Grid-tied, muni supply batery, how big the $ risk?

[Green Bum]

Excellent read in the daily maverick online newspaper. Rooftop PV will be a game changer

http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2016-04-21-rooftop-solar-pv-will-be-a-game-changer/#.VxzfEI9OLIU

1. How do we respond, are we trying to ride the early wave before they clamp us down for evading electricity tax etc. ?
2. Are we doing it for our personal short term financial gain, yet the initial cost calls for  long-term legal stability to recoup our investment.
3. Are we really part of the solution or a new problem?

Like all modern-day challenges it seems this is a classic systemic challenge. Chris you will probably agree that getting water from under-ground is only a sort term solution. It seems the safest way to contribute is to reduce consumption! 

I hope this is not to heavy before the new week!

Godfried

 

 

[Weasel]

Interesting read, and some valid points. I think the outcome is that what's happening in PV industry is inevitable and is obviously due to failures of government and our utility supplier. A new bigger problem has been created with a unsustainable grid. I always thought the solution would be for industry to focus on grid tie solutions, it would resolve matters to some extent but yes it's not a sustainable model. What is the solution? I don't know but I think eskoms monopoly needs to end and that is a start.

Sent from my SM-A500FU using Tapatalk

[Chris Hobson]

On 24/04/2016 at 5:14 PM, Green Bum said:

Chris you will probably agree that getting water from under-ground is only a sort term solution. It seems the safest way to contribute is to reduce consumption!

I agree that large-scale abstraction of water from underground is foolhardy. However the water that is used around my homestead (kitchen, toilets garden stockwater etc is pumped from underground and has been for a hundred years or so. Our farm is unusual in that it is above what is termed  termed a suspended aquifer. The aquifer is not connected to the surrounding water table being largely isolated from the rest by dolerite intrusions. The water we use is local water and if we were to pump more than the aquifer can supply one runs out of water. In the 2007-2010 drought we did indeed have boreholes failing but 2 months after the rain commenced the boreholes had recharged.  

[Guest]

It is speculated that the overuse of ground water may be the cause behind the increased earthquakes in certain areas, in the US of A.

Also said that some underground water in the US of A will take 100s, if not more, years to refill, so Chris is the wise one, be careful what you use versus what can be put back.

Re. grid-tie, jip, it is for but the selected few, the have's. To sort the problem for the masses, the have not's, you need Mini-girds ... that ain't gonna happen.