Beausoleil Solar Home

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Originally Posted by HoustonCajun

_ We were in the top 4 at one point. How/why did we fall to #19? _

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Lost points in Hot Water and Net Metering. While they did have running hot water that was up to temp (110 I think) they were unable to fill 15 gallons in 10 minutes or less. The Net Metering measures their energy consumption for the duration of the competition. If they produce more energy than they consume they get bonus points. Not sure the exact cause for using more power than what was generated though. Would love to know why as well. Even if they had broke even in the Net Metering and gained just a few points, they would have finished a bit higher in the standings.

People's Choice and Market Viability awards are pretty big though. That says people like your design and would do well on the open market, which is ultimately what this competition strives to accomplish.

The full standings are available on www.solardecathlon.org. We should be incredibly proud of what our students accomplished. BTW, our name on the back of the Decathlon shirts: Univ. of Louisiana.

check out the progress of the disassembly:
http://oxblue.com/pro/open/solardecathlon/cam123/

Click on Cam#3 and you can zoom in pretty close. BeauSoliel House is the closest to the camera in the lower right corner.

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Originally Posted by HelmutVII

Beau Soleil house. It's in bad shape

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And let us not forget who brought us this design and Fletcher. Never toot your own horn in the driveway.

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Originally Posted by ZoomZoom

And let us not forget who brought us this design and Fletcher. Never toot your own horn in the driveway.

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Originally Posted by axg8750

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Our own architectural department. They were involved in both eyesores.

The B S house was a great idea with a design nobody could afford. I’m of the mantra until alternative designs/systems of energy efficiency is affordable and desirable to the population whose budget is impacted greatly by energy (low/mod income), it’s all pie in the sky.

Much like the HFH home built in Truman around the time the BS house was built. I asked what happens when one of the systems break or needs maintenance…what if owner cannot afford repairs. The answer was “if not repaired it becomes inactive and reverts to conventional systems”.

But everyone involved in the build felt great. SMH

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Originally Posted by ZoomZoom

Our own architectural department. They were involved in both eyesores.

The B S house was a great idea with a design nobody could afford. I’m of the mantra until alternative designs/systems of energy efficiency is affordable and desirable to the population whose budget is impacted greatly by energy (low/mod income), it’s all pie in the sky.

Much like the HFH home built in Truman around the time the BS house was built. I asked what happens when one of the systems break or needs maintenance…what if owner cannot afford repairs. The answer was “if not repaired it becomes inactive and reverts to conventional systems”.

But everyone involved in the build felt great. SMH

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I agree it was not a sustainable model at the time but if there were not investments into solar energy 10 years ago when BS house was designed then how would we have continued to advance the technology to a point that will one day be affordable?

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Originally Posted by axg8750

I agree it was not a sustainable model at the time but if there were not investments into solar energy 10 years ago when BS house was designed then how would we have continued to advance the technology to a point that will one day be affordable?

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It will never be affordable or reliable.

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Originally Posted by CajunVic

It will never be affordable.

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And we will never have computers that fit in our pockets with more technology than the first space ships.

P.S. I feed my family from a job in the O&G industry.

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Originally Posted by CajunVic

It will never be affordable or reliable.

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I can understand your feelings but you should spend a little time with two of our Engr profs. Zappi and Chambers. Once battery storage is solved, economics work. Not tomorrow but not never. And I’m not selling my natural gas stocks either. Coal, not so much.

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Originally Posted by axg8750

And we will never have computers that fit in our pockets with more technology than the first space ships.

P.S. I feed my family from a job in the O&G industry.

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How about I limit that to “within my lifetime”

I saw the debacle in Texas during the freeze and have done a lot of reading since then that has exposed all of the big lies about running our country with solar/windmill, etc. electricity. There is a whole lot more to figure out than storage.

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Originally Posted by CajunVic

It will never be affordable or reliable.

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I think you are wrong, but I don't have a time frame or a budget target.

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Originally Posted by Turbine

I think you are wrong, but I don't have a time frame or a budget target.

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Look up Nano Diamond Batteries.....we have a ways to go but alternatives to fossil fuels will move rather fast at this stage due to the insane amount of money being put into that market.

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Originally Posted by Cajun90

Look up Nano Diamond Batteries.....we have a ways to go but alternatives to fossil fuels will move rather fast at this stage due to the insane amount of money being put into that market.

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Energy companies are being forced to diversify because of the ESG ratings fluff that has become all the rage in the markets.

Some are doing it because it’s always been a goal of their business model, but there’s others being forced due to World Economic Forum influence.

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Originally Posted by 60swerethebest

I can understand your feelings but you should spend a little time with two of our Engr profs. Zappi and Chambers. Once battery storage is solved, economics work. Not tomorrow but not never. And I’m not selling my natural gas stocks either. Coal, not so much.

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What about battery disposal?

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Originally Posted by Cajun90

Look up Nano Diamond Batteries.....we have a ways to go but alternatives to fossil fuels will move rather fast at this stage due to the insane amount of money being put into that market.

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The wind doesn't always blow, and the sun doesn't always shine.

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Originally Posted by SlickRick

The wind doesn't always blow, and the sun doesn't always shine.

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Great point.

Don't dispose of the batteries.

Exactly. Storage, manufacture and disposal are all parts of the research ongoing. Just as drilling and production had amazing research development so will energy storage. We overproduce energy for the athletic complex now during the summer. It is sold back to LUS. An alternative is to store that energy to use at night or for cloudy days. Same with wind.

My brother has a boat load of solar panels on his home. He does very well as far as his energy costs. But as far as selling back to his provider, they jack him over with fees where he doesn't receive what you would think.

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Originally Posted by 60swerethebest

Exactly. Storage, manufacture and disposal are all parts of the research ongoing. Just as drilling and production had amazing research development so will energy storage. We overproduce energy for the athletic complex now during the summer. It is sold back to LUS. An alternative is to store that energy to use at night or for cloudy days. Same with wind.

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lithium mining is so terrible for the environment but the people over look that. We are probably decades away from a clean feasible battery storage.

I was helping with researching the use of rice Hauls as a anode in lithium battery about 8-9 years ago. Was pretty interesting stuff but showed me how far behind we were in storage capability

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Originally Posted by Scott Malkinson

lithium mining is so terrible for the environment but the people over look that. We are probably decades away from a clean feasible battery storage.

I was helping with researching the use of rice Hauls as a anode in lithium battery about 8-9 years ago. Was pretty interesting stuff but showed me how far behind we were in storage capability

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Ignorance is bliss here so don’t laugh. But in layman‘s terms can you explain what exactly battery storage entails? Specifically clean feasible battery storage?

The problem is that the general populace are clueless about the whole energy cycle and its ramifications based on a total lifecycle approach and risk analysis.

For example....using modern technology there are now zero greenhouse emission natural gas power plants that are capable of operating at efficiency levels that surpass traditonal gas power plants.

There are also nuclear power plant designs that can utilize waste from old reactors and by design are incapable of a meltdown.

The problem is that it is a political no go because of the perception of those who know little or nothing about the issues.

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Originally Posted by Cajun90

The problem is that the general populace are clueless about the whole energy cycle and its ramifications based on a total lifecycle approach and risk analysis.

For example....using modern technology there are now zero greenhouse emission natural gas power plants that are capable of operating at efficiency levels that surpass traditonal gas power plants.

There are also nuclear power plant designs that can utilize waste from old reactors and by design are incapable of a meltdown.

The problem is that it is a political no go because of the perception of those who know little or nothing about the issues.

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Yep.

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Originally Posted by Big Buds

Ignorance is bliss here so don’t laugh. But in layman‘s terms can you explain what exactly battery storage entails? Specifically clean feasible battery storage?

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On a personal level a Tesla Powerwall (not cheap) https://www.tesla.com/powerwall

On a large,scale
https://www.energy-storage.news/news...ovember%202017.

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Originally Posted by Big Buds

Ignorance is bliss here so don’t laugh. But in layman‘s terms can you explain what exactly battery storage entails? Specifically clean feasible battery storage?

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Lithium batteries are the best storage we have and it stripped mined in China with tons of run off into drinking water. They have a shelf life and are messy disposal .