Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi all,
Vanilla are planning an update to the site on April 24th (next Wednesday). It is a major PHP8 update which is expected to boost performance across the site. The site will be down from 7pm and it is expected to take about an hour to complete. We appreciate your patience during the update.
Thanks all.

Sun light Messurement

Options
  • 10-07-2019 12:12pm
    #1
    badgerhowlin
    Registered Users Posts: 651 ✭✭✭


    Hi,

    Id there any device I can stick up on my roof and it we record how much sun it gets.

    Im thinking ahead here.

    I have a few farm sheds and in the future(When the government\esb\sse airtricity) starts to pay for electricity we over produce. I want to pack them with solar PV panels and produce electricity.

    If I can get a good idea on how much light i get i can figure out how much electricity i can produce and how much it will pay me and that will make the bank man happy for when I go into him to to get a loan out to pay for them...

    Thanks


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    rolion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,362 ✭✭✭rolion


    What kind of wired connection do you have back, to the main grid !?
    Pointless to install 20Kw power but able or restricted to export / feed the grid with only 12Kw due to fuses, cables, transformers and sub-stations.

    Easier to get a pro to do all the work and you to enjoy the benefits on a sunnier lands...


  • Options
    #3
    badgerhowlin
    Registered Users Posts: 651 ✭✭✭badgerhowlin


    You miss under stand me. im not installing any yet. And\if the time comes i most certainly wont be doing it my self.
    I want something that messure how much sunlight I can expect to get on the roof.


  • Options
    #4
    MrMusician18
    Registered Users Posts: 7,198 ✭✭✭MrMusician18


    You'd need a solar radiation data logger.

    Essentially it's a small solar panel wired to a data recorder.

    Alternatively, a number of hobbyist weather stations also record irradiation and have the ability to log that data.

    I personally don't see the point as Met E and SEAI would be able to provide the data you need, solar surveys aren't really needed.

    Just say your site was in Dublin. With a 5c/kwh FIT and 25% efficient panels you'd make a whopping €12/m2/ year for an ideally placed solar collector.


  • Options
    #5
    KCross
    Registered Users Posts: 12,070 ✭✭✭✭KCross


    badgerhowlin wrote: »
    You miss under stand me. im not installing any yet. And\if the time comes i most certainly wont be doing it my self.
    I want something that messure how much sunlight I can expect to get on the roof.

    The point he is making is that it doesnt matter how much sunlight you get on your sheds if there are restrictions on how much you can feed back to the grid and there will be restrictions.


    In any case you dont really need to measure the sunlight specifically on your sheds, there are sites which will give you a close approximation of the sunlight at your location. I dont have them to hand but Im sure someone will post them here for you.

    The important thing to remember is that you wont be able to sell it all back to the grid as they will have a max feedback and the rest will be wasted unless you can consume it yourself so be careful with your calculations as the bank manager might not be happy that you misled him! ;)


  • Options
    #6
    H.E. Pennypacker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 844 ✭✭✭H.E. Pennypacker


    This website will give you a reasonably accurate guide of potential power generation, as long as you get the input values right:

    https://pvwatts.nrel.gov/


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    badgerhowlin
    Registered Users Posts: 651 ✭✭✭badgerhowlin


    KCross wrote: »

    The important thing to remember is that you wont be able to sell it all back to the grid as they will have a max feedback and the rest will be wasted unless you can consume it yourself so be careful with your calculations as the bank manager might not be happy that you misled him! ;)


    With all the hype at the moment about the environment and decreasing out carbon foot print the government will have to step up and give a good feed back allowance, and if they have any brains(which is debatable) it will be higher for farmers who have loads of "dead" space just going to waste.


  • Options
    #8
    MrMusician18
    Registered Users Posts: 7,198 ✭✭✭MrMusician18


    badgerhowlin wrote: »
    With all the hype at the moment about the environment and decreasing out carbon foot print the government will have to step up and give a good feed back allowance, and if they have any brains(which is debatable) it will be higher for farmers who have loads of "dead" space just going to waste.

    No one is going to get offered much more than wholesale.

    And without a high FIT small scale solar doesn't make sense for commercial production.


  • Options
    #9
    rolion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,362 ✭✭✭rolion


    badgerhowlin wrote: »
    With all the hype at the moment about the environment and decreasing out carbon foot print the government will have to step up and give a good feed back allowance, and if they have any brains(which is debatable) it will be higher for farmers who have loads of "dead" space just going to waste.

    I love your enthusiasm,really love it.
    And the fact that you may be different than others.

    Until you get to approach Local County Council or engage on any legal path,take a biiiig cup of coffee and read this post HERE .

    Good luck...


  • Options
    #10
    n97 mini
    Registered Users Posts: 8,295 ✭✭✭n97 mini


    There are plenty of online solar calculators that will estimate annual output. Google for them. The SEAI even has one.


  • Options
    #11
    Calahonda52
    Registered Users Posts: 12,194 ✭✭✭✭Calahonda52


    badgerhowlin wrote: »
    With all the hype at the moment about the environment and decreasing out carbon foot print the government will have to step up and give a good feed back allowance, and if they have any brains(which is debatable) it will be higher for farmers who have loads of "dead" space just going to waste.

    Why would the Government have to rely on multiple connections from a pleteroa of poor farmers ( with rusty sheds and no big grants from Europe for not farming) for PV, when its much easier to use fields, with optimal orientation and one serious grid connection

    “I can’t pay my staff or mortgage with instagram likes”.



  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #12
    badgerhowlin
    Registered Users Posts: 651 ✭✭✭badgerhowlin


    Probable because planning permission for acers of solar panels will get denied. Where as, I could be wrong but you don't need planning for ones on your shed roof.


  • Options
    #13
    rolion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,362 ✭✭✭rolion


    badgerhowlin wrote: »
    Probable because planning permission for acers of solar panels will get denied. Where as, I could be wrong but you don't need planning for ones on your shed roof.

    You are right but the ones on the shed are limited by the connection to the grid, the physical cables going to nearest transformer / substation.
    You may be able to install 15Kw power,thats like 50 panels x 330W but cablig supports only 12Kw... (just thwroing some numbers).

    Check with ESB and / or with a local electrician and see what conenction you have,single or three phases and distance to nearest substation / trasnformer.

    I have 3ha of green grass in a good PV location myself.
    I can install 40KW power but the connection to substation will kill my project even before laying out first hole for the tracker ! ;)


Advertisement