Hi - The technology of small-scale putting power back on the net is well known. In Denmark, 10% of the energy is produced by windmills. They are simply phased to the power. Due to the magneto-electic coupling between the windmill generator and the coal/gas fueled ones the net result is that the windmill helps drive the generators, saving fuel in that end (in 3'rd grade terminology). We have about reached the limit of what we can do with this type of windmills now, since they will actually be able to raise the net frequency and at the same time lose their regulation. (They run at a fixed speed due to the net frequency). The usual trick is to first regulate the effective voltage up to match the net voltage (this stage can be rather coarse). Then you brake/regulate the generator until there is no significant voltage between the net and your generator (you are in phase). In the old days, this was done with a three bulbs (3-phase) connected between the phases of the generator and the phases of the net. You would regulate/brake until the lights were all out (they would blink at the difference frequency, it is very easy to phase). Then then you flip the switch. The net will then keep you in sync with the big guys. We have an old 10MW plant from 1912, that is still working http://www.elmus.dk it is running off 8 meters water level. They have occationally just flipped the switch out of phase and it goes BLOP! out in the turbine inlets. That is all that happens. The turbines of course goes fast forwards or backwards to match the phase. Three issues: 1) Would your electricity meter actually care, whether you put power backwards through it ? I think it ignores the sign, and you need a reversible one. 2) The power plant has certain standards for noise etc. that have to be met. You have to produce a lot of power to pay for the licence, most likely. 3) It might give the electricians working on the net a neato scare when they find that whatever is connected to your little gingerbread house is live when they disconnected it. Kent 7F00,0000,0000> Yes. In most cases it depends on hwo you look at it... if I generate 1KW > and I'm using 2KW, that's 1KW I don't have to pay for. If I generate 3KW > I can make the meter run backward and sell the excess to the utility -- > assuming the regulations where I live permit that (mine don't). In my > case, I'd just be interested in slowing down the meter, not reversing it. > Generating enough solar or wind power here to completely meet my power > needs would require far more money than I could afford. I do hope to > start some sort of solar or wind collection soon, though, even if only for > the geek appeal. > > Dale > > On Sat, 10 Mar 2001, Sean H. Breheny wrote: > > > I haven't monitored this whole thread, but this puzzles me: why would you > > want to feed power into the mains without the power company's permission?! > > Isn't the whole idea so that you can be paid for it? > > > > Sean > > > > At 12:08 PM 3/10/01 +0200, you wrote: > > >find when and how much current to put back into the mains... but the power > > >co. will likely do untold things to you if they catch you do this. Also, > > >if the network is not loaded it will try to feed back power into the > > >generators eventually. If it is large enough and tries hard enough it may > > >cause a major power outage in your area. > > > > -- > > http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different > > ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details. > > > > > > --- > The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new > discoveries, is not "Eureka!" (I found it!) but "That's funny ..." > -- Isaac Asimov > > -- > http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different > ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details. > > > -- http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList mailto:piclist-unsubscribe-request@mitvma.mit.edu