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Teh polarbears are gonna die

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  • #16
    Quoth Kogarashi View Post
    But I seriously do want to see how feasible it would be to use solar power for at least some of our electricity usage.
    Passive solar, used to heat water which is then used to help heat your house, is fairly practical and a closed system that doesn't require a lot a maintenance or user involvement.

    It's my understanding that the racks of batteries used by homes that use solar for energy production are very large, very heavy and require almost daily maintenance. While prices have come down unless someone can figure out a way to seriously increase the solar light to electricity efficiency you will probably never save enough money to justify the initial installation cost.
    You'll find a slight squeeze on the hooter an excellent safety precaution, Miss Scrumptious.

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    • #17
      Quoth Seshat View Post
      Where I am, it frequently gets windy enough at roof/treetop height that a wind turbine would be useful. And while we're in a temperate zone, we're still sunny enough that solar is worth using.
      That's why I don't get why we don't have more solar and wind power where I live.
      It's floating wicker propelled by fire!

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      • #18
        Some of it is economic unfairness: basically, only middle class and higher can afford the type of personal solar and wind generators that would significantly lower their long-term electricity costs, and they're the ones who need it least. Even so, if you look down on certain suburbs, almost every house has a rack of solar panels.

        A note re batteries: power inverters allow you to use the electric grid as a kind of 'battery'. When your house is generating more than you're using, your meter runs backwards. Using more than generating, meter runs forward. At least here, most people who are connected to the grid use inverters. Batteries are for standalone off-grid sites (such as remote areas).

        Re electricity coming from the air: of course it does! Ever hear of lightning?
        Seshat's self-help guide:
        1. Would you rather be right, or get the result you want?
        2. If you're consistently getting results you don't want, change what you do.
        3. Deal with the situation you have now, however it occurred.
        4. Accept the consequences of your decisions.

        "All I want is a pretty girl, a decent meal, and the right to shoot lightning at fools." - Anders, Dragon Age.

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        • #19
          Quoth Pagan View Post
          That's why I don't get why we don't have more solar and wind power where I live.
          We have some solar and wind power here. Not much--some businesses have solar panels on their roofs, but nothing on a large scale. As for wind turbines, there are quite a few in SW PA, towards the middle of the state (they're visible from the PA Turnpike). But, I don't think I've seen them actually spinning the last couple of years. Seems that they were quickly built, and don't actually do anything.

          But, if I could get solar panels on my roof, I'd gladly tell the local power company to bugger off in summer. No more power outages or rate increases to deal with
          Aerodynamics are for people who can't build engines. --Enzo Ferrari

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          • #20
            Quoth Seshat View Post
            A note re batteries: power inverters allow you to use the electric grid as a kind of 'battery'. When your house is generating more than you're using, your meter runs backwards. Using more than generating, meter runs forward. At least here, most people who are connected to the grid use inverters. Batteries are for standalone off-grid sites (such as remote areas).
            Even people on standalone sites use inverters to get 120 VAC. What you're describing is a "grid tied inverter", a highly specialized piece of equipment which will shut down when the grid goes down (to avoid electrocuting linemen). They also have to avoid "islanding" (so that if there are multiple grid tied inverters close together, they won't see each other as providing power, and keep on feeding power into the grid, when the main feed to their branch of the grid goes down).
            Any fool can piss on the floor. It takes a talented SC to shit on the ceiling.

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            • #21
              Quoth mattm04 View Post
              M: Well a engine dries a alternator using magnet and coil of wire to create electricity.
              I've gotta say, you gave them a far more technical explanation than I would have bothered with. I'd have said something along the lines of, "Google it."

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              • #22
                Quoth DerangedHermit View Post
                Oh fun. The same thing happened in my store last night thanks to two major power outages (7 hours Wednesday night into Thursday morning, 1 hour Saturday afternoon) in the past week. I knew something had happened again when I went in the back entrance of the shopping center and LIPA was working on something. I think Mr. Transformer tried to kill himself.

                So obviously the customers are oblivious and try to tug at the freezer doors that have been clearly roped off, and tear off the tarp covering all the open cases. Have fun with that carton of ice cream soup.
                I guess they think the darker store and plastic sheeting everywhere is just a little joke on our part or something to make it more interesting, or it can also be racist.

                Never understood the stupidity. Though it is kid kinds fun to get paid to stand in one area and shoo SCs away.

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                • #23
                  Quoth Irving Patrick Freleigh View Post
                  Thus ensuring that the polar bears continue to get it.

                  The ironing is so delicious.
                  For real irony, by the official counts, the polarbear population has not shown a downturn since the 1960's when they stopped the hunting of them (except by small native populations). The recent counts estimates the population to be up around 500% growth since the hunting restrictions. She's throwing a fit over an animal that has been thriving for almost fifty years.
                  The Rich keep getting richer because they keep doing what it was that made them rich. Ditto the Poor.
                  "Hy kan tell dey is schmot qvestions, dey is makink my head hurt."
                  Hoc spatio locantur.

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                  • #24
                    Quoth Caractacus_Potts View Post
                    While prices have come down unless someone can figure out a way to seriously increase the solar light to electricity efficiency you will probably never save enough money to justify the initial installation cost.
                    I'm working towards solar panels on my house. It wouldn't have been properly considered except for the FIT - the feed in tariff. Under UK legislation aimed at reducing the carbon emissions of the country, the government is forcing the energy producers to buy back from 'green' producers at a far higher rate than that of the cost of electricity coming in. It's about three times as much, and you get it back whether you use the electricity or not. That price is fixed for 25 years from the moment of installation.

                    The hope, as far as I understand it, is to get more people getting this in, which in turn will allow more people to install it due to lower prices from greater demand causing greater supply.

                    It's a fair outlay, and it's a fair time for payback, but it's worthwhile doing.

                    Quoth protege View Post
                    But, if I could get solar panels on my roof, I'd gladly tell the local power company to bugger off in summer. No more power outages or rate increases to deal with
                    The systems in the UK cut out when there's a power cut. It feeds into the mains, you see, and an engineer working on the mains doesn't want zapping when they're expecting no current...

                    Rapscallion

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                    • #25
                      Quoth Rapscallion View Post
                      The systems in the UK cut out when there's a power cut. It feeds into the mains, you see, and an engineer working on the mains doesn't want zapping when they're expecting no current...

                      Rapscallion
                      Well, they don't _have_ to feed into the mains, if you have a predictable demand and a well designed system it can be practical to use the power direct - I've mostly seen it as PVs used for commercial buildings to power the lighting.
                      But storage is apparently not very efficient, so for domestic use, it's better to link into the mains and sell the spare power.

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                      • #26
                        Quoth mattm04 View Post
                        SC: ... What roe you dooooing? Don't you know that this is killing the polar bears as we speak!!!???? All that carbon dioxide.
                        If the SC is concerned about the carbon dioxide being produced, they really should stop breathing, as humans naturally produce carbon dioxide when they exhale. It is also an absolutely necessary thing to the ecosphere, as it is what plant life "breathes" in. And they in turn emit oxygen, thus enabling the circle of life to continue.

                        Gas combustion engines, on the other hand, emit carbon monoxide, which is the stuff that causes the problems with the ozone layer, etc.

                        Just saying.

                        Quoth Kogarashi View Post
                        But I seriously do want to see how feasible it would be to use solar power for at least some of our electricity usage.
                        Quoth Caractacus_Potts View Post
                        While prices have come down unless someone can figure out a way to seriously increase the solar light to electricity efficiency you will probably never save enough money to justify the initial installation cost.
                        Quoth Seshat View Post
                        A note re batteries: power inverters allow you to use the electric grid as a kind of 'battery'. When your house is generating more than you're using, your meter runs backwards.
                        It is feasible. A local gentleman I know, who is one of the smartest people I have ever had the pleasure of speaking with, converted his home to solar. He not only enjoys the hell out of what he's done, he gets a sick ironic pleasure out of the fact that he is actually producing more electricity than his house needs, which results in him actually selling power to the electric company. That's right....the electric company pays him a monthly fee.

                        I would say that justifies the initial cost. And he has made no mention of pain-in-the-ass batteries, either. (I don't know all the specifics in his particular setup.) But yeah, his meter runs "backwards," and he makes money off of it.

                        Kinda cool, I thought.

                        "The Customer Is Always Right...But The Bartender Decides Who Is
                        Still A Customer."

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                        • #27
                          Quoth Jester View Post
                          It is feasible. A local gentleman I know, who is one of the smartest people I have ever had the pleasure of speaking with, converted his home to solar. He not only enjoys the hell out of what he's done, he gets a sick ironic pleasure out of the fact that he is actually producing more electricity than his house needs, which results in him actually selling power to the electric company. That's right....the electric company pays him a monthly fee.

                          I would say that justifies the initial cost. And he has made no mention of pain-in-the-ass batteries, either. (I don't know all the specifics in his particular setup.) But yeah, his meter runs "backwards," and he makes money off of it.

                          Kinda cool, I thought.
                          Awesome. And I mentioned this idea to Hubby, and he's all for it too, so it's definitely something to look into when we have a place of our own. Note to self: don't move to perpetually overcast location.
                          "Enough expository banter. It's time we fight like men. And ladies. And ladies who dress like men. For Gilgamesh...IT'S MORPHING TIME!"
                          - Gilgamesh, Final Fantasy V

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                          • #28
                            Quoth scruff View Post
                            Well, they don't _have_ to feed into the mains, if you have a predictable demand and a well designed system it can be practical to use the power direct - I've mostly seen it as PVs used for commercial buildings to power the lighting.
                            But storage is apparently not very efficient, so for domestic use, it's better to link into the mains and sell the spare power.
                            I haven't heard of that before.

                            The other interesting thing I read about houses with solar panes is, some in the fire fighting community are concerned that with solar the roof they can't as quickly verfiy power has been shut off to a building because of the multiple sources and wiring options. Even then their is one or more wires going from the rood to the panel, which is most likely in the basement or lower level.

                            In a normal setup the utility responds and shuts power off at the street.

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                            • #29
                              Have a look at The Autonomous House by Brenda and Robert Vale.

                              It's possible to be totally independant.

                              (but I'd still recommend linking systems into the mains, as Raps said, it means you can sell power. I like the idea that any sun the panels are soaking up whilst you're at work/away on holiday gets sold on automatically.)

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                              • #30
                                Quoth mattm04 View Post
                                I didn't have the heart to tell her what dry ice really is, and how we uses trucks to get food the the store and how they are kept cold.
                                I'm an asshole. I would have told her AND would have pulled Wikipedia up on my iPhone and shown her the article.
                                I never lost my faith in humanity. Can't lose what you never had right?

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