Solar energy in Dominican Republic

Tomás Cabrera...just sent you an email with his contact...we also like John from JB solar in PP...but, he's crazy busy...

Tomás Cabrera...just sent you an email with his contact...we also like John from JB solar in PP...but, he's crazy busy...

Hello,

I will be working up various alt energy schemes for the north coast in short order after a fact finding trip.

The DR has tax incentives for alt energy as well as net metering with about a $0.19/Kwh cost.

I'm not seeing wind speed data supportive of small wind.  PV of course is looking good with a per watt cost of about $0.32 for panel cost.

Most interesting to me at present is low head mid volume hydro which of course would be 24X7.  I am building spreadsheets at the present and it looks like a 36 month payout is doable with all balance of plant for a 15 kw system, plenty enough for few houses.

An interesting ancillary issue is what to do with the excess power if the grid is down. Without automatic disconnects a standard grid intertie installation will isolate locally produced power from the grid to keep utility workers safe.  An automatic disconnect would probably be the right path though I've got to work those numbers up.  Still, what to do with excess power in those events?  With PV that power is going to want to go somewhere and in other areas usually gets dumped into baseboard heat or water heating.

With the DR having some issues with potable water I'm digging into micro community scale water purification with UV/RO as a possibility for diversion.  Like most ideas it probably won't pencil out but that's all part of the process lol.

I'm going to do a workup for Cabrera first.  BTW, 14% of the DR's power is from renewables and they have some utility scale PV installed.

Kind regards,

JR

DR has both net metering and tax incentives

https://www.export.gov/article?id=Domin … ble-Energy

I am looking at low head (1.5 meter) hydro in the flow range of about 1.3 m/s, simple diversion, local labor all but the generator which is water cooled (can be flooded up to 10 meters) @ 15Kw.

Haven't found any detailed topo maps and watercourse info from where I currently sit in the US so am making fact finding trip to the north coast in a few weeks. 

JR

Is anyone in DR using a solar vacuum tube panels off grid connected direct their existing a/c condensers to provide air conditioning? Often used for water heating but I came across them being connected to existing a/c condensers recently in TCI in what appeared a simple quick addition to the existing ventilation systems in ones property.

I am told by my Canadian colleague in TCI that they are much more efficient and cost effective than a series of photo voltaic panels and the associated set up for air conditioning use which of course is the main energy consumption for most households.

Having read some earlier posts on electricity costs, I am not a large user of air conditioning or rather I use it to cool down, in short busts, my modest apartment in Santo Domingo with a 2 and 1 ton splits and use ceiling fans. I am on a so called 24/7 circuit and metered by Edesur, and still have yet to get a bill over 2500 pesos, the last was 1150 pesos. We use gas for cooking and for clothes drying.

Look into some of the new wind power  designs. No huge towers with giant vanes.  Much smaller, vertical sculptural shapes. I believe there were developed in Scandanvia. (sp). Saw them on you tube.

Jayc your input is fascinating, sadly I understand about half of it.....   Definitely not my area of expertise.

jayc, best reliable wind has been found in south west and there are several wind farms south of Enriquillo. There is now one to be built near Puerto Plata at altitude with Danish Vesta turbines.

Your mini hydro ideas must work in DR in many locations and I'm sure I read something on this being implemented in the South West or perhaps near San Juan of recent. Where I have just purchased land in Monte Plata is ideal location with plenty of small rivers and small rural communities with irregular power.

DR has huge renewable potential. Bio mass too plus deep water technologies are there along north coast and have been verified by  Dutch company Blue Rise.

DR is also an ideal eco tourism destination but that should be another thread.

A correction in respect of my earlier post enquiring about the use of solar vacuum tubes with air conditioning. It was actually a solar panel installed within the HVAC piping which considerably reduces the air conditioning electrical load required and does not eliminate the electrical load from mains or solar PV source. It is referred to Solar HVAC. Probably more suited to an apartment block or large villa with common air conditioning system rather than individual connected units.

When considering solar.... it's not ALL about the energy savings.
Blowing up your electrics is the more costly factor sometimes.

Does anybody remember the school here in RD that had all its computers blow up ?
Just one example.

I have seen washing machines need new motors ($$$) because of the power fluctuations.

Certainly, monthly savings are a big factor..
But new computers, TVs and so on add another level

I am totally solar...no luz publico. no agua publico. nada

Backup generator 7.5KW

15 SANYO panels @ 195W each
36 deep cycle gel batteries
10 yrs old....things weremuch more costly then

A la MasterCard

Piece of Mind = Priceless