opposition to wind farm grows

[Lilith7]

Likewise, I see them as moving sculptures in a way and the pulsing of the rotors as they turn is quite hypnotic when you're right under them. The smaller vertical axis domestic turbines even more so. If we had a property with better wind exposure I'd seriously consider installing one.

https://www.solarwind.co.nz/wind-turbines.html

they do look very cool...

Yep, very futuristic. Maybe one day they'll be everywhere.

[Wainuiguy]

Have looked at PV and wind.  The research I have looked at says if the reason you are installing PV is to save money then don't bother.  The savings in power over the life of the panels and storage isn't worth it.  Wind power for domestic use is also poor.

That said I have walked across Spain and they have massive wind farms across the top of many mountains and they added to the view rather than spoilling it.  Noise wise I sat under one and had lunch one day  - was not very noisy at all.

[harm_less]

Have looked at PV and wind.  The research I have looked at says if the reason you are installing PV is to save money then don't bother.  The savings in power over the life of the panels and storage isn't worth it.  Wind power for domestic use is also poor.

And then there's the facts on PV. https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/epecentre/r...olar-tool/ EECA have this online calculator which provides economic returns on domestic PV installation for individual cases. Typically the payback period is ~10 years but the calculator lacks any input relating to EV ownership which can inmprove PV viability significantly, and of course payback is based on present supply rates for electricity which are only heading in one direction as the years roll by.

Currently the cost vs return on home storage batteries doesn't stack up but as both PV and battery technology continues to move ahead in leaps and bounds that situation will change over time, particularly as vehicle to grid (V2G) functionality becomes more common. For now grid tied PV which effectively uses the grid as its battery is the most viable option though this also requires some research to ascertain the best energy retailer to go with to gain the best fit for your own circumstances. An interesting time for advances in personal energy opportunities with many moving parts to consider.

[Wainuiguy]

Have looked at PV and wind.  The research I have looked at says if the reason you are installing PV is to save money then don't bother.  The savings in power over the life of the panels and storage isn't worth it.  Wind power for domestic use is also poor.

And then there's the facts on PV. https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/epecentre/r...olar-tool/ EECA have this online calculator which provides economic returns on domestic PV installation for individual cases. Typically the payback period is ~10 years but the calculator lacks any input relating to EV ownership which can inmprove PV viability significantly, and of course payback is based on present supply rates for electricity which are only heading in one direction as the years roll by.

Currently the cost vs return on home storage batteries doesn't stack up but as both PV and battery technology continues to move ahead in leaps and bounds that situation will change over time, particularly as vehicle to grid (V2G) functionality becomes more common. For now grid tied PV which effectively uses the grid as its battery is the most viable option though this also requires some research to ascertain the best energy retailer to go with to gain the best fit for your own circumstances. An interesting time for advances in personal energy opportunities with many moving parts to consider.

So just to confirm presently PV for home use does not make economic sense.  Thanks for backing up what I said earlier.

[king1]

interestingly there are an awful lot of solar installation in NZ, 45,000 of them. I imagine the ROI on any particular installation is going to be very dependent on circumstances, location etc For some the upfront cost could almost be considered largely irrelevant if other non-fiscal benefits are a higher priority...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_powe...ew_Zealand

[harm_less]

interestingly there are an awful lot of solar installation in NZ, 45,000 of them. I imagine the ROI on any particular installation is going to be very dependent on circumstances, location etc    For some the upfront cost could almost  be considered largely irrelevant if other non-fiscal benefits are a higher priority...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_powe...ew_Zealand

255 MW of grid tied PV in NZ as at the end of last year, which is by far the most common as non-grid connected installations are too restrictive for most people and battery storage sufficient to totally supply demand is an expensive option. Note that the total generation from that 255 MW is estimated as due to a large proportion of most installation's generation is consumed onsite it isn't able to monitor the quantity.

For example we generate around 8,000kWh per year from our 5kW of PV but have only exported 2,800kWh as the bulk of our generation we use to power our home and charge our EVs, so our electricity bills benefit to the tune of 5,000kWh.

The company we've recently contracted to upgrade our PV (to 9kW capacity) has some impressive projects on their website. Obviously there is economic benefit in domestic and commercial PV for those with the comprehension and foresight to recognise it.

[nzoomed]

Have looked at PV and wind.  The research I have looked at says if the reason you are installing PV is to save money then don't bother.  The savings in power over the life of the panels and storage isn't worth it.  Wind power for domestic use is also poor.

That said I have walked across Spain and they have massive wind farms across the top of many mountains and they added to the view rather than spoilling it.  Noise wise I sat under one and had lunch one day  - was not very noisy at all.

Ive got a friend who has installed PV on his house, he says the savings are great, he is even able to put excess back into the grid at times, biggest issue with PV is sunlight, but with wind it can vary, hence its only suitable in some locations, if you dont have a windy day, you wont be generating any power.
Regarding cost, PV is well under $1 per watt now. lots of retailers add a ton of markup, so it pays to do your research and shop around, my friend imported alot of his gear, particularly the inverter and charge controller, etc.
He grabbed CATL cells and built the battery bank himself to save even more money, but obviously not everyone has the skills to do so.
Should be also noted that the lifespan of PV cells is underestimated. Ive seen panels that were a good 15 years old and they were still putting out power that was at the advertised spec.
Lithium batteries have a far longer life than the lead acid types that are commonly used and their price has come down somewhat, something else to take into consideration is the future power costs over the time your investment returns to you.

[harm_less]

......
Should be also noted that the lifespan of PV cells is underestimated. Ive seen panels that were a good 15 years old and they were still putting out power that was at the advertised spec.
Lithium batteries have a far longer life than the lead acid types that are commonly used and their price has come down somewhat, something else to take into consideration is the future power costs over the time your investment returns to you.

The better quality PV panels also understate their generation capability. The PV array we had at our previous property consisted of 24x 215W BP brand panels. That suggests that we could expect 5.16kW in total but I've seen the inverter reading just over 6kW of input at times.

Also worth repurposing EV battery packs if you have the technical skills to do so. Even an early Nissan Leaf's battery with 50% State of Health still has 12kWh of usable storage (approximately that of a Tesla Powerwall) despite being regarded as providing insufficient range for powering the car. There are plenty of older Leafs to be had for less than $5,000 that would make perfect donors for such projects. (A Powerwall is about 3x that price).

[nzoomed]

......
Should be also noted that the lifespan of PV cells is underestimated. Ive seen panels that were a good 15 years old and they were still putting out power that was at the advertised spec.
Lithium batteries have a far longer life than the lead acid types that are commonly used and their price has come down somewhat, something else to take into consideration is the future power costs over the time your investment returns to you.

The better quality PV panels also understate their generation capability. The PV array we had at our previous property consisted of 24x 215W BP brand panels. That suggests that we could expect 5.16kW in total but I've seen the inverter reading just over 6kW of input at times.

Also worth repurposing EV battery packs if you have the technical skills to do so. Even an early Nissan Leaf's battery with 50% State of Health still has 12kWh of usable storage (approximately that of a Tesla Powerwall) despite being regarded as providing insufficient range for powering the car. There are plenty of older Leafs to be had for less than $5,000 that would make perfect donors for such projects. (A Powerwall is about 3x that price).

Yes agreed, I'm exploring options to add solar to my home.
Nissan leaf batteries can be found cheap and even near new modules turn up on trademe at times.
Main thing is getting a good BMS installed  if you go down that path.