Post by Starchild on Mar 6, 2007 10:48:37 GMT
Right, the idea of using solar and wind is not necessarily to do with saving money, but also reducing carbon footprint.
People assume that it is a definite way to save money when in reality it will be 10 yrs before you see any savings after initial outlay....UNLESS you go off grid. By staying on grid, yes you sell your excess energy to the electric company.....BUT in a power cut, you still lose power. The point of that is?
We are investing (hopefully this year) in a PV solar panel, regulator, 3kw power inverter and power storage batteries. Not cheap granted (£1200), but put onto the shed it will run the tumble dryer, any power tools Mike might be working, the greenhouse heater with AND the freezer all at the same time. The idea of losing the food in our humongous chest freezer during blackouts doesn't bear thinking about.
We would like a wind turbine, but the house is not stable enough, the upstairs is actually made of wood covered with tiles!
we could have one in the backgarden on a pole but one of the neighbours over the back is an anti-wind twonk who complained about their direct for their pond! (It was the edlests college project ffs!)
So it's not all £££ saving, I'm going for practicality. Besides, for all the eco-facists out there, what price your planet?
People assume that it is a definite way to save money when in reality it will be 10 yrs before you see any savings after initial outlay....UNLESS you go off grid. By staying on grid, yes you sell your excess energy to the electric company.....BUT in a power cut, you still lose power. The point of that is?
We are investing (hopefully this year) in a PV solar panel, regulator, 3kw power inverter and power storage batteries. Not cheap granted (£1200), but put onto the shed it will run the tumble dryer, any power tools Mike might be working, the greenhouse heater with AND the freezer all at the same time. The idea of losing the food in our humongous chest freezer during blackouts doesn't bear thinking about.
We would like a wind turbine, but the house is not stable enough, the upstairs is actually made of wood covered with tiles!
we could have one in the backgarden on a pole but one of the neighbours over the back is an anti-wind twonk who complained about their direct for their pond! (It was the edlests college project ffs!)
So it's not all £££ saving, I'm going for practicality. Besides, for all the eco-facists out there, what price your planet?