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If anything good came out of those government subsidies, it is the fact that companies figured out how to make solar power/panels cheaper to manufacture, and that will be useful going forward.
Nothing good comes out of government subsidies. They should all be cancelled.
WOW!! Like I said early on in this thread: if there is anything positive that came out of the subsidies, it is the new inventions which decreased the cost of solar energy. I guess I could say 'inventions' in general, because once there is a market all kinds of innovative people jump in the game and come up with amazing inventions.
Just as long as we have the masterminds in government deciding what energy sources we can use, and where technology advances should occur.
Solar does have its uses and applications, such as powering equipment in remote areas that cannot be reached by the power grid thru normal means.
I don't see why you give it such narrow use. If nearly every home in an area had solar roofs installed that area would need very little external generation and all for night, when there is an abundance of capacity.
I had solar panels for my pool and they were AWESOME! That damn gas heater cost a small fortune to run (though it definitely got the job done) and I always worried it because it was under my deck but too close to the wood.
I got two solar panels and ran the hoses out to it and - delightfully warm water.
Of course, it didn't exactly extend the swimming season until Thanksgiving or anything; but I didn't really need it to.
I realize I wasn't trying to heat my entire house but most pool owners I know are converting to solar panels because they are cheap to buy; cheap to install; and you don't have to pay for them to heat up a large body of water.
Anyone can poo poo renewable but it's evident that it is growing by leaps and bounds every year.
1400 residents as opposed to 320 million or so? LOL. Solar is fine but it isn't viable for the grid. It just can't be done. Now it's great for small things like heating a pool as mentioned above or to have a little solar thing for camping out. I've been looking at putting some on the home as the prices have come down and I get a 35% rebate from state and fed to do it but am maybe moving so will hold off. Anyone who thinks we can run the grid off it are not looking at reality. But that is how many behave.
I had solar panels for my pool and they were AWESOME! That damn gas heater cost a small fortune to run (though it definitely got the job done) and I always worried it because it was under my deck but too close to the wood.
I got two solar panels and ran the hoses out to it and - delightfully warm water.
Of course, it didn't exactly extend the swimming season until Thanksgiving or anything; but I didn't really need it to.
I realize I wasn't trying to heat my entire house but most pool owners I know are converting to solar panels because they are cheap to buy; cheap to install; and you don't have to pay for them to heat up a large body of water.
Solar energy to heat your pool is absurd and I'll explain why.
So you have a 20,000 gallon pool...
The basic formula for pure water is 1 btu to raise 1 lb of water one degree F. That's the Specific Heat of pure water.
So you have 8.33 lbs of water in each gallon.
You'll need 166,666.666666666666666 btu to raise that pool one degree F above ambient (that's 13.88 tons from an air sourced heat pump). The larger the difference in ambient temps to the desired pool temp the more energy you'll need.
At best you'll get 10 watts per square foot of solar energy from solar panels.
Since one watt is equal to 3.413 but you'd need 48,832 sq feet of solar panels to get your increase of water temp 1 degree F per lb of water.
I can't think of a more wasteful use of money. Unless you have piles upon piles laying around it's a useless venture.
Of course if you're trying to heat up 50 gallons for your home's water heater it's not as bad. It's still very expensive and with the cost of electricity the payback is a very, very long time.
Hey if its your money do with it as you please. Heat up the ocean with solar panels and get the global warmers all upset as long as I don't have to pay for it.
Solar energy to heat your pool is absurd and I'll explain why.
So you have a 20,000 gallon pool...
The basic formula for pure water is 1 btu to raise 1 lb of water one degree F.
So you have 8.33 lbs of water in each gallon.
You'll need 166,666.666666666666666 btu to raise that pool one degree F above ambient. The larger the difference in ambient temps to the desired pool temp the more energy you'll need.
At best you'll get 10 watts per square foot of solar energy from solar panels.
Since one watt is equal to 3.413 but you'd need 48,832 sq feet of solar panels to get your increase of water temp 1 degree F per lb of water.
I can't think of a more wasteful use of money. Unless you have piles upon piles laying around it's a useless venture.
Of course if you're trying to heat up 50 gallons for your home's water heater it's not as bad. It's still very expensive and with the cost of electricity the payback is a very, very long time.
Are you crazy? I paid a small fortune to run that gas heater and I paid next to nothing to heat it with solar panels and a solar cover. It worked wonderfully - did I mention they were cheap? Gas heater - not cheap. Heating up 30,000 gallons of water with small gas heater - not cheap.
Opening your pool a week early to allow the solar panels to heat it and then keep the heat in at night with a solar cover - cheaper.
Toasty warm pool water - achieved.
What's the problem?
Once your water has achieved the desired temp - you can then divert the water away from the solar panels so you aren't pumping the water that far out.
Solar covers are relatively inexpensive and do work well.
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