Living with Solar Energy
Solar Panels
For two weeks now we’ve lived solely on solar energy. It feels great, because we’re so eco-friendly, not harming anyone, etc. However, there are some down sides to solar energy. A lot of appliances are simply Verboten. No toasters, no hairdryers, no electric heaters. They take up so much energy that they suck it all up and leave you stranded in the dark.
Also, when there’s no sun, you’re stuck. We’ve had two rainy days and then our energy was totally depleted. So there we were, sitting around with candles and the no-energy-alarm going off for two days. (it’s two little beeps. All the time. If you stop and listen they’ll drive you insane.)
Luckily, our landlord has a generator. It runs on gasoline, and it sounds like someone’s left their moped in your basement. Doesn’t load quite as well as the sun, but hey, we had some light!
Luckily, the sun’s come out today, but we still have to be extra energy conscious and as soon as the clouds appear shut down most of our equipment, internet, laptops, lights.
I do see a lot of good sides to this: no more endless nights scouring eBay, no more working around the clock. On the other hand, without light life gets a bit dull, because you can’t read, or knit or write or do anything really. So am going to the shop now for some industria strenght candles and I’ve sent away for a whole box of reading lights, including batteries. Better safe than sorry!
January 2nd, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Living with Solar Energy…
For two weeks now we’ve lived solely on solar energy. It feels great, because we’re so eco-friendly, not harming anyone, etc. However, there are some down sides to solar energy. A lot of appliances are simply Verboten. No toasters, no hairdryers, no …
January 2nd, 2009 at 6:47 pm
I did a whois on your domain. I emailed you. I hope the email goes through and it didn’t go to the wrong place. I just wanted to share that my wife and I, too, have wondered what it would be like to live in Andalusia.
But anyway, on the solar thing… You know, one thought that comes to mind is that instead of being without power, or having to store power up in dangerous, explosive, expensive batteries, and which also have a capacity on some days where you have wasted power being discarded — you could be putting that power back on the power grid. So, what some people are starting to do in the USA is just collect the solar energy and push it right back on to the power company’s electricity grid with no storage in their home at all. That reduces the cost of solar energy because all it would be are panels and wires and a device from the power company. In return, you get a reduced power bill and more guarantee of power when there is no sun out. You also get more solar energy out because, without batteries, you do not waste a small part of the energy.
December 24th, 2009 at 7:53 am
Hi that is a very fascinating view, It does give one food for thought, I am very delighted I stumbled on your blog, i was using Stumbleupon at the time, anyway i don?t want to drift on too much, but i would like to mention that I will be back when I have a little time to read your blog more exhaustively, Once again thanks for the post and please do keep up the good work,