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2007 ENERGY TOUR: Day 24 July 18, 2007We had a great day visiting Mt. Rushmore and Reptile Gardens in South Dakota. We had to top off our tank with a B5 blend because there is no more biodiesel available until we get to Missoula, Montana. I guess B5 is better than nothing.  At the Cleveland Solar Conference we learned about inverters. An inverter is a necessary component of a home or business using a renewable energy device such as solar or wind energy. An inverter converts the DC current to AC current. Most energy is DC and most business and household appliances are on AC current. The reason for this is that AC current is more efficient. Not all inverters are created equal, they all produce varying levels of quality sine waves, and most inverters use a digital process to simulate a sine wave, the poorer the sine wave quality, the shorter life the battery. Also, some inverters require a battery backup. This is great if you want to be off grid and want more energy security, or if you want to store energy in the grid for later use (through net metering). Some batteries are included with the inverter and some are a separate component. In order to save money on your system you can forgo the batteries initially. Batteries are a large portion of the cost of an inverter and you can save money by only purchasing the essentials and not a battery backup (but make sure it has a good quality sine wave and connects with the grid). In addition, some inverters are not capable of sharing loads between the renewable source and the grid. For instance, in the event that your renewable source is providing power, but not sufficient for your needs, the inverter will "throw out" the renewable energy and only draw from the grid. Make sure your system allows you to use both your renewable source and draw from the grid only what you need, working together. Based on his research Taylor's ideal inverter: has a battery backup option, not requirement, would enable a grid tied and power sharing capability with a true sine wave. You may pay more upfront for such an inverter, but the benefits of power sharing could quickly make up for any extra cost incurred. And the optional battery could help with the upfront cost until you are able to afford a battery backup. |
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