companies to purchase the unused small-wind
electricity fed onto the grid. Five years ago half a dozen EU
countries obliged energy companies to buy this so-called spill;
now 24 countries do. Thirty-nine U.S. states have passed
net-metering legislation. Of course, microturbines also make a
satisfying display of one's green credentials and self-reliance.
In a world of energy turmoil and global warming, personal
windmills are becoming fashionable. |
Third article (3 of 5)
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Wind Farm Facing Stiff Congressional Opposition
By Danielle George - All Headline News Staff Reporter
April 8, 2006 5:41 a.m. EST
Washington, D.C. (AHN) - The first offshore U.S. wind farm in
Massachusetts may be up against tough opposition, after
negotiators in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate
agree to give Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney the power to
block a $900m plan.
Reuters reports that Cape Wind Associates LLC would be putting
up 130 giant wind turbines near the resort islands of Martha's
Vineyard and Nantucket.
Romney, according to the report, is an outspoken opponent of the
plan, and U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, a leading
Democrat, also opposes it.
The project may be able to generate enough electricity for most
of Cape Cod and nearby islands.
Reuters notes that opponents include wealthy residents with
yachts and shorefront property near the proposed site.
Jim Gordon, President of Cape Wind says, "This eleventh hour
move to change the rules ... is unjust and contravenes our
regional and national energy policy interest."
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Think BIG WIND is cheaper than small wind? Lee runs a company
that sells power; he's in the business. Read his views:
Fourth article (4 of 5)
Bottom line: if you think you can't afford it, you can and
if you think government is going to help you, sorry, probably not, and
if you think large wind farms are going to save the day, think again...
...and if you think a conventional system is a 'better deal' or
is 'required', well, perhaps you have an extra $100,000.00 just burning a hole in your
pocket; most folks do not.
YOU CAN DO THIS. Our step-by-step classes
show you how and inexpensive gear make it affordable. It just takes an evening or two of your time
learning what is required and that time spent easily pays for
the $50,000.00 - $100,000.00 you can save by doing it yourself.
Fifth article (5 of 5)
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Think expensive grid-ties are better? Here is
a wind gen professional struggling with the problems of a straight
grid-tie system (no battery) tied to a wind gen/controller and
he admits, the power curve needs fine tuning and as a result,
it really is NOT as effective or efficient as a reliable battery/inverter
system.
This forum post was made at the a-w-h forum where wind gen scientists,
installers and home owners chat.
"Hi to all,
I have been thinking quite a lot about grid tied inverters for wind
turbines and my opinion is that if you want to have a true MPPT on a
wind turbine, you need to take into account several specific
parameters :
- RPM/frequency
- Voltage
- Current/Torque
- alternator temperature
- availability of grid
- wind speed
You can deduct wind speed from torque and RPM but you do not have any
indications for low wind speeds as the rotor might be stopped.
As you know, you have to extract the more power possible out of the
turbine and as the power comes from the wind, you have to extract
power according to a power vs wind speed load curve (this is obvious
but always good to remember)
Now. Everybody here knows that setting properly a Windy Boy for
example for a specific turbine is troublesome. It takes time and as
the Windy boy only allows a 2 points curve, the results are always a
bit disapointing. You cannot take care of the RPM or overheating for
example.
ARE did a great job with their voltage clamp as they actually take
care of the above parameters but their clamp only works for their
turbines. And it is an added cost to the system.
So my guess is that you will never manage to have an efficient MPPT
for any wind turbine if does not meet the proper load curve. The
problem then is that all the different turbines on the market have
different power curves (and most of the timer, you cannot rely on the
manufacturers ones).
What is the next step? The next step is to make an smart inverter that
will actually "learn" the turbine through data collecting and
processing.
We have ideas on how to do this. I am looking for an inverter
manufacturer that would be interested in making a prototype we could
test on our test site. We have the design and we know the data
processing needed. We need someone who can make it.
The target is to have a 0 to 5 kW inverter that would be able to work
with any wind turbine in any wind condition. And the more it will
work, the better it will work.
Olivier
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