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Nanny
Joined: 17 Feb 2005 Posts: 4520 Location: carms in wales
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sean Downsizer Moderator
Joined: 28 Oct 2004 Posts: 42219 Location: North Devon
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Nanny
Joined: 17 Feb 2005 Posts: 4520 Location: carms in wales
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judyofthewoods
Joined: 29 Jan 2005 Posts: 804 Location: Pembrokeshire
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Posted: Mon Mar 21, 05 7:45 pm Post subject: |
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I had a look at the website, but could not realy determine how it works, but my guess is that you do not plug it into the mains, but that you can plug mains devices into the unit, although it does not mention storage. If it is not a mains intertie unit it is probably an inverter with a shunt regulator which diverts the excess power to a dump load (a resistive load). Without storage that would mean you can only take the maximum current available at the time its generated, and any time you don't use the power, its wasted. The inverter would have to be sized for the largest loads you use, and that means additional for surge in stating up motors. There seems to be no mention on what capacity the inverter is, and when it sais 'syncronous' with mains, it may just be the voltage and number of cylces, but not necessarily sine wave power, which means that some electronic goods may not work properly, or may even be damaged, or you get humm.
Grid intertie systems don't simply plug into a socket. First you have to have an agreement with the electricity company and comply with very strict criteria, one being that the inverter must produce grid quality power, i.e. pure sine wave. Those inverters, especially the bigger ones that can handle the power output from that wind turbine at peak, would be very expensive. The way it works with your incoming and outgoing power is a meter which runs one way when your power need is greater at any one time than your own generator supplies, and when you use less than the generator produces, the meter runs in reverse, only much slower, you only get a fraction of the price per unit than what you pay them. Its highly unlikely you'll be making money, or even saving much, renewable energy is not cheap compared to mains per unit. It only becomes cheaper when you live so far removed from the grid that the cost of a new supply would be more expensive, in which case you won't be grid tied anyway. Environmental benifit is another matter of course, but with any form of power, the first priority has got to be reduce need. From what I understand, the power that is fed into the grid is used locally by your neighbours (which is why it has to be of grid quality), as 250V won't travel far. Still, it means less dependance on the grid. However, the powerstation is still going to be running their turbines at the normal rate, its doubtful they would reduce output by one KW because you may be pumping some back in, not until a lot of people did it.
Last edited by judyofthewoods on Mon Mar 21, 05 7:49 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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dougal
Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Posts: 7184 Location: South Kent
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dougal
Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Posts: 7184 Location: South Kent
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dougal
Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Posts: 7184 Location: South Kent
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Nanny
Joined: 17 Feb 2005 Posts: 4520 Location: carms in wales
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sean Downsizer Moderator
Joined: 28 Oct 2004 Posts: 42219 Location: North Devon
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dougal
Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Posts: 7184 Location: South Kent
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tahir
Joined: 28 Oct 2004 Posts: 45661 Location: Essex
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dougal
Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Posts: 7184 Location: South Kent
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Nanny
Joined: 17 Feb 2005 Posts: 4520 Location: carms in wales
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tahir
Joined: 28 Oct 2004 Posts: 45661 Location: Essex
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