Solar Panels and Power Stations.       

There are over 300,000 homes fitted with solar panels of various capacities from 2 Kilowatts to 5 Kilowatts with a few over 5 kilowatts. (note; all kilowatts quoted are per hour).

Their total generation capacity is approximately 770 Megawatts. That is when the solar panels are ALL at their peak generation throughout the state.

Capacity is one thing actual generation is another. I have the capacity to run the 4 minute mile but my chances of doing that is very doubtful. The same applies to solar and wind generation. (more on that later)

 Most of the power generated from solar panels occurs when there is direct sunlight, a small amount is generated when overcast but of a low figure. The amount of peak power generation time is when the sun is well up, usually between 9.00 a.m. to 4 or 5 p.m. during the day. Before this it slowly increases then afterwards decreases. The solar panel rated capacity is very rarely achieved and the 5 kilowatt system averages about 3.7 to 4.2 Kws on a sunny day.

So on a sunny day you can expect the solar power to increase from zero to 3.7 Kws in the first   2 hours. Then falls off rapidly after 4 p.m to almost zero by 5.30 p.m.

This of course will vary between summer and winter but at best an extra hour in summer.

Ironically the summer heat affects the efficiency of the solar panels which decreases with high temperatures, so the best efficiency is gained in the cooler weather.

The power generated from these panels is only good for 6 to 7 seven hours on a sunny day but as the capacity is very rarely reached then the real optimum peak power is somewhere in the range of 600 Megawatts . After that you are importing power from the grid and relying on thermal generated power.

If that 600 Mws was a thermal power station you would generate 600 x 24 hours equal to 14,400 Megawatts. The solar panels would be approximately 7 hours by 600 Megawatts, totalling 4200 Megawatts a difference of over 10,200 megawatts. A very long way from a modern thermal power station’s 2640 megawatts output by 24 hours or 63,360 Megawatt output.

Also that 600Mws is only on sunny days which is arguably 85% of the time in Queensland.

So Paul, my old mate, NO these 300,000 solar panelled homes do NOT equate to a 1.5 billion dollar power station.

 Also there is no such thing as a ‘base load’ power station. That is allocated by system control to whatever are the most efficient units. Any power generation unit can be ‘base load’ although this is always allocated to the most efficient. All units can change load (rapidly if required) to control load and system demand.

Also the power station that would (and should be built) would cost over 2 billion dollars but these units would (or should) be 4 x 660 megawatts units (or larger), total 2640 megawatt power station, like Eraring Power station, Point Piper power station(2 units) and Bayswater power station in N.S.W., Highly efficient,  very reliable, flexible and clean.

 Queensland also has a 750 megawatt unit at Kogan Creek, the biggest in Australia.

The total solar power generated by solar panels input to the grid system is less that 1.5% and the total power they generate is less than 2.5% of power demand.

To the retail power distributors the input from home solar panels is a pain in the backside and does nothing for them.

But even though they only generate for a limited period of time Solar Panel power generation is the ONLY thing that the previous Labor government initiated that was any good. The rest of their so called ‘Solar initiatives’ were total disasters that we will pay dearly for, for years to come.

When the subsidised installation of solar panels was first initiated by the labor government they were expensive to install, approx. $15,000 or more for a 5 kilowatt system and in most cases even with a 44 cent tariff. They would take a long time to pay for and generally were not financially viable.( The cost of electricity per kilowatt at that time was less than 21 cents per kilowatt.)

Now you can install a 5 kilowatt system for $7000 or less and with the current tariff of 29.403 cents, they are a good investment.

I now have a 5 Kw unit installed and from 2 invoices I am saving $400-$500 a quarter or $1600 to $2000 per year. Thus the unit will pay for itself  in 3.5 to 4.5 years.

The present Government will only subsidise the installation of units up to 5 kilowatts. The latest power input tariff to the grid system is 8 cents which will change on 1^st July 2014. The previous subsidy of 44 cents that was created by the Greens and labour is absolutely insane.

This subsidy is over 500% more than the retail power distributors would normally pay.

Certainly on this refund tariff the power industry is subsidising this power to the tune of approx. 34 -36 cents a Kilowatt but this will come to an end when the 44 cent tariffs finishes in the not too distant future.

However this refund for the 44cent tariff is a very small amount of total power cost and would have little bearing on the overall cost of electrical power.

The 8 cents subsidy is more realistic.

But the power retailers are not stupid, if the power ‘feed in tariff’ is 44 cents they only pay you the difference between what power you import and what power you export.

But on the 8 cents a kilowatt rate they charge you for ALL the power you import and pay you 8 cents for ALL the power you export-NOT the difference as on the 44c tariff.

At the moment tariff 11 is 29.403 cents a kilowatt. So you have to export 3.67 kilowatts to pay for the one kilowatt you import.

Although there is a bonus from the input tariffs one should really look at the power you have saved at 29.403 cents a Kilowatt. That is where the real saving is. As for what size to get, always get larger than you think. It does not cost a great deal more but in the long run you are better off. For the average 4 people family (especially if they are teenagers- expensive to run!!)

 I would recommend a 5 Kilowatts system.

In summary, yes the 44c feed in tariff is being subsidised, but the 8 cent tariff is not.

We also pay the connection service fee like anyone else.

If people wish to complain about power generation; look at two things;

The ridiculous, expensive and useless carbon tax,  that was created by fools and dreamers and is doing immense damage to our industry and economy.

Also the highly expensive, totally unreliable, unstable, and  non-productive wind generators which cost billions of dollars with little output. On average their output is less than  20% of capacity.

Billions of YOUR dollars wasted. Money that could have reduced our deficit and minimised the threat to age pensions etc.

Terence Cardwell