I apply the 1st rule of work - Keep It Simple Stupid. So i was “intrigued” about your tracking idea.
Snow accumulation - yes. However, panels are mounted on elevated rack w/ base of panels about 3’ above grade. The foundation is large concrete “bars” w/ structural steel firmly attached. I just realized that i would need access to panels during winter, which means snow plowing. Need to think about this.
Blowing snow, doubt it as 3 sides of property are lined with trees.
i lived in Fairbanks for 5-years. I happened to be at a high elevation East & North of Fairbanks on 12/21/05 and took some photos looking south to capture the elevation of the sun. That is the north side of the Alaska Range in the distant. Not much solar energy at this latitude.
@pmover,
Perhaps it is because you haven’t browsed the whole Simpli site, or not read this whole thread entirely, or not noticed just one particular thread, or something else is in the way, so I’ll state it plainly.
My comment about a wind turbine (Ben’s echo & smirk) are motivated by the fact that I have been custom-building wind turbines in my spare time for over 15 years. Depending on how you count, I’m on my 4th energy-producing wind turbine. I commissioned my current one 3 years ago and it promises to outlast my previous WT, which lasted 10 years (9 if you only count the blades, because they were inherited from the one before that).
So it would be a lot of fun to assess your site for wind, if you are willing.
Yeah, sorry to be so indirect…but I also didn’t want to sell Spar’s services without his buy-in before hand. Now he’s given you the go-ahead. So start discussing! Also, try the search bar at the top of the page for “wind turbine”, should give you an idea of what Spar has been up to. Spar, some of the links in those older posts are now broke (the ones to the SparWeb Aero page), fwiw.
I appreciate the promotion, Ben. Maybe not for the reasons you think, though.
My www.sparweb.ca page used to have a bunch of my RE projects, but it went stale. Then I reformatted the whole site last year, knowing that my next career move would be to set up an independent company and consult. I didn’t make that move last year, but now that plan seems to be coming about - absolutely not in the way I expected. So I need Sparweb to be about airplanes, from now on.
@pmover I’m going to continue this thread about the PV installation I’m preparing. If you do want to pursue questions about your site, either wind or solar, please feel welcome to start a thread of your own (and you can stand in the spotlight!)
I’ve taken the next big step with my PV installation. I’ve pre-paid 25% to the installer of my choice, and now I am scheduled in for October. (October!?)
In the meantime I am considering the trees that need to be removed and relocating my batteries closer to the place the main Inverter will go.
Oh, and I also really want to build a new datalogger, and slowly accumulating the parts for that, too.
@SparWeb
i have not browsed the whole Simpli site nor was i aware of your custom wind turbine “expertise”. yes, i am guilty of being ignorant of not utilizing the search feature, but my interest in PV and wind turbine installation started within the past 2 months or so. This posting, in addition to other individuals and recent articles have spurned my interest and research. a recent local development is the talk about dwindling gas supplies, which has occurred here before with large users of natural gas shutting down or relocating elsewhere. So, alternate/renewable energy sources are now of interest for me. state energy leaders are also seeking renewables ideas and i’m not sure about available funding, if any.
If i pursue PV or wind installation, i will start another thread. I will say that i have learned much lately about PV systems and i am much enthused about them. Improvements in battery storage and PV are forthcoming, but that is likely years from now.
Good luck with your future business ventures!
Oh! October start date! Ouch! Tree removal, good for removing fire hazards and more sun for PV panels. A local friend is having a tree removal service remove a dozen trees near his home. We would cut the trees ourselves, but the close proximity to home, fence, and other structures require the need for a specialist.
fwiw, i recently had cataract surgery, which has improved my vision. i can not tell you how many times this past year or so that i would misread documents and otherwise. in the last month, i have noticed significantly less vision problems. What i am dealing with now is crystal clear vision in left eye, but right eye is like looking through a mild tinted yellow lens. both eyes now 20/20. too bad the right eye cataract will not be taken care of now.
