My First Solar Customer to Ditch the Grid

September 30th, 2016

Awake Goy

My First Solar Customer to Ditch the Grid

September 29th, 2016

Disclosure: I sell solar power systems in New Zealand.

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I just sold my first off grid system to a customer with grid power available at his house. He’s going pretty small (2 kW array, 4x 230AH 12V AGM batteries, 4kW/48V pure sine wave inverter), but he said he’s fed up with dealing with electricity retailers here. His loads are a high efficiency fridge, two laptops, Internet/wi-fi router, LED lights, water kettle, water pressure pump. House hot water will be via on-demand/tankless gas system. He’s going to wait to eventually add an evacuated tube direct solar water heater, and then use the gas heater to boost the temp when necessary. 2kW petrol generator backup.

In a decade or so, when his AGM batteries are on their way out, future iterations of Aquion’s 48v stacks (usable depth of discharge: 100%!) will probably/finally be cheap here and he’ll be able to drop those right into his rig without any modifications.

Anyway, I tried to talk this guy down. I really did.

I offered much cheaper grid tie alternatives that wouldn’t restrict his load size or duration of use, etc.

Not interested.

Are you paying attention, NZ electricity retailers? Your high prices and hostility toward solar power just lost you 100% of this family’s money forever.

Have a nice day.

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One Response to “My First Solar Customer to Ditch the Grid”

bloodnok Says:

September 29th, 2016 at 8:36 pm

I live in Wellington now and use around 16kWh/day. I’m considering a small capacity of solar not as a middle-finger to the power companies (although that’s a good reason), but as some sort of backup if/when we get a big quake.