41 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

 

We do not yet fully know..... all the fuss wrt wind turbines some years ago was hype. Low generation, weather dependent and short lifespan, tied to being environmentally damaging. Many of these new sources are inactive at night or are weather dependent, and hence would obligate massive power storage installations or a need to be backed up by conventional generation like Natural Gas turbines anyhow. 

We made mistakes turning our backs on nuclear... France appears to have succeeded even selling power to UK. 

 

I see the subject of this topic as a useful experiment, and likely not a solution. 

So far, no Fukushimas, Chernobyls, or Three Mile Islands with PVs.  

 

Without data of any kind your post is just unsubstantiated opinion.  If you have a case to make against PVs, make it.

 

Meanwhile, South Australia in 2020 was generating 60% of its electricity from wind and solar with power costs the lowest among the among the mainland states and in 2021 became the only state not to have a power outage since 2018.  And they are expanding the capacity of the Homsdale battery.  They expect to become an energy exporter in the future possibly including exporting clean hydrogen to Japan.

 

Sounds like the basis for a solution to me.

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

I hope the banned jet skis

I call them aquatic chainsaws. ????

2 hours ago, nobodysfriend said:

Before installing it , you have to calculate how many watts you need every day to run your appliances . once you figured that out , you buy panels for the double of that amount ...

If having PEA service, look at your bill for kw/units use and simply divide by 30.  I think most can get by or supplement their electric needs with a 7.5KWS for daytime use.

 

Presently were using < 700 kw / units a month, although only 1 sm AC on most of 24 hrs, if not on AC, then dehumidify mode overnight.

 

Old house, larger and 4 ACs and we used 2X the electric. 

New house build, and I figure we'll use 1000+/- kw or 33 kw/units a day w/battery back-up for overnight & early morning till solar kicks in direct from panels.  1 lg AC daytime, 1 sm AC nighttime.

 

Grid for back up, JIC.

So, it produces (maybe) 45 MW through the day. At night, it produces 0 MW. Greatest demand is during darkness! and no way to store the power.

7 minutes ago, Grusa said:

So, it produces (maybe) 45 MW through the day. At night, it produces 0 MW. Greatest demand is during darkness! and no way to store the power.

Well, first off, as was pointed out, solar during the day and hydropower at  night. So they got that covered.

And your claim that greatest demand is during darkness is absolutely false. That's why utilities in many countries charge lower rates at night when demand is lower.

And even though they're not being used in this system, storage systems do exist and are rapidly declining in price.

3 hours ago, phetphet said:

Great idea. But maybe won't be working at capacity for a couple  of months until the hot season kicks in.

You get more electricity production in the winter with clear skies, than you do in the summer with monsoon.

19 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

You get more electricity production in the winter with clear skies, than you do in the summer with monsoon.

Also, high ambient temperatures actually lessen the productivity of a solar cell. Of course, in this case, that's not going to be a problem. Which is another plus for a system like this.

7 hours ago, cmarshall said:

It's interesting that the dam itself only produces 36 megawatts.

Good point but the dam was built to retain water for agricultural benefit..

27 minutes ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

Good point but the dam was built to retain water for agricultural benefit..

Not exclusively.

 

The Sirindhorn Dam is in Sirindhorn District, Ubon Ratchatani, Thailand.^[3] It impounds the Lam Dom Noi River, and its reservoir is the province's largest water resource. The dam was commissioned in 1971 to serve as a hydropower facility as well as to supply irrigation water. The dam was named after Princess Royal Sirindhorn. All of the electricity generated by the dam is destined for domestic markets. The dam was constructed and is owned and operated by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand and is located in the Mekong River Basin, just upstream from the controversial Pak Mun Dam.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirindhorn_Dam

7 hours ago, cmarshall said:

Sounds like the basis for a solution to me.

I agree, looks promising, for Southern Australia: having a huge power outage in 2016 taught them some lessons. 

Edited November 12, 20214 yr by jacko45k

10 hours ago, MrMuddle said:

I'd love to fit solar panels to my house, but don't know where to start. Is there any "how to" advice available in both Thai and English?

Have a look in the "Thailand/Real Estate/alternative energy" section of this forum. Plenty of info on How To there.

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

I agree, looks promising, for Southern Australia: having a huge power outage in 2016 taught them some lessons. 

Australia has a big problem with not enough synchronous plant…ie rotating plant generation. But that was not the cause of the 2016 blackout.

11 hours ago, JAS21 said:

Australia has a big problem with not enough synchronous plant…ie rotating plant generation. But that was not the cause of the 2016 blackout.

I thought I read it was something to do with the Wind Farms and over protection.

Anyhow,  Australia exports it's pollution along with it's coal. 

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

I thought I read it was something to do with the Wind Farms and over protection.

Anyhow,  Australia exports it's pollution along with it's coal. 

Well, it had to do with winds of a sort.

SA's statewide blackout was five years ago — here's how energy supply has evolved since then

Among the more surreal and enduring images from South Australia's infamous statewide blackout are the photos of electricity transmission towers collapsed and contorted in foggy fields.

On the afternoon of September 28, 2016, twin tornados ripped through SA's mid north, damaging critical infrastructure and shutting off power to the entire state.

More than 20 of the giant pylons were knocked out, folding in on themselves as if Uri Geller had somehow magicked them into submission.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-28/sa-statewide-blackout-anniversary-energy-impacts/100496564

Something good did come of it however. Tesla built a 100 megawatt battery that can protect the power system. In addition, it helps to regulate power levels within the system and by doing so extends its lifetime.

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

I thought I read it was something to do with the Wind Farms and over protection.

Anyhow,  Australia exports it's pollution along with it's coal. 

Yes…the information that I had from my son, and I’ve also read a bit, named six factors. Initial cause was severe weather damaging plant. He is part of a team looking into  the non synchronous generation problem.