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| Monday, April 10, 2006 |
| Free Utilities - tempting, but risky |
Sunday's Boston Globe had the article: Her pollution solution may finally be blowing in the wind about a Gloucester, MA woman who back in 1982 remortgaged her home to install a 125-foot-tall wind-powered turbine (cost = $29,470) in her backyard. It broke down twice within the first year, and not being able to afford the $10,000 repair bill, it has sat unused in her yard ever since. But now, the head of a Gloucester-based nonprofit organization says his agency is determined to help fix her electricity-generating turbine, or replace it with a new one that will work. For free. It is great that she is finally going to get her turbine working. But it is stories like this that hold me back from investing in a solar power system or other alternative energy option. I would love to pollute less and save money at the same time. However, so many of these technologies require such a large financial commitment upfront, and as the Gloucester woman found out, there is no guarantee that your investment will ever pay off. |
| posted by Boston Gal @ 11:44 AM *
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| 6 Comments: |
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I think solar power is more proven and reliable than the technology this article discusses, but you're right, there is a large upfront investment. Also, there's quite a lot of energy and industrial waste involved in producing solar batteries, so remember to factor that in when calculating whether they'll pay for themselves.
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There are also the tax advantages you can get with these technologies that can help you pay for these. Check out http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/laws/incen_laws.html for more info.
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BP has residential solar systems starting at $9,000 for 1,000 kilowatt hours. Here is their website: http://www.bp.com/solarsavings.do?categoryId=3050506
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you should look into how your local power company works. in Philadelphia, they help fund the installation of solar power and they are required to buy any energy that you collect that you don't use.
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The new systems are quite efficient, there are tax breaks, etc. However, first I would do all the other things that will reduce your power usage. Such as maximum insulation in attic, on pipes in the basement, in walls, etc; window quilts even on double paned windows; make sure all leaks at doors, windows, outlets are plugged; timer on your hot water heater and the blanket around it; have an energy audit done; keep temps lower in winter & wear layers and temps higher in summer, open the windows if you can and use fans; use a drying rack with a fan if necessary - it's still cheaper than the dryer. Good luck with it and your parents.
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We moved to Tucson to go solar and have had absolutely no problems. As with any technology (solar as well as turbines) they've come a long way since the 1980s. And as with any large purchase do the standard bits--research the product and the firm installing it and you'll likely end up ok.
Paybacks can still be dicey depending on your specific area / tax credits in the state, but is is the right thing to do.
And I completely agree with the comment by "anon" that reducing your power usage is the easiest and best first step.
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I think solar power is more proven and reliable than the technology this article discusses, but you're right, there is a large upfront investment. Also, there's quite a lot of energy and industrial waste involved in producing solar batteries, so remember to factor that in when calculating whether they'll pay for themselves.