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Joined: Aug 2014
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After reading these posts, I'd like to add my two cents. I have been in Belize for 11 years and installed the first of many solar electric systems when I arrived. There seems to be so much ignorance, fear, and disinformation out there that cloud the issues of solar electric. The benefits do out weigh the negatives now more than ever here in Belize. Since the nationalization of BEL by the government all duty is waved on any alternative energy products entering the country. True,, BEL's infrastructure does not allow a buy back or net metering however when the power goes out so do your lights with micro inverter solar cells. These do not make economical sense anywhere. Crunch the numbers and you will see a 3 to 5 year payback for battery/solar systems in Belize. All fear of batteries can be alleviated with an hour of research. Insurance companies here also allow solar to be included as homeowner insurance.

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Pagan, do you know where it is in writing that "all alternative" energy products entering are free of any duty? That would be good information to have because I have been under the impression that only a "complete" system is exempt (so batteries, panels and inverters need to come in together).

I would love having power when everyone else loses theirs...security cameras and such are not any good when that happens.



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I do not know where it is written, neither am I a lawyer, I do have friends in Customs and the only proof I have is in the past two years I have imported no less than 5 systems and various parts with no duty attached. There was an article published by a Belize newspaper that stated this back when BEL was being nationalized. It had to do with the old company, Fortis out of Canada, had a stipulation to build the grid here as long as no alternative energy products were allowed

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If anyone is seriously interested in solar power please PM me. I live here on Ambergris Caye and can answer your questions and hopefully get more solar going in Belize. Yes I did Harriette's and many others here. "Electric Dave"

Joined: Feb 2015
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Dave; I suggest that interested people ask their questions on the forum as this is a hot topic with MANY people interested in the info. You certainly have the answers to 99% of the questions. I'll start off.

I am guesting that a "starter" or least expensive system consists of panels and an inverter... No batteries.. My questions for everybody's benefit are..

Is the unit hooked up to the meter. If so, does it handle the small usage with little or no meter "spinning" and does it, at least, slow down the meter during heavier electric use? Last question ( for today).. If the Villa is vacant on a sunny day, does the meter spin backward?

Thanks


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Shyboy Offline OP
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Diane: What is "IMHO" solar power?


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Shy - Why are you so intent on NO BATTERIES? Even gasoline motors use batteries. Has some one put a bug in your ear?

Actually - while the sun is shining I use little electricity. My usage is after dark when I need lights! Everything I have hooked into the solar runs on that until the batteries get down to a certain level - then everything kicks over to the grid. This has happened only once in the year I have been running and that was after 5 cloudy days.


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Shyboy, your assumption that a starter system contains "no batteries" is false. A solar electric "system" consists of, 1) a solar panel 2) a charge controller 3) a battery. This is all Direct current (DC). If you wish to power something in your grid connected home you will need to convert this DC into AC (alternating current). This is done via an 4) inverter. In Belize, we cannot, at this time, connect this to the grid's meter. This is a simplistic explanation. There are solar panels with inverters attached that do produce AC electric, intended to go right back into the grid via the meter. The humans have not yet invented a way to store AC power. It must be consumed or lost immediately upon production. The ONLY way to store electrical energy is in the form of chemical/electrical device. The DC battery.

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Shyboy Offline OP
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Thanks.. I "assumed" no batteries as I thought we could hook up to the meter and I just wanted to "assist" the grid. See; we're all learning more with every reply.


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Shy, your thinking is not wrong, the technology exists and in the States there was a big push to install these batteryless systems. Complete with gov't subsidies and loans to off-set costs. These systems run about 30% more than a battery system and do not offer the benefit of energy independence. They certainly have their place. In Hawaii recently they had to reduce or quit buying back power from solar arrays because there was no one to sell the grid power to.

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