Solar Electricity

[Nix]

Hi,
trying to find out about collecting solar energy, enough to power a house and pool. We're in the process of designing a new house and would like to incorporate solar energy panels. If anyone has any helpful information, contacts or websites, I would appreciate their input.
Thanks.

Nix.

[Guest]

yes paws for pets shop in silves has a section where a relative works who does alternative energy..they are opp roman bridge in silves..ask for julie or nigel

[cember]

These might be usefull in place of interior lighting

daylight hours at least




http://solaglobal.com/

[Homme Poco]

Thanks folks, I will follow up both these suggestions.
Regards,
Nix.

[Guest]

These people are ok http://www.solar-blaser.com/
http://www.rainbowtradingpost.co.uk/ I know this couple well.

You do need to find someone who knows what they are doing, solar electric is expensive and it is easy to make an expensive mistake. Installation needs a lot of care, cable up the batteries wrongly and you've just made a bomb.
It may be worth thinking about importing the panels from the USA, they have a lot of solar electric and prices are excellent. I'd get the batteries and inverter locally.
This site http://www.sunreal.com.au/ has quite a bit of useful information.
I've got a little excel file that helps in working out the number of panels and inverter size if you like

[martin]

i know the firm in silves uses bp solar..heard some good reports about bp stuff from others who have gone alternative

[Guest]

BP Solar make panels. There are a lot of other bits involved

[jimc]

Many of the low cost solar panels available from the US are ex a v.large power plant and date back quite a few years. They were subjected to excessive exposure with the use of reflectors.
There are a few I have seen installed over Boliqueme way (a job lot found its way there several years ago) and are still working but they look very sad and I wouldn't pay a lot for them or rely on them staying alive much longer.

See http://www.otherpower.com/otherpower_solar_used.html

[tbbr]

what about a wind turbine( to charge batteries ) combined with panels for water heating.
Turbines dont have to be that big to power a house, have seen these in many places in the states.
They are very eco friendly as well.

[pm]

Small house ones are actually quite whirry plus the wind isn't consistent enough

[Guest]

Small house ones are actually quite whirry plus the wind isn't consistent enough

WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH

Co'r what a draft