Thread: Generating Electricity Via Solar Power in Bali

Vincent

It was 10 years ago when I was installing the solar so reliability has probably improved since then (although the solar influx hasn't - watts per sq. mtr.). The cost to install depends on how many watts you need. If you are running high energy devices such as air-cons or electric cookers then your costs are going to be proportionally higher, probably prohibitively so if you are thinking of a completely solar solution. If you are using a lot of power then you might spend $AUS 50,000 on installation and need an awful lot of roof area.

Personally, if I was building in Bali and wanting to try solar I would be thinking of a part solar, part grid installation. This way, you can start off with a small system, say 1 - 1.5kW and add more panels later. Also, I would be radically re-evaluating my power usage. Do you really need air-conditioning? You may think so, but if you put up with the heat for a while you will find you eventually become acclimatised and even in the hottest weather, a fan will be sufficient. If I was you, I'd forget about air-con.

Do some research on the web, there are plenty of sites offering advice on solar installation and all the bits and pieces you need. Remember that once the components are installed, you still have to think about replacement costs. A lot of people who haven't done any research think that once you have your solar panels you have free energy forever. The batteries are expensive and need to be replaced every 5 or so years. Panels eventually deteriorate in the sun and rain and you have to replace them maybe after 20 years. Electronic components get fried by power spikes. Then there is the maintenance: you must keep your panels clean and your batteries topped up. Also make sure your batteries are in a safe place where kids can't get access. Most important, find a reputable supplier who knows what they are doing and can show you working systems that they have already installed. A supplier who tells you to "go easy on the washing machine" when it's raining may not have your best interests at heart.

To be honest Vincent, if you are wanting to live in a "green and ecologically sustainable way" then all you need to do is look at your neighbours - they have been doing it for thousands of years. Throw away your washing machine and your iron - pay somebody to do your washing for you in the nearest village. Ask local builders the best way to keep your house cool so that you don't need A/C - they have all the knowledge. Try and live in harmony with the environment, not beat it into submission with technology. I'm not saying you should give up all modern conveniences, but try and learn from the Balinese and adapt a bit to their way of life. You'll feel better for it, believe me.

Best Regards
Sam

My ramblings didn't directly answer one of your main questions. You don't need uninterrupted sunshine with a solar system as long as you have battery backup. You draw power from your battery rack, not directly from the panels. Even in cloudy weather your panels will still be generating some power to keep your batteries charged. A week of clouds should not be a problem for a properly installed system. I think you can have a solar/grid system without batteries but if/when you have a blackout you won't have any power at all because your inverter (d/c to a/c) will shutdown the power supply - I'm not really sure about this type of installation though.

Hope this is of help.

How about the Hot (pun intended) new way- thermal power from deep drilling? Frog

Frog, you should ask that question to the many thousands of east Javanese wallowing in hot mud....the result of a drilling project gone wrong.

oops, thats right, I heard about that,,,is that stuff still coming out of the ground? what a wreck...

More than a “wreck” this is ruining the lives of many thousands of Indonesians in eastern Java. Whole villages have been consumed by this hot mud, and the people that once lived there have little recourse. In my opinion, the almost gentle oozing of this hot mud, affording all to escape it, lends much less opportunity for compassion and care than a 80 mile an hour pyroclastic flow down the slope of any one of Indonesia’s many volcanoes. In some parts of eastern Java, the results are almost the same, but far less dramatic.

As for solar power on Bali, as I understand it, at best, it is only effective for producing hot water. As PLN continues to increase costs, I am particularly interested in alternative energy sources. Many of us expats talk of this daily.

Your 110% correct, I saw a small clip on that mess on the news, unbelievable, and I have worked alot of disasters, including Katrina in New Orleans, the place is a ghost town---- why were they drilling?for power?oil? Hope the people are taken care of---there towns are gone forever...here in Texas there are alot of wind turbins-huge ones-see the blades going down the freeway everyday, there is a manufacturer here,, I have seen a few on ebay that seem like they are worth the $$ ,,,,depends on how much wind you have at your house,,,,