OK: I don't know alot about Solar power....but I wanted to open a thread in the hopes that someone out there DOES know alot about the subject and can expand on a few questions and observations I have.
What is the limiting factor with this technology right now? IE-What is the weak link? Is it the panels themselves, the storage of the power, the conversion of the power...etc.?
Is it feasible to have an "off-grid" house in areas other than the desert or the midwest?
Is it possible to create and store enough solar power to essentially charge an electric generator? (I think you see where I'm going with this).
I've seen chargeable batteries that generate 1000 watts of electricity. Of course with the technology that is readily available it's hard to get sustainable current at that level. However, if you were to use a 250 watt bulb...it may be feasible.
I was baked the other day and it occurred to me that usually people attempt to use solar power "directly". That is to say that you obtain solar power and use it for something like powering a laptop or appliance. I thought it may be possible to have solar panels put energy into batteries that could essentially power an electric generator that would in turn charge the very same batteries and others. In this indirect manner, you could then use some of that reserve power for things such as HID lights or at the very least flourescents. I guess the best analogy would be that solar power is much like low bandwith video streaming on the internet....you can start downloading some of the video and after you've buffered enough you can watch some of the video.....all along the computer is still downloading data while you're watching....
If it's possible to extrapolate this example to solar power.....it may take hours, days or weeks to effectively charge a battery enough to run something like a generator for the purpose of creating more energy....but it MUST be possible somehow....
Whenever the levels of power decrease, you could possilbly supplement with grid power. The result is a conservation of energy and a reduction in use from the grid.
Anyway, sorry to ramble...but if anyone wants to put their two cents in regarding storage of solar power in batteries and its' applications for growing I'd greatly appreciate it.
Any information would be helpful.
What is the limiting factor with this technology right now? IE-What is the weak link? Is it the panels themselves, the storage of the power, the conversion of the power...etc.?
Is it feasible to have an "off-grid" house in areas other than the desert or the midwest?
Is it possible to create and store enough solar power to essentially charge an electric generator? (I think you see where I'm going with this).
I've seen chargeable batteries that generate 1000 watts of electricity. Of course with the technology that is readily available it's hard to get sustainable current at that level. However, if you were to use a 250 watt bulb...it may be feasible.
I was baked the other day and it occurred to me that usually people attempt to use solar power "directly". That is to say that you obtain solar power and use it for something like powering a laptop or appliance. I thought it may be possible to have solar panels put energy into batteries that could essentially power an electric generator that would in turn charge the very same batteries and others. In this indirect manner, you could then use some of that reserve power for things such as HID lights or at the very least flourescents. I guess the best analogy would be that solar power is much like low bandwith video streaming on the internet....you can start downloading some of the video and after you've buffered enough you can watch some of the video.....all along the computer is still downloading data while you're watching....
If it's possible to extrapolate this example to solar power.....it may take hours, days or weeks to effectively charge a battery enough to run something like a generator for the purpose of creating more energy....but it MUST be possible somehow....
Whenever the levels of power decrease, you could possilbly supplement with grid power. The result is a conservation of energy and a reduction in use from the grid.
Anyway, sorry to ramble...but if anyone wants to put their two cents in regarding storage of solar power in batteries and its' applications for growing I'd greatly appreciate it.
Any information would be helpful.
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