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38-year-old condo building going solar


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#61 LJ

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Posted 21 September 2017 - 07:15 PM

 

 

What about escalating hydro costs? Couldn't that push the payback period lower, provided the panels themselves require very limited maintenance?

Mike you haven't been paying attention. Now that we have a GreNDP running things they are going to cut the cost of clean energy (hydro) in half to encourage us all to use more of this type of power instead of those nasty fossil fuel furnaces, hot water tanks etc.

Far from escalating our hydro costs should drop precipitously. 


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#62 manuel

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Posted 21 September 2017 - 08:27 PM

Thank you for pointing out that cars, telephones and this solar power project are all expenses and not investments.

I clarified that there is zero financial argument for this project because Citified presented the story like there was.

You're right though. Those solar panels are more of a fashion accessory like a Tesla.

I could do the same And play pedantics.  The rationale of those criticizing seems to be based on requiring a financial argument for anything 'green' while the same rationale is ignored for other classes of purchases that are not such. A double standard that is amplified by articles like Citified's  

 

I choose to put a higher quality fence in on my property.  Perhaps it is maintenance or perhaps it is a capital investment per tax rules.  Do I calculate ROI to justify the extra 3K cost?  Likely not.  Same for redoing the old insulation  in my attic (maintenance) - but the justification  will be that it is cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.  The double standard is the ROI being the main requirement for something like solar panels (capital).

 

Creating a better good for society has value in itself.  Just as reducing the public good by polluting subtracts value.


Edited by manuel, 21 September 2017 - 08:40 PM.

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#63 jonny

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Posted 21 September 2017 - 08:43 PM

I thought that was quite a concise post.

So you agree with me that these panels are a feel good fashion statement? Alrighty then. Glad we agree.

Btw we don't know that they reduced pollution. Site C propaganda aside, our hydro is about as green as it gets. The manufacture of solar panels isn't exactly green.

#64 phx

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Posted 21 September 2017 - 09:06 PM

Mike you haven't been paying attention. Now that we have a GreNDP running things they are going to cut the cost of clean energy (hydro) in half to encourage us all to use more of this type of power instead of those nasty fossil fuel furnaces, hot water tanks etc.

Far from escalating our hydro costs should drop precipitously. 

 

Now where did that sarcasm font get to...


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#65 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 26 December 2019 - 05:01 AM

i wonder how these are performing today.



#66 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 26 December 2019 - 05:14 AM

here is an update to june 2018 seems to be going well.

 

https://www.bcsea.or...ver-three-years

 

 

The initial analysis predicted it would supply about 1/3 of the electricity used by the strata common area. As reported in the last blog, the strata replaced the High Pressure Sodium exterior lights on the building with LEDs, reducing the overnight demand by about a kilowatt. In the 12 months since that change, the solar panels supplied about 47% of the electricity used by the strata common area.

 


Edited by Victoria Watcher, 26 December 2019 - 05:15 AM.


#67 rjag

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Posted 26 December 2019 - 10:16 AM

What is the ROI?

#68 spanky123

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Posted 26 December 2019 - 10:26 AM

^ By far the best ROI was converting to LEDs. The solar panels were good "optics" but won't ever pay for themselves.



#69 Mike K.

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Posted 26 December 2019 - 10:36 AM

It’s been a year and a half since the update. By this point there are likely to have been additional costs incurred to maintain the system, no?

Energy-saving lighting makes a monumental difference to strata expenses.

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#70 johnk

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Posted 26 December 2019 - 11:13 AM

I love LEDs. 12 undermounted kitchen lights left on while dark used to take 240w x 12 hours. LEDs are taking 24w x 12 hours. Gotta like that.



#71 Mike K.

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Posted 10 October 2021 - 07:51 AM

The Solar Rooftop Tool can be used to determine the amount of sunshine almost any building in Victoria receives over the course of a year and provides information on power generation potential, how much a solar system might cost, available rebates, and financing options. Solar panels can be installed on most roofs and are available for residential, commercial, and industrial uses.

Solar energy is one of the fastest growing sources of electricity in Canada and is an increasingly affordable and viable means of energy production. In fact, due to the efficiency of modern solar panels and Victoria’s climate, there is enough sunlight to generate electricity throughout the year.

- https://www.victoria...oftop-tool.html

Coincidentally yesterday evening I noticed my solar powered driveway light is now barely able to illuminate its surroundings, despite a couple of sunny days. What solar setups in Victoria need is ample energy storage to capture energy, otherwise it’s a difficult proposition from a financial point of view if you can’t somehow store the summer’s worth of energy.

Speaking of which, how is this condo building doing? We haven’t had updates since 2018.

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#72 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 10 October 2021 - 08:04 AM

 if you can’t somehow store the summer’s worth of energy.

 

that's simply not possible with chemical batteries.  you could do it with pumped storage hydro power.



#73 Mike K.

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Posted 10 October 2021 - 08:10 AM

Wouldn’t an array of batteries store a charge well into winter, by which point the energy gets used plus whatever little bit is generated?

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#74 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 10 October 2021 - 08:12 AM

Wouldn’t an array of batteries store a charge well into winter, by which point the energy gets used plus whatever little bit is generated?

 

no.  not economically.

 

a $3,000 tesla powerwall is only engineered for a days energy use.  but might last 5-7 days if you conserve.

 

you could buy 30 or 40 of them i suppose.


Edited by Victoria Watcher, 10 October 2021 - 08:18 AM.


#75 Mike K.

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Posted 10 October 2021 - 08:15 AM

Oh. Well that sucks.
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#76 sebberry

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Posted 10 October 2021 - 10:35 AM

- https://www.victoria...oftop-tool.html

Coincidentally yesterday evening I noticed my solar powered driveway light is now barely able to illuminate its surroundings, despite a couple of sunny days. What solar setups in Victoria need is ample energy storage to capture energy, otherwise it’s a difficult proposition from a financial point of view if you can’t somehow store the summer’s worth of energy.

Speaking of which, how is this condo building doing? We haven’t had updates since 2018.

 

What kind of battery do you use in those solar lights?

 

 

As for this building, 50k on solar to save 2k a year in hydro seems...  about how I'd expect a council to act, really.  It's a 1977 building and would be interesting to see their depreciation report.  It looks reasonably well maintained from the outside given its age.  I see in a recent listing that the strata fees include hot water - the central boiler for this alone for a building this size will be 40k when it kicks the bucket.  

 

I guess if you have 50k sitting around in the 'fun project' pot - more power to them (pun intended).  


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#77 Mike K.

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Posted 10 October 2021 - 11:20 AM

I couldn’t ya. But the light worked great all summer. Now it’s a dud.

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#78 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 27 August 2022 - 05:16 AM

Capital Park has set a high bar for solar-energy collection.

 

The James Bay mixed-use development behind the legislature is installing 251 solar panels on the rooftops of two office buildings, an impressive array that is expected to produce 114 kilowatts of electricity a year.

 

That’s the equivalent of what between 12 to 15 typical single-family homes would use in a year, and an annual saving of about $10,000.

 

The $200,000 installation will be one of the largest arrays of solar panels on Vancouver Island — and the largest by private investors, according to Shift, the company contracted to acquire, design and install the system.

 

____________________________

 

She estimated the partners will pay off the investment through savings on hydro bills in about 15 to 16 years, based on 3% yearly increases by B.C. Hydro.

 

 

 

https://www.timescol...igh-bar-5747490

 

 

 

 

 

Still hard to see the payback here.  In 15-16 years, will the system still be generating 100% and not require some replacement/renewal?  What about general maintenance over that 15-16 years?


Edited by Victoria Watcher, 27 August 2022 - 05:16 AM.


 



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