A.I.M. Users Bulletin Board

[ButchB]

*** OFF TOPIC ***

ET, I have noticed a substantial increase in government owned "devices" around our hiways and biways. Most of these new devices are powered by solar power. This usually involves a small solar panel or several panels and sometimes batteries to store the days energy for later use. If you think about it, solar is their only option because it would cost them a fortune to run power to all of these devices!


This Alternative Energy subject has always interested me. I have been digging up my old research lately because I am about to build a new home. The reasons for "going solar" are still the same... It's not about payback or breakeven because it's still way more expensive that attaching to "the grid". Most people that go solar do it either because there is no "grid" where they are building or it will cost a fortune to extend the existing utility to their site and then they will still have monthly energy bills. The other reason to go solar is because you know that it's "the right thing to do" environmentally.

I plan to build my new house as energy efficient as possible. There are a bunch of great new ideas and products out there. I would love to use solar generated electricity and not even attach to the grid, or attach only as a backup, in my new house, but the simple fact of the matter is that I cannot afford to "do the right thing" as it would add $30,000 to $40,000 to the price of the home and the only way to justify that is if I think energy prices will skyrocket over the next 10-20 years. Some states (California) offer incentives to aid in the purchase of Alternative Energy equipment. I don't live in one of those states so I havent done the math but it makes it easier to justify.

I find it interesting that the government can subsidize an industry that is so bad for our environment and those of us that want to generate clean power cant afford to because the equipment is "too expensive"! If Solar power was cheaper to generate, the power companies would shut down the coal fired plants and build Solar plants because if they didn't their customers would!

I had better stop before my blood pressure starts to rise.

I have many thoughts on all of this but I doubt that all AIMers want to hear them. I can be reached at [e-mail] for further discussion!

Butch
Dallas, Texas