Puerto Rico's governor says 'let's talk' after Elon Musk says Tesla can rebuild the island's grid

Tumi
Tumi Registered Users Posts: 25 ✭✭
edited October 2017 in In the Weeds--Member's Choice #1
“Welcome, to Tesla Island!” (Jurassic Park music) 

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/06/elon-musk-could-help-puerto-rico-electricity-hurricane-maria.html
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  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Batteries are great, but aren't much good if the wires to loads are blown to ratsh*t.
    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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  • Ocean
    Ocean Registered Users Posts: 46 ✭✭
    #3
    I think it would be awesome... decentralized Solar power grid (hopefully) with battery backups for overnight power... even if it was just decentralized to the point of "townships".... I wonder what he's got in mind?
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  • mcgivor
    mcgivor Solar Expert Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2017 #4
    Batteries have a limited life expectancy, so like a drug dealer, get them hooked, creating a market for what it is you have to sell, good from a marketing point perspective , but seriously 3.41 million people on an off grid system is unrealistic. Of course with government incentives, tax right offs, for expenses disguised as charity, the honest tax payer will foot most of the bill, but won't benifit on the profit from  replacement batteries later down the road, even if the whole scheme were possible.
    edit.  The Australian project claims to  supply power to 30 000 homes, but read the fine print....30 000 homes for an hour during a sag in the grids ability to support the load, meanwhile the grid would be working at full capacity, things are not always what they appear.
    1500W, 6× Schutten 250W Poly panels , Schneider MPPT 60 150 CC, Schneider SW 2524 inverter, 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Battery Bodyguard BMS 
    Second system 1890W  3 × 300W No name brand poly, 3×330 Sunsolar Poly panels, Morningstar TS 60 PWM controller, no name 2000W inverter 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Daly BMS, used for water pumping and day time air conditioning.  
    5Kw Yanmar clone single cylinder air cooled diesel generator for rare emergency charging and welding.
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  • jonr
    jonr Solar Expert Posts: 1,386 ✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2017 #5
    I could see the island running on solar during the day with batteries in place to handle short-term losses in sun.  Then diesel or LNG generators at night (and as backup).    Put time-of-use pricing in place as dictated by costs.

    Other than scale, not much conceptual difference between a system for 3.4 people or 3.4M people.

    Is decentralized solar more robust to hurricanes?  I don't know, solar panels don't do so well in hurricane winds.  And you still need all the utility lines for no-sun conditions.  

    I expect that their best best is underground lines - but that's expensive.

    Electricity in PR was around $.20/kWh.  Probably needs to be double that.

    I am available for custom hardware/firmware development

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  • dennis461
    dennis461 Registered Users Posts: 109 ✭✭✭
    #6
    Puerto Rico currently holds more than $70 billion in debt in part because of years of government overspending. 

    Trump pledges to wipe out their dept.

    Bond prices plummeted to 40 cents on a dollar.

    Who's going to pay for the batteries...

    Chose all that apply..

    A. You and me
    B. Our children
    C. PR citizens

    Underground electric distribution works pretty good in USA for new project development with $250,000 plus homes.
    Pretty hard to retrofit neighborhoods with an electric operator in bankruptcy.


    .
    Camden County, NJ, USA
    19 SW285 panels
    SE5000 inverter
    grid tied
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  • jonr
    jonr Solar Expert Posts: 1,386 ✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2017 #7
    It might be that expensive neighborhoods or individuals in PR do opt out of connecting to the grid and create their own solar/battery/generator systems using private funding sources.     But that would be silly if grid power is available for below cost (as it apparently was).

    I've have no idea what the solution is to PR's problems.  Could merge it into Florida, but that's not going to happen for political party reasons.

    I am available for custom hardware/firmware development

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  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,925 ✭✭✭✭
    #8
    Latitude is only 18 degrees so panels would not have to offer much for winds to lift. About the only positive I can think of at the moment.  Last I heard, Tesla would collapse without it's subsidies. 

    I suspect they may wind up burning a lot of coal.

    Seems to me that infrastructure built in hurricane zones should be built with that in mind. Is that just crazy talk? 
    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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