Wind farms may threaten whooping cranes

[Taomon]

Seeing what companies charge for solar panels, I'd say a lot of people are getting rich off of solar power....

Yes, and I just read an article in Scientific America how 3D printers can print solar panels at a fraction of the cost of maufactured ones.

The answer is not far from us zombie.

 

[Taomon]

And you can bet Exxon and GE would love to have those solar farm construction contracts and perpetual royalties on the power they produce... Another reason I own energy stocks....they will control whatever energy we end up going to.

True, but we can balance that out by more of us consumers owning windmills and solar panels for our homes.

 

[nibor]

True, but we can balance that out by more of us consumers owning windmills and solar panels for our homes.

That may not be as easy as you think........................especially if you live in a town or city.........................

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Why would I have to live in the desert if we set up large scale - solar panel farms to generate electricity? It sounds more to me that you do not know what you are talking about.

And I don't think solar panel farms should be privatized...that would drive the cost to the consumer through the roof. No, the price should be kept low. In fact, if everyone had solar panels on their homes & apartment buildings, the need for the energy from solar panel farms in the desert would drop. The need would still exist, but it would balance out.

Gunny, you seem to be out-guned on this one.

Sure thing, the subdivision I bought my new home in was originally all solar panel made. Guess what? That lasted about 1 year, NO new houses have the panels and almost all the old houses got RID of them.

Now in some places it is cost effective to ADD solar panels, with the newer techs you can pay off your investment in about 8 years and after that start selling power back at a profit to the Electric companies. BUT that is only effective in SOME places. And you still need to be hooked to the non solar power company for when solar is not available.

 

[Gunny]

Why would I have to live in the desert if we set up large scale - solar panel farms to generate electricity? It sounds more to me that you do not know what you are talking about.

And I don't think solar panel farms should be privatized...that would drive the cost to the consumer through the roof. No, the price should be kept low. In fact, if everyone had solar panels on their homes & apartment buildings, the need for the energy from solar panel farms in the desert would drop. The need would still exist, but it would balance out.

Gunny, you seem to be out-guned on this one.

Ha, you wish. Your solution is government-owned energy and to blot out the landscape with solar panels?

At what point do you surmise so much sunlight is reflected/absorbed that it doesn't reach the ground anymore? That of course would kill off all life on Earth.

Yeah, I'm outgunned.

 

[Zoomie1980]

True, but we can balance that out by more of us consumers owning windmills and solar panels for our homes.

Most suburban residential communities have covenants forbidding things like wind mills in your yard. Many more upscale communities forbid roof top solar panels as well.

But even where they aren't forbidden they are so costly as to be beyond the reach of the average home owner.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Most suburban residential communities have covenants forbidding things like wind mills in your yard. Many more upscale communities forbid roof top solar panels as well.

But even where they aren't forbidden they are so costly as to be beyond the reach of the average home owner.

Current technology can see your investment returned in 8 and a half years, IF you live in an area that solar is workable. This assumes that your power company has the ability and desire to "buy back" excess power when you produce it. This includes maintenance and upkeep and installation of the required means to sell to the power Company.

Solar power could be even more useful if it had the bucks and the draw to see heavier investment in improved technology. But it will always be a niche device. Only useful in certain areas and generally unable to provide all your power all the time.

 

[nibor]

Current technology can see your investment returned in 8 and a half years, IF you live in an area that solar is workable. This assumes that your power company has the ability and desire to "buy back" excess power when you produce it. This includes maintenance and upkeep and installation of the required means to sell to the power Company.

Solar power could be even more useful if it had the bucks and the draw to see heavier investment in improved technology. But it will always be a niche device. Only useful in certain areas and generally unable to provide all your power all the time.

It doesn't have to be done that way sarge...............!

 

[nibor]

AND THERE IS A MUCH SAFER form of wind genation that the turbine can actually survive winds over two hundred miles per hour......................and the birds CAN SEE IT.......................the video of THE CONCEPT I know is simplistic but works on an individualist level as well as a larger scale AND by dynamic changes conditions required for wind generation because of it's shape it puts the divise much lower to the ground and doesn't need the same velocities.



[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UPe6A_UVPc&feature=related[/ame]

 

[BrianH]

I'm all for exploring Solar Power, however, I think wind power, and water generated electricity would be far more effective and efficient. I believe solar power can be used constructively by the individual, but not on a large scale. In Texas there are ranchers that have solar panels mounted to their gates that open up automatically. I'm sure you've all seen flashing road signs with solar panels on them. I think if applied to things like that, it would be a good thing. My in-laws pump water from a water well, and when their electricity goes out, they have no water. I think a solar panel feeding to their well-pump would be a smart move. There's plenty of applications for solar panels, but I don't think we should do it on a large scale. (as if to replace the current source of energy.) What would be smart, is if towns and cities would become more independent at creating their own energy (loosely). Someone mentioned about living next to the wind-turbines and never get one kilwatt-hour of it. that's rediculous. Towns that can benefit from solar power should use solar power, towns that could benefit wind power should use it, etc.... That's just my opinion, which alot of the time is pretty rediculous in itself.

 

[Taomon]

That may not be as easy as you think........................especially if you live in a town or city.........................

So that city can charge for solar energy. Buildings can have solar panels installed. That is just one solution.

 

[Taomon]

And you still need to be hooked to the non solar power company for when solar is not available.

Hence why we should be storing that energy in rechargable batteries.

 

[Taomon]

Ha, you wish. Your solution is government-owned energy and to blot out the landscape with solar panels?

At what point do you surmise so much sunlight is reflected/absorbed that it doesn't reach the ground anymore? That of course would kill off all life on Earth.

Yeah, I'm outgunned.

Um, you assume that every inch of the world would need to be covered with Solar Panels, and that is simply not true.

 

[Taomon]

Most suburban residential communities have covenants forbidding things like wind mills in your yard. Many more upscale communities forbid roof top solar panels as well.

But even where they aren't forbidden they are so costly as to be beyond the reach of the average home owner.

And those ordinances have to change. They exist because of the consolidation of energy companies.

 

[nibor]

So that city can charge for solar energy. Buildings can have solar panels installed. That is just one solution.

I was actually refering to zoning and spacial problems mostly with wind......................besides the constrictions the utility companies put on alternate energy if you're looking into selling your excess energy back if any.......................12v lighting and transformered appliances is probably the way that I'm going to look into.