Category — Environment
Solar panels — a year on
We wanted to install solar panels for years — in my case decades, since I was involved in the “Alternative Technology” magazine Undercurrents in the 1970s. In the past, the idea of a solar PV system has just been too expensive (friends down the street paid £15,000 for their system just a few years ago), but we’d been watching prices fall until, by the middle of 2014, it looked as if prices had fallen to an affordable level.
We interviewed four companies and it quickly became evident that the height of the roof wouldn’t allow the conventional 16 panels in two rows “portrait” style that is common for a 4kWp system – they would have to be mounted too close to the top and bottom of the roof (you need 500mm clearance all round — otherwise you can risk less stability in high winds). We could, however, manage two rows of six, “landscape” style. The companies we talked to varied in the amount of work they did specifying the installation, and I regard actually getting up into the loft and taking real measurements as an indicator that the installer is worth considering.
The limitation of 12 panels immediately made the choice a relatively simple one. We needed high efficiency panels, and the SunPower design, it was easy to see from the data sheets, was not only superior in engineering terms (they are not only more efficient, but they have a sturdy backplane system with no buses running down the front of the panels, making them less prone to damage; and if a cell does get damaged, it doesn’t take the whole row out or worse), it also enabled us to install a system that would deliver a little under 4kWp from just 12 panels. Perfect! Two companies out of the four had offered us SunPower panels. One was an enormous supplier in the Midlands that in fact I would recommend for anyone looking for a commercial installation, but they were rather expensive — significantly more than any of the others.
We selected our supplier, Solarworks of Lavenham in Suffolk, who have been installing renewable systems since 1983. Just a couple of weeks later the scaffolding arrived and while it was set up, Solarworks fitted the inverter – an ABB “Uno” single-phase model – and associated switchgear in the closet under the stairs (see picture left — note the black rotary switch bottom right, which is a proper DC isolator on the input path from the panels — which were still to be hooked up when this picture was taken). Above the AC isolator on the left is the Generation Meter. The next day, they installed the mounting rails on the roof. Because our panels were to be mounted horizontally, the rails were vertical and each of the 12 was attached to a different rafter, giving exceptional strength.
The following day, the panels went up, and as soon as they were connected, by mid-late afternoon – in two strings of six each – the inverter was indicating that we were generating 3.6kW of electricity. And the story has continued, with the system regularly generating more kWh than we use in an average day. This year, we saw the output exceed 3.7kW as early as March! (Which surprised me in fact, as you would have thought there would be losses between the 3.9kWp nominal panels and the inverter.) The installation, just after completion, is shown above.
We’re very pleased with the results and would recommend both SunPower panels and Solarworks as an installer.
We subsequently had our old Ferranti rotating-disc import meter replaced so that it wouldn’t go backwards. The latter sounds like a cool thing but actually isn’t, because you are already being paid for the electricity you are exporting and the electricity supplier can claim it back retrospectively; plus I wanted a modern meter with an LED indicator on to which I could strap a counter for metering.
The metering system I installed came from Geo (Green Energy Options) in Cambridge. It measures the power output from the panels (via the flashing light on the Generation Meter), the amount imported from the Grid (via the flashing light on the new Import Meter), and the raw current flow in or out of the building (from a clip around the main power input cable), and calculates a range of data from those raw inputs. Very nice. On the display shown here, the blue curve represents the output from the panels (quite good for an overcast day, I think) and the orange is the amount of energy we’re using – these values are shown numerically in the centre left of the display. The little blue arrows at the bottom show we are exporting electricity, and the little green waveform above the wattage displays indicates that we have enough “free” power to run a major appliance such as a washing machine or dishwasher, without effectively paying for it; and on the right is our electricity usage so far today and how much our income from generation and our spend have been. The system is connected to the Internet so you can remotely monitor system performance via the Web.
Our electricity supplier is Ecotricity, and setting up for their Microtricity scheme to receive the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) was simple to do. Now they are often banking with me, and have had to revise my electricity payments down significantly as a result.
Having had the panels installed for almost a year, it looks as if we are running somewhat ahead of schedule as far as these panels paying for themselves is concerned.
April 25, 2015 Comments Off on Solar panels — a year on
Working at the World Wilderness Congress
Leona helped to co-ordinate resources at the 9th World Wilderness Congress (WWC), in Merida, Mexico between the 6th and 13th of November.
“Launched by The WILD Foundation in 1977, the World Wilderness Congress (WWC) is now the longest-running, public, international environmental forum. With over 30 years of conservation achievements, the WWC has become a high-profile platform for acting on complex wilderness and wildlands issues.
“WWCs include senior-level representation from governments, the private sector, native peoples, non-governmental organizations, academia and the arts in a structure carefully designed to bring together the full spectrum of wilderness-related views. Broad-based participation, combined with the spirit of open and balanced debate, creates a constructive, objective oriented environment, and generates practical conservation outcomes.
“The Congress convenes every three to four years around the world. Past WWCs have been held in South Africa (1977, 2001), Australia (1980), Scotland (1983), USA (1987, 2005), Norway (1993), and India (1998).
“Since its origins, the World Wilderness Congress has been a result-oriented conservation project that begins long before the actual convention of delegates takes place, and WILD 9 will be no different. In the months leading up to Merida, several committees, groups, agencies and organizations are working on models, objectives and targets that address a global agenda and aim to achieve practical conservation results through a diverse and interesting program –with a Latin rhythm!”
Click here for more information.
Last day’s feed from the Congress:
Video clips at Ustream
November 4, 2009 Comments Off on Working at the World Wilderness Congress
The Great Returning: Inhabiting Our MotherWorld
A workshop with Leona Graham and Penn Kemp, Sunday, October 4, 2009, 10:00 am–5:30 pm, London, Ontario.
An experiential workshop dedicated to empowering the individual to attune to our Great Mother Earth and life-sustaining, enhancing values. Participants will emerge grounded in realistic ways and means to face these critical times where the choices we make can make all the difference.
How are the arts relevant to sustainability? How can we articulate our convictions in ways that move the reader to action? We will help empower you to write with a short reading to encourage you in your own work. A series of exercises on creativity will give participants direct experience and practical suggestions for spurring the imagination and honing writing skills. Inspiration will present itself through the kind of coaching that is only possible in a small group and in the safe setting we provide!
Leona and Penn share deep common ground through decades of friendship and shared experience in various realms: the literary arts; community and peace activism; conservation and deep ecology.
Former academics, we have each supported ourselves outside the mainstream commercial complex since the early 70’s. Despite the Atlantic often between us, we have long navigated and maintained a synergy of shared dimensions. As co-creators, we are involved in connecting environmental politics with goddess spirituality both in our own writing and through workshops around the world (including Glastonbury and Findhorn).
As listener-conveners, Leona and Penn create an expansive but practical field of possibilities for and with the group.
525 Canterbury Road, London, Ontario, Canada.
Contact: +1 519 434 8555, penn[at]pennkemp.ca or leona[at]brideswell.com – or use the Contact Form.
About Leona:
Born in Halifax during WW2
Educated: Medway & Oakridge High Schools, UWO (BA/MA), PhD Studies UBC
Cold War Military service 1959-early 60’s: RCAF & RCN ®
Her (now 95 year-old) feisty mum in London, Ontario, Canada, helped motivate Leona become an early environmental activist when she brought home a copy of Rachel Carson’s groundbreaking Silent Spring (1962). Like many others she became deeply involved in ‘Pollution Probe’ and ‘Wholefood Coop’ type efforts, presaging the larger ecological-conservation movement. The birth of a daughter provided further motivation. Before abandoning her successful academic teaching career, Leona turned her ‘60’s university students onto environmental and other good causes. She embraced full-time activism, heading off round the world to see how the other half lived (not very well), and finally settled down (in the 70’s) in the Findhorn Community in NE Scotland—an organic eco-village, founded, in the same year as Rachel’s book appeared—its roots based in ‘Coöperation with Nature’—a hands-on but ‘spiritual’ focus. ‘Findhorn’ and its eco-projects have remained a constant factor through the years, despite stints spent in other special communities round the world, including Glastonbury (England): founding the Sustainable Living Company from an eco-charitable enterprise called The Wise Crone Café (Glastonbury Festival) as well as helping found and develop various cultural entities: The Library of Avalon, The Assembly Rooms Project, The Isle of Avalon Trust, The Goddess Temple, Ariadne Productions and the spectacular annual The Goddess Conference (where once again this year she is presenting). She has also supported community and environmental activism in Ojai and Topanga Canyon (California). She now lives in a small fen village in Cambridgeshire UK, continuing her environmental work on a local and national/international basis. Through the years she has been involved in a variety of international conservation organizations as International Program Director at The WILD Foundation (USA), helping run two World Wilderness Congresses (1983 in Scotland & 1997 in India) and the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) (Namibia/ USA/ UK/ Canada/Japan). Both WILD’s and CCF’s work include a strong ‘eco-village’ aspect as they are involved in on-the-ground community-building. And of course, in any spare time she has, she continues to write poetry.
About Penn:
Penn is an enthusiastic practitioner of the creativity she teaches. She has been giving workshops for forty years. Her years of Buddhist practice has led her to give dozens of workshops on Sarasvati ( Hindu and Buddhist deity of the arts), “Inspiration” and on “Invoking Your Muse”. An intrigue with ancient mythology has taken her on many journeys, in search especially of Black Madonnas in all their guises. Penn’s fascination with Egypt led her to visit twice, once with other metaphysical teachers, and again as tour leader. Her latest CDs are“Helwa!”, from Suite Ancient Egypt ‚and Darkness Visible. You can read more on http://www.library.utoronto.ca/canpoetry/kemp/ and www.myspace.com/pennkemp. Sections of What Springs to Mind, her book on creative writing, are up on www.mytown.ca/whatspringstomind. The Association of Canadian Studies and the Canada Council sponsored Penn’s reading tours throughout India and Brazil. She has performed at arts festivals and conferences around the world, including two Findhorn Arts Festivals and the Glastonbury Goddess Conference. She is Canada Council writer-in-residence at the University of Western Ontario, 2009-10.
Investment in You (North American lingo for fee): $100. Before September 1: $60.
As spaces in the workshop are very limited, your place will be reserved as soon as we receive your payment.
Please send your cheque to Pendas Productions, 525 Canterbury Road, London ON N6G2N5.
No refunds, sorry.
July 9, 2009 Comments Off on The Great Returning: Inhabiting Our MotherWorld
Mothering for the Environment Conference (Toronto, Canada)
Leona Graham will be presenting a paper/experience at this unique conference, to be held in Toronto from October 22–25, 2009 and sponsored by the Association for Research on Mothering (ARM) in conjunction with York University’s 50th Anniversary Celebration. The title of her talk is The Great Returning. More to follow!
June 17, 2009 Comments Off on Mothering for the Environment Conference (Toronto, Canada)
Connect / Community / Change
Connect/Community/Change — CCC. Caroline Barry, Lesley Docksey and Leona Graham have joined up to develop a project to help in the transformation of the environmental ‘Transition’ movement — from a non-sustainable to a sustainable future.
The group had a stand at the upcoming South Somerset Green Fair & Scythe Festival at Thorney Lake, near Langport/Glastonbury, Somerset on Sunday 14 June 2009. We were there to listen - and from thence to action. It was highly successful and lots of fun to boot!
We can do it; we can find a way, in each of our communities: we have the power and the means.
May 19, 2009 Comments Off on Connect / Community / Change
Talking of wind turbines…
The wind farm in the header is not there because we are directly involved in wind farms or the technology behind them, but because we think they are in inspiring sight, and act as a symbol of the moves we all need to take towards renewable generation and lower carbon emissions if we’re not going to see the end of civilisation in just a few decades.
These turbines are in the Fens a few miles away from us. We would have no compunction whatsoever about having one in our back yard. Our friends up at Findhorn have four in their back yards: they are virtually silent — even up close — and they produce more electricity than the community uses, so they make a profit. That’s the way to do it, in our view: community investment in wind farms brings an immediate tangible benefit to local people as well as potential energy independence.
April 25, 2009 Comments Off on Talking of wind turbines…