Solar energy

[toddcl]

Has anyone tried Solar energy for heating water or generating electricity?

Has anyone found it of value? Is it cost effective etc.

What about this thermal heating where you bury pipes underground and draw the heat for underfloor heating?

[Valencia_Paul]

Solar energy for heating water makes loads of sense in Spain and would save you quite a bit over gas or electric. The downside is that you would need a suitable hot water tank and somewhere to put it.

Solar electric is a different proposition altogether and IMO should only be considered if your connection costs to the grid exceed about 20K euros.
In other words an isolated plot some distance away from mains connections.

[Grouser]

Direct solar heating of water is your best bet in Spain. Using pipes buried underground and a heat pump would be a much more expensive investment.

[spanish_lad]

what sort of a heat pump would you need ? i can only guess a pool heat pump, but would that get to a high enough temperature ?

[toddcl]

spanish_lad

I'm not sure about the pump but the system I read about used ground heat and then condensed this. The system was reportedly able to supply under floor heating and cooling all year.

I found the article in the free paper at Granada Airport.

[littledragon]

Solar heating definitely the way of the future, especially somewhere sunny like spain - you can get systems that store the energy for future use. Just be wary of what company you use and don't touch a company call International Applied Networks (solar screens) also run by Ian Sayward.

Good luck and happy heating!

[caroig]

There are grants for solar installations in Andalucia via SODEAN (www.sodean.es). It’s up to 40% of the investment with a limit of 500€/M2 for water heating.
For electricity generation, if you are more than half a km from the grid then the max grant is 12€/W and if you are connected to the mains, 9€/W.

I think the current program is due to expire soon, but there seems to be a rolling program of grants,

[Grouser]

Spanish Lad, the sort of heat pump used is like a giant fridge motor. In effect what is happening is you are using the ground as a fridge by extracing the heat from it to warm your house.

[silver]

I read about used ground heat

google with "Geothermal power" to find out more.

[robperrie]

i have solar power, but only enough to power the lights.tv and some other things,,i have poles nearby and need to work out spending 9k on them to give me power or a new solar to power everything,,,if i knew how much electricity bills were then it may persuade me to turn to power, but like here in the uk,,everything goes up,,and solar panels are at least 10yrs safe and batterys the same,,so 9k for 10 yrs at least,,,mmmm,,,i think solar as we always have the sun,,and if we dont, then we go too,,,

[Valencia_Paul]

Rob,

Solar panels should be good for 20 or more years if they don't get stolen or people throw large stones at them.

Batteries are another matter altogether and their lifespan depends on how much you discharge them. If you run them completely flat they will probably only last for about a year. If you only drain them to 50% capacity they may last for years.

[toddcl]

So has anyone gone the whole hog and gone for the water / heating or electricity. Ive yet to come across someone who has actually gone for it.

[robperrie]

i think i am goin to,,but like what was said,,u need to have protection on your batterys,,i think if u do it all properly,,then its a safe bet,,i am having solar and wind, so that there is always something other,,,and a geni,,,i hardly use that now,only when it has been cloudy for 4 days,,and my panels and batterys are not that good,,,will def go for solar water also,,

[toddcl]

I suppose that the best time to install solar heating and power is when doing a complete reform, particulary the underground / underfloor thermal heating, otherwise the cost of ripping up the floors would be prohibitive.

[Lavanda]

I'm about to do the whole thing! The finca is about 2kms from the nearest electricity supply but I'll never get permission to get the poles and wires through the countryside and, to be honest, I don't want to. I want to be as 'green' and as self sufficient as possible.

The quote for the complete solar panels and photovotalic (?) set up to run lights, fridge, freezer, washing machine, oven, small electrical appliances, water borehole pump, etc. PLUS the hot water system and tank PLUS installation and wires and batteries will be 31,000 euros PLUS IVA.

The 'grant' is 40% but it's actually a no interest loan to be paid back over five years.

The solar power set up will not run airconditioning. Heating will be a wood burning stove plus hot water radiators. I looked at underfloor heating but decided against it. The house will be built as eco-sensible as possible with insulation and shutters, etc but also windows positioned so that through ventilation in the summer can help keep the house cool. Orienting the house N/S/E/W is important as is using available trees for shade.

I'm not an expert by any means but, boy, have I done some research!!!

[hillybilly]

Am very envious of your project - I love all this stuff so do please keep us informed of progress. Have you looked at passive solar walls?
I worked on a project in the Arizona desert where the buildings were designed and built to keep cool naturally in the summer and vice versa in the winter by means of orientation, ventilation, heat reflection etc. It does work!

[metalmonkey]

Hi

I've been told by my architect that after September (16th I think) all reforms/new builds have to have some form of solar power? anyone else heard this one

cheers

[caroig]

There a new building code that came into force at the end of Sept. Any new building licenses issued after that date will have to comply with the new regulations and yes they do specify a minimum amount of solar power for both electricity and water heating.
For solar water heating, it affects any new property, but the solar power is for public buildings, hotels etc.
It only affects new builds or large renovation projects (for buildings over 1000M2 I think).

[toddcl]

Gisela Radant

Do keep us all informed of how the installation goes. as many of us are looking towards ways of reducing our dependency on mains electricity for heating and power.

I still can't quite understand why a country with so much sunshine is so slow to develop affordable solar energy systems. Personally I think that the present systems and those that install them are vastly overpriced and when you crunch the numbers the cost benefit is not very encouraging. That's why I feel that it is only of benefit for large reforms or new build projects.

[Lavanda]

Gosh! Yes! I can keep you posted on progress but don't expect me to be too technical. It is a very exciting project and I realise I'm lucky to be able to build from scratch and intend to do so, as I wrote, in as eco-friendly way as possible. But it's not exactly cheap. The quote for the solar power nearly made me faint!!! However, I recovered quickly when I realised what electricity bills can run to over the course of just ten years.