Is 100% solar power possible for year-round WFH in the UP?
Been Working From Home for over a year now, and employer is OK with 100% Work From Home going forward. Also been looking at cabins/homesteads/land as retirement places, many are 100% off-grid. With the latest-and-greatest solar tech, is 100% solar possible from UP locations? Is it simply a matter of buying enough batteries to store juice through the sunless periods? Been watching vids from Engineer775 he makes it seem easy, but he's in the Carolinas I think.
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Generating the power isn’t the issue. Storage is still a beast that hasn’t been tamed. There are some new lithium setups that seem to be working.
If I was you I would concentrate on storage to find your answer.
If I was you I would concentrate on storage to find your answer.
A few things to consider for UP living on solar.
We have very short days during the winter above the 46th parallel.
Lots of cloudy weather due to the proximity of the big lakes, lake effect clouds.
Lake effect snow can occur anytime the wind picks up which is usually occurs during the day.
All the above data can be researched online to see if it’s practical for the area you are looking at. It must be somewhat practical for some areas because the Oak Island TV show guy is talking about installing a couple acre solar farm in the Pickford area.
We have very short days during the winter above the 46th parallel.
Lots of cloudy weather due to the proximity of the big lakes, lake effect clouds.
Lake effect snow can occur anytime the wind picks up which is usually occurs during the day.
All the above data can be researched online to see if it’s practical for the area you are looking at. It must be somewhat practical for some areas because the Oak Island TV show guy is talking about installing a couple acre solar farm in the Pickford area.
There is already an impressive solar farm about a mile east of the Pickford Golf Course. It was put in a year ago last fall next to a Cloverland Electric substation.
I'll preface this buy saying I am not very up on my solar tech... so take my opinion with a grain of salt.
BUT, I am very familiar with the UP in the winter time, and how long one can go without seeing the sun. As has been mentioned above, depending on where you're located, that big lake to the north can really produce the cloud cover. I would be very leery relying solely on the sun up there for much of anything on a year 'round basis.
An interesting tech my Dad's been watching for years, are the Wood Fired Boiler Thermoelectric Generators (not positive on the name). His outdoor boiler is fired nearly all year just to save a few bucks on hot water, because as he said, his labor is free, and the slabs coming off of his mill are garbage otherwise. He's been watching the boiler generator technology improve over the years while coming down in price, so I won't be surprised when he installs one to cut down on his power bill. If you already had a battery set-up to store the power coming off of solar panels, such an idea might just help you maintain them when the suns in hiding.
BUT, I am very familiar with the UP in the winter time, and how long one can go without seeing the sun. As has been mentioned above, depending on where you're located, that big lake to the north can really produce the cloud cover. I would be very leery relying solely on the sun up there for much of anything on a year 'round basis.
An interesting tech my Dad's been watching for years, are the Wood Fired Boiler Thermoelectric Generators (not positive on the name). His outdoor boiler is fired nearly all year just to save a few bucks on hot water, because as he said, his labor is free, and the slabs coming off of his mill are garbage otherwise. He's been watching the boiler generator technology improve over the years while coming down in price, so I won't be surprised when he installs one to cut down on his power bill. If you already had a battery set-up to store the power coming off of solar panels, such an idea might just help you maintain them when the suns in hiding.
I think given all the reasons above you will need either a large solar array or another source of power in the winter such as wind or gas generator.
The DNR installed solar energy on Lime Island in the mid 90's and I would bet technology has improved significantly since then. Most of the rustic rental cabins have only a couple outlets, by design, but the resident caretaker's house has all the comforts of home including TV, frig, deepfreeze, well pump, water heater, microwave, and lights. It has been over decade since I had to worry about it but I believe there was also a washer and dryer. One room in the basement of the caretaker's house had a large bank of deep cycle batteries, golf cart batteries, which the solar installer indicated would have to be replaced in ten years. Sure enough, in year nine a couple started to go bad and in year ten it was replacement time. Replacing batteries was a major expense. The Island was closed down in winter so cannot attest to how it would actually work in winter but do recall the installers saying the system would work just fine. FM
That’s probably the Oak Island TV show guy’s. That’s the location I was told it was supposed to go.
I have a few friends that live off grid up near Paradise. They tried solar and all wound up going to a diesel generator. Solar just was not reliable for the reasons Live2hunteup gave.
My guess is lots of batteries. Solar, wind, propane and generator.
You'll want a back up.
Redundancy has it's merits. Even if for a false sense of security...
The neighbor down the road is not an example of every solar application by any means.
But for weeks last winter (let's call the location just South of mid lower Mi.) snow lay on his extensive and well exposed South facing panels.
I recall it finally falling off. ( Kaboom! ) And it was a mild winter as far as recent trends. With below "normal" snowfall.
I didn't ask why he didn't try to clear the panels prior. Risk of damaging coatings might be why. Accessing them yet another possible reason.
A guy I know off grid depends on a generator to power his battery bank at times.
Redundancy has it's merits. Even if for a false sense of security...
The neighbor down the road is not an example of every solar application by any means.
But for weeks last winter (let's call the location just South of mid lower Mi.) snow lay on his extensive and well exposed South facing panels.
I recall it finally falling off. ( Kaboom! ) And it was a mild winter as far as recent trends. With below "normal" snowfall.
I didn't ask why he didn't try to clear the panels prior. Risk of damaging coatings might be why. Accessing them yet another possible reason.
A guy I know off grid depends on a generator to power his battery bank at times.
I am no expert on how well off the grid works in UP but I would consider steering clear of the Tesla/Solar city systems.
Walmart had to sue them to remove panels from their buildings that powered tesla charging stations. Causing too many fires. Walmart says Tesla products were poorly installed with lack of proper inspections.
electrek.co
Walmart had to sue them to remove panels from their buildings that powered tesla charging stations. Causing too many fires. Walmart says Tesla products were poorly installed with lack of proper inspections.
Tesla is getting sued by Walmart who wants them to remove 240 solar systems after fires
Tesla’s relationship with Walmart took a turn, as the latter is suing the former because they want Tesla to remove...
Do solar & wind combined . Go LED on all lights propane for heat,cooking,hot water and refrigerator. Have a back up generator just in case !
Not sure about the solar issue. But if you’re WFH and off grid wifi may be your bigger issue. Not sure if Starlink is available up there but it might be your only option if you need high speed internet.
If you're truly committing to off grid livin', you've really gotta step up your game and ditch the wifi.
Carrier Pigeons require no electrical power and are generally able to find their own food source.
Just sayin'.
Carrier Pigeons require no electrical power and are generally able to find their own food source.
Just sayin'.
Couldn't agree more. But if he's working from home and needs electricity I'm just assuming he needs internet too haha
If you're truly committing to off grid livin', you've really gotta step up your game and ditch the wifi.
Carrier Pigeons require no electrical power and are generally able to find their own food source.
Just sayin'.
Starlink coming online is 98% of the reason I'm asking questions. It may be a few years out lots of folks are reporting great results.
I think I would do a combination solar and wind so hopefully you will get one or the other and sometimes both Good luck
I would think you really would need a back up energy plan. December, January, February, November and March. Limited sun for solar Means lots and lots,of big battery’s for storage. Temps in winter can be below zero for weeks at a time means lots of big battery’s for storage. First thing to consider is making the place as energy efficient as possible. R60 insulation is attic with Foam or cellulose is a start. Foam insulation in all walls, or cellulose.
band joists sealed properly and insulated. Windows....windows suck for energy efficiency Cause glass is a poor insulator. Even the latest, greatest triple,glass with argon gas inside still suck. But try to make sure they are prop installed and seal well.. doors should seal well. Metal doors tend to transmit the cold from outside to inside. Wood or fiberglass not so much. LED lighting. High efficiency appliances.
Landscaping/trees. A heavily treed lot may block lots of sun which is free heat. Trees to the south may block winters sun when there’s actual winter sun up there. To little trees or open exposure could open you up to high winds that
wick away the heat.
id have to consider some kind of back up plan or some possible power assist. Solar and propane. Solar and electric. Solar and nat. Gas (best)
Question for the OP. Is the OP married? Kids? Grandkids? I know many, many people who move to their retirement homes and one year later, hate it.
women especially. To far away from friends. To far away from kids. To far away from grandkids. Brutal winter conditions. Looked in the small home for hours and days on end. Gosh, I know so many people who just don’t like it. My sister being one. She did like six months up north and that was enough. Had to come home and only goes up for two weeks at a time and this was in summer, not winter.
my mother in law hated, absolutely hated retirement in Gaylord. Winter was unbearable for her.
just some things to consider
band joists sealed properly and insulated. Windows....windows suck for energy efficiency Cause glass is a poor insulator. Even the latest, greatest triple,glass with argon gas inside still suck. But try to make sure they are prop installed and seal well.. doors should seal well. Metal doors tend to transmit the cold from outside to inside. Wood or fiberglass not so much. LED lighting. High efficiency appliances.
Landscaping/trees. A heavily treed lot may block lots of sun which is free heat. Trees to the south may block winters sun when there’s actual winter sun up there. To little trees or open exposure could open you up to high winds that
wick away the heat.
id have to consider some kind of back up plan or some possible power assist. Solar and propane. Solar and electric. Solar and nat. Gas (best)
Question for the OP. Is the OP married? Kids? Grandkids? I know many, many people who move to their retirement homes and one year later, hate it.
women especially. To far away from friends. To far away from kids. To far away from grandkids. Brutal winter conditions. Looked in the small home for hours and days on end. Gosh, I know so many people who just don’t like it. My sister being one. She did like six months up north and that was enough. Had to come home and only goes up for two weeks at a time and this was in summer, not winter.
my mother in law hated, absolutely hated retirement in Gaylord. Winter was unbearable for her.
just some things to consider
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