OFF-GRID SOLAR/WIND POWER SYSTEM NEEDED FOR SPAIN

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mexicalialan
mexicalialan Registered Users Posts: 1
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
I am purchasing some property in Spain that will remain "off-grid" for the rest of my life time and yours! I have checked out propane and diesel generators but did not like what I found. Currently, on my life style, we are using 725 KW hours per month and I would prefer NOT to down grade my life style to much more! The region in Spain has low rain fall [except for one month per year] and high sunshine hours. BUT... Europe uses 220/240 volt systems at 50 hz.. I may need as much as 6800 watts to start a pump motor and 2400 watts to run it. [in addition to our "normal" household use] . I would like to install a 48 volt system using 6 Volt batteries.... BUT WHO AM I TO KNOW WHAT TO DO??? ANYONE KNOW HOW TO "DESIGN" A SOLAR/WIND SYSTEM? ADVICE? [Please don't say "move to Florida"]
Thanks
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  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,003 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #2
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    DON'T MOVE TO FLORIDA!!! It's hot and humid and mostly uncomfortable and over crowded in some places.

    If you don't want to reduce your energy usage, have a large wallet.

    Quit thinking about 6 volt batteries and start thinking about large 2 volt cells.

    25 Kwh a day is a very large demand, is this a year round figure? is your energy use higher or lower during your rainy month?

    You CAN conserve with out "down grading" your life style. If this is a fresh start, consider an earth contact home, these save on heating and cooling costs. Look at all your major energy uses and consider more efficient designs, Heat pumps, mini splits, LED back lit TV's, inverter refrigeration.

    25 Kwh a day is an average, so I'd guess you would need to design around a 30-35 kwh daily usage. Figure usable energy through solar array of about 50% of panel rating, and 5 hours of charging a day, you would want 30 x 2 = 60/5 =12 Kw array. Figure storage of for 1 cloudy days to 50% of capacity 30kwh x 2(50% capacity) 60 Kwh of capacity. This would require that you run a generator if you had more than 1 cloudy day, reasonable in a mostly sunny climate.

    60 Kwh /48 volts = 1250 Amp hour 48 volt battery bank, This will leave you slightly over paneled but most economical likely and I would expect you to have significant daytime draw.
    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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