So pitch your theory!

[sylvie]

I think those protesting the erecting of solar arrays and wind farms are acting more responsibly than folks who are passive about it. I am more in favor of private systems than large commercial ventures.

IMO, having lived by a nuclear power plant for many years, if a community wants to add new energy feature to it's landscape, it should have an area within the same community for the waste; not rely on shipping it to another state.
Solar and wind are not on the same toxic level as nuclear, but had our community looked at the impact of the plant beyond radiation detection and planned responsibly for waste storage, we wouldn't have the darned thing in the first place.

I commend their foresight that we didn't have.
We were promised three things to vote it in: electric bills would be lower(nope, we are higher than surrounding areas not in the radiation danger zone), we'd have increased tax revenue from the plant(nope, they took it to court and eliminated most of that), we'd have an emergency escape route and siren system( still waiting for the bridge replacement that is routinely closed in high water and winter, the siren system is barely audible).

I can only guess what they are being promised and glad that they aren't buying into it. If we had it to do all over, you can bet your boots we'd find a turtle or bug to block it!

 

[Tallman]

If we had it to do all over, you can bet your boots we'd find a turtle or bug to block it!

Some of the best winds in the USA are from Texas north to Canada; however, at the Wind Symposium that I attended in Oklahoma City several speakers addressed the problem of the prairie chicken who lives in these parts. We were informed that the prairie chicken's number one enemy is the hawk, and hawks like to sit up high on a tree, high line, or any object, which includes wind towers, that will hold them so Mr. and Mrs. Prairie Chicken avoid such areas, and since the prairie chicken is close to being on the endangered list, great care has to be taken so a wind farm does not disrupt it's habitat.

After we got through with this discussion, another speaker got up and said that the hawk does not like wind farms because the turbines disrupt the air flow, and this causes problems with their flight pattern.

 

[Big Daddy]

I would like to see solar panels on new house construction. It could be subsidized and would be a great incentive. If it was rolled in to the cost of the house I think more people would buy one. Just think a whole neighborhood with ecological people driving Priuses.

 

[Tallman]

I would like to see solar panels on new house construction. It could be subsidized and would be a great incentive. If it was rolled in to the cost of the house I think more people would buy one. Just think a whole neighborhood with ecological people driving Priuses.

I'm not up on solar panels at all. How much money per month are you saving with yours?

 

[Big Daddy]

I would like to see solar panels on new house construction. It could be subsidized and would be a great incentive. If it was rolled in to the cost of the house I think more people would buy one. Just think a whole neighborhood with ecological people driving Priuses.

I'm not up on solar panels at all. How much money per month are you saving with yours?

I don't have them. I haven't done a lot of research on them, just what I hear on radio and the occasional blurb. Your point is well taken though. I should research them to see if they are all they are cracked up to be. I'm sure I could calculate my average killowatt usage and research the output for the solar panels and go from there. Better than speculating.

 

[me&thegals]

At the present time, none of this is going to be all that affordable for Joe Citizen. That's where gov't rebates and incentives and investments into research can help get it to scale, where Joe and Jane Citizen can actually afford it and it makes a cost-benefit sense.

Remember how crazy expensive CFLs used to be?

 

[On Our own]

I would like to see solar panels on new house construction. It could be subsidized and would be a great incentive. If it was rolled in to the cost of the house I think more people would buy one. Just think a whole neighborhood with ecological people driving Priuses.

I'm not up on solar panels at all. How much money per month are you saving with yours?

The business near me - an active veterinary clinic is 100% solar. They have an array on the roof and an array in the back lot. The owner said they get money from the electric company. She was touting it to the hilt. She said she got 50% help from the state and then more from the small business administration.

I looked into it pretty heavily (go look down on the alternative energy section here on SS. It IS still pretty expensive, but if I could get decent gov't help I'd do it in a heartbeat.

 

[VT-Chicklit]

The last I knew, the feds were ponying up with a 30% rebate for qualifying installations. Around here it wouild cost around 40K for a system that would produce enough energy for the average household. The problem is that most people cant afford it! The cost gets worse if you take out a loan to pay for it, because of the interest. Yes, the electric companies will by extra power from you but how much is it costing you a month for electric now vs the cost of a home system. It will take a loooooong time to recoupe your investment.

Home windmills or solar that will be large enough to produce enough energy for a household are still too expensive for the average homeowner. Remember, there is the issue that many can not even pay the mortgage that they signed up for never mind an additional sizeable investment inorder to keep the lights on.. That is why it needs to be larger than just each of us having our own solar array. Most people cannot afford it and in many areas zoneing does not permit windmills and in others solar arrays are not feasable due to the weather. Windmills require much more land than your average building lot. They need about an acre for the tower and the guy (sp) wires, that is if the windmill is not too big. Logistically it is no feasable for most areas with higher population densities.

In todays paper there was an op-ed that seemed timely to this discussion. Here is the link if anyone is interested.

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20090426/OPINION/904260301/1006

 

[Big Daddy]

That's where big brother needs to step in. T-Boone Pickens seems to think we can erect thousands of these wind towers in parts of the country where there are no views. As a matter of fact the wind towers would give people something to look at. We have to stop burning carbon based fuels. It will be expensive but what's the alternative. Nuclear is a clean option, but what do you do with the expended fuel rods. What there's an accident or terrorist attack. It's not worth the risk. Agreed the risk is minimal but look at Chernobyl. If that had happened here we would not have any nuclear facilities in this country. There's birth defects everywhere in Eastern Europe. I'm glad we have the administration we have. They will get something going. Better to pay with dollars than lives and the loss of breathable air.

 

[VT-Chicklit]

I didn't think that there was a view in the Mojave desert worth writing home about, but as a previous post of mine points out, there are still some that are having an issue with solar arrays there. A tortise is the issue there. I would love to get off carbon fuel, but I want electricity to be affordable for everyone. The current costs pretty much are. The more litigation and road blocks that are put in the way of large scale green energy projects, the more they cost. As I have already pointed out, these costs will be passed along to the consumer.

Cap and Trade is no better than a huge tax on the carbon based energy that we have little choice, but to use. There are no reasonably cost efficient alternatives. What the government refuses to see is the financial injury they will be placing on those who can not afford the 200% - 300% increase cost in energy because of it. That additional cost will radiate through out the economy because there is little that doesn't depend on energy. That is the "inconvienient truth", to apropriate a phrase, that they won't admit to. Giving money to people to defray the cost won't go very far either. Just ask the middle class about the $400 they were suppose to get, that was cut from the budget by congress. The cost is why you dont already see solar or wind on more homes. The cost is not any cheaper now than it was a year or two ago. The current Federal rebates (30% with strings) are a farse for the average homeowner, who doesn't have $40,000 just laying around to by a wind or solar system.

As I have said previously, I would love for a large wind or solar company to come and "spoil my view" and provide me with affordable green energy so I can keep the lights on and my refridgerator cold! I would also love for China and India to stop pumping all that carbon into the air, so that the changes we make here and the suffering that it will cause would actually make a difference. Right now, it would not.