I just saw this article: http://blog.laptopmag.com/asus-mb168b-portable-monitor
Looks like ASUS is coming out with a 2lb 15.6" 1080p monitor for ~$200. Comes with case that converts to stand, and monitor can be driven by a single USB 3.0 connection. Looks like a steal.
I assume the listed price of 40 pennies per watt is a watt per hour at peak performance? So to compare against a currently offered grid tie in system at 300 watt hours this seems to be about 1/10th the price. Granted, that's comparing a full system with alternators and a tie in system to feed unused power back into the grid, but given how PG&E prices per KW/hr in a tiered system (more power you use, more it costs per watt) this seems like a good deal.
So a new excuse to put off installing solar panels for a while longer! Yay!
Right sentiment, but wrong units: "Watt per hour" or "KW/hr" is not a unit that makes practical sense. This may help clarify:
Watts or kilowatts are units of power, which is an instantaneous measurement. A 40 Watt lightbulb draws 40 Watts when it's on, no matter how long it's been on.
Watt-hours (Wh) or kilowatt-hours (kWh) are units of energy, which is the product of power and time. If you leave that same 40W bulb on for an hour, you've used 40 Wh, or 0.04 kWh. If you leave it on for 100 hours, that's 4 kWh.
If you had two 40W bulbs, they would draw a combined 80W, and would consume the same 40 Wh in just 30 minutes.
For most homeowners, your electricity is billed in kWh. The utility doesn't care much if you run 1 bulb for a month, or 30 bulbs for a day, it's (roughly) the same amount of fuel to provide that energy. Larger facilities may have a "peak demand" charge, "power factor" charge, and time-of-day usage.
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I just saw this article: http://blog.laptopmag.com/asus-mb168b-portable-monitor Looks like ASUS is coming out with a 2lb 15.6" 1080p monitor for ~$200. Comes with case that converts to stand, and monitor can be driven by a single USB 3.0 connection. Looks like a steal.
I assume the listed price of 40 pennies per watt is a watt per hour at peak performance? So to compare against a currently offered grid tie in system at 300 watt hours this seems to be about 1/10th the price. Granted, that's comparing a full system with alternators and a tie in system to feed unused power back into the grid, but given how PG&E prices per KW/hr in a tiered system (more power you use, more it costs per watt) this seems like a good deal. So a new excuse to put off installing solar panels for a while longer! Yay!
Right sentiment, but wrong units: "Watt per hour" or "KW/hr" is not a unit that makes practical sense. This may help clarify: Watts or kilowatts are units of power, which is an instantaneous measurement. A 40 Watt lightbulb draws 40 Watts when it's on, no matter how long it's been on. Watt-hours (Wh) or kilowatt-hours (kWh) are units of energy, which is the product of power and time. If you leave that same 40W bulb on for an hour, you've used 40 Wh, or 0.04 kWh. If you leave it on for 100 hours, that's 4 kWh. If you had two 40W bulbs, they would draw a combined 80W, and would consume the same 40 Wh in just 30 minutes. For most homeowners, your electricity is billed in kWh. The utility doesn't care much if you run 1 bulb for a month, or 30 bulbs for a day, it's (roughly) the same amount of fuel to provide that energy. Larger facilities may have a "peak demand" charge, "power factor" charge, and time-of-day usage.