Rants and Rays - Key Pillars of Energy Management

My personal belief is that there are three main pillars to comprehensive Energy Management as a big component of the solution to Global Warming:

1. Efficiency - "Waste Less" energy
2. Generation - "Make More" clean energy
3. Conservation - "Use Less" energy

Efficiency and Generation are more system/infrastructure changes. These require capital investments, but I believe they are are more easily achievable, since they are just changes to the equipment. For example, you can save electricity by sealing the air leaks in windows with caulking or right-sizing the HVAC unit. You can generate clean energy by adding solar panels.

Unlike the other two pillars, Conservation is dependent almost exclusively on behavioral changes, and thus is very difficult to implement and achieve. However, if our behavior can be changed, the impact and benefit is likely to be much more impactful and longer lasting.

Efficiency and Conservation are generally espoused to the end-user side while Generation is more of a utility priority. However, I believe that with solar the Generation pillar can and will be an important component in the future for the end-user. Per above, the results of Generation are more easily achievable since they are reliant almost entirely on purchase of equipment rather than a change in behavior.

Solar Production Thru July 25, 2011

We have generated over 265 kWh more energy than the original system estimate. I have updated my savings calculator model (with charts) with the actual solar production to date. I only get an electricity bill once a quarter, so the billing data is based on an estimate.

Total Production To Date:
Production: 1,742 kWh
Percent of Annual Predicted Production (2,781 kWh): 62.6%
Actual vs. Predicted Production Better/(Worse): +265 kWh
CO2 Saved: 2,891 lbs
Estimated Savings: $348.40

Monthly Production:
July 2011: 293.62 kWh (July 1-25)
June 2011: 313.90 kWh
May 2011: 332.10 kWh
Apr 2011: 295.18 kWh
Mar 2011: 262.25 kWh
Feb 2011: 206.07 kWh
Jan 2011: 38.50 kWh (1/26-1/31)

System Specs:
System Size DC (STC): 2.28 KW
System Size AC: 1.93 KW
System Size AC (California CSI rating): 1.63 KW
Panels: 10 SunPower Serengeti 228 Watt
Inverter: 1 SunPower 3000M (SMA Sunny Boy 3000 re-branded under SunPower)
Estimated Annual Production: 2,781 kWh

Direction: East facing

24 Weeks Solar Production

Sorry I have been delinquent in my postings.

Total Production To Date:
Production: 1,595 kWh
Percent of Annual Predicted Production (2,781 kWh): 57.4%
Actual vs. Predicted Production Better/(Worse): +165 kWh
CO2 Saved: 2,647 lbs
Estimated Savings: $319.00
Monthly Production:
July 2011: 147.15 kWh (July 1-12)
June 2011: 313.90 kWh
May 2011: 332.10 kWh
Apr 2011: 295.18 kWh
Mar 2011: 262.25 kWh
Feb 2011: 206.07 kWh
Jan 2011: 38.50 kWh (1/26-1/31)

System Specs:
System Size DC (STC): 2.28 KW
System Size AC: 1.93 KW
System Size AC (California CSI rating): 1.63 KW
Panels: 10 SunPower Serengeti 228 Watt
Inverter: 1 SunPower 3000M (SMA Sunny Boy 3000 re-branded under SunPower)
Estimated Annual Production: 2,781 kWh

Direction: East facing