Yes I agree, if your making more power than you are using "Storing" the excess on grid for later use later in the year when you need more than you can make does work out good if you have net metering. Most people are not in that situation though I think. Also you need allot of differnce, not just 2Kw a day here and there in order for it to be worthwhile.
If you make 500kwhrs and use 600kwhrs, and durring the low time of production you make 300kwhrs and still use 600kwhrs, then you have not stored anything because your use always exceeds you abilty to produce it.
I think that is where most AVERAGE people sit and will stay sitting as long as they do have the grid. They will make less power than they use All the time, and that's where I am saying they might as well forget the grid tied expense and just use it themselfs as they make it. IF they have batteries. People on grid don't care about turning off lights, most still have 100watt light bulbs etc.. and probably will keep waisting power while they are on grid rather they make part of their power or not.
On the batteries, if people don't want them fine, do what they want, I don't care I don't work for Trojan. BUT, since the last posting I made here power has been out for me at least 4 times! Once it was out long enough that the battery went dead in the UPS that only powers the TV, VCR, DVD player (all were off) and digital clock. Not sure how long that was, at least 2 hours. The other times I saw were just off long enough to beep the UPS's and reset the kid's clock to 12:00. Great weather, a bit windy, gee I wonder how my power will be when it does get nasty outside? Right now I am setting batteries and 5K inverter up in old trailer house I will be using mostly for a shop. If/when power goes out I can just run a line to the inverter for what I want running in the house. I had it almost all setup here, then changed my mind and moved it again
"No matter how one does it they still have to pay for energy in one way or another. For the individual it's really a straight economic equation. For the country, however, it may result in less use of fossil fuels. Oh yeah, I could also level off my energy usage more with a wind power system as well. The fact is that neither of these auxiliary power systems would provide all my needs all of the time."
For the country just the fact that homes go off grid even would result in less use of fossil fuels itself. Yes, many people including yourself will need power still from the grid, no question about that. The question is are the people using the power nearly as fast as they make it. Ok, at times your not using it that fast so for you storing the excess on grid with net metering makes sense. For other people that do use the power as fast or faster than they make it, then it does not make sense since they have nothing to store! We're not talking just about you, we are talking abut average people, many/most may only have a 50' yard, not a large farm or acerage like some of us. 1 Wind genny and a couple pannels on the roof may be all they can get by with. Certainly not much excess there for an average home near a big city.
Think of it as a bank account. Ok you work durring summer and make tons of money, you put that in the bank to save untill winter when you don't work and will need the money. That does makes sence.
Now take a person that has $50 cash a day and spends $50 cash a day. Does it makes sense to go to the bank in the morning and deposite $50 cash, then go back at 3pm and withdraw $50 cash?? Do this everyday? No it does not make any sense to do that, just added expense running to the bank 2 times a day for nothing. I actaully knew people who did that, deposite money then take it right back out same day. Now if you have checks to cash then a trip to the bank is needed maybe.
So unless you are storing an excess for later use, banking what you have is a waisted trip.
"I still take issue with your statement that two gallons of fossil fuel a day in an emergency situation is all that significant. A gen-set would allow you to operate your water pump. One doesn't need to operate the unit all of the time."
You need to operate it all of the time you want any power at all, if you have no other power available. Ya, running it to just power a well pump to fill a 30gal barrel is not that much maybe, but you have no power any other time for anything!! If you want a light in the house, computer, TV, or whatever then you either run the genny or do without the power.
That's why I myself would not have an RE setup without batteries. I can run a genny all I want without investing in RE equipment already. I don't want to run a genny, polute the air, spend the money for feul, worry about the genny not starting, or breaking down when needed most. I don't want a genny running 24/7 on fossil feuls to power my fridge and computers. Between the wife, kid, me, there is seldom a time a computer is not on. With inverter and batteries I don't have to worry if the power is out for a day or so, or a few weeks, we still have the computers anytime we want them. That is not possible without batteries.
I do have a genny now but don't plan to use it other than make sure it runs. Maybe start it once a month for 10 minutes or so.
Only have it because I took it as partial trade on a car I just sold.
2,500 watt genny, HALF the power of my 5K inverter.
Anyway, I think we about covered everything now. The only real import thing is for people to know there are options. Not everyone needs or wants the same things. There is allot to choose from and allot of ways to setup a system. What best fits the needs of the person or family using the system is the only thing actually important. That is not the same needs for everyone and no one choice is best for everyone.
Your gridtie without batteries is best for you, although you'll be sitting in the dark if the grid goes down. But you can store your excess for latter use if the grid is up.
My off grid system with batteries is best for me, alough if I ever make more power than I can use or store in the batteries it will be wasted. I won't be in the dark in a power failure though nor will I ned to run a genny 24/7 to have power 24/7 for important items.
Most people probably fit somewhere in the middle between us more than matching us.
You can be gridtied with or without batteries (if thats an option with your grid) or you can be off grid with part or all of your home if you have batteries.
Then anyway you set up a system, you have to have some way to make your own power, or else there is no reason to have the system right. Well unless it's just a BIG backup system on batteries. With either gridtied or not you could still use the grid to charge batteries and have power later when the grid goes down.
So it's just what best fits a persons needs and only they can figure that part out themselfs and only if they know there are options.
We don't all wear the same clothes or drive the same cars, we also don't all need the same power systems.
Well I am probably out of here. Had some minor finishing to do on the video project, only reason I posted this one, waiting for the other computer to get done again. Should be working on a project, hopefully I can in about 30 minutes.