Grid-Tie Inverters with Batteries [RE-wrenches]

[Ken Schaal]

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Here in the East  [central mid -atlantic ], where it has been 25% above
normal for rainfall for two years, and we get ice storms and hurricanes
causing outages for as much as 1-2 weeks, and total grid failures, and,
being near DC, a population aware of the threat to infrastructure , our
calls for the last year are increasingly for security. And yet,VA has an
excellent net metering law, which may go to 500KW for commercial systems,
is10KW for residential, with full retail credit for sell side. So efficiency
with backup is critical ! Even my early Y2K customer, a woman in her 80's,
is ready to go from 2KW to 4. As a child, she would water the batteries on
her parents ' Delco system', before rural electrification .
  PS--  Even the Utility sells generators!


----- Original Message -----

From: "Christopher Freitas --- OutBack Power" <cfreitas at outbackpower.com>
To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2004 8:26 PM
Subject: RE: Grid-Tie Inverters with Batteries [RE-wrenches]




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William Korthof wrote:
> In fact, most of our customers start losing interest in solar-UPS
> at a cost premium of $1,000-$2,000. At the more realistic $4,000
> -$8,000 premium, all but a few loose interest.

I don't think that the additional cost of the batteries, installation
and additional switchgear HAS to end up being $4000 to $8000 - My
figuring works out to be more in the $2000 range,  assuming a relatively
small battery and only a few backed-up circuits in the house.  We need
to separate out providing some back-up power (for necessities like
lights, tv and cold beer) from trying to powering the entire house.

I know that many of the PV inverter manufacturers are working hard to
reduce the cost of including back-up capability to a PV system AND have
already improved the performance significantly.  My measurements in the
field on real side-by-side systems has shown that under ideal conditions
the grid-tie with battery system can produce 90 to 95% of the
batteryless grid-tie system's KWH output (the range depends on battery
type and size - which dictates the level of losses).  In less than ideal
conditions, the grid-tie with back-up might even exceed the batteryless
system (such as in certain partially shaded PV array conditions)

Its a lot like the issue of buying an economy car or a pick-up truck -
or a regular car and one with 4x4 capability.  The customer will need to
determine their own needs and wants.  You don't see car dealers telling
customers that they really don't need a pick-up or a 4x4... although I
might agree that sometimes they probably should...

Christopher Freitas
OutBack Power Systems, Inc.
cfreitas @ outbackpower.com
www.outbackpower.com
Arlington WA USA
Tel 360 435 6030

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