Originally Posted by naytep  I have a 400amp 3-phase service to my shop. Has anyone tried running a service like this by solar power? We machine primarly between 8am-5pm (daylight hours) and most of the new homeowner systems are connected to the grid. I think that not only would it be benificial to the enviroment, but also to my wallet. Solar pays off in 8-10 years (home system) and it seams as though many people are trying to buy from so called GREEN companies.
Whats your spin? |
You don't give a voltage but if it is 240 then your service is 166 kVA.
Solar power is DC so you would need to synthesize your 3 phase with an inverter which will probably be about 95% efficient so you will need at least 175 kilowatts going in to get your 166 out.
Noonday sun puts about 1 kilowatt on the ground per square yard on a clear day.
Photovoltaic panels are not more than 15% efficient so from one square yard under the clear noonday sky you get about .15 kilowatts which means for your 175 kW you need at least 1,167 square yards or 10,500 square feet.
But the sun is only at the zenith at noon and at either end of the day the energy arriving at the surface is reduced because the sun is low in the sky and your panels are not directly illuminated.
You could build an enormous tracking system but it might be just as cheap to double the area of the panels and leave them sitting still so now you need 21,000 square feet.
Have you priced photovoltaic panels? Have you priced a 175kVA three phase inverter?
I am not sure it would be benificial to your wallet.