How bout that Oil Spill (Miami, St. Augustine: buying, subsidized, closing)

[FlyiMetro]

Originally Posted by Robyn55

Ok - you drive all the oil companies out of the Gulf. Then what? $15/gallon gas. Are you willing to live with that? Robyn

I can & hope that happens. People need to be taught a lesson on planning & waste.

[Chh2]

Originally Posted by BlueWillowPlate

Lots of things could become projectiles in a tropical storm. I can understand that people might not want to add to the problem, but you never know unless you try.

I guess it's a matter of mindset. Reminds me of the proverbial turn of the century tale of the old guy who told the young driver of the backfiring Model T to "get a horse." (Maybe we'd all be better off if he had!)

This is a success story of solar panels which survived very high winds in Fiji:

solar panels survive cyclone

We actually had solar panels installed last year when you could still get the pretty sizable credit for doing so. It's cut out the monthly bill by easily 35-40%, meter runs backwards during most the day when the sun is at its brightest and unobstructed. We were told that while the panels may be damaged in a hurricane or tropical, they won't come off the roof due to how they are mounted. That the only way the panels will come off is if they roof goes with it, and then at that point, it's the least of the worries.

Ironic part, while it was a local company, the equipment is all BP Solar.

Think you can still get the rebates. A $40,000 dollar system will cost you well below half that price.

[EricBoyd]

Originally Posted by Chh2

Think you can still get the rebates. A $40,000 dollar system will cost you well below half that price.

I had heard the rebate money ran out, but don't quote me on that. So, your system was $40k? How many KW did you get for that?

[mask of thought]

so many things are effectived by this oil spill sea life. i imagine the prices of fresh fish will go up. those poor birds landing in it not being able to fly. companies are so greedy and are more interested in profit. they dont care
adout the enivironment as long as they dont have to deal with it.

[KerryB]

Here is a new video model that shows the surface oil pretty much engulfing the entire state of FL (including N FL and on up the coast) due to the loop current.

I dont think they take into account those underwater plumes either. Good times, I tell ya.

[Chh2]

Originally Posted by EricBoyd

I had heard the rebate money ran out, but don't quote me on that. So, your system was $40k? How many KW did you get for that?

Your absolutely right, according to the state site, the money ran out, and no new funds were appropriated for 2010. With the budget crunch, I can see why.

Solar Rebate Program / State Energy Initiatives / Florida Energy & Climate Commission / Climate Quick Links - Serve to Preserve

Not sure the exact size, its somewhere in this stack of papers on my desk, but I know by the system meters its generated over 7000kWh since install a year ago.

Also added a solar water heater when we had it all installed.

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by Chh2

We actually had solar panels installed last year when you could still get the pretty sizable credit for doing so. It's cut out the monthly bill by easily 35-40%, meter runs backwards during most the day when the sun is at its brightest and unobstructed. We were told that while the panels may be damaged in a hurricane or tropical, they won't come off the roof due to how they are mounted. That the only way the panels will come off is if they roof goes with it, and then at that point, it's the least of the worries.

Ironic part, while it was a local company, the equipment is all BP Solar.

Think you can still get the rebates. A $40,000 dollar system will cost you well below half that price.

Perhaps the panels will pull off parts of the roof? If they're the "triangle" type installation - and installed very securely - I think that might be the case. In any event - check your insurance policy and your roof warranty (in case you have leaks). Robyn

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by FlyiMetro

I can & hope that happens. People need to be taught a lesson on planning & waste.

Exactly who are you trying to teach a lesson to? "People" in general is kind of non-specific. Robyn

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by luvingme23

1) Sensei Han may NOT say it, but i sure will. yes robyn i would drive all the oil companies out of the gulf. and as far as $15 a gallon goes. i think oil should cost exactly the full amount that it would without the government subsidies tax breaks and other important costs. if we made oil companies pay for the cost of war in iraq and the real costs of environmental damage that it creates then it would really be the most expensive energy alternative on earth. but we eat the costs and the detriments so that we can have cheaper oil.
2) as far as nuclear plants go the major problem with that will always be nuclear waste. there hasn't been a good answer for that so that can't be a good alternative.
3) as far as the "burden" of supplying your own alternative energy. that's just a person that is complacent with depending on a big brother. your power company thanks you for that attitude right along with uncle same and every monopolizing business out there. leaky roof tops can be fixed awhole lot better than leaky oil wells in the ocean and leaky nuclear plants.

Great . How much can you or average people (assuming you're not average) afford to spend for energy for their homes - cars - whatever? Don't want to tell you what I can afford to spend - but it's a whole lot more than average.

As for being complacent and alternative energy - 200 years ago or so - almost everyone lived on farms. Grew their own food - made their own clothes - produced everything "in house" or "in town". Was this a better way of living? Certainly not for women - who tended to die very early due to a lack of medical care - especially when they were having babies. So you want to go back to the 1700's? Be my guest. I don't care to go there - living like my great grandparents lived in rural Europe. I suggest you do some reading about the influence of technology on our standard of living. Robyn

P.S. If the majority of people in the US think like you - countries like China will eat our lunch for the next 100+ years. They will become first world - and we will become second or third.

P.P.S. And if you really want to DIY - why worry about the junk that septic systems pour into our waterways?

[Chh2]

Originally Posted by Robyn55

Perhaps the panels will pull off parts of the roof? If they're the "triangle" type installation - and installed very securely - I think that might be the case. In any event - check your insurance policy and your roof warranty (in case you have leaks). Robyn

Not triangled, if its what i think you mean, they lay flat and match the slope of your roof. Fully covered by homeowners. Attached via a rack mount system that's mounted directly into the center of the rafters/trusses with the panels mounted to the rack. Still likely a panel can be damaged in a storm, no doubt, but there isn't a large wind catching edge or surface. Is it possible to loose a panel? I guess so, but it's unlikely it could dismount the entire rack system, and if it did get to that point/that strength there probably will be much larger concerns. They emphatically emphasize that the system was designed for and meets 'wind load' requirements established after hurricane andrew and that the installation will survive hurricane force winds.

Installing company (Sunworks Solar) did a painstakingly good job finding the centers of the rafters, and sealing. Have not had the slightest issue and we had the attic re-insulated not long after.
Anyhow, a bit offtopic now i guess, I forget how we got on the solar discussion entirely lol But we couldn't be happier with our installation.

But to the one wishing for $15 dollar gas, I hope you realize the trickle down affect that will have on everything we touch. From a gallon of milk to the clothes on your back, the tv on the wall, the pc your posting from, and even reaching to your cell phone and home cable bills. It touches everything. While I agree our dependence needs to lessen, drastically, it has to be smart. Just wishing $15 dollar gas on everyone overnight as if you can somehow manage to not feel the impact so you'll be sitting pretty is just ignorant. Even those who strive to save the most, will still feel the hit almost as hard as everyone else when that cost gets pushed down to the consumer. Oh well, time will tell.