Dependent

Thus the sum of things is ever being reviewed, and mortals dependent one upon another. Some nations increase, others diminish, and in a short space the generations of living creatures are changed and like runners pass on the torch of life.

- Lucretius -

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I have a solar array on two of my houses both of which generate power from the sun for me to use to power my houses. When I'm not using the electricity it feeds back to the grid and I get paid for what goes out. Naturally, I get charged for what I draw from the grid when the array isn't producing, like at night, and somewhere in between is my power bill.

Right now, I'm paying just over seventy five percent less each quarter for my electricity bill because of the solar systems which is a significant saving considering the cost of electricity here. I could reduce it by installing battery storage but a decent battery is somewhere around $14,000-$18,000 AUD currently and I'm disinclined to part with that money just yet.

I've had one of the systems since October 2016 and it's been great to see the savings and the data which I can compare daily, weekly, monthly, yearly and on a lifetime basis using the Enphase app on my phone connected live-time to the system. Below are screen captures from the app comparing the month of May for 2023, 2022 and 2021.

The metrics are: Imported, produced, exported, net exported, dependence on the grid, Co2 reduction and a chart showing production, consumption, currency equivalent and import/export. This can be drilled down to daily, but I have it set to monthly for the purpose of this post.

May 2023

May 2022

May 2022

I didn't get the array with the sole purpose of reducing Co2 output to the environment but that's one of the benefits; it causes less impact on the environment to use solar power. The array saves me a lot of money, its main purpose, and I recovered the outlay within about three years. My second system on the house I live in has only been in for several months but it's going along nicely. I was fortunate to have taken advantage of a government scheme and got that array for free saving me about $7,500 AUD. Yee haa, right?

Below is the lifetime screen showing from October 2016 when I got the array until now. This one is measured in MWh Megawatt hours not Kilowatt hours. Look at the lifetime saving of Co2...28.1 tonnes saved. Pretty good right? Check out the currency equivalent value below also...$13.1K. Legit right?

Lifetime 2016 - 2023

I find it interesting to note the changes as the weather patterns change and since having both array's installed the way power is used in the properties has changed. It's a simple matter of shifting as much usage to the daytime when the sun provides free power. The dishwasher, washing machine and dryer, working in my workshop, charging of devices and batteries is all done during the day and in the evening lights are turned off when not needed and most appliances are turned off at the switch so standby lights don't burn power. These two houses are also lit with LED lighting, a much more economical way of lighting.

Interestingly, you can see the dependence on the grid is reasonably stable year on year with a mid-fifty percentage over the lifetime. I think that's not too bad; I could probably affect that more by additional adjustments with usage, but things are going well and I'm content.

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I'm certainly no environmental crusader but I take some care; I love nature and feel that we should treat it better.

I don't litter, recycle to keep waste out of landfill, re-use and repurpose to reduce waste, shun the buy-mentality that plagues humanity, streamline vehicle usage to reduce emissions, have my solar arrays of course, have a low impact on nature when I'm out in it and do a few other things besides...but every one of us is to blame for what's happening to the planet which, in my opinion is not reversable with humans in situ.

But what about you? What do you do to help the environment, reduce your carbon footprint. What could you be doing better? How heavily dependent upon the power grid are you? What's your thoughts on alternative energy like solar? Feel free to comment below, tell me about it, or ask any questions about what you read here.