Combining energy sources

[FreeBTU]

According to the forum rules, as I understand them, I'm not allowed to post links to commercial sites. So you have to do with my rather clumpsy descriptions


Say I have solar panels from diffrent brands, plus perhaps a windmill. All have diffrent voltages. Is it possible to combine all those sources into one big power source?



Í'm a complete beginner without any practical experience that studied the various ways solar panels are used. Heating panels that simply blow hot air into the house, electricity, water heaters and if I understood it correctly a combination of electricity and water heating.

For simplicity assume I only want to use solar panels for two uses.
a] In the summer power my airconditioning unit.
b] In the winter heat my house.

I could buy heating panels and PV panels but that would mean the panels are only used during summer or winter.
What's the best solution to this problem? Only PV panels and electric heating only?


Of course the situation is more complex...
I'm not planning to go entirely off-grid. I will be connected to the power grid and prefer a place with natural gas.
Heating with natural gas is much cheaper than electricity and because I also need heat during hours the solar panels don't generate enough power to heat my house I think my only choice is to heat my home with gas and when possible use my panels to reduce heating costs. When heating with gas I prefer central heating because that's needs if every room needs to have a different temperature. I would prefer that the solar panels somehow heat the same gas powered system to avoid having 2 seperate heating systems in my house. Same for heating by my tap water.
Is it possible to tie together gas and solar power?


I'll stop here because this are enough questions for my first post

[Volusiano]

In AZ, for homes that doesn't have natural gas supply like mine, we use heat pumps that serve as AC in the summer time and run the same system in reverse as heat pumps in the winter time. When it gets too cold to find heat from the outside to bring into the home, the system turns on electric heating coils to deliver the heat.

So maybe you can install an AC system that can also serve as a heat pump together with your gas furnace. That way, you can use the electric heat pump for heating during solar producing hours and switch to natural gas heating during non-solar hours.

[FloridaSun]

According to the forum rules, as I understand them, I'm not allowed to post links to commercial sites. So you have to do with my rather clumpsy descriptions

Not sure what commercial site you're getting your info from but it sounds 'clumpsy' indeed. Forget about running an AC unit or water heating on PV. If you have.. or will have grid access go grid tie.
Read the stickies here in the areas you are interested in. Lots of good information available. It is possible to do anything.... if you have the cash and are not interested in ROI. State your present or desired future location and you may get more accurate info from the many experienced members here.
Thanks for not posting links

[FreeBTU]

Not sure what commercial site you're getting your info from but it sounds 'clumpsy' indeed.

But it might not be so If you saw the actual equipment I'm refering to.

Forget about running an AC unit or water heating on PV.

Solar energy is often promoted as cheap but so far nobody has shown proof for it. If I would cut down my energy usage to what panels can handle I would have huge cost reduction too. It's very unlikely I'll cut back.

State your present or desired future location and you may get more accurate info from the many experienced members here.

I can't because I have no real preference. I like Florida like climate but just as well may pick something in Otanario. One of my options is a 40 acre property with a fast running stream which would be great for hydro-power but that's beyond the scope of this forum. Could be I'm just on the wrong type of forum with my questions?
So I need to know the options before I intend to buy because quite often there isn't a year's time to research because it's sold by then.

Thanks for not posting links

Counter productive if imo, but I'll follow the rules.

[FreeBTU]

In AZ, for homes that doesn't have natural gas supply like mine, we use heat pumps that serve as AC in the summer time and run the same system in reverse as heat pumps in the winter time. When it gets too cold to find heat from the outside to bring into the home, the system turns on electric heating coils to deliver the heat.

So maybe you can install an AC system that can also serve as a heat pump together with your gas furnace. That way, you can use the electric heat pump for heating during solar producing hours and switch to natural gas heating during non-solar hours.

I think that's part of the solution I'm looking for.

[Volusiano]

Solar energy is often promoted as cheap but so far nobody has shown proof for it.

I don't know why you think solar energy is being promoted as cheap. Without the federal tax credit, it would still be out of reach for a lot of people. Even with the tax credit, it's still a 10-15 year long-term investment for most people. It may be more justifiable for people in CA or Hawaii or places where electricity cost is >20 cents/kwh, but for places where electricity cost is <10 cents/kwh, it's much harder to justify the ROI.

[FloridaSun]

I like Florida like climate but just as well may pick something in Otanario.

Once you figure out where you're going maybe you can find a way to get there. Florida and Ontario have far different requirements and resources.