Curious If Any Of You Are Using Solar Power For Your Electric?

[Tokay]

If so, approx how much did it cost to get you set up, and are you 100% solar efficient now, or do you still use the city power some?

[Crossy]

There are quite a few companies setting up to produce and sell PV products, have a look here http://energy.sourceguides.com/businesses/...lar.shtml#32731 hopefully those manufacturing panels in Thailand will bring prices down as they won't attract the huge duties that imported panels do.

PV is still WAY too expensive if you have city power, however solar hot-water works well and is cheap.

[canopy]

There are quite a few companies setting up to produce and sell PV products, have a look here...

I had made an attempt to contact a number of companies on that link. I received disconnected numbers, email queries that went unanswered, and visited addresses that did not have the listed business. For all my efforts, I had 0 success. It is telling how some of those telephone numbers are formatted with 7 digits just how ancient some things on that list must be. So in addition to first hand experiences, anyone providing sources that actually EXIST and serve the DIY market would be helpful.

[InterestedObserver]

As said, solar panels are far too expensive for off grid use unless you live in the boonies, then your choices are rather limited. The last time I looked there wasn't any sun on cloudy days and at night; then you get into a discussion about deep-cycle battery banks, also not cheap.

Edited November 14, 2009 by InterestedObserver

[david96]

Solar PV panels are expensive. $10000 per kW is a fair guide. Then deep cycle batteries with sufficient capacity for you consumption for 24 hours. Battery charger and inverter, all extra.

And remember the average peak sunlight is only about 5.5 hours per day max, PV arrays

are affected by cloud cover, dust, smoke and haze and rain.

And you will still require a generator as back up.

Ideally you might get most of your energy needs fron solar PV combined with wind generation

but you will need a large bank of batteries for storage purposes.

The lowest cost per kWh is connection to mains supply, the alternative is a genset, batteries

and inverter.

And remember batteries require replacement, perhaps every 5 to 7 years.

If one can afford it by all means install a solar PV system.

This site gives information on equipment available,

http://www.inverter.com.au/category7_1.htm

[longball53098]

Solar and wind power IMHO is not for the average homeowner yet and is a long way from that. When the big oil and gas producers figure a way to get their fingers in to this pie then we may get cheap solar systems but as long as they control the oil supplies and buy up any guy that comes up with a solar/wind idea we the little guy are stuck with the power we have.

[walf]

Solar and wind power IMHO is not for the average homeowner yet and is a long way from that. When the big oil and gas producers figure a way to get their fingers in to this pie then we may get cheap solar systems but as long as they control the oil supplies and buy up any guy that comes up with a solar/wind idea we the little guy are stuck with the power we have.

BP is the owner of the amorpous silizium solar cell

the production for hte thin film technology is also owned by BP

they have no interest to change the production to the mor efficien thin film technology

first they like to suck the customers with the olt technology of amorpous PV cell

in shanghai tehre are couple companies who produce cells i hav seen 3

they also cut and do the PV silicon cell by themselfe and produce the panel also

but still technology is not complicated and they can make some money..

so no reason for them to chnage any at that time...

rgds.. walf

[gregb]

The simple fact is NOBODY in Thailand is realistic with their pricing.

Solar panels in the US right now are going for under $2/watt. That doesn't include the charge controller or inverter of course, but those aren't terribly expensive compared to the cost of the panels themselves. It shouldn't set you back more than $2000 USD for a 4KW setup. So, you should be able to get a complete 4KW system for only about 350K. The bastards here think it is worth nearly a million.

I can't find anyone in Thailand even coming close to meeting ~70 baht/watt for solar panels. I can't find anyone even willing to sell at 100 baht/watt. The fact is, if you are serious about going solar, your best bet is to import the panels from the US. A pallet can be shipped via LCL sea freight for about $400, and then you are just stuck with import duties and VAT.

Unless and until Thai companies wake up from their delusions, this is the only possibility in my opinion. Would be interested in hearing from someone who has experience with a realistic supplier.

[gregb]

hopefully those manufacturing panels in Thailand will bring prices down as they won't attract the huge duties that imported panels do.

Crossy,

What is the huge duty on imported panels, for those of us who are considering going this route. Any idea?

[genset]

Crossy,

What is the huge duty on imported panels, for those of us who are considering going this route. Any idea?

Hi gregb,

I have no idea how much these guys charge for their technology and/or installation service, but this is the website for the Thai-German Solar Company, they are located in Khon Kaen http://www.tgs.co.th they may be able to help you out with the information you need.

Genset

[Lantern]

Tons of info here.

http://www.rpc.com.au/

[Gary A]

To give you an idea of what small systems cost, I got quotes from two companies. It was odd that both companies gave the same specifications and exactly the same price. The systems were rated for 450 watts and the cost was 150,000 baht. At that price you would NEVER get a payback.