solar/wind energy question?

Posted on December 27, 2009 by admin

I have a small holding in quite a remote area & want to install wind or solar energy to cut the costs. I dont aim to be fully independant of the grid but just want to produce enough(perhaps only in summer if solar) to make a saving……how can i do this? I dont have a lot of money & ive been told that solar panels & wind turbines are expensive….any advice? I live in Eastern Europe( Slovakia)
The problem is that I am not a Slovak ( so am unsure how I would stand applying for government money) & renewable energy is a very new concept here. can you buy used solar & wind equipment? Is there a website that deals with this sort of thing?

There is no way to store AC power.

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9 Responses to solar/wind energy question?

  1. Dark knight says:
    December 27, 2009 at 9:36 pm

    Have you thought about going to your government’s web site, see if you can get a grant(free money for going green)
    I know the website is for the uk but have a look and see if you can get any idea.
    you could Research the web and see about building your own wind power from scrap parts like a car alternator and bits of metal for the blades and tower
    References :
    http://www.bwea.com/

  2. RapidRPM says:
    December 27, 2009 at 10:24 pm

    A very cheap way to get wind turbines is to buy marine wind turbines designed for boats. The advantage of these is that you can attach them to your house.
    References :

  3. JOHNNIE B says:
    December 27, 2009 at 10:47 pm

    There is no way to store AC power.
    References :

  4. Common Sense says:
    December 27, 2009 at 11:04 pm

    It will probably take you many years to recover
    the cost of your initial investment.
    References :

  5. GABY says:
    December 27, 2009 at 11:20 pm

    If you reason is to save money, then it is probably a waste of time, unless your cost of grid power is VERY high, and you live in an area that has sunshine/wind almost all the time.

    I live in Arizona where the sun shines almost every day of the year. The utility company here is offering a hugh subsidy to install a solar system. Even with the subsidy, the payback time is estimated at 23 years and the equipment life is estimated to be 20 years max. Power is about 10 cents per KWH here.

    Solar power is wonderful for the environment, but is not cost effective in most areas. Get the facts. Don’t believe the uneducated "Environmentalists" and media. It is wonderful for the rich, elite, and governments that have a lot of money to spend.
    References :
    Engineer – have been studying solar for years.

  6. 2bEarly says:
    December 27, 2009 at 11:42 pm

    I don’t think it’s possible achieve such objectives for nothing, the very nature of such a project will involve some cost. The level of power required will be the main factor influencing the price to be paid, normally higher power generation means increased costs!

    The most common method is to use the wind/solar energy to provide hot water, which is the main thing most people need. Normally the power generator, either solar or wind, is linked to an inverter which converts low to high voltage.

    It’s also possible to store the energy by using a battery, or similar, so that any excess solar/wind power is saved/stored for use when power is not being generated, for example at night or when there is no wind. If you use a lead acid battery it’s important to remember the it must not be placed in direct contact with floor, otherwise it will soon loose its ability to retain a charge. It’s best to keep it on a wooden bench or similar.

    Unfortunately most of the links are for the UK, but they may ship stuff to you? This one’s a ‘cheap’ (if not the cheapest!) site: http://www.solar-cheap.com/

    The others have some good offerings as well, they will give you an idea of costs.

    OK!
    References :
    http://www.navitron.org.uk/shop.php
    http://www.solarenergyalliance.com/shop/solarpanels/panels_all.htm

  8. little.robbergirl says:
    December 28, 2009 at 12:06 am

    you can make a solar hot water heater for very little if you are any good at plumbing, its very popular in germany, they even have clubs.
    http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=solar+hot+water+free+plans+diy&meta=&btnG=Google+Search

    solar pv is indeed very expensive, but wind turbines generally pay for themselves in a good site in a couple of years. you need to check out the windspeeds where you would put it first really.

    i found one slovakian wind turbine manufacturer on my first search so probably worth your time having a good look about on line. i would guess they would be much cheaper made in country than imported.
    http://inpenta.eu/inpenta_en.html

    References :

  9. Nick the Tile Man says:
    December 28, 2009 at 12:37 am

    OK, you can build a solar panel or wind mill for under 200/100 dollars that will generate electric, make you less dependent from the utility company, is safe for our environment and isn’t hard to build.
    Go green and save money!
    References :
    http://usa4energy.com