Solar for Dummies.

I wouldn't bother responding, a quick search shows they're into crypto and while I don't judge people I do call BS on someone preaching about energy conservation while feeding the beast. All very disingenuous.

Do spend time reading up on cobalt reduction, it's interesting and has been in place for years. The home storage batteries mentioned are LFP, excluding Powerwall.

The Tesla Model 3 (made in China) has LFP batteries. These cars are already more ethical than a diesel as cobalt is used to make low sulphur diesel. Half the cars in Ireland indirectly use cobalt without knowing it.

Getting philosophical we in the west enjoy cheap products of all types at the cost of the environment and people's health in far away countries. Focusing on one component let's the others off the hook.

You could read it as sensationalist, but it's a fair point and one that should be addressed. Now you (and others reading this) are more aware of the situation. Similarly 18 months ago, while I knew the chemistry of cobalt and why it was being added to batteries, I wasn't aware of the ethics of how it's mined. It was only when I looked into it I learnt the full story.

It's great to see people raise these points though - sure we'll never learn anything unless people raise issues. If they turn out to be fine, that's ok - but not raising them is worse and we'll never improve things

I didn't read/look at the original link above, but cobalt is dodgy. The reason being is that one of the main sources is the Congo and how it's mined is "very questionable" (things like warlords getting young teenage kids to work in slave camps etc)

Your right of course, nearly everything we do has some environmental impact and we've done a piss poor job for 200 years on that in the pursuit of progress. Still there's hope. Companies like Nike/Addidas etc were called out 10-15 years ago about child labour for making their runners and have for the most part cleaned up their act (irrespective of paying numpties like Kanye West) Same with the battery manufacturers here. There's been a shift away from Cobalt where possible to avoid this minefield.

For sure, there's still some environmental impact with all the solar installation. Energy has to be spent mining, transporting, installing them, but overall it's the lesser of two evils thankfully.

Is the discharge level set to that?

That seems high? Mines at 4%

So all good then?

BO of Soluna EOS5 5K Battery Unit

It's a Givenergy (I have the same battery) 4% is fine as they have a reserve "behind the curtain". The 8.2Kwhr battery is actually a 9.6Kwhr battery under the hood. So depleating to 4%is perfectly fine.

I've started the process of at least getting quotes for an install. Have asked 6 companies to quote. So far I've heard back from 3, of those. 1 company ignored every single bit of info given to them re: annual use, roof aspect, what I wanted from system and indeed the included info that due to some work I have on at the moment (in Malaysia but WFH) that I'm not available 8am-9pm currently so don't ring me, email please. Cue 4 missed calls and some WhatsApp msgs asking me to call them between 9-5 to "nail down some details" 🤷‍♀️

Unfortunately my chimney is on the front of my roof. So that limits me to 9 panels there. There is scope for more on the NNW side but even with optimisers I don't know if it would ever offer a cost effective return. 1 company has suggested that as an option and it's one I may yet go with.

Much appreciated 👍

We were exactly 2 weeks from BER publication to SEAI approval (last November).

Not really a solar question but on my ber assessment new windows and external doors would be an improvement and that there is a grant available for them? What grant is available for windows and doors?