Solar Power

A few months back we decided to put our money where our mouths are and install solar power. The hubby knows a bit about it as his company uses it in rural and remote areas to ensure that telephone and Internet infrastructure is kept functioning as best it comes. I just know that we have this huge, natural resource available to use and we aren't using it to it's full potential. I think it would be a better to spend money on determining how to harness and store solar power than working out how, where and when to store the toxic waste from nuclear power stations.

So we have a spectacular array adorning the roof of our abode. I don't even know it's there and completely forget about it. Except when it's windy. When nature gets up a bit of a breeze now it whistles and moans around the solar panels like the house is a portal to another dimension.

So I was reading this post on Gavin's blog and was hit smack on the forehead with the realisation that I've been using the solar power all wrong!!! Armed with my new knowledge I approached the hubby aiming to contribute a new piece of knowledge to his already considerable knowledge bank. Turns out he knew that. (Of course he would, why did I think he wouldn't. O.o ) But he neglected to mention it to me. The person who's in the house all the time. He assumed I would automatically figure that out myself. :) So.. here's my new routine and why I changed it.

I'm not going to provide lots of facts and figures... I'm not good at that... I'm going to keep it simple. The government pays us twice the amount of money for our solar power to go into the grid than it costs us to draw power from the grid. While the solar power is going into the grid we are earning money from it. That happens during the day. So it makes sense to use electrical appliances when the solar power is not being fed into the grid which is at night. The hubby tells me the solar power feed stops at around 4pm so now the dishwasher, oven, washing machine, pool pump and dryer all get used after 4pm as much as possible. Which is not hard to do.

This will save us money, make us money and by way of feeding power into the grid, prevent the need for coal-fueled stations to make more electricity. Win, Win, Win!