Rooftop solar effectively eliminated grid demand in South Australia on Saturday as it accounted for all but a few megawatts of demand in the world’s most renewable grid.
In US. I pay my co-op to source my energy from renewables. It’s more economical for them to put up solar in fields than it is to have a bunch of tiny roof projects.
i can see the “more economical” argument, but it also plays right into the hands of commercial interests… rooftop solar doesn’t allow rent seeking unlike utility solar, which at least makes me question the argument
i’m not sure if you add management overheads (including grid management) and ROI on top of everything that it’d end up more economical, so IMO it’s really a toss up, and in that case i’d lean towards the non-rent-seeking option
if in doubt, invest in yourself; don’t rent your life and all that
I have an American based friend who recently visited and I discussed this with him.
His house has an asphalt shingle roof, which is beyond common, it’s standard where he is.
This means the roof supports are light, and won’t tolerate the load of solar panels (direct weight maybe, but not torque from wind).
Beyond that, his states power company have limited the accredited installers to a group that refuse to sell panels, they effectively lease them to you, with an insane payoff period.
If you go independent, you can’t tie into the grid.
He’s subject to a HOA, which means he can’t build anything in his yard without approval.
And so, whilst he’s paid for his dad here in Adelaide to have panels on his roof as a no brainer, he’s given up in the US.
Feel such whiplash talking about solar with Australians and Americans.
Australians are like “yeah mate I put solar on and me bills are about $15 a month fucken sweet as”
Americans are like “I would love to get solar but what do you do when there is a cloud???”
In US. I pay my co-op to source my energy from renewables. It’s more economical for them to put up solar in fields than it is to have a bunch of tiny roof projects.
…ok I know different latitudes and all that, but midwinter in melbourne we were still pulling 275kwh over the month and it was a bloody dark month
i can see the “more economical” argument, but it also plays right into the hands of commercial interests… rooftop solar doesn’t allow rent seeking unlike utility solar, which at least makes me question the argument
i’m not sure if you add management overheads (including grid management) and ROI on top of everything that it’d end up more economical, so IMO it’s really a toss up, and in that case i’d lean towards the non-rent-seeking option
if in doubt, invest in yourself; don’t rent your life and all that
I have an American based friend who recently visited and I discussed this with him.
His house has an asphalt shingle roof, which is beyond common, it’s standard where he is.
This means the roof supports are light, and won’t tolerate the load of solar panels (direct weight maybe, but not torque from wind).
Beyond that, his states power company have limited the accredited installers to a group that refuse to sell panels, they effectively lease them to you, with an insane payoff period.
If you go independent, you can’t tie into the grid.
He’s subject to a HOA, which means he can’t build anything in his yard without approval.
And so, whilst he’s paid for his dad here in Adelaide to have panels on his roof as a no brainer, he’s given up in the US.