Solar ... In the news

zeupater

Alan_Brown wrote: »

It doesn't come across well in the photo but those PV panels are glass, letting light through the clear bits and blocking with the blue PV bits. Just what I want above our seating area because I want a nice amount of light, just not too much of it, especially when I'm eating ....

Hi

I believe that there are plenty of panel options available for you, just search on BIPV ... here's one from Romag ( http://www.romag.co.uk/solar/building-integrated-pv/ ) & Schueco ( https://www.schueco.com/web2/de-en/architects/products/bipv/schueco_bipv ) ...

HTH
Z

silverwhistle

Martyn1981 wrote: »

but measuring any reduction in demand, is I suggest impossible, as the demand trend is falling anyway due to higher efficiency lights, tellies, fridge/freezer compressors etc etc.

Whatever the cause that downward trend can only be positive in view of the current concerns about meeting peak loads, and perhaps the existance of PV shows the potential for demand shifting in a wider context.

The use of slow cookers is a microcosm of this effect and I use them myself, more for winter dishes mind - so casseroles, braises, polenta, ragu etc., which fits in nicely with the peak load problem.

Currently at 18.40 I'm still producing over 800w and topping up my hot water and that's with S facing panels. Perhaps the idea of a slightly larger subsidy for W facing panels could be reconsidered?

tunnel

Martyn1981 wrote: »

Have a look at the roof of the bus shelter in this link:

Canary Wharf Debuts Solar Glass Bus Shelter

Mart.

Really don't see those catching on around my way where the local bus shelters "glass" is put through every other week.......and I aint paying for em through my council tax

zeupater

Hi All

Not exactly "in the news" (yet), but a pretty quick scan of today's grid status ( http://gridwatch.templar.co.uk/ ) seems to suggest that the UK was receiving around 5-6GW from solar as well as ~5GW from wind and a further ~1GW from hydro ... so it looks like a total of somewhere around 12GW from renewables sources (supply+demand-side). Add in a further ~2GW to the figure from biomass and it's very likely that today has set a new daily renewables record, both in terms of peak power and total energy .....

I wonder how long it will take for the press to catch-up and see this as column-worthy ? ....

HTH
Z

Martyn1981

Careful Z, you're as bad as me. I was looking at Gridwatch yesterday morning, and noticed coal was at around 2GW or less.

Pure guess, but I was wondering if PV would beat coal again, with perhaps 50GWh on such a nice day.

I reckon there'll be a 70GWh(ish) PV day this summer, or perhaps many.

Mart.

ASavvyBuyer

zeupater wrote: »

Hi All

Not exactly "in the news" (yet), but a pretty quick scan of today's grid status ( http://gridwatch.templar.co.uk/ ) seems to suggest that the UK was receiving around 5-6GW from solar
Z

Where can you see on gridwatch the total power generated by PV? Or is it by deducting the rest of generation from the total demand?

Martyn1981

ASavvyBuyer wrote: »

Where can you see on gridwatch the total power generated by PV? Or is it by deducting the rest of generation from the total demand?

Neither, unfortunately. If you hover over the sun icon it explains that PV being embedded doesn't show up as generation, but as lower demand. Imagine a mini grid which sells you 2kWh, and you use 2kWh of your own generation. Your total demand is 4kWh, but the mini grid only saw 2kWh. Similarly, if at any point UK demand is 35GW, but 5GW is being met by demand side PV, then the grid will only see 30GW of demand, but 'real' demand is 35GW.

The demand yesterday around midday looks really low, at about 30GW, that's because a lot of leccy needs were being met by PV and also any unmetered wind generation. Without those, the demand would probably have been in the mid to high 30GW's.

I don't know how much was generated by PV yesterday, though looking at the domestic reports on the generation thread it may well have averaged 6kWh/kWp, placing total generation near to 60GWh. This site shows solar predictions if you're interested.

[Edit - BTW Gridwatch France shows PV, and yesterday had a lovely curve, peaking at about 5GW. Just click on the map of France in the top LHS of Gridwatch UK. M.]

Mart.

zeupater

ASavvyBuyer wrote: »

Where can you see on gridwatch the total power generated by PV? Or is it by deducting the rest of generation from the total demand?

Hi

As Mart says above, plus keep an eye on the gas (CCGT) generation as it's the main source used for grid-balancing.

HTH
Z

Martyn1981

Ok, just guessing from a combination of Gridwatch, MkI eyeball, and a hint of optimism, but looks like coal has been around 2GW all day, whilst wind slightly more, and I'd hope that PV would be in the 50GWh to 60GWh range.

So possibly, perhaps, maybe, both wind and PV generated more leccy on a weekday than coal.

Anyone know where to find out?

Mart.

Martyn1981

Martyn1981 wrote: »

I'd hope that PV would be in the 50GWh to 60GWh range.

Anyone know where to find out?

Found a site, and the estimate for the 5th was 57GWh (59GWh on the 4th).

Mart.