Tank less water heater on the right. A bit pricey up front but they will pay for themselves in the long run.
Posted on 08/08/2005 8:49:57 AM PDT by 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
http://www.geoexchange.org/about/how.htm
What do y'all think of this system??
We will be putting in a tankless water heater soon, due to a $500 rebate offered by our gas company.
>>They won't save oil.
But they save *energy* which can be used in any way, including the saving of oil. For instance, cracking water into hydrogen and oxygen. PV isn't an energy storage medium like hydrogen. It's an energy source, and can be used in as many applications as we use electricity today, and others yet to be developed. It won't *create* oil, but it can supplant its use in many ways.
From what he did provide, it does sound like the economics are now feasible in some areas. But it would be more interesting to me if he would have nailed down this down a bit more.
Any excess power you generate is given to the power companies, and they write you a check for everything they get. Considering that most of the power a solar cell is generating will come during the day, when most people have their A/C on full blast, it's quite a bit of savings.
It's not going to take revolutionary changes, just a reduction in cost for this to become more popular in places like California or Texas.
Or if the conversion efficiency improves considerably. State of the art PV cells can reach 32% (PV cells available commercially are less efficient).
If / when the technology improves, more homeowners may become interested in weening themselves off the grid.
Off the grid, you'll need battery or generator backup, which drives the cost up more. Or do without power at night or cloudy days.
Mrs VS
My uncle in northern New Mexico heats his swimming pool that way.
No real need. THESE GUYS (http://www.konarkatech.com/) are doing a good job.
Not by themselves. But there are plenty of places where solar plus wind plus a diesel generator and propane can add up to a very high standard of living off of the grid.
I actually worked for a solar company for a couple of years and it can be a good deal, but not always.
First of all, they are the best deal when you're building a new home and you can substitute the cost of shingles, say, for the cost of the panels - solar is still more expensive, but it pays for itself quicker.
Usually, yes, it takes 7-15 years for the cost of the panels to pay for themselves, depending on where you live, how much sun you get, etc...
CA has the most generous subsidies of all the states to defray the initial cost of the system, but most states offer something.
The getting a check from the utilities thing is a bit dicier - each utility has to agree to it, and since it costs them money, a lot are hesitant to do so. Several states (about 30 last time I checked) required the utilities to provide at least some sort of :net metering" provisions so that when you use power from the grid (at night, when the sun isn't shining, or when you have an unusually large power load) your meter works regularly, but when you produce more than you use (during the day when you're at work and your lights are off) you get credit for feeding power back to the grid, which helps with utility stability (remember CA's big blackouts a couple of years ago).
Finally though, I'm glad to see so many Freepers accepting of solar - and not just knee-jerk trashing it as a hippy liberal solution that costs too much money. If you really look into it, it can be a good deal.
WOW! A FreeRepublic First! Someone admitted to being wrong! ;o)
"Personally, this is one area that I wish government would kick in some research dollars."
My guess is that NASA, and other government agencies, have spent mucho dinero on this and many other projects. Do we, the citizen taxpayers benefit from these projects? Noooo!
We are just required to pay thru the nose to support them, and then to buy them, when mandated.
If you want economy, then, by golly, you are going to pay for it.
In the long run, there very definitely is a payback.
If nothing breaks.
Is the primary sources of fossil energy continue to go up in price.
If you don't die or run into severe economic hardship before the start of the payback period.
The first thought to enter my mind is...I hope the new homes are sufficiently wired so that the homeowner can go back to "the old fashioned way" if the solar cells go kerploot in a few years.
Does anyone know of any solar technology that can be used in extreme northern climates where the snowcover lasts 7 months out of the year?
Hah! I don't mind admitting I'm wrong, especially after an extensive Google search tells me I am. ;)
$18,000. That's something like a 15 year break even point (if they paid cash). Factored into a mortgage, it's like 30 years.
Those who maintain this a wonderful solution either don't have to concern themselves with petty little things like money, or they just don't understand the "value of money".
Well of course. If I am not mistaken, these new homes and communities are being built with their south facing roofs pointed in nearly perfect positions.
It must be regulated, in its output. If the sun doesn't shine, then it has a very limited collection capability.
But great news for the entire southwest.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.