US Energy Independance is a Myth !!!

[klenger]

While solar panels may not be very efficient, it's not how much power they don't make that's important, it's how much power they do make. It's not like you are wasting something if the solar panel is not 100% efficient. With no solar panel, you are not harvesting anything from the sun.



In my previous post about residential solar, I did not claim that these homes were independent from the power grid. The advantage of using the power grid for your storage system is that the system does not need any batteries, battery maintenance, or the inefficiency of converting from AC to DC and back again. With today's prices on solar and relatively cheap electricity, solar doesn't make economic sense for most people. At some time in the future, when enegry prices go higher and cost of solar components goes down, it will make a lot of sense, especially here in the sun belt where the availability of the sun is so high at the same time energy demand is high.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Originally posted by jandtjil

Just like oil supplies solar by itself is probably not the answer, I personally like wind power.

JJ

Wind power for the home is generally too expensive. That and often as not, what people think is a "windy" site is more ground turbulence then the sustained steady wind that is most effiecient.



Using solar to heat water does work as does using solar to heat or help heat a house. The costs are realistic but the designs often don't blend into the neighborhood. That said, I shake my head when I look at the the 4-5 or more bedroom homes with complicated rooflines that have become the norm around me.