Random Renewables Thread

unkel

If you have renewables that produce far more than demand most of the time, you could produce hydrogen with it, store that and use that on days that you are short

And of course other "batteries", like power walls, EVs, hot water and sand storage and the interconnectors

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119987954#Comment_119987954

Yes all true, I latched onto biogas because we have a lot of the raw ingredients on hand and could probably scale up production and storage in like 6 months if anyone could plan that far ahead

Probably same could be said for biomass or waste incineration

I just get annoyed because there's this constant argument against renewables that they aren't reliable and what happens when the wind stops blowing, etc, etc

But at the same time the "reliable" fossil fueled plants seem to be in a constant state of chaos.

This year we've heard about skyrocketing gas prices, no storage facilities in Ireland, emergency generators having to be brought online because Eirgrid somehow forgot how electricity is made, and some of those generation contracts not being delivered because they're apparently not profitable enough

I mean, I can't believe I'm the only person in the country who believes in storing up energy resources for when they're scarce

We have a tax on fuel which is supposed to ensure we have a 2 week reserve in the event of a shortage of supply, why doesn't the same exist for energy?

Jonathan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119983931#Comment_119983931

Looks like yesterday's predictions were a tad optimistic...

Highest ever demand just recorded at 7,007 MW!

unkel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119988273#Comment_119988273

15% is from coal at the moment 🤮

DC999

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119987954#Comment_119987954

True, but…was watching stuff on hydrogen recently to get my head around it. TLDR - summary is you’d need vast amounts of spare solar that’s not of benefit elsewhere before that should be diverted to green hydrogen production.

One pro hydrogen pundit said it shouldn’t be used to soak up spare solar. As that is likely better used elsewhere to take the dirty plants offline say. So while we need renewables for truly green hydrogen, using hydrogen to ‘hoover up’ solar means we cause issues elsewhere. So if you leave coal plants running so you can divert all solar to hydrogen, you don’t reduce CO2.

Maybe in the likes of vast solar fields in Africa for example, or middle east, if they ever had them would make sense to make hydrogen at source. There are talks about talks for an interconnector from solar farms in the middle east to Europe. But detractors say that secures europes power at the expense of developing countries – very fair comment!! And I’d guess there are huge losses as you travel vast distances. 

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119988273#Comment_119988273

7,008 now 😱

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119988298#Comment_119988298

Ugh, Moneypoint gets to be relevant for one more day

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119988305#Comment_119988305

Yeah I think the best argument against hydrogen I ever heard was that it only works if there's a huge amount of excess renewables in the grid.

But if you suddenly create demand for that excess then it isn't excess anymore, and suddenly the price goes up, and then suddenly hydrogen isn't economical anymore

Jonathan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119988333#Comment_119988333

GB warmed up two contingency coal units at Drax too. Tight all around.

The French nuclear fleet came back online just in time.

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119985497#Comment_119985497

We may not have much excess solar.. but excess wind. That we have!

Double down on offshore wind + some way to long term store it on a grid scale.

On the windier days it's already been curtailed,

If we doubled our current wind capacity, and was able to store and resell it. Could be interesting.

Biogas/digesters. Are also promising. New Holland have a tractor that runs on methane now.

Ireland can grow grass really well. Only real issue there is transport, ideally you'd want a lot of smaller ones dotted around the place where it would be feasible to haul to. Although biogas isn't anywhere near carbon neutral either.

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119988333#Comment_119988333

I'm doing my bit!

Ignore the battery time left, Its still configured for my old battery

silver_sky

My battery decided to dropout (62% down to 10%) at 5.30... and then force charged right in my peak time and at the peak of the country load. 😫😭

Jonathan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119988770#Comment_119988770

Are Puredrive still persisting with the firmware upgrade? Sounds like a bad cell tbh. Can you push them for a replacement unit?

unkel

I've run out a while ago too. That 10kWh extra can't come quick enough, hopefully in the next week or two

silver_sky

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119988786#Comment_119988786

Waiting on them to send it out - "We are just waiting for our technical team to supply us with the cable packs and we will get one sent to you first class."

I'll attempt this and if it doesn't sort it then yeah I'll be pushing for a replacement pack. I'm wondering if this is responsible for the issues I've been having with charge/discharge.

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119988820#Comment_119988820

Was that all off solar or were you topping up from the night rate as well?

unkel

PV today? LOL, got only about 3kWh, was foggy here all day. No, I fully charge up every night. 20kWh

I do use quite a bit of it for heating, so I use a lot less gas than I would without the home battery. For me, night rate electricity is a lot cheaper than gas, even taking into account charge / discharge losses. It also allows me to heat a few work spaces only for some of the time, instead of having the whole central heating on.

I call 11PM at night 15kW O'clock. Time for some serious charging of batteries 😂

graememk

For the ones that can measure.

How much heat are you needing these days?

I keep the house relatively warm.

In 24 hrs, currently -3 outside. Never rose to above 3 today.

Stove is also in the living room.

Me:

32 kWh of night rate electric to the tank, and about 5 buckets (20L size) of turf.

Jonathan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119988932#Comment_119988932

Are you on a 16kVA connection or do you push your 63A fuse to the limit? 😂

Jonathan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119988865#Comment_119988865

Looks like I spoke too soon.

First time I've seen this happen so I presume it is related to the cold weather. Will have to get on to Puredrive.

unkel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119989228#Comment_119989228

It wasn't me, judge 😂

The Zappi (built in load sharing) deems it ok to draw enough so the total is about 14.7kW (I briefly see 14.9kW sometimes) according to the app. Yes just 12kva / 63A 😁

But in seriousness, the car is only charged a couple times per week, at start of night rate, battery charged at about 5kW at start of night rate (to give a bit of free heat) and electric heaters / mining rigs, hot water immersion and dishwasher on timer are all run in the early hours of the morning (no more than about 5-7kW there). So I'm nowhere maxing out 15kW for the whole night

unkel

@Jonathan - "Looks like I spoke too soon."

I hate when an inverter / BMS does not do what I tell it to do. ME3000SP had a habit of starting to charge the battery up from peak rates if it though that the SOC was too low. Didn't mind getting rid of that one (problem was with my unit only as it couldn't do CAN comms, so was replaced under warranty). Solis have their own problems. Most pre-made batteries have these sorts of issues and the Sunsynks aren't without some issues either. But they do do mostly as you command them 😁

Didn't realise you had a pure drive battery. Did you not consider building your own? It's one thing to pay €2k-€2.5k for a 5kWh battery, but that doesn't really scale up well if you want to go 20kWh / 30kWh / 40kWh unless you start to sell some kidneys / daughters 😂

graememk

For the panels that have snow... Maybe stick one of these on the back!

https://www.amazon.com/KEENOVO-Universal-Silicone-Purpose-Flexible/dp/B00IM3PYSU

Always intended to get something like that for an old tractor so it can be easier to start..

Jonathan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119989379#Comment_119989379

I got 5kWh PD from installer, and bought another 5kWh from a boardsie who went DIY route. I have a specific reason for not going DIY. 🙂

redmagic68

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119989022#Comment_119989022

For me it’s been 35-39kwh of night rate for the last few days except for the sterilisation cycle/ kids bath day where it went to 48. This weather really seems to suck juice to heat water above 50C.

Raining at the minute though which must have the temp up. It’ll be good craic in the morning if it freezes over again.

slave1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119989022#Comment_119989022

Single bucket of coal to heat 1,900ft2 1970s Semi, and with that all bedroom windows open at night and in T shirt around the gaff, no need for heating the next morning. House heavily insulated.

unkel

@Jonathan - "I have a specific reason for not going DIY. 🙂"

Care to share your reason? You have only one arm? 😂

ELM327

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119989228#Comment_119989228

Same here. 12kVa connection (they wanted to change me to a smart meter to upgrade to 80/100a, no thanks).

63a at 240v is 15kW. I'm generally pulling 15-16kW for most of the night most of the time. Between charging batteries in house and car, heating water, washing or drying if its not a good solar day etc. Of course in summer there are less 15kW o clock days (to borrow Unkel's great terminology which I am absolutely stealing!)

slave1

I pull 15kW on 63a feed also between storage heater, immersion, dishwasher, dryer, washing machine and finally load balanced Zappi.

I follow lots of DIYers on YT, folks doing up an abandoned home in the middle of nowhere in the states getting their hook up to the grid signed off and 200a supply, 200a for a bog standard small house and we get 63a as standard🙄

slave1

Oh, and come April I'll have 15kW PV available, no issue running those pesky electric showers

slave1

Folks, both a smart plug and an Energy monitoring plug, can't go wrong at this price, remember to click the £2 voucher box, set of two

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B831STBX?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&tag=pepperugc03-21&ascsubtag=2443660626