EcoSouth Solar Blog

What a question! - I saw a recent article denigrating the possibility of distributed generation, and I thought it wasn't well-researched, or perhaps the author had his own motivations for only seeing selective evidence to suit his preconceived idea. He largely argued for centralised generation "under the control of" the ever-watchful electricity utility.

Below is a response I wrote about this, revolving around a proposed micro-grid for 1,000 people in Onslow WA. (PS - if a whole community can off-grid for a given amount, then a micro-grid is even more economic, as community power-sharing now occurs)

Hey, you want a battery system??   Heard of a PowerWall-  Why? - you may well ask.
  >add fanfare here!<
** The Journey is Just Beginning!! **

You want to: achieve cost-effective protection against rising power-bills

Ok, so if solar panels are supposed to last 25 to 30 years, how many years can you expect your solar inverter to last?

A very good question, with no clear-cut answer, I'm afraid.

Corrosion issues should be considered for solar panels and framing systems on roofs, as it is a harsh environment up there, AND the general expectation is that these things should last for 25 years, at least! In this context, corrosion is a real issue over time.

Some common sayings we all hear: "Dissimilar metals corrode!" and "Only use stainless-steel with aluminium, as they don't corrode". Well, they are only 'sound-bites', and there is a LOT more to it. Suffice to say, a well-designed system with selected materials will give the longest life.

In our service rounds, we sometimes come across in-your-face results of either dodgy components or dodgy practices. The latter is intriguing, as even quite decent components can go faulty with potentially disastrous results, IF the original installation practice was lacking.

Here are two cases of 'burn-outs' of components.