Quote:
Originally Posted by Lug
The useful efficiencies were "just around the corner" back in the 70's. With current tech, it would cost me well over $25000 to be able to generate 4.4 Kilowatts (enough to replace a small power generator,I looked into this after Hurricane Ike left me powerless for a week). That would only be for about 6 hours a day and wouldn't even let me run my air conditioners. To totally go off the grid would be over $100,000 and lots of extra stoage capacity. All the "success" solar power stories I've read involve reducing energy uses by something like 2/3rd's AND huge tax rebates. Solar as a major player is just a no go anytime in the near future. Wind power is much better......IF you live in the right place.  |
Yes, going off grid with solar just isn't feasible unless you live like you're in the 19th century. There are some feasible solar concepts using solar collectors to generate steam (which can be stored). Photovoltaic cells have a long way to go.
The whole house generators I've looked into are natural gas or propane. We loose power several times a year, this winter we lost power for a week during a ice storm with temperatures near 0F. At first I tried to keep the house warm using the fireplace but that was a losing battle. Eventually I got smart and hooked an inverter up to my truck and wired it up to my gas boiler so that the ignition system and circulater pumps would work. Idling my truck the gas tank lasted about 2 days. Obviously a full on generator would be more efficient than a 300W inverter.