No More Electric Bills [Solar Panels for Roof Tiles!]

Newsweek ^ | Aug 15, 2005 | Andrew Murr

[Quick1]

Nicholas and Loan Gatai used to cringe when they received power bills that routinely topped $200. Last September the Sacramento, Calif., couple moved into a new, 1,500-square-foot home in Premier Gardens, a subdivision of 95 "zero-energy homes" just outside town. Now they're actually eager to see their electric bills. The grand total over the 10 months they've lived in the three-bedroom, stucco-and-stone house: $75. For the past two months they haven't paid a cent. Story continues below ↓ advertisement

Almost unknown outside California, ZEH communities are the leading edge of technologies that might someday create houses that produce as much energy as they consume. Premier Gardens, which opened last summer, is one of a half-dozen subdivisions in California where every home cuts power consumption by at least 50 percent, mostly by using low-power appliances and solar panels. Several more are under construction this year, including the first ZEH community for seniors.

Aside from the bright patch of solar modules on the roof, Premier Gardens looks like a community of conventional homes. But inside, it's clear why they save energy. "Spectrally selective" windows cut power bills by blocking solar heat in the summer and retaining indoor warmth in cold weather. Fluorescent bulbs throughout use two thirds the juice of incandescents. A suitcase-size tankless hot-water heater in the garage, powered by gas, saves energy by warming water only when the tap is turned on.

[pageonetoo]

We are building in Wilmington.

My birthplace!

Now, with all of the build-up down there, I have moved my NC home, to Jones County, and have a place on the White Oak River, which dumps into the Atlantic...

Drive up past jacksonville, on Hwy 17, and get off on 210, near the Federal forest. My driveway is easy to pass. You'd probably never find it, without a GPS locater, because I prefer to stay away from the maddening crowds!!!

I do like Wilmington's restaurants, though. Back in the 80's, it was named the top city in America for eating out!

My favorite places are gone, now, but there are plenty of good seafood places to be found! The Bridge Tenderm and Hieronymus's have a lock at Wrightsville Beach, but downtown Wilmington, on the Cape Fear River, check out Chandler's Wharf. Elijah's is my choice, there. Both have water views but the ICW is much busier than the River...

Keep your eyes on the ads, and in September (and other "R" months), they have a monthly oyster roast at the VFD in Hampstead. All you can eat steamed oysters, and all the fixins to go with them, at a good price, raising money for a good cause. I hope you like oysters!

[lmailbvmbipfwedu]

Please note: From The Journal Gazette (Ft. Wayne IN) Sunday Aug 7 2005, page 4C. In an article by Frank Gray, "Penny-pinching could cost home"

"City code makes it clear homes must have utility service, and when the utilities are turned off, a home is not regarded as habitable"

This can lead to a condemned house........

So, I would like to tell the utilities where to get off, BUT the gov'mnt wont let me.........

S. K. Whiteman

[wizr]

I guess what I'm saying is that we, taxpayers, helped to develop Tang, for one, as a part of the space program. Have you seen a return on your investment? Have you received any return from the programs, other than new high cost uses.

It seems that many companies take the residuals from our government programs, and sell the products back to us, if we ever see them.

[MarineBrat]

If all you can cough up is "Tang" then I have no interest.

[Holicheese]

I am a huge raw shellfish guy. I like oysters but cherrystones are my favorite. The only way I can get my GF to eat raw oysters is to put it in a shot of chilled Absolute with the sauce on top. Good Eats.

I am really happy with all the places I have eaten in Wilmington. Very happy to be making the move and can not wait to hand off the snow shovels!

[babble-on]

velcro bandits living like kings

[Politicalmom]

Aha. They sell the gas appliances, as well. Plus hubby gets a 15% employee discount. : )

[buwaya]

The problem with replacing oil for its most important use isn't in the cracking but in the energy density and ease of handling as a vehicle fuel.

If it were just a matter of substituting energy sources you would have seen plenty more of it by now.

Petroleum products are just incredibly convenient.

[buwaya]

The 400,000 bbl is a mix of applications where grid power is not available or insufficient (like diesel generators in remote areas, there are a lot of these in Alaska for instance), is residual fractions not suitable for other purposes used for cogeneration (i.e., this would be waste, best to burn it), standby generators, some peaking units where there is no natural gas, most big power plants have diesel generators to provide startup power, and a lot of natural gas plants can burn bunker fuel as an alternative, which is useful if NG gets expensive or supplies are interrupted.

Its difficult and expensive to stamp out the very last of anything. As you see, the remaining power generation uses are diverse.

[wizr]

I thought we were talking about solar panels. You don't think that our government has not been involved in solar energy design? We have equipment in outer space using it right now. But, can we, as citizens, utilize these concepts. Not that I've seen.

[pageonetoo]

...The only way I can get my GF to eat raw oysters is to put it in a shot of chilled Absolute with the sauce on top...

Down east, we steam them, so they are semi-cooked, and easy to open. Some of them slosh around, but many are done enough to actually chew, rather than swallow!

To make the best cooker, get a 3x3 steel 3/8 plate, weld sides on three sides, and weld handles on the sides. Make them so they are pipe fittings, with screw out handles.

Take a 55 gallon steel drum, and cut it in half, and weld feet on it. find a tobacco barn gas burner (or similar high BTU), and hook it to a tank.

Heat up the plate, and dump a bushel basket of oysters on it. take a few burlap sacks and soak them in a bucket of water, then place them on top, covering the oysters, and trapping the steam.

When they start opening (10-15 minutes, usually), dump them on a table, and grab an oyster knife, a bottle of texas pete, and a plateful of slaw and hushpuppies. Wash it all down with that syrupy sweet NC ice tea...

But, the shrimp are great, fresh from the boats, and there is nothing finer than pig, cooked by a bbq pit guy, from the backroads of eastern NC.

If you wander around, try Cavenaughs' Supper House,between Chinquapin, and Wallace, on Hwy 41. You can go on I-40 (drive east on 41), or drive up from Hampstead, or Holly Ridge (drive west on 41). they have an old black guy that has been around as long as the restaurant, and he knows pig. Mrs Cavenaugh is a bit over 4 ft tall, now, but still wields command of the place, but he's the secret weapon...

[MarineBrat]

I thought we were talking about solar panels. You don't think that our government has not been involved in solar energy design? We have equipment in outer space using it right now. But, can we, as citizens, utilize these concepts. Not that I've seen.

We were, but I seem to recall the discussion leaning towards generally painting NASA as a place where there is no ROI. (Return on investment) I believe that NASA has been one of the best ROI's the US government has ever sponsored. For less than one percent of our tax money we have gotten thousands of advances that have paid off many times over in the private sector.

You can search a database of NASA "Spinoff" products here at http://www.sti.nasa.gov/tto/

[William Tell]

wizr said: "You don't think that our government has not been involved in solar energy design? We have equipment in outer space using it right now. But, can we, as citizens, utilize these concepts. Not that I've seen."

My daughter works for a company which makes communication satellites powered by solar cells. I would guess that for quite a bit less than the cost of a whole satellite, they would sell you the PV system. That would bring the cost far below the $100 million or so that the whole bird would cost.

The fact is that the technology used in space is extremely expensive. That is probably BECAUSE the government was involved in its creation.

For those who wish to see viable alternative energy sources developed, the "high" cost of oil is exactly what is needed to encourage such developments. Unfortunately, the price may need to go quite a bit higher for best results and the price would need to stay high. The price WON'T stay high because oil producers will lower their prices to protect their income and they can probably deliver $10 per barrel oil if that is what they must do.

[battlegearboat]

Big Solar