California to require new homes to have solar in 2020...

Photowhit
Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,006 ✭✭✭✭✭
in Energy Use & Conservation #1
I admit I haven't checked on the rules and methods of this, and I applaud the idea....

...but some houses and locations have such a poor layout for solar this doesn't make any sense to me.

I know when I was looking for a lot in our park for good solar access only 1 in 40 had reasonable solar access with cutting trees on neighboring lots and only about 40 in 1500 were reasonable well setup from the get-go!

I would guess this will have to be over turned or have some measure of setting this aside for those communities that values trees.
Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
- Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,634 admin
    edited May 2018 #2
    I think the rules are solar gt only if the house and lot makes sense. Buildings and landscaping that block the sun exempt the home.

    Years ago, there was a good sized development that was going 100% gt solar, but that would have required a new distribution substation (more or less, gt solar has 3 to 4x the peak average power back fed into the grid vs the average peak loads. They dropped the project.

    Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,925 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
    That will drive up the prices of both buying and renting in Cali. Its a government mandate and that usually ends very poorly.
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
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  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #4
    Details matter. I'd be interested if anyone has any.
    Off-grid.  
    Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
    Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
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