Re: Off grid power

Posted by Pete in Holland MI on February 17, 2021 at 12:19:56 from (68.188.148.217):

In Reply to: Off grid power posted by jon f mn on February 17, 2021 at 04:55:18:

I remember reading in the late 70's & 80's about co-generation plants set up in high rise buildings. Several big engines in the basement making electricity. Electricity generation cost more than power from the grid, but heat from the jacket water and exhaust is where the benefits were. Internal combustion engines are thermally very inefficient. Something like 20-30% of the energy from the fuel burned actually makes useable rotative power. The rest is lost in heat. Haven't heard of that sort of thing going on these days, so I guess it didn't pan out.

I know of big commercial ships that have exhaust heat exchangers on the main engines to generate steam, which drives turbine generators once out to sea, and some/all of their diesel gen sets can be shut down till they get back to port. There is a benefit there, because they avoid running a diesel engine during this time.

Running a internal combustion engine for a generator, 24-7, will put 8,640 hours on an engine. Engine rebuilds and oil changes need to be factored in.

I had a friend get pissed off at the power company and decided to power his house with his portable generator. That only lasted a couple weeks, when the amount of gas he was going thru, and the fact he couldn't run all the things in the house at one time, cost more than his power bills.

People poo-poo big power plants for their effect on the environment. These are big companies who have invested in all sorts of systems to make their power plants run as cleanly and efficiently as possible. I can't imagine if everyone in our neighborhood had a generator thumping along. Some would be running well. Others, lacking skills or funds for maintenance, would be that much dirtier.

If your lives could be get by without your 600 watt flat screen TV, extra large fridge & freezer, the need to keep the house at 70F year around, lighting a huge house with dozens of light bulbs, shop power tools, water pumps, sump pumps, hot water, well, then a small generating system could be effectively run your house from solar or wind, and some batteries, but the size of a system to maintain the lifestyle you currently have, will have a lot of up front cost.

Tough as it is, pay your power bill. If it is too high for your desires, figure out ways to use less.

Interesting topic.......

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