Inventor Goes Off The Grid With Solar-Hydrogen House

Newhouse News ^ | 7/10/2007 | Jennifer Weiss

[Incorrigible]

 

Since my tax dollars paid for half of his project, I'm looking forward to going down the road a bit and taking a dip in the hot tub!

 

[RightWhale]

Although this is the umpteenth thread on this experiment from the public coffers, it is entertaining to see so many fallacies expressed so economically.

[353FMG]

How much does all that cost? I doubt that the average American family could afford it.

[Thermalseeker]

I wonder if, since he's releasing the 02 into the atmosphere, this would alter the O2 content of the atmosphere if everybody used this technique? Elevated levels of O2 for extended periods can be poisonous, not to mention explosive.

Quick, sombody get the Profit Owl Gore on the phone. Surely he has the answer......

[Henchster]

The guy spent $500,000 in up front costs to save $400 a month.

Real payback starts after over 100 years.

Sorry, not-ready-for-prime-time anytime soon.

[bicyclerepair]

And who wants to take all those panels down before a hurricane?

Only a fool would spend $500k to eliminate $400/month elec. bills.

[Holicheese]

As my buddy said, “ The nitwits step over dollars to pick up pennies!”

[PackerBoy]

Isn't the real question: How much would it cost to mass produce this system for consumers?

I mean, is this system equivalent to a automobile (that can be mass produced at a reasonable cost) or to the space shuttle?

[Chameleon]

Probably $400k was his hydrogen system. He could have had the solar system selling power back to the grid at probably around $100k, and so payback would be at more like 20 years - which probably exceeds any warranties on any solar panels....

[Pining_4_TX]

Who wants all those tanks filled with volatile hydrogen on their property? Eek!

[P-40]

He’s got the smarts and was willing to put up 100k to put 24/7/365 into making a new technology work. Work the bugs out and mass-produce the best parts of the technology and you’ve got a pretty good return on the investment.

[Centurion2000]

How much does all that cost? I doubt that the average American family could afford it.

Half a million .... not sure what he's doing but he's not doing it well.

[ClearCase_guy]

I feel similarly. During WWII the government spent a lot on the Manhattan Project. That wasn't going to be done by any private corporation -- it was something only government could do.

Now we are engaged in a war against an enemy who gains power by controlling energy, so government investment in new energy sources doesn't bother me too much. My preference is Methane Hydrates. I'd love to see a $20B project to crack that problem. It would change the world and make us fabulously rich.

[Goreknowshowtocheat]

You are only eligible to help pay for his house.

[Henchster]

You could look at it another way:

If he took the $500k he spent and loaned it at 5%, he would receive an average of about $1,250 a month in interest alone, easily paying his energy costs, and in less than twenty years, the extra savings would provide an additional $500k.

[AmericaUnited]

Not counting the geothermal component, Strizki's home powering plant cost about $500,000.

Wow, that's pure genius. Paying over half a million dollars so he doesn't pay a $200-$400/month electric bill. Brilliant!

[marvlus]

Only a fool would spend $500k to eliminate $400/month elec. bills.

According to the article, out of pocket costs were $100K, still a lot, though.

[wastedyears]

Anything to make Iran insignificant.

[P-40]

and in less than twenty years

And then he'd be twenty years older and finding that he never put his knowledge to use.