Solar panels ahs hot weather

[Woodentop]

There was an interesting item in the paper today (or was it yesterday?) which I didn't know and I guess many readers will not either.

Solar panels are apparently tested and specified at 25C. Above that temperature their efficiency falls. The paper said it dropped by 0.5% for every 1C increase, but I suspect they meant 5% per 1C as they later noted that the solar energy available to the National Grid at the end of last week was down by 25% for the same number of operational stations with a temperature of 30C. I suspect this is more likely correct as Grid requested Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal-fired station to be on standby to run on Saturday and a second station (possibly West Burton?) to be available on Sunday in addition.

Ergo, if its hot and sunny don't rely upon you caravan solar panel to keep your battery topped up, it may drain it instead!

I wonder what happened to wind power? Oh, yes, there wasn't any......................

 

[Dustydog]

There was an interesting item in the paper today (or was it yesterday?) which I didn't know and I guess many readers will not either.

Solar panels are apparently tested and specified at 25C. Above that temperature their efficiency falls. The paper said it dropped by 0.5% for every 1C increase, but I suspect they meant 5% per 1C as they later noted that the solar energy available to the National Grid at the end of last week was down by 25% for the same number of operational stations with a temperature of 30C. I suspect this is more likely correct as Grid requested Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal-fired station to be on standby to run on Saturday and a second station (possibly West Burton?) to be available on Sunday in addition.

Ergo, if its hot and sunny don't rely upon you caravan solar panel to keep your battery topped up, it may drain it instead!

I wonder what happened to wind power? Oh, yes, there wasn't any......................

You are spot on. See this earlier thread. https://forums.practicalcaravan.com/threads/is-this-for-real.66009/

 

[otherclive]

You are spot on. See this earlier thread. https://forums.practicalcaravan.com/threads/is-this-for-real.66009/

All come good when Hinckley C comes on line! I think the two coal stations only had a stay of execution for this year. Wonder if there are plans for a further life extension?

 

[Dustydog]

All come good when Hinckley C comes on line! I think the two coal stations only had a stay of execution for this year. Wonder if there are plans for a further life extension?

Who knows Clive. With all the troubles in the East I’d err on the side of caution, These could be all we have😢😢

 

[Mr Grumpy]

All come good when Hinckley C comes on line! I think the two coal stations only had a stay of execution for this year. Wonder if there are plans for a further life extension?

All we have to worry about then will be what to do with all the radioactive waste 🤔

 

[ProfJohnL]

I think the conflict between Ukraine and Russia has exposed how comfortable the UK and many other countries had become dependant on supplies of energy from beyond their national boundaries, and how vulnerable they are to political strife.

It has also exposed how good or bad each countries energy policies are.

It's highly likely many of the worst affected countries will endeavour to make themselves less reliant on imported energy. How each country will manage this will depend on what range of alternative sources of energy they may have.

We have been relatively well placed in the UK, we have barely seen any shortages of supply but becasue of the flawed way energy prices seem to be linked to gas, we have all suffered the raging cost inflation becasue of substantive shortages elsewhere.

I don't know how we got into this ridiculous price fixing, but I hope we can get out of it and bring a more reasonable sense of proportion to what we pay for our energy.

 

[Woodentop]

Electricity linked to gas prices is because, ignoring solar and wind, most of our electricity is generated from gas. What is annoying is that gas prices have dropped significantly over the last few months, but the price of electricity.................

 

[ProfJohnL]

Electricity linked to gas prices is because, ignoring solar and wind, most of our electricity is generated from gas. What is annoying is that gas prices have dropped significantly over the last few months, but the price of electricity.................

That may well have been true even just a few years ago, but the market has changed significantly, and we shouldn't ignore the renewables that can now represent up 50% of our power generation. We should pay the price of how much the energy we use costs, and not paying an artificially high price derived from a single commodity which has led many families into financial difficulties, whist funding mad dividends for a number of energy suppliers.

 

[Dustydog]

That may well have been true even just a few years ago, but the market has changed significantly, and we shouldn't ignore the renewables that can now represent up 50% of our power generation. We should pay the price of how much the energy we use costs, and not paying an artificially high price derived from a single commodity which has led many families into financial difficulties, whist funding mad dividends for a number of energy suppliers.

How does the man in the street resolve these high charges! Stop buying electricity 😉Someone somewhere is getting very rich🤬

 

[otherclive]

That may well have been true even just a few years ago, but the market has changed significantly, and we shouldn't ignore the renewables that can now represent up 50% of our power generation. We should pay the price of how much the energy we use costs, and not paying an artificially high price derived from a single commodity which has led many families into financial difficulties, whist funding mad dividends for a number of energy suppliers.

Isn’t it a bit like the expensive PFI contracts for hospitals. Good value at the time but a lifetime millstone. The contracts for electricity supplies go back to the days when renewables were to be encouraged. Perhaps the government could seek to renegotiate the contracts. But the risk could be like the windfall tax on the oil and gas companies. The net result being a cut back on investment and fewer jobs. So much so it’s already being modified.