Our H40 wind generator is rated at 105 Kilowatt Hours per month (kwh/mo). Our current solar array is rated at 30.7 kwh/mo. If we truly want to change our power structure (if you will) to rely less on the wind generator (see Power Shift: Increasing Our Energy Independence) we need to beef up our solar array by a factor of 3.5 or more.
Our problem here is one of comparing apples and oranges. Both will feed us, but each does so in different ways. Continue reading
When we decided that solar panels may make better sense than wind generators for our power needs and peace of mind (see Power Shift: Increasing Our Energy Independence) I began to wonder why we didn’t do this in the first place? When we installed our PV array at the end of 2007, we put up a paltry 256 watts, installing four 64 watt panels.
When I found the receipts, I got my answer. At the time we installed solar, we could barely afford the panels to replace our ailing Winco generator. Since then, prices on solar panels have dropped significantly!
This led to an important epiphany: for less than the price of a new wind generator we could dramatically upgrade our solar array. Continue reading
