Hi Allan;
Sounds like a great presentation, that I would want most customers to
see before even talking to them.
One thing you that might already be covering: Now that PV modules are
so cheap, many people are assuming a quality installed system goes for
$1/ watt. I have to bust the myth every day it seems that saving
pennies a watt is really going to make a difference in the total system
cost. Folks freak out when they find out how much racking, wiring,
disconnects, inverters, batteries, etc cost after picking up some funky
older modules on Ebay. Often the added cost to match up their odd ball
modules with lower efficiencies, more than eats up the original "savings".
Another would be emerging battery technologies and not buying a good set
of lead acid batteries now. Li+ is actually getting closer, but for the
past 20 years, folks have wanted to go super cheap with the idea that in
a couple of years some new storage technology they read about in Popular
Science is going to be commercially available.
Oh boy: how bout the wind turbine on the electric vehicle to recharge
while you drive down the road?
or the electric motor powered by the grid that spins a generator to sell
power back to the grid? That'll stick it to the man.....
Apparently I'm part of the conspiracy to keep these technologies from
the People, me and all my ilk that believe in Physics.....
Or: it's already working, so why do I need all those disconnects, fuses,
expensive connectors, conduit and cable?
Male to Male extension cords, anyone?
R.Ray Walters
CTO, Solarray, Inc
Nabcep Certified PV Installer,
Licensed Master Electrician
Solar Design Engineer
303 505-8760
On 4/12/2014 2:47 PM, Allan Sindelar wrote:
Fellow Wrenches,
Last year I prepared an hour's presentation for our local Solar Fiesta
on "Energy Myths, Schemes and Scams". I covered mostly PV and the
solar industry, with a few slides about the physics of wind and those
cute spinny yard-art things called VAWTs. I also hit on "it takes
more energy to make a PV panel than it will ever produce", the
limitations of 25-year module warranties, "free energy generators",
James McKirdy, lunar modules, and modules with fraudulent listings.
This was what I was able to pull together.
The workshop was popular and I have been asked to give it again in a
couple of weeks. I'm looking for any suggestions that you may have for
new or additional material to update the presentation. Any ideas are
welcome, especially if you can provide links to good stories and slide
materials. This is for a general non-technical audience, but I have
the freedom to go in any direction I wish. So I'd like to be more than
just entertaining, but make points about value over price, using local
installers with knowledge and experience, etc.
Beside my appreciation for the material, I'll offer in return to share
an editable version of the presentation for your own use (although
it's a 14 meg PowerPoint file at present).
Thank you in advance for your suggestions of anything that gets your
blood boiling, that would be funny if it wasn't giving PV and clean
energy a bad name.
Allan
--
*Allan Sindelar*
_Allan@positiveenergysolar.com_ <mailto:al...@positiveenergysolar.com>
NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional
NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional
New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician
Founder (Retired), *Positive Energy, Inc.*
A Certified B Corporation^TM
*505 780-2738 cell*
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