A technology poorly implemented somehow invalidates the entire technology? If every attempt to make a change is mocked we will never make any progress
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solar house left in dark
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Somehting else to consider before ridiculing solar is how much water is wasted in power generation.
Inland generators (the ones with cooling towers) typically evaporate 1.5-1.8 million litres of water for every GWHr they produce.
When you look at a cooling tower, it's evaporating from 20 to 40 million litres per day (more for nukes).
Inland generators (the ones with cooling towers) typically evaporate 1.5-1.8 million litres of water for every GWHr they produce.
When you look at a cooling tower, it's evaporating from 20 to 40 million litres per day (more for nukes).
Originally Posted By: Shannow
There's a research institute in Denver growing Bananas using passive solar technology.
Just got to make the most appropriate decisions for the location.
Are you sure they are not growing something smokeable?
There's a research institute in Denver growing Bananas using passive solar technology.
Just got to make the most appropriate decisions for the location.
Are you sure they are not growing something smokeable?
Originally Posted By: Shannow
It would seem that way.
Down here, there are heaps of grid free houses doing quite well.
Driven by the price of around $10k per pole if you need power run to your house, you can do quite a lot.
$10k a pole! Ours was quoted at about $1500 a pole 70m spacing. Going underground ended up being within a few $100 so we did that. It doesn't take that long to dig a quarter mile trench with a decent backhoe.
So now we have a hydro bill but also have a 25cu.ft. freezer to store the fruits of our labour.
I am a bit jealous of how little energy you need to run a house in a climate like australia where heating isn't a big issue. It makes life a bit simpler not having to worry about things freezing. Also with more sunny days passive solar can heat your houses for almost nothing. Up here to get enough windows to heat a house is a fine balance between what we gain in the day and lose all night. Thank goodness firewood grows on trees...
It would seem that way.
Down here, there are heaps of grid free houses doing quite well.
Driven by the price of around $10k per pole if you need power run to your house, you can do quite a lot.
$10k a pole! Ours was quoted at about $1500 a pole 70m spacing. Going underground ended up being within a few $100 so we did that. It doesn't take that long to dig a quarter mile trench with a decent backhoe.
So now we have a hydro bill but also have a 25cu.ft. freezer to store the fruits of our labour.
I am a bit jealous of how little energy you need to run a house in a climate like australia where heating isn't a big issue. It makes life a bit simpler not having to worry about things freezing. Also with more sunny days passive solar can heat your houses for almost nothing. Up here to get enough windows to heat a house is a fine balance between what we gain in the day and lose all night. Thank goodness firewood grows on trees...
Plenty of people in remote areas are off-grid with solar and do just fine. But get government involved, and the collective stupidity takes over.
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Up here to get enough windows to heat a house is a fine balance between what we gain in the day and lose all night
Just close the blast doors when the sun goes down. Self powered open against springs...when the sun goes down, they close.
Up here to get enough windows to heat a house is a fine balance between what we gain in the day and lose all night
Just close the blast doors when the sun goes down. Self powered open against springs...when the sun goes down, they close.
Originally Posted By: oilyriser
Plenty of people in remote areas are off-grid with solar and do just fine. But get government involved, and the collective stupidity takes over.
EXACTLY. And if you speak up against the the government stupidity, all the whackcases think you are oil guzzling swine against solar power (or whatever)
Plenty of people in remote areas are off-grid with solar and do just fine. But get government involved, and the collective stupidity takes over.
EXACTLY. And if you speak up against the the government stupidity, all the whackcases think you are oil guzzling swine against solar power (or whatever)
Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
A technology poorly implemented somehow invalidates the entire technology? If every attempt to make a change is mocked we will never make any progress
+1
"Any [censored] can kick a barn down, but it takes a carpenter to build one.
-Sam Rayburn
A technology poorly implemented somehow invalidates the entire technology? If every attempt to make a change is mocked we will never make any progress
+1
"Any [censored] can kick a barn down, but it takes a carpenter to build one.
-Sam Rayburn
Originally Posted By: XS650
Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
A technology poorly implemented somehow invalidates the entire technology? If every attempt to make a change is mocked we will never make any progress
+1
Perfect example of what I JUST wrote.
Some folks think the ONLY path to a goal involves the Government. Nothing inherently wrong with solar power. Government wasting money on a useless demo house, not sure how you can say that's a good thing.
Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
A technology poorly implemented somehow invalidates the entire technology? If every attempt to make a change is mocked we will never make any progress
+1
Perfect example of what I JUST wrote.
Some folks think the ONLY path to a goal involves the Government. Nothing inherently wrong with solar power. Government wasting money on a useless demo house, not sure how you can say that's a good thing.
PEX plumbing won't crack if it freezes.
Originally Posted By: oilyriser
Plenty of people in remote areas are off-grid with solar and do just fine. But get government involved, and the collective stupidity takes over.
It is all about the lobbyist trying to get into the businesses on government's money.
Plenty of people in remote areas are off-grid with solar and do just fine. But get government involved, and the collective stupidity takes over.
It is all about the lobbyist trying to get into the businesses on government's money.
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Frequently ..and in our case, almost universally, it took public money to develop all advanced technology. While the market can surely drive some things, you will never have things like re-refined oil without government being the first to put its foot forward.
How would we have gotten to the moon by market forces? How about the massive spin off technologies that came out of it? About the only thing that was of benefit when the funding stopped was that all the NASA grade solderers got jobs at places like Philco and improved the quality of workmanship.
How would we have gotten to the moon by market forces? How about the massive spin off technologies that came out of it? About the only thing that was of benefit when the funding stopped was that all the NASA grade solderers got jobs at places like Philco and improved the quality of workmanship.
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/01/toshiba_micronu.php
Don't worry, Toshiba's Micro Nuke is coming soon to an apartment near you.
Don't worry, Toshiba's Micro Nuke is coming soon to an apartment near you.
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