So, what if..............
- Thread starter big2bird
- Start date
big2bird
Charter Member, Founder Bird-Run, Cruise-In Bird-R
If factories were built using the old Ford Factory design of the 20's, with a saw tooth roof, the impact would be enormous. Flat panels facing north, with natural daylight instead of lights. Slanted solar panels facing south, with angles determined by latitude.
An all glass roof , with indefenite life expectancy. POU generation, with peak power supplied by natural gas turbines, or wind generation.
Reduced energy costs would bring home jobs, as Chinese workers demand higher pay.
This country put a man on the moon, and a lab in space fully powered by light. This can be done, and would solve alot of fiscal woes in this country.
How about energy independence for one? If we relie on foreign interests for energy, maybe we should invest in this with some of that military budget.
Forget fighting for oil, just reduce it, or even do away with most of it.
An all glass roof , with indefenite life expectancy. POU generation, with peak power supplied by natural gas turbines, or wind generation.
Reduced energy costs would bring home jobs, as Chinese workers demand higher pay.
This country put a man on the moon, and a lab in space fully powered by light. This can be done, and would solve alot of fiscal woes in this country.
How about energy independence for one? If we relie on foreign interests for energy, maybe we should invest in this with some of that military budget.
Forget fighting for oil, just reduce it, or even do away with most of it.
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big2bird
Charter Member, Founder Bird-Run, Cruise-In Bird-R
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big2bird
Charter Member, Founder Bird-Run, Cruise-In Bird-R
Lets compare the insanity:
We now use energyto mine coal in Virginia. We use energyto transfer the coal to Utah, where it pollutes.
We then transmit that energy via power lines to LA, which has losses ofenergy.
OR, we install solar where it is used, POU, and have no usage of fossil energy.
We now use energyto mine coal in Virginia. We use energyto transfer the coal to Utah, where it pollutes.
We then transmit that energy via power lines to LA, which has losses ofenergy.
OR, we install solar where it is used, POU, and have no usage of fossil energy.
mrvette
Phantom of the Opera
Bird, better than any POU concepts you have mentioned, I followed a link to a company here in USA that makes a portable nuclear power plant....
it can be planted on 1/4 acre and easily power an entire small town, much less a large sub division....and the output is a/c power, hence no inverter or dynomotor/generator needed....
I forget the name of the company, but the projected life span of their units was something like 50? years.....
then they dig up the plant, install another one, take it away on a flat bed to be reprocessed.....
antiquating the power lines would make enough copper and aluminum available to be reprocessed, we would NEVER need another pound of copper, just like what happened to copper when ATT long lines went fiber optic....
:clap::drink:
it can be planted on 1/4 acre and easily power an entire small town, much less a large sub division....and the output is a/c power, hence no inverter or dynomotor/generator needed....
I forget the name of the company, but the projected life span of their units was something like 50? years.....
then they dig up the plant, install another one, take it away on a flat bed to be reprocessed.....
antiquating the power lines would make enough copper and aluminum available to be reprocessed, we would NEVER need another pound of copper, just like what happened to copper when ATT long lines went fiber optic....
:clap::drink:
big2bird
Charter Member, Founder Bird-Run, Cruise-In Bird-R
Okay. What do you do with the "not in my backyard" waste?
DWncchs
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2009
- Messages
- 341
Good thread Bird, Interesting read.
JPhil
Huh?
elevatordude
Well-known member
Bury it in Gene's back yard... oh wait that land was taken by eminent domain for the oil well.
saudivette
Clueless In Sandland
How much would "state sponsored terrorism" decline if oil money wasn't there to pay for it?
Good point, well presented but could you hold off for about 4 years please?
DeeVeeEight
Fast Pedalphile
OK - I am interested in going solar on my home in NJ. I have no extra money to invest in a solar system. How can I justify the start up costs and what is the life expectancy of such an installation? What is the return on the investment? I can see the benefits of shading my roof - the A/C system would not work as hard, the only drawback then is no solar heating of the roof in the winter. Also - my roofs face east-west, is that an advantage or disadvantage?
DJ Dep
refugee from the other place
This has been the ecofreak's biggest argument against nuclear power. Oops...sorry Jeff. Didn't meant to call you an ecofreak.
But that is the position you are taking. Here is an intelligent, reasonable, and accurate description of the nuclear waste situation. It pretty much squashes the nuclear waste objection completely. It also gives examples of what can be done with nuclear waste.
http://www.phyast.pitt.edu/~blc/book/chapter11.html
DJ Dep
refugee from the other place
BTW...for it to be economically feasable for me to go solar, I would have to live well past 100. I don't think that is gonna happen. And as I said, the electric company (PNM) has jacked up the electric rates ON EVERYONE to offset the free energy that ecofreaks are producing. Nothing is for nothing. All those maintenance workers and electric lines still have to be paid for. Or would you like to lay them off because you decided to go green, and climb one of those metal towers and fix a high tension line yourself?
In my town ecofreaks are at each other's throats over trees in their neighbor's yards that block the sun. All kinds of lawsuits being filed and some rather nasty encounters that ended up with the police being called. Welcome to the side effects of "going green".
In my town ecofreaks are at each other's throats over trees in their neighbor's yards that block the sun. All kinds of lawsuits being filed and some rather nasty encounters that ended up with the police being called. Welcome to the side effects of "going green".
big2bird
Charter Member, Founder Bird-Run, Cruise-In Bird-R
The only way to really answer that is on site. It varies greatly by area. Start here:http://www.solarsystemsdesign.com/solar_costcalc.php
big2bird
Charter Member, Founder Bird-Run, Cruise-In Bird-R
This has been the ecofreak's biggest argument against nuclear power. Oops...sorry Jeff. Didn't meant to call you an ecofreak.
But that is the position you are taking. Here is an intelligent, reasonable, and accurate description of the nuclear waste situation. It pretty much squashes the nuclear waste objection completely. It also gives examples of what can be done with nuclear waste.
http://www.phyast.pitt.edu/~blc/book/chapter11.html
See, I am moderate on most of this. I have no issue with nuclear power at all. The only issue is not one nuclear depository has yet to open. On site storage is getting full, and everyone has the "not in my back yard" arguement.
That converted salt mine is perfect in my eyes.
big2bird
Charter Member, Founder Bird-Run, Cruise-In Bird-R
Dep, the rates are higher because fuel is higher, and the grid is strained. Power saving devices such as CFL's, energy star appliances, and such are only a stop gap measure. Although greatly beneficial, energy usage in this country is still on the rise.
In 1950, the average home had a 60 ampere service with 5 circuits.
I have that many in my kitchen alone.
Think about the new loads.:Non -existent before 70's or so
1 or more computers each home/printer/scanner
Cable TV
Microwaves
Flat screen TV's
DVD player
VCR player
Trash compactor
Garage door opener
Central A/C
Clothes dryer
Waterbed heaters/elec blankets
Cell phone chargers/IPOD/Walkmans
The list is endless.
Add this to the fact the populace has prob doubled, you see the issue.
Hoover dam supplies perhaps 10% of Las Vegas alone. The increase is staggering and exponential.
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SmokinBBC
Well-known member
Bird......there is a strong possibility that a percentage of the population will also be plugging in their electric cars at home as well 20 years from now....wonder how much more power that will require.....
73 Mike
I'll drive it someday
Cool link Bird. Thanks!
Incidentally, in my neck of the woods, payback is 3 to 4 years for a purchased system. Lease deals make this essentially free but you pay rent to the lease holder rather than electricity payments to PG&E. Not much financial advantage there though it would limit your exposure to price increases over the life of the system.
big2bird
Charter Member, Founder Bird-Run, Cruise-In Bird-R
Elec cars out now require about 22 amps, or 2500 watts (30 amp circuit) for about 4-12 hours depending on depletion of batteries.
Just like any battery charge, it tapers down with increased charge.
Basically, you pay for what you use.
I'm not so sure that link is accurate.
3 to 4 years? I use 500kw avg per month and pay about $65/month avg. So if payback were to begin in 4 years, I would have to find a system that cost $3500.