Hi there folks,

Just a few data which I collected from my own grid connected PV installation. My PV solar collectors are operational since end 20/12/2010.Their maximal capacity is 3MWh peak/year.

During their lifetime which is roughly three years they produced 8100 MWh. Meaning that their production was 2700 MWh/year. So The PV cells operated at 90 % of their maximal capacity. I live in Belgium, which is located at about 50.5 North and 3 East. 2/3 of the year we have overcast, Mostly during winter. But during winter we have temperatures between zero and 10 °C with a mean value of about 3 to 4 °C and during summer between 15 and 25°C with a mean value of 18°C. Typically an oceanic climate of Central Western Europe.

Nevertheless i reach 90 % of the maximal production of the PV panels in the last three years. One of the reasons is that the efficiency of PV panels is temperature dependent/ Their efficiency drops the higher the temperature, it increases the lower the temperature, especially when temperature goes subzero on a clear day.

That's one of the reasons why I still get rather high productions, even in winter.

Now the mean consumption of electricity of my house (2 full grown kids, my wife and myself) is on average 12.2 kWh/day over the last three years. My average daily production is 7.4 kWh/day over the last three years. Hence I pay only for the saldo, which as a mean value over the last three years is 4.6 kWh/day. Hence, I reduced the electricity consumption of my family house with 60 %. Not so bad I would say.

I am not going to discuss all the financial aspects (a loan, amortization etc...) , but evidently my electricity bill costs have dropped with 60 %. That's quite a sum in country where electricity bills are one of the most expensive in (Western) Europe. I can use the profit quite well to reduce the net cost of my natural gas consumption essentially to heat the house. Anyway you look at it, it is a saving, within about 5 to seven years after purchase. Moreover I reduced CO2 emissions due to electricity production as well. Hence I reduced my footprint a little bit without losing any comfort at all. On the cotrary, I rduced the fixed coist of living (in a heated house, with electricity for all aplliances we need). So if you wonder how to reduce your electricity bill price. You have an example here above.

Cheers,

Frank

PS.: More details available for those interested. And by the way, In Belgium there are about 200.000 PV installations producing on a yearly average 6 % of the electricity on the grid. I am not counting the solar boilers, which I ahve on my rooftop as well to make hot water from April to end October. I save natural gas (and electricty) doing so. Should calculate how much. Again a fixed cost reduction.

Solar Technologies can be used in many forms such as Solar Heater, Solar electric generator, Solar Dryers and many more. Basically Solar heaters are used to heat the water or air by using Flat Plate or Focusing type collector. In Flat Plate collector we can achieve upto 100 degree Celsius (Sensible Heat) and can be used for heating the desired space or water or air. Where we can achieved more than 100 degree Celsius (Latent Heat) in Focusing type collector and can be used as steam generator, which passes through steam turbine and turbine shaft is connected to the generator, which leads to the electric generation.

Solar energy is not only related to heating or cooling but also relate to Wind energy, Tidal Energy, OTDC etc..

Thanks Dear Pratik

But can we always produce Heat or Power with this quantity and quality as you mentioned? especially in winter or autumn?

In most places in the world, solar energy alone is not good enough. Other forms of energy are needed when one is not working.

Various forms of energy resources provide better energy security.

There is no doubt solar technology reduces our electricity as well as electricity bills. you can use solar technology for cooking purpose , for hot water and as well as for electricity.

It's reliability varies from location to location, it is most suitable for locations where there is less clouds and has more solar radiations.

What should be said is that many placesin the wolrd where there is a large area of long-time and strong sunshine are politically unstable and/or economically poorly developed.

The former deters investment on and development of solar technologies, while the latter could lead to cost so high that it is economically infeasible. I am talking about industrial-scale production of solar energy.

It depends upon the location. If you are located close to the equator, then the solar energy may be uniformly available except during the rainy and cloudy days. Even with clouds there will be diffuse radiation, so may be there will be enough available. However in cold climates such as in North America the solar insolation is so small may not provide enough energy.

As pointed by others, Solar Energy by itself will not be a total solution. There are times in summers there may be excess electric power generated. You need to look at in a holistic manner such that solar energy will supplement other forms of energy to provide for the complete requirements of a given family.

That is the reason why in Germany they have the option of having the excess electricity generated with solar photovoltaic cells be fed into the grid so that they can get compensated for the electricity that they will be drawing during the lean months. We need to have similar arrangements in most of the countries that will encourage people to adopt Solar Energy.

Thanks Dear Nageswara,Germany photovoltaic story was interesting, Germany is the country with weak sunshine but planning of this country is very good.

Hi there folks,

Just a few data which I collected from my own grid connected PV installation. My PV solar collectors are operational since end 20/12/2010.Their maximal capacity is 3MWh peak/year.

During their lifetime which is roughly three years they produced 8100 MWh. Meaning that their production was 2700 MWh/year. So The PV cells operated at 90 % of their maximal capacity. I live in Belgium, which is located at about 50.5 North and 3 East. 2/3 of the year we have overcast, Mostly during winter. But during winter we have temperatures between zero and 10 °C with a mean value of about 3 to 4 °C and during summer between 15 and 25°C with a mean value of 18°C. Typically an oceanic climate of Central Western Europe.

Nevertheless i reach 90 % of the maximal production of the PV panels in the last three years. One of the reasons is that the efficiency of PV panels is temperature dependent/ Their efficiency drops the higher the temperature, it increases the lower the temperature, especially when temperature goes subzero on a clear day.

That's one of the reasons why I still get rather high productions, even in winter.

Now the mean consumption of electricity of my house (2 full grown kids, my wife and myself) is on average 12.2 kWh/day over the last three years. My average daily production is 7.4 kWh/day over the last three years. Hence I pay only for the saldo, which as a mean value over the last three years is 4.6 kWh/day. Hence, I reduced the electricity consumption of my family house with 60 %. Not so bad I would say.

I am not going to discuss all the financial aspects (a loan, amortization etc...) , but evidently my electricity bill costs have dropped with 60 %. That's quite a sum in country where electricity bills are one of the most expensive in (Western) Europe. I can use the profit quite well to reduce the net cost of my natural gas consumption essentially to heat the house. Anyway you look at it, it is a saving, within about 5 to seven years after purchase. Moreover I reduced CO2 emissions due to electricity production as well. Hence I reduced my footprint a little bit without losing any comfort at all. On the cotrary, I rduced the fixed coist of living (in a heated house, with electricity for all aplliances we need). So if you wonder how to reduce your electricity bill price. You have an example here above.

Cheers,

Frank

PS.: More details available for those interested. And by the way, In Belgium there are about 200.000 PV installations producing on a yearly average 6 % of the electricity on the grid. I am not counting the solar boilers, which I ahve on my rooftop as well to make hot water from April to end October. I save natural gas (and electricty) doing so. Should calculate how much. Again a fixed cost reduction.

Solar energy can support the electricity, heat and cooling requirement for offices, buildings and houses. Using FIT(feed-in tariff) mechanism, it can lower your electricity billing. We have new book about solar energy (http://www.crcpress.com/product/isbn/9781138000131). You will know the different applications of solar energy.

Dear Frank

thank you for sharing of your experiences , i think .we need to persons that share your experiences with solar Technology because A large percentage of people do not trust it yet.and sharing expriences help them and me ;)

Dear Frank Veroustraete,

The experience and information that you have shared is quite interesting.

Solar Technology Reduces our bill prices but if we compare initial cost and maintenance of solar system , it will very nearer to our bill. With considering Global Warming and Depletion of Natural sources , it is only best option.

Infact Solar technologies have high initial investments, but one should first analyse the cases where its application can be best ? i.e for remote locations, matching source and load, energy efficiency before going towards renewables. etc etc can give optimum schemes for reducing costs.