Solar Power To Power Your Home?

[jbrain]

Does anyone know about the viability of a solar system specifically built to sell power to the grid?

I have several large systems in my area and am told that that is what they are.

Sugarcane isn't paying that great....

Actually, I just googled it. There are many solar farms here. Large projects by large groups with large money. What about the viability of doing this on a smaller scale?

Anyone have any "quick" information??

I guess you just answered your own question.

Large projects by large groups with large money. and large connections.

Just an easy example, Time of Use meters are now common in Thailand, at least according to the PEA website. Try to go get one installed as a private person.

Edited August 6, 2013 by jbrain

[balderdash]

Supposedly - there are a couple of articles in The Nation and Bankok Post - there is a new solar initiative to put solar on roofs. It is supposed to be pay 6.96THB/unit

for systems in the KW range, less of a payout for MW plants. There was a comment in the article, if the government get 100,000 homes to sign up, the govt will do the

installation for free. I am not sure what size system you (Canada) are talking about.

Link to Bangkok Post removed per forum rules, sorry.

If it goes through, it would be a boon for rooftop solar.

Edited August 6, 2013 by Crossy

[Canada]

Supposedly - there are a couple of articles in The Nation and Bankok Post - there is a new solar initiative to put solar on roofs. It is supposed to be pay 6.96THB/unit

for systems in the KW range, less of a payout for MW plants. There was a comment in the article, if the government get 100,000 homes to sign up, the govt will do the

installation for free. I am not sure what size system you (Canada) are talking about.

Link to Bangkok Post removed per forum rules, sorry.

If it goes through, it would be a boon for rooftop solar.

Mods will be Mods... perhaps you could PM me the link. Thanks.

[Canada]

I don't have any idea of the cost of solar systems so it is difficult for me to say what size I am talking about, but I have a hundred rai of sugarcane. I wonder if solar farming would pay better. I would likely be limited by set up cost, not land holdings. I only actually have 50 rai close to the grid.

[jbrain]

Supposedly - there are a couple of articles in The Nation and Bankok Post - there is a new solar initiative to put solar on roofs. It is supposed to be pay 6.96THB/unit

for systems in the KW range, less of a payout for MW plants. There was a comment in the article, if the government get 100,000 homes to sign up, the govt will do the

installation for free. I am not sure what size system you (Canada) are talking about.

Link to Bangkok Post removed per forum rules, sorry.

If it goes through, it would be a boon for rooftop solar.

I saw that reference to the 100.000 homes and free installation also. So I guess the first 99.000 applicant just gonne have the stuff laying around till they are eligable for free installation.

Edited August 6, 2013 by jbrain

[jbrain]

I don't have any idea of the cost of solar systems so it is difficult for me to say what size I am talking about, but I have a hundred rai of sugarcane. I wonder if solar farming would pay better. I would likely be limited by set up cost, not land holdings. I only actually have 50 rai close to the grid.

Well for sure it would take a large investement which will only start to pay of after a certain number of years, while I guess with sugarcane you have your return every harvest, and I would never trust any Thai government with that.

[balderdash]

Actually, you can go to the ThaiVisa.com search input and type "solar", at least as of today,and the first two articles are

on rooftop solar news.

Like "jbrain" says, the problem is, will the Thai government be able to keep the program going if the economy should slide into recession. It seems in Australia

and other places, when the economy turns down, all those long term "promises" from government get forgotten.

I will concentrate on having a 5KW system. Enough to satisify my consumption, and then think about maybe adding more.

If you are talking putting up 50 rai of solar, that is a LOT of power. Many MWs I assume. Then you are probably on firmer ground because the big players

will no doubt get their perks kept up in an economic downturn, whilst the small rooftop perks go away. IMO I mean, they already have incentives in place

for solar farms.

Canada, 100 rai of sugarcane, you aren't out Khon Kaen way are you?

[balderdash]

sorry, I meant to write Udon Thani. I should probably wake up fully before trying to post something.

[Canada]

sorry, I meant to write Udon Thani. I should probably wake up fully before trying to post something.

We are within driving distance of both. 70 k to Udon, 110 or so to KK

A. Sri Bun Reuang to be exact.

Q.

How much do you expect to outlay for your 5 kw system?

We finally got an official quote from PEA to run a line out here. 150,000 baht for 600 meter run of single phase, which turns out to be almost a km from the draw point. I am concerned about voltage drop as this is about the limit according to them. I would also like to buy some of the land between here and the village BEFORE I have PEA do this as people will likely want more for their land once there is a PEA line running in front of it.

So I am looking at alternatives. We currently run a 5 kw generator at night for our evening entertainment and washing clothes etc.... and I do not store power although I should. Our generator is a kubota with a chinese genset running off it so it is not too expensive to operate for 4 or 5 hours per day....in comparison to a gasoline powered genset.

[balderdash]

I am just in the planning stage, and I am not even sure what part of the land I will put the system on. I am looking at several options.

1) Cheap grid-tie chinese inverters (oversized) with amorn cheapest (with only 3 month warranty) panels.

2)

A) System Cost per actuallized watt

System cost per actuallized watt over 25 yrs (ie considering replacements)

Option

1 $1.96 $3.26

2 $2.46 $3.52

[balderdash]

hmmm, not my day... hit a TAB and my message was posted somehow

[balderdash]

If you go to the amornsolar.com website, you will find a 5KW grid-tie system there (with 5 yr warranty) for 134,000 THB

I don't think it includes wiring or racking, so that would be at least an additional 5THB/watt (done similar to the solar farms with concrete pilars,

H-Beams and aluminum beams) so another 25,000 THB. This is installing by yourself of course. Total 159,000 THB but it has a 5 yr warranty

at someplace you can drive to in an hour to get warranty service. The quality of the panels and inverter might not be too good though.

I am looking at a lot of different options.

[Canada]

If you go to the amornsolar.com website, you will find a 5KW grid-tie system there (with 5 yr warranty) for 134,000 THB

I don't think it includes wiring or racking, so that would be at least an additional 5THB/watt (done similar to the solar farms with concrete pilars,

H-Beams and aluminum beams) so another 25,000 THB. This is installing by yourself of course. Total 159,000 THB but it has a 5 yr warranty

at someplace you can drive to in an hour to get warranty service. The quality of the panels and inverter might not be too good though.

I am looking at a lot of different options.

Don't have a quote for a quality system yet?

My experience is that I invariably regret cheaping out in almost 100% of the cases where I do. That usually makes the cost of doing it with quality parts just that much more expensive as I do it two times....or I settle for the inferior product and bitch myself out forever

[Canada]

If you go to the amornsolar.com website, you will find a 5KW grid-tie system there (with 5 yr warranty) for 134,000 THB

I don't think it includes wiring or racking, so that would be at least an additional 5THB/watt (done similar to the solar farms with concrete pilars,

H-Beams and aluminum beams) so another 25,000 THB. This is installing by yourself of course. Total 159,000 THB but it has a 5 yr warranty

at someplace you can drive to in an hour to get warranty service. The quality of the panels and inverter might not be too good though.

I am looking at a lot of different options.

Thanks. That's a useful link. Anyone have experience with this company?

[Crossy]

If you go to the amornsolar.com website, you will find a 5KW grid-tie system there (with 5 yr warranty) for 134,000 THB

I don't think it includes wiring or racking, so that would be at least an additional 5THB/watt (done similar to the solar farms with concrete pilars,

H-Beams and aluminum beams) so another 25,000 THB. This is installing by yourself of course. Total 159,000 THB but it has a 5 yr warranty

at someplace you can drive to in an hour to get warranty service. The quality of the panels and inverter might not be too good though.

I am looking at a lot of different options.

Thanks. That's a useful link. Anyone have experience with this company?

Apart from buying a few LED lamps I've had no dealings with AmornSolar.

Amorn themselves specialise in cheap Chinese stuff and end of line items, you tend to get what you pay for but that 5kW system is competitive with the Chinese sellers and no danger of import duties.

They do have a very good electronics repair shop.

[balderdash]

Amorn is all over Thailand. It is usually found in a Big-C or a mall. They are primarily a retail outlet selling many electronic goods, even capactiors, resistors, ICs, motors, etc. In Udon, Amorn is on the first floor of Big-C. In Khon Kaen it is on the basement floor of the mall across from Kosa Hotel. If I bought one I'd want the warranty in writing somewhere. I think, if they were to put a warranty in writing, they would honor it. But TIT. At that price, even if the inverter died after five years and

one day, it would be a very good deal. Unless of course the inverter is so bad that it is creating a lot of downtime for service.

Quality system. Well, I have been eyeing a SB1100 at solaronline,com.au in the "bargain price" section of their website. On sale for $550, not sure about shipping. It seems to be an older discontinued model, but I emailed with the SMA people and they said that a) I would not need a "licensed" technician to install it... though the installation manual specifies you would void the warranty otherwise, and they can provide technical assistance - by phone/email - to install it c) the warranty starts when you receive the device in the post... need to then send the numbers to them so they can register it... 5 yr warranty.

I am sure that if somebody ordered a few of these they would drop the price even more. If anybody wants to consider buying as a group that would save a few bucks.

Amorn has higher quality panels with 25 year warranties 10/25. They are just more expensive. I doubt you can order them from outside the country and save enough to warrant the possible hassle at customs.