Solar energy Incentive

[rjj04]

Wow, $1/watt for that system is a good price.

Looking at this chart solar cost per watt, it is no wonder the fossil fuel industry is sh.tting bricks at the moment and pulling out all stops politically to try and gut renewables...

[bluejets]

These days, now that the cost of electriity has esculated (and with no end in sight) it makes it more viable than ever.

Where I live, standard tariff is almost at 30c a unit and controlled ( for hot water etc) varies from 14c for night rate to 20c for off peak rate. On top of this is a 55c/day service fee for meters etc.

We don't use a lot compared to some but it is a cost that can be offset with solar almost to zero in our case.
A 3kw system should suffice as we do not run a/c very often and we are away from the house each day.
So that leaves mainly refrigerator and washing machine use in the time solar would generate.

Government here look like removing the 8c rebate for "feed-in" so I'm considering moving the Hot water over to the solar electric supply also once i get a spare A$3,000.

These are grid systems in case anyone was wondering...ie...no batteries etc.

Installation of these here has to be applied for and strictly controlled installation methods are required as well as the appropriate licencing.

I imagine the sheer volume used these days would be the major factor in the lower pricing as quality also is closely scrutinised.

[glalt]

A grid tie system is obviously the way to go provided that your grid connection is reliable. Unfortunately in my situation the mains go off several times a week, usually for a short period of time but a couple times a month it goes down for 5 or 6 hours at a time.

I have added the 4th battery for a total of 260 AH. That keeps my computer room going for about as long as I want to use it running on the battery bank. My dual system can be changed back and forth by flipping 1 switch so I have the best of both systems.

We seldom use the air conditioner in the bedroom. Our monthly electric bill has been between 600 and 700 baht per month depending on how much we use the air con. As I have said before, for me, it's not really about saving money, it's about protecting my computer and eliminating the aggravating power outages. My grid tie inverter simply eliminates the waste of power when the batteries are fully charged.

[rjj04]

Just as a point of reference, I found this paper by a university in Sakon Nakhon

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/a ... 5811000270

"5. Concussion
In this paper present the effective of solar power plant 1 kilowatt in Sakon-Nakhon province, North-East of
Thailand have been power potential is 4 kilowatt-hours. The productivity of the solar power plant of 1 megawatt can
be support 4,000 units/day or 4,000 kilowatt-hours. Solar energy in a year is 1,427.6 kilowatt-hour. And average
energy per day in each month, the highest value 4.683 kWh in October 2009, a winter.The average energy per day in
each month low value 3.239 kWh in August 2010, a rainy season."

By this they mean 4 kwh per day for 1 kw of installed PV. Their system was 3-phase, and with amorphous panels. I believe amorphous panels are supposed to have a slightly lower temperature derating factor, so that might be why the 4wh/watt installed/day value seems a bit high.

I took a look at the PV system a few months back. It looks like since writing the paper they haven't kept the maintennce up on it.

[glalt]

Off topic a bit, I wouldn't trust the government at all. Between Nong Hin and Wang Saphung, there is a large solar farm. I'm not sure how big it is but I would guess that there may be a thousand panels or more. They have been erected for at least six months. At this point they are covered with dust and still not connected to the grid. WHY ? The concrete power poles on the property have been in place for maybe a year. The huge cables are still hanging down and connected to nothing.

[rjj04]

300w/panel * 1000 panels = 300,000W
300,000W * 4hrs/day = 1,200,000Whs
1kwh = 7 THB
7 * 1,200 = 8.400 THB/day
8.400 * 180 days = 1.5M THB
Somebody just lost the value of a nice house

Are there electricity poles from the grid going to the solar farm? Maybe the goverment and this solar farm operator are having a lovers spat

If you look at what is being done in Europe and in Australia, that is the government changing the rates paid, it seems you can't rely on a government to keep it's word.

[maxeboy]

Attached files show actual production of 6 kw peak solarpanel in Denmark(near Copenmhagen). My son's house.

Total price of plant DKK 160.000.00 = Baht 950000.00.

Grid tied

Cost of electricity per Kw in Denmark Dkk 2.30

Expected Yr total production Kw 6,300

With subsidies from government plant repaid in 9 years

25 years warranty

Estimated profit over time total DKK 224,000.00 = Baht 1.344.000,00

Plant on flat roof 225 degrees 10 degrees inclination.

Kind regards from

maxeboy

[rjj04]

So in Denmark it is over 13 THB / kwh

Now I see why some farang say electricity is so cheap in Thailand. Where I lived in the western US the price averaged about 4 THB / kwh, the same as here.

[glalt]

I just looked up the cost of electricity in the US. The average KWH cost is .12 and varies from .08 to .18. That makes Thailand quite cheap.

[rjj04]

I just looked up the cost of electricity in the US. The average KWH cost is .12 and varies from .08 to .18. That makes Thailand quite cheap.

Perhaps I am a bit tired, and I've had a couple of beers, but 1 THB is approximately equal to 3 US Cents.
4 THB/kwh X 3 cents/THB = 12 cents/kwh
$0.12

Most farang max out at the top end of the Thai electric rate table, which I believe is 3.94 THB/ kwh
or approximately US $0.12. I've noticed my spelling and grammar are going down hill the past few years,
perhaps my basic arithmetic skills are too?

[glalt]

Your math is just fine. California is now at the top of the range at about .18 but you're right, The average is about the same at .12.

Gasoline prices averaged $4.263 a gallon in the Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County area in April 2014, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Richard J. Holden noted that area gasoline prices were down 22.0 cents compared to last April when they averaged $4.043 per gallon. Los Angeles area households paid an average of 17.8 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity in April 2014, down from 21.6 cents per kWh in April 2013.

[maaka]

going downhill Rjj..you'll be tucking your t shirt into your undies next...hahahaha..
next you'll be forgetting where you parked the car next...Mark my words boy..sort of creeps up on ya..

1 Kw in NZ range from 20bt - 70 bt..

[rjj04]

"Not again", I say to myself as I step outside of BigC and stare off into the endless field of cars. Already there maaka

Perhaps though, you should direct some of your laughter to glalt... 4*3 = ???

Just waking up to a morning laugh fellas!! Don't get your shorts into a twist.

Off for a cuppa...

[bumper]

spelling welcome to the club

15 years ago I did a level pay in the Palm Springs area. average cost per month it was $480 a month, 15,360 Baht per month. We have aircon on most of the day during this time, this year sometimes two. Our last bill was 5,400 baht.

But, in the states we had central air and the entire house was cooled not just one room.

But il's really like apples and oranges. Wage and costs are much more there then here. Certainly have less outages there then here. The climates are very similiar with an extreme hot season and four months of cool weather.

I used to compare the costs of things in the states to here. But, I finally have excepted I'm in Thailand and here is where I have to worry about costs.

If I were going to go solar, I would look at it a a back up for power outages. I think right now if that was all you were looking for a generator would be the least of the costs.

Since I want at least one aircon on that would take one heck of a system from what I have read here.

[glalt]

I think I paid 15,000 baht for my electric start 5,000 watt generator. That will run my whole house if I turn off the shower water heater. The wife has it turned off most of the time anyways, but I like warm water. At the farm it starts and runs the 1 HP submersible water pump without even grunting.

The 2,500 watt unit at home is fine for my needs. It will run the water pump, refrigerators, TV and lights. I think it would start and run the 9,000 BTU air con but I have not tried it.

You can't beat a generator for cost if you just want backup power.

By the way, I never lose my car in a parking lot. When I take the GPS out of the holder and put it in my pocket, it remembers where I parked. LOL.

[ukmasterzzzz]

Good evening. Maybe I can get some help from here I'm liveing in nakae south east of udon I was trying to find out the best angles to point mypannals at the moment there on homemade stands that can revolve 360 and rotate 360 as well so any angle and pointing any way is ok. I've had them sevral years now as a back up for power cuts but as my batteries are getting older there not olding there charge so well. I'm running 9 small panels as at the time I could not find large ones. They are 120 and 130 watts. And a very small 40 watts into Olof converter 20 amps and then onto 11 marine batties
But my plan now is to add large 20 amp panels which my local shop stocks but they seam expencive at 15000 baht each you up in do do you know if AMORN have this size I did see some big panels in the shop but not sure what size they were And I dont know how to get the watt value from a 20 amp panel. I already have the cut of breaker installed on my mains line with auto trips on so it's very easy forme change from back up to mains electric and I've sevral large inverters that I went to get in china So that sides not a problem it's just setting up to brake away from the batteries as that seems a never ending cost side of solar. Thanks hope some one can help. Me get it sorted as the house is one the market and IDE like thing as well as the genaratior there a good solar as well before I sell the house

[maxeboy]

Hi.

Try this URL and You can work out best place for Your plant.

http://www.solarserver.com/service/sola ... urope.html

Also open attechement: Screenshot.......... which gives You and idea of how it works.

kind regards from

maxeboy

[glalt]

I dodged the bullet. The new house subject came up again. I asked my wife what she wanted most in a new house. She wanted a 6 by 6 meter living room. The front porch was 3 by 3 meters and there was room for a 3 by 3 meter addition. The construction guys are working on it now. The project is moving right along.

I was also tired of having my two solar panels on the ground in the front yard. I had a shade problem and really didn't want to cut the offending trees. The roof of the new addition wasn't orientated perfect but my panels are now on the new roof. They face WSW at about 240 degrees and the tilt is about 9 degrees. The orientation is far from recommended but the performance seems to be very good. This is the first day and it is cloudy but I can already see an improvement. I'll update the performance within a few days after we get a sunny day or two.

The wife will have her 6 by 6 meter living room and it appears that my panel orientation is quite acceptable. A win, win situation. The panels are hidden and you can't see them from the road. We live on a corner and they are hidden from both roads.

[bumper]

Just thought this was interesting. I believe they were on the right rack with the solar roof program. But, the pricing was simply ridicules. Every home in Thailand has the potential to produce energy. But, it needs to be made a lot more attractive and affordable. If the majority is going to participate.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politic ... 36268.html

[glalt]

What a dilemma !! I had my solar panels oriented as recommended when they were on the ground mount. They faced straight south at 180 degrees and were tilted 16 degrees. My roof faces WSW at 240 degrees and the panels are tilted about 9 degrees. I thought I'd try it because it was an easy way to mount them. Everything looked good but then in the full sun, my MPPT charge controller stopped working. The fault indicator said it was overloaded. I looked at the peak wattage and it said 560 watts. That's too much current for that 20 amp controller. The one I had at the farm was 40 amps. I swapped them out and things are working great. Unfortunately I now cannot use my 500 watt grid tie inverter because I am getting too much power from the two panels. Now I am worried that the two 275 watt farm panels will overload the 20 amp controller that I took from home. I don't know whether to be happy or sad. I had faulted the panels for not putting out anywhere near what they were rated at. I was wrong. Live and learn.