Silly Question:why dont you use solar power for electricity needs?

mixie


Joined: 16/05/2009
Posts: 302

Message Posted:
27/05/2009 07:47

Just wondering...I've heard about some people discussing electricity prices on the forum before, but if you have all that sunshine and you can rely on it being hot,why is there not more use of it to

generate power?

elko2



Joined: 24/07/2007
Posts: 4400

Message Posted:
27/05/2009 08:22

My answer in a nutshell: Electricity is expensive to store, so unless we can sell the surplus energy to the grid daytime and use it from the grid night time, it is not very viable. In EU the governments have to buy the surplus but not in north Cyprus (yet).

ismet

Geejay


Joined: 18/04/2009
Posts: 475

Message Posted:
27/05/2009 08:29

In theory this can be done. In the TRNC you would need bloody big batteries to store the juice to have it available as needed. The current technology is just not good enough and Kibtek do not have the capability yet.

mixie


Joined: 16/05/2009
Posts: 302

Message Posted:
27/05/2009 08:30

thanks for that Ismet,

but what do you mean its expensive to store?Does it not just store in huge batteries?

I know it won't be as simple as this



m

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
27/05/2009 08:33

The cost of the batteries and their short life means the pay-back time is too long to make it viable.

mixie


Joined: 16/05/2009
Posts: 302

Message Posted:
27/05/2009 08:34

Geegay,

I suppose you have also to think of where you would store these batteries.

m

mixie


Joined: 16/05/2009
Posts: 302

Message Posted:
27/05/2009 08:37

TRNCVaughan,

all very confusing to me...there has to be a solution to this you would think. I take it solar power is used for somethings in anew build? like hot water or heating up a pool.

mixie

elko2



Joined: 24/07/2007
Posts: 4400

Message Posted:
27/05/2009 09:00

Mixie,

"Solar Heating" is used for heating the water direct from the rays of sunlight.

Solar power means generating electricity from solar energy.



Instead of using batteries, the French once tried to store energy by pumping water to a higher level and then used it for generating electricity when required by letting it to run downwards (Hydroelectricity). It was not economically feasible.

ismet

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
27/05/2009 09:20

In "modern" countries, photovoltaic installations are subsidised by the tax payer.

1. There are tax breaks on the cost of installation.

2. The gov makes the electricity board buy your surplus electricity at an uneconomic (to them) rate and claim the difference between what they pay and what it's worth, back from the gov (tax payer).

Reason: "Modern" govs have signed up to various protocols to reduce their carbon emmissions and they are getting their tax payers to pick up the tab.

mixie


Joined: 16/05/2009
Posts: 302

Message Posted:
27/05/2009 09:34

Well we get the cyprus issue resolved and turkey get into the EU, they may move forward on this.thanks for the info TRNCVaughan !

m