Products & Services: Renewable Energy Solutions: Residential or Cottage: Grid Independent Configuration
Overview
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a) the solutions will include both renewable energy technologyThe location of the house or cottage will experience particular availability of wind energy and/or solar energy, and therefore, the solution may involve a combination of wind energy and solar energy technology solutions, paired up with an electricity generator, and battery array. However, it is entirely viable to consider a wind only solution or solar only solution, each still still requiring the use of a generator and battery array. The reason why the generator is critical, is that should the load on the system drain the battery array to the point that recharging is imperative, and the wind is not blowing, nor is the sun shining, the site will require the services of a generator to charge the battery array.
solutions or RETS (e.g. wind turbine and/or photovoltaic
and/or solar thermal),
b) battery array (energy storage and delivery) and
c) a fossil-fuel based generator (gas or diesel or propane).
In general, in Canada, a hybrid configuration composed of both wind turbine and photovoltaic technologies will enable the RETS to generate electrical energy even on calm days by virtue of the photovoltaic system, and the same hybrid solution will also generate electrical energy during the evening by virtue of the wind turbine, assuming wind availability. However, with the less than perfect weather predictions and conditions, there may be periodic occassions in which the sun is not shining nor is the wind blowing. It is for this reason that for complete grid-independence, the RETS architecture must include a diesel/gasoline/propane electrical generator in its design to compensate the RETS during those periods of less than ideal weather conditions for uninterrupted energy generation and delivery.
The design of the configuration below is based upon energy consumption of approximately 12,000 KWh/year. This configuration is scalable and therefore, for those locations which consume greater or less than the average, the architecture of the configuration can be modified to suit, such as a smaller wind turbine, smaller photovoltaic array, or on the other hand, a larger wind turbine, more wind turbines and larger photovoltaic array.
A RETS user, along with the configuration described below may enhance the positive economic benefit through employing a variety of energy conservation measures such as high-efficiency-low-energy light bulbs, and the replacement of older and energy inefficient appliances with Energy Star compliant appliances. Together with a RETS deployment and energy conservation measures, a RETS user may reduce energy demands by the house or cottage and therefore, reduce the scale of the off-grid solution reducing its overall cost.
This configuration attempts to generate approximately +/- 100% of the energy needs for the home or cottage (the percentage of coverage based on approximately 12,000 KWh/year consumption - percentage of coverage scaled upwards or downwards depending on actual energy consumption determined at the site). † The table below depicts the annual potential environmental benefits as a result of this RETS deployment. It is clear that renewable energy generation dramatically reduces the pollutants generated from traditional electrical energy production. The table below depicts emissions avoidance based on the indicated power generation fuel mix found in Ontario of nuclear:51%, hydro:22%, coal:19%, natural gas:7%, other:1%.
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In general, this configuration will include the following components for the system price indicated:
- front-end:
- wind energy * : one 2.5KW wind turbine & 24m tubular tower (WES5/Tulipo),
- solar energy * : 20 solar modules @ 190W (Sanyo HIT 190W) with production from 3800W & roof-mounted rack (mounting approach may change due to orientation of house, angle of roof, etc.),
- balance of system (BOS) * : includes a 3,600W inverter/charger (Xantrex DR 3624 **), turbine controller, 2 x photovoltaic charge controller (Xantrex, C-40), two safety DC disconnect-switches, lightening arrestor, 400W resistive load diversion, PV combiner box,
- energy storage: 8 deep-cycle batteries (Surrette 650AH @ 6V - delivering approx. 4 - 8 hrs ***).
- SWC-OTG system price ¤ : $82,000 ¤¤
- add approx. $6,700 - $10,500 for hardware and installation.
| Notes on the SWC-OTG : | |
| † | The sliding percentage coverage of renewable energy of the 100% coverage @ 12,000 kWh/year consumption would equate to approximately 154% coverage @ 8,000 kWh/year consumption, meaning that the architecture of the solution can be scaled downwards by reducing the size of the photovoltaic array, or smaller wind turbine thus reducing the cost of the off-grid solution. |
| * | SWC reserves the right to replace components due to their availability or unavailability with similar performing components, and therefore, base pricing may change. Current exchange rates may also affect base pricing for components sourced from the USA or Europe. |
| ** | The inverter sizing is based on a peak consumption of approximately 3.0 kW/h. Higher values determined during the feasibility analysis for peak consumption will require a larger inverter capacity and therefore, base pricing may change. |
| *** | values based on RETS power generation of approximately 36kWh/day, and the capacity of the battery array calculated approximately 25.4 kWh/day. |
| ¤ | System price does not include costs of site preparation and RETS installation. See additional notes below for a description pertaining to these costs :
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| ¤¤ | Ontario offers an 8% rebate on the cost of the project for home renewable energy generation. The client must complete the form "General Application for Refund of Retail Sales Tax" and send it to the address provided on the form. The form can be obtained by clicking here or by calling the Tax Office with 877-482-9329, or from the nearest Ontario Ministry of Finance Tax Office. The form must be accompanied by detailed receipts. The client has up to four years from the date of purchase to submit the form. |