Number crunching

Maybe the rate of production increase as the morning sun begins climbing up in the sky?

 

After missing many great auroras to clouds, my hopes are way up tonight. Though with urban light pollution, will probably have to go somewhere else.

Back in the 80s, while still living within Seattle proper, I once saw an amazing aurora from Green Lake, strong enough be show through the city's lights.

330 GW now. The strongest I remember ever seeing on that NOAA-SWPC oval webpage was barely over 200 GW, during a great display that was clouded out here.

PS: lots of great pictures already showing up here from Europe, New Zealand, and Australia:

Spaceweather.com Realtime Image Gallery

 

Thanks for the response.
Is your system in centralized inverter with individual optimizer like by Solar Edge SE inverter? Or is it with micro inverter on each panel like by Enphase IQ8?

I had now 6 different companies give me quotes, 4 with Enphase micro inverter and 2 with SolarEdge. The system size differ from the smallest 4.8kW to the largest 15.8kW. the total cost is different by size, but the cost/W all comes to be close to the market average of $3.33/W. Essentially, there is no discount by going larger size. But at the same time, with a smaller system it will not offset 100% consumption, so less saving. I am inclined to go with a larger system that will offset 100% usage to achieve net zero. I have explored the off-grid system, but for our current home and electricity need, it just did not make sense. The battery cost too much.

Since efficiency of the panels used by every vender are all above 20% and very similar. Question is micronverter vs optimizer which are more efficient in producing more total power.

 

Yes, my bad. The range was $2.74/W to $3.98/W. Our state average is $3.33/W.

I do like micro inverter option for scalability and better individual panel monitoring capabilities, but the $2.74/W vender quote (the lowest bid so far) is with Enphase centralized inverter with power optimizer. Micro inverter cost more with a larger system requiring more panels (thus more microinveters).

Your point is well taken. I hope with either system, warranty repair is an extremely rare thing. But I also have read that for a larger system, the centralized inverter with optimizer has better efficiency than micro inverter system due to shorter cable to run. Though I am not sure if that is really the case.

 

Dime hot?

 

WOW!!!

We drove to a Puget Sound waterfront location for reduced (but still lots of) light pollution and no tree canopy obstruction. The first 45 minutes, it was spread across 2/3rds of the sky, but very very underwhelming. To the unsuspecting eye, it was just like ordinary suburban light pollution, with a few very high thin wispy clouds lit up from city lights below. But a knowing eye could see numerous changing features, and a decent camera revealed all the aurora colors, no clouds anywhere. Not just a white or green or reddish show like I've seen, but all of them, and purple-ish too.

Then it blew up.

My best ever.

Even with substantial light pollution, and streetlights preventing proper dark adaptation, it far far exceeded anything I'd seen in ideal dark-adapted star party conditions way back when. Even back at the house, with more artificial light and substantial tree interference, it was still the best ever, apart from the waterfront view.

 

Did you resolve the 5 sleepy inverters preventing you to acheive your goal

 

Looking forward to annual production numbers!

 

Unfortunately, in our case, the limiting agent is the size of the roof. If we want 100% offset, then we will need ~13,000kWh of production based on our current bill. But if we go with solar, then we are going to install whole house heatpump system. That will increase our annual comsumption at least by 30% to total ~17,000kWh. Our roof can support only up to 36 panels. max. The largest system quated so far is 15.8kW system with 39 panels (405w each), but I don't think they can fit all 39 on our roof. Even if they can fit all 39 panels, the 15.8kW system is likely to produce less than 17,000kWh annually.

BTW, I have been on community solar contract for a few years. Although I don't actually own a panel on solar farm, their production dives to during winter. In our area, winter production is less than 30% of summer production.

 

Oh, you have ground mount. Cool! Any pics? I have not discussed that option with any of the installers, but I have seen some ground mount panels around here. Lands are cheap where I live. But I always thought the ground mount means more cost for the structures, than the roof mount.

 

Thanks for the link and video. I don't know if they serve our area, but there must be someone who can do this in our area. The system looks very similar to the frame I see on the solar farms in our area. The one I see in our neighbor's yard is 4x4 treated wood frame construction. I suspect that maybe a DIY job.

I have to keep this option in mind, especially if we are to built another house on our lot which I am currently contemplating. Unfortunately, even though I have plenty of land, they are all uncleared dense woods with mature trees over 30 feet. Only open space I have available now is the leach field where I can't construct anything permanent. let alone concrete foundations. I cleared most trees around house that would shade the roof, but still have a few more to cut down. Designing a ground mount panel solar system that is close enough to our current house main breaker would be a quite undertake in terms of clearing woods and bringing the line from the panels to the house. Yeah, my best bet for our current house is to utilize the roof top. I an down to the final list of several installers that offered me a quote for the job at $2.50/W-$2.85/W. I am going to pick one soon.