sizing up a system

Re: sizing up a system

Loads are the #1 information we need to help. Conservation will be important for you too (it is cheaper to conserve power than to generate power).

Also, you may have wide seasonal power needs too... Irrigation and circulation fans in the summer. Perhaps even business services (tourists) and refrigeration for food. In the winter, more lighting, but perhaps less refrigeration/freezer usage in winter. Or, perhaps you need more power in winter (more lighting, circulating fans, circulating pumps, etc.).

You may get over 5 hours (with fixed array) or even >8 hours (with 2 axis tracking array) worth of sun in the summer, and less than 3 hours in the winter...

In general, it is difficult to get good wind turbines off the shelf... But if you can build your own and put it on a 60-90 foot tall tower (30' higher than nearby trees/buildings, etc.), you may have a chance of getting quite a bit of power from wind. Most turbines do not do that well in harsh weather (too low of wind, no power; too high of wind, turbines may over speed/over heat).

More or less, to set expectations:

1,000 WH per day (1 kWH per day, 30 kWH per month)==Cabin with lights, laptop computer, pump for presurizing plumbing, small well pump, small TV+Radio, etc.
3.3 kWH per day (100 kWH per month)==A full off grid home + refrigerator, +well pump, +clothes washer, etc... Close to "normal" electrical life
10 kWH per day (300 kWH per month)==A very efficient home with central heat (natural gas, propane, oil)--multiple computers, another refrigerator/freezer, etc.
33 kWH per day (1,000 kWH per month)==Standard North American home (not much A/C, not much in way of conservation)
100 kWH per day (3,000 kWH per month)==Add full A/C (Texas, Florida), electric heat (up north), etc.

The first system (1 kWH per day) is a "small off grid system" that is not too much money (less than $10,000 ????).

The second system (3.3 kWH per day) is a "medium system"--Possibly $30,000 price range (prices are highly variable, just SWAGs to give an idea).

The third system at 10 kWH per day) is about as large as most people can justify.... Anything larger, is difficult for most people to justify.

-Bill