THE Renewable Energy Thread (merged)

by **Devil** » Sun 18 Jul 2004, 07:11:47

The UK House of Lords has published a report on its concept for renewables. This is in reply to the Government's White Paper. It is a lengthy document but makes for interesting reading. Of course, the UK context cannot necessarily be extrapolated elsewhere. You can download it from http://www.publications.parliament.uk/p ... 26/126.pdf

Please note that I am not endorsing its contents

by **Chicagoan** » Tue 09 Nov 2004, 23:30:21

Want to learn how wind and solar energy works? This site offers free instructions on how to build a small wind turbine. That should give you an idea how it works. You can order books and multimedia covering every topic you ever wanted to know about wind and solar. Don't buy wind turbines, build them yourself. http://www.picoturbine.com/

by **Agren** » Wed 10 Nov 2004, 05:56:12

added to the Links section under Energy, Renewable > Wind

by **BiGG** » Mon 11 Jul 2005, 15:59:37

Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy The Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE) is a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and selected federal incentives that promote renewable energy. To access information, click on the link above.

Broken image deleted

by **gnm** » Mon 11 Jul 2005, 16:04:55

Whoopee and the only consumer level based incentive in the sun drenched land of NM is that net metering crap. When I say crap its because trust me you don't want to be jumping through thier beuracratic hoops so they can give you pennies on the dollar for expensive alternative energy that you pump back into the grid.

Not that I'm keen on taxpayer subsidies for things which are apparently not profitable enough to deploy...

-G

by **BiGG** » Mon 11 Jul 2005, 16:16:37

gnm wrote:Whoopee and the only consumer level based incentive in the sun drenched land of NM is that net metering crap. When I say crap its because trust me you don't want to be jumping through thier beuracratic hoops so they can give you pennies on the dollar for expensive alternative energy that you pump back into the grid.

Not that I'm keen on taxpayer subsidies for things which are apparently not profitable enough to deploy...

-G

Wisconsin Homeowner Incentives for Renewable Energy

Financial

Last DSIRE Review: 01/25/2005

Incentive Type: State Rebate Program

Eligible Renewables: Solar Water Heat, Solar Space Heat, Photovoltaics, Wind

Applicable Sectors: Commercial, Industrial, Residential, Nonprofit, Schools, Local Government, Tribal Government

Amount: Varies by technology and type of project

Maximum Incentive: 35% up to $35,000 for most PV systems; 30% up to $3,000 (domestic solar hot water); 25% up to $35,000 (wind, commercial solar hot water)

Eligible System Size: Wind/PV: 20 kW; Solar hot water: 5,000 therms/year

Equipment Requirements: Requirements vary according to use of new or used equipment, warranty length, self- vs. contractor-installed, etc.

Installation Requirements: Systems must comply with all federal, state, and local codes; May be grid-connected or not and may be owner-installed; incentive levels vary accordingly

Ownership of Renewable Energy Credits: Remains with customer/producer

Effective Date: 3/2002

Please note: Many utilities offer financial incentives for geothermal heat pumps, a form of renewable energy that heats and cools buildings by using the constant temperature of the earth's shallow ground. These incentives may not appear on the list below. Contact your utility to find out if incentives are available for geothermal heat pumps.
Focus on Energy - Cash-Back Reward

by **gnm** » Mon 11 Jul 2005, 16:20:19

I presume that means you are in Wisconsin?

Can you believe there ain't jack available in New Mexico..?

-G
:-x

by **BiGG** » Mon 11 Jul 2005, 16:40:47

gnm,

I have properties in Michigan’s lovely Upper Peninsula & northern Wisconsin. Both states have pretty good incentives. I’m in the UP now but leaving soon for WI and thinking about erecting a large wind turbine there.

Have you checked with your local utility for incentives on geothermal heat pumps?

by **gnm** » Mon 11 Jul 2005, 16:47:57

Nice - BIGG wind turbines are probably the best net producer of all the alternatives... as far as payback and volume... - best if pushed into the grid though since you need a $hitload of batteries to handle the output from one of those in a storm. We have some folks out here with the 10k variety. And the local utility jumped all over them because they were trying to share the output with the neighbors.. brought in the county and state regulators and everything...

Well I don't think my local utility even knows what a geothermal heat pump is... But I seriously doubt if they would credit anything...

Oh well, I am running some PV and solar thermal anyways (sort of a hobby I suppose).

It would be nice to get a tax incentive but like I said I'm not really for that sort of thing anyways.. not to say that I wouldn't cash in on it if it was available... I might be principled but I'm not stupid.

-G :lol:

by **Ludi** » Mon 11 Jul 2005, 16:48:51

Ooh, I get a property tax exemption for the value of the system.. oooh, wow, I'm so thrilled. :roll:

by **gnm** » Mon 11 Jul 2005, 16:53:53

Yeah I know the feeling Ludi... Whoopee.....

Are property taxes high there? I know your car reg and such is stinkin high! At least property tax where I am is pretty cheap. But it creeps up inexorably every year...

:-x

-G

by **Ludi** » Mon 11 Jul 2005, 17:04:51

Yes, property taxes here are very high and the appraisal district are crooks! We're protesting our valuation this year. It's the main sucky thing about living here. :-x

by **ubercrap** » Thu 14 Jul 2005, 19:04:48

gnm wrote: And the local utility jumped all over them because they were trying to share the output with the neighbors.. brought in the county and state regulators and everything...

No kidding? Was it because of technical grid reasons, or just plain old corporate greed and control of government?

by **Graeme** » Sun 24 Jul 2005, 02:55:41

07/23/2005
Slightly more expensive renewable energy gains support from Arizonans

"PHOENIX -- Arizona consumers appear willing to support alternative sources of energy -- even if it hits them in the pocketbook.
A new statewide survey shows 80 percent of those asked said they would pay up to an extra $2 a month to cover the cost of forcing utilities to use more renewable energy. That's the amount being considered for residential customers by the Arizona Corporation Commission.

In fact, pollster Earl de Berge said 72 percent of the 705 adults surveyed earlier this month said they were willing to pay as much as $5 a month more on their electric bills."

For more link

by **pea-jay** » Sun 24 Jul 2005, 03:33:42

The real question should be

"how many arizonans are prepared to move when air conditioning becomes a thing of the past?

Arizona heat is a killer now. 21 dead due to current heat wave. Just imagine a multiday black out in mid summer...

They'd run out of body bags.

by **Graeme** » Fri 29 Jul 2005, 04:57:47

Thousands of Megawatts of New Renewable Energy Potential
UNEP releases first results from international effort to map some of the world’s best solar and wind power sites

WASHINGTON D.C., 14 April 2005 - Thousands of megawatts of new renewable energy potential in Africa, Asia, South and Central America have been discovered by a pioneering project to map the solar and wind resource of 13 developing countries. The multi-million dollar project, called the Solar and Wind Energy Resource Assessment (SWERA), is proving that the potential for deploying solar panels and wind turbines in these countries is far greater than previously supposed. The countries where SWERA has carried out surveys to date are: Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Cuba, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya, Nepal, Nicaragua and Sri Lanka.

http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multiling ... =4771&l=en

by **Specop_007** » Sat 20 Aug 2005, 02:45:30

The Arizona heat does what the Border Patrol cannot-Stops illegal immigrants dead in their tracks.
Har har har.

Click

The smell of death floated on a sweltering August breeze near the Mexican border, emanating from an immigrant's corpse. He had expired beneath a mesquite tree on the Tohono O'odham Indian nation 45 miles southwest of Tucson, apparently trying to escape the Sonoran sun, trying to get to America.

John Doe No. 130. That's the name and number given to him by authorities in a year when Arizona has set new records for deaths among undocumented immigrants along the state's 389-mile border with Mexico.

With about six weeks remaining in the Border Patrol's fiscal year - and more Border Patrol agents patrolling than ever - 201 men, women and children have succumbed to the elements in Arizona.

In Pima County, which includes Tohono O'odham and Tucson, so many corpses are waiting to be identified, autopsied and returned to Mexico that the coroner is storing 60 of them in a refrigerator truck.

[cont]

by **I_Like_Plants** » Sat 20 Aug 2005, 16:41:53

See, now this is why a lot of people worship Father Sun as well as Mother Earth.

Hell yeah I'd rather see 'em cook on the way over rather than get here to slaughter myself and mine.

by **BabyPeanut** » Sat 20 Aug 2005, 18:27:43

Hawkcreek wrote:In the midst of a tragedy, you can always find someone to laugh at the suffering.
Strange.

Yeah and it's usually Specop_007
Strange.

by **Tyler_JC** » Sat 20 Aug 2005, 19:03:42

I_Like_Plants wrote:See, now this is why a lot of people worship Father Sun as well as Mother Earth.

Hell yeah I'd rather see 'em cook on the way over rather than get here to slaughter myself and mine.

Sounds a bit more gruesome than we needed...