What would happen to you and your family if a pandemic, natural disaster or a major terrorist attack were to occur? Imagine empty grocery store shelves, no gasoline, no running water, no electricity, and no natural gas service. You may have enough food and water to last for a few days, but what do you do after that?
You can live 3 minutes without air.
You can live 3 days without water.
You can live 3 weeks without food.
A good survival plan should begin with preparations to deal with an emergency within the first few minutes, and end with strategies for long-term survival.
In the event of an explosion, fire, or crash you may need to deal with broken glass and sharp metal objects and hot objects. Imagine how handy gloves would be. You should also be prepared to handle physical injuries you may sustain, as well as those of family members and others nearby. A knife is a necessity, as is a well-equipped first aid kit.
Survival preparations for the first few days after the emergency should include a supply of food and water, of course, but you’ll also need shelter and perhaps the ability to stay warm and dry. Help may be slow in coming in the event of a large-scale disaster. Many New Orleans residents learned this the hard way after Hurricane Katrina.
Survival becomes something else after the first few days. Your need for water and food is an ongoing one, and your stockpile may be running low. Perhaps you’ve banded together with neighbors, and pooled your resources. That’s a good thing. Each member of the group has his or her own unique talents, many of which can help to ensure the survival of your group. Skills such as hunting, trapping, and fishing will certainly come in handy, as will the ability to identify edible plants.
Whether you live in a city, or in a rural area, the importance of urban gardening and small-scale farming cannot be overemphasized. And, of course, you’ll need to know how to preserve and store food. Improperly stored food may rot, or be ruined by insects or rodents. It should be obvious that these skills need to be learned BEFORE an emergency. The people most likely to survive are those who’ve already incorporated elements of sustainable living into their everyday lives. Some have moved out of heavily populated areas, realizing that in the event of a disaster it will be difficult to get food when a million of their neighbors are also looking for it. They’re learning and practicing the skills that their great grandparents knew well. Some are making their own electricity with solar panels, windmills, and micro-hydro systems. Life in a rural area presents an abundance of opportunities for sustainable living, many of which are not available in the city.
Electricity may seem like a luxury, and some may believe that solar panels, windmills, and micro-hydro systems shouldn’t be included in a survival discussion. I disagree. Electricity can be an important aspect of survival in several ways. When used to power a refrigerator or freezer, electricity becomes a big part of a food preservation strategy. Additionally, refrigeration is often needed to keep medications from spoiling. Having electricity means that you’ll have good lighting, an important security consideration, and it helps to prevent accidental injuries around the home. Without electricity, you might have to boil water over a fire to make it safe for drinking. A renewable supply of electricity can keep a radio or TV operating, providing critical information as well as entertainment. When you think of all the electrically-operated appliances that you would otherwise have to do without, it’s obvious that electricity can make life comfortable in an otherwise unbearable situation.
Some will have you believe that you’ll need to spend tens of thousands of dollars for a practical solar electric system, but that’s simply not true. A system to meet your basic needs can be built for under $1000.00. You won’t have central air-conditioning with a small system, but you will have lighting, communications, and perhaps a limited amount of electricity for cooking and refrigeration. In the absence of grid power, you’ll be thankful for the small amount of electricity your system provides. You’ll learn techniques for getting by with less. A chest freezer, for example, can meet your refrigeration needs with much less energy consumption than a refrigerator.
You may think that these gloom-and-doom scenarios are unrealistic and choose to do nothing, but if you believe that that things could get ugly you should prepare as soon as you can. If you wait until things get bad, it will be too late. You’ll be forced to use the resources you have available, not the systems you planned to install someday. Surviving a disaster will be a challenge, so being in good physical condition is important. Don’t abuse alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs. You may have the additional task of caring for very young or very old family members. Make regular exercise a part of your plan. Don’t be overwhelmed, the important thing is to get started. Eat healthy and get plenty of rest.
“The thing about being a survivalist kook and stockpiling gold, guns, and food is that there’s no downside. Even if you’re wrong, you’ve still got gold, guns, and food.” W.C. Verson
Being a “survivalist” today means more than simply providing for your own comfort. Today, survival of the planet is an important consideration as well. In the absence of a healthy planet, even the most carefully laid out personal plans will be of no value.
About 50% of the electricity produced in the United States comes from coal-fired power plants. Mining, transporting, and burning coal has terrible environmental consequences. Additionally, oil reserves are running low (peak oil). It should be obvious that we’re on the brink of a radical lifestyle change. The good news is that we can do a lot, with very little sacrifice. Our lifestyles include a lot of waste, and therefore we have numerous opportunities to make changes that will benefit not only ourselves, but all of mankind and the planet.
By incorporating elements of self-sufficient living into your lifestyle, you’ll benefit from a better quality of food, more exercise, and better air quality. Anyone who’s ever compared a store-bought tomato to one grown in a backyard garden knows what I mean. Tomatoes that have to be shipped a long distance are picked green, and “gassed” to turn them red by the time they show up in the supermarket. They’re rock-hard, and have little flavor. I can only guess that the nutritional and cancer-fighting properties are not what they should be either. And it’s wise to remember that the recent salmonella outbreak linked to tomatoes was a result of industrial agriculture. Shipping fewer vegetables not only means better food, it also means fewer trucks on the road, which reduces fossil fuel use and improves air quality.
In the words of Charles Darwin, "It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” Problems related to global warming and the decline of oil are among the most significant changes this generation will face. Many believe that global warming is responsible for climate change, including extreme weather, such as storms of greater intensity. Some believe that global warming is a natural phenomenon, while others believe that it is caused by our actions. Perhaps it’s some of both. Regardless of the cause, our response needs to be a thoughtful plan, not simply a knee-jerk reaction to the latest crisis.
Someday we’ll have a leader who will actually work with us to solve problems, instead of telling us we’re “addicted to oil”, but for now we’re just going to have to rely on our own efforts. Mass acceptance of renewable energy systems by the general public will show our elected officials, and the rest of the world, that we want to do the right thing. We can do it. We should do it. Future generations will appreciate our efforts.
John
Showing posts with label Coal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Coal. Show all posts
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Monday, December 15, 2008
What have you done for the earth today?
Within a century most of the CO2 presently trapped in oil, coal, and underground sources of natural gas will be burned and released into the atmosphere. All of this "extra" CO2 is creating a serious problem, and it's not going to go away without a serious effort by all of us. Since each of us contribute to the problem, we should all do what we can to resolve it. Even a very small commitment can make a big difference if enough people do it.
If you've already replaced incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent types you've reduced your cabon footprint, and that's great, but don't stop there. Reducing your carbon footprint should be an ongoing effort.
Did you replace all of your incandescent bulbs? I neglected to replace bulbs in a large chandelier because its bulbs are not the standard screw-in type. Bulbs with a small screw-in base were not available at the time I replaced the other bulbs in my home. I also neglected to replace incandescent bulbs in a light fixture that's controlled by a dimmer. Now that small base screw-in and dimmable CFL's are available, I have no excuse for not replacing the rest of the bulbs in my house.
By the same token you might have replaced weather stripping last year, but have you checked your doors and windows this year? You may have added insulation, but could you benefit by adding a little more? And what about your appliances? Is it time to replace that old refrigerator? If your refrigerator is old, replacing it with an energy-efficient model will not only help the planet, it will result in a significant reduction on your electric bill.
Perhaps you measure progress by comparing this year's energy bills with those from last year. You've probably seen a reduction. Continue to make energy-efficiency improvements to ensure a reduction next year as well. Stroll through your local hardware store and see if you spot anything else that might help. Tell your neighbors about your progress, and encourage them to do the same. Show them your energy bills. Give them CFL bulbs as a Christmas present. Send them the URL to this blog, and tell them that I have many more ideas in my archives. Spread good will, and help Mother Earth at the same time.
Happy Holidays!
John
Thursday, November 20, 2008
A Note to the President Elect
Since off-grid solar systems and bio-fuel home heating are not exactly mainstream, I often use on-line forums as an opportunity to learn from others. I contribute to those forums when I think that others can benefit from my experiences. On one such forum I noted that I’ve reduced my fossil fuel use by nearly 50% over the past three years, and I mentioned that if everyone would do that the impact would be tremendous. Someone followed my comments with the comment “You should tell the president about that.” I believe the follow-up comment was meant to be sarcastic, but then again it sounded like a good idea. Here is my message to Barak Obama, via his website, change.gov
Dear Mr. President Elect;
Under your leadership I’m confident that our nation is about to experience a period of unprecedented technological growth, and that we will finally begin to address the energy crisis and the climate crisis. The purpose of this message is to suggest ideas that if implemented, will lead to success. First of all, let me tell you about my own work:
My goal is to stop using fossil fuels and to help others do the same. I’ll not use fossil fuel for transportation or home heating, and I’ll stop using electricity generated by coal-fired power plants. I’ll generate my own electricity, and grow my own bio-fuel using farming techniques that do not rely on fossil fuel. I’ll drive electric vehicles. I’ll do all of these things without sacrificing comfort or my quality of life.
I’ve been working toward this goal for nearly three years, and I’ve already cut my fossil fuel use by almost 50%. I share what I learn with others, via my blog: http://solarjohn.blogspot.com My accomplishments have been due to conservation, energy-efficiency improvements, the implementation of solar photovoltaics, and home heating via bio-fuel. If everyone would do what I’ve already done, the impact on the economy and the environment would be staggering. I’ve done these things on a modest budget, and without financial help of any kind. That brings me to my suggestions.
Although grants are available in some states for putting solar panels on public buildings, and organizations like the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) in Colorado receive federal funds, I have been unable to find any source of financial assistance for the important work I am doing. While putting solar panels on a few buildings may result in a good photo opportunity, it does little to help reduce our dependence on foreign oil. State and Federal Government spend too little on renewable energy projects, and money is not spent wisely. Please make money available to people like me who are working on worthwhile projects. I’ve accomplished a lot, but just imagine how much more I could do with funding.
Secondly, I respectfully ask that you put engineers and scientists in charge once again. Engineers and scientists gave us an industrial revolution and put a man on the moon, but things are much different today, now that lobbyists and money managers are in charge. We now have a financial crisis on top of other problems. It’s time for new leadership in important government positions.
And finally, make it easier to buy electric cars and make solar panels and other alternative energy products more affordable. With your help, ordinary people like me will show the skeptics that alternative energy can eliminate our dependence on foreign oil. For many of us this is an effort to build a better future for our grandchildren. We are dedicated, and with your help we will succeed. With your help, eliminating oil imports during your administration is possible.
John
Dear Mr. President Elect;
Under your leadership I’m confident that our nation is about to experience a period of unprecedented technological growth, and that we will finally begin to address the energy crisis and the climate crisis. The purpose of this message is to suggest ideas that if implemented, will lead to success. First of all, let me tell you about my own work:
My goal is to stop using fossil fuels and to help others do the same. I’ll not use fossil fuel for transportation or home heating, and I’ll stop using electricity generated by coal-fired power plants. I’ll generate my own electricity, and grow my own bio-fuel using farming techniques that do not rely on fossil fuel. I’ll drive electric vehicles. I’ll do all of these things without sacrificing comfort or my quality of life.
I’ve been working toward this goal for nearly three years, and I’ve already cut my fossil fuel use by almost 50%. I share what I learn with others, via my blog: http://solarjohn.blogspot.com My accomplishments have been due to conservation, energy-efficiency improvements, the implementation of solar photovoltaics, and home heating via bio-fuel. If everyone would do what I’ve already done, the impact on the economy and the environment would be staggering. I’ve done these things on a modest budget, and without financial help of any kind. That brings me to my suggestions.
Although grants are available in some states for putting solar panels on public buildings, and organizations like the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) in Colorado receive federal funds, I have been unable to find any source of financial assistance for the important work I am doing. While putting solar panels on a few buildings may result in a good photo opportunity, it does little to help reduce our dependence on foreign oil. State and Federal Government spend too little on renewable energy projects, and money is not spent wisely. Please make money available to people like me who are working on worthwhile projects. I’ve accomplished a lot, but just imagine how much more I could do with funding.
Secondly, I respectfully ask that you put engineers and scientists in charge once again. Engineers and scientists gave us an industrial revolution and put a man on the moon, but things are much different today, now that lobbyists and money managers are in charge. We now have a financial crisis on top of other problems. It’s time for new leadership in important government positions.
And finally, make it easier to buy electric cars and make solar panels and other alternative energy products more affordable. With your help, ordinary people like me will show the skeptics that alternative energy can eliminate our dependence on foreign oil. For many of us this is an effort to build a better future for our grandchildren. We are dedicated, and with your help we will succeed. With your help, eliminating oil imports during your administration is possible.
John
Friday, September 05, 2008
Are Electric Cars More Harmful to the Environment than Gasoline-Powered Cars?
Because we’re likely to see a massive shift to personal electric transportation in the next few years, this is an important question. Ideally we should reduce our carbon footprint in the transition, not increase it, but here are the facts:
• Burning a gallon of gasoline releases 19.6 pounds of CO2 into the atmosphere.
• A gallon of gasoline has as much energy as 33kwh of electricity.
• For every kwh of electricity that a coal-fired power plant produces, 2.2 pounds of CO2 is released into the atmosphere.
These statistics seem to indicate that it is better to burn a gallon of gasoline and release 19.6 pounds of CO2 than to use an equivalent amount of electricity and release 72.6 pounds (33kwh X 2.2 pounds), into the atmosphere. It seems that driving an electric car will be much more harmful to the environment than driving a gasoline-powered car. Could this be true?
These statistics suggest that an electric car, starting with a fully charged 33kwh battery pack, would travel as far as a similarly-sized gasoline powered car could go on a single gallon of gasoline. However, the Chevy Volt is expected to be able to travel 40 miles on a fully-charged 16kwh battery pack. What gives? The discrepancy is due primarily to the fact that electric motors are 90 to 95% efficient, while gasoline engines are only 20 to 30% efficient. In reality, driving an electric car will produce about the same amount of pollution as driving a gasoline-powered car, it just moves the source of the pollution from the tailpipe to the power plant.
The net result, it seems, is that we accomplish nothing by switching to electric cars, but that’s not entirely true either. It’s easier to stop pollution at a few power plants, than it is to stop it at the tailpipes of millions of cars. Electric cars also give us the opportunity to use electricity from clean sources, such as solar PV panels or hydro-electric plants. So instead of releasing millions of tons of pollution each year, we’ll soon have an opportunity to drive our personal automobiles without releasing any CO2 into the atmosphere. That’s something we’ll never be able to do with gasoline-powered cars.
The millions of electric cars we’ll see on the road within a few years will all need to be recharged each night. It’s clear that our priority as a nation should be to clean-up or eliminate coal-fired power plants. Expensive schemes, such as carbon sequestration, are not the best use of federal funds. Promoting solar-, wind-, and hydro-power would be better. Energy from a modestly-sized solar-electric (PV) array on a single residential rooftop can offset 2000 pounds of CO2 each day, so just imagine how beneficial a million solar roofs would be. That’s 2 billion pounds of CO2 each day!
Concerned about electric car performance? Don’t be. Electric cars can be built to be both highly efficient and very quick. Tesla Motors has already proven that. Increasing the size of an electric motor improves both horsepower and efficiency. On the other hand, a big motor is needed to make a gasoline-powered car quick, but gas mileage suffers as a result.
Driving a personal automobile doesn’t have to be an environmental disaster. The switch to electric transportation can have a positive effect on the environment. All that we need now is intelligent leadership and an aggressive plan. Maybe if we can get our politicians to stop taking money from coal and oil interests, we might just get legislation that is good for the environment for a change.
John
Sources:
Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center:
http://cdiac.ornl.gov/pns/faq.html
Chevy Volt Site:
http://gm-volt.com/
Tesla Paper:
http://www.stanford.edu/group/greendorm/participate/cee124/TeslaReading.pdf
• Burning a gallon of gasoline releases 19.6 pounds of CO2 into the atmosphere.
• A gallon of gasoline has as much energy as 33kwh of electricity.
• For every kwh of electricity that a coal-fired power plant produces, 2.2 pounds of CO2 is released into the atmosphere.
These statistics seem to indicate that it is better to burn a gallon of gasoline and release 19.6 pounds of CO2 than to use an equivalent amount of electricity and release 72.6 pounds (33kwh X 2.2 pounds), into the atmosphere. It seems that driving an electric car will be much more harmful to the environment than driving a gasoline-powered car. Could this be true?
These statistics suggest that an electric car, starting with a fully charged 33kwh battery pack, would travel as far as a similarly-sized gasoline powered car could go on a single gallon of gasoline. However, the Chevy Volt is expected to be able to travel 40 miles on a fully-charged 16kwh battery pack. What gives? The discrepancy is due primarily to the fact that electric motors are 90 to 95% efficient, while gasoline engines are only 20 to 30% efficient. In reality, driving an electric car will produce about the same amount of pollution as driving a gasoline-powered car, it just moves the source of the pollution from the tailpipe to the power plant.
The net result, it seems, is that we accomplish nothing by switching to electric cars, but that’s not entirely true either. It’s easier to stop pollution at a few power plants, than it is to stop it at the tailpipes of millions of cars. Electric cars also give us the opportunity to use electricity from clean sources, such as solar PV panels or hydro-electric plants. So instead of releasing millions of tons of pollution each year, we’ll soon have an opportunity to drive our personal automobiles without releasing any CO2 into the atmosphere. That’s something we’ll never be able to do with gasoline-powered cars.
The millions of electric cars we’ll see on the road within a few years will all need to be recharged each night. It’s clear that our priority as a nation should be to clean-up or eliminate coal-fired power plants. Expensive schemes, such as carbon sequestration, are not the best use of federal funds. Promoting solar-, wind-, and hydro-power would be better. Energy from a modestly-sized solar-electric (PV) array on a single residential rooftop can offset 2000 pounds of CO2 each day, so just imagine how beneficial a million solar roofs would be. That’s 2 billion pounds of CO2 each day!
Concerned about electric car performance? Don’t be. Electric cars can be built to be both highly efficient and very quick. Tesla Motors has already proven that. Increasing the size of an electric motor improves both horsepower and efficiency. On the other hand, a big motor is needed to make a gasoline-powered car quick, but gas mileage suffers as a result.
Driving a personal automobile doesn’t have to be an environmental disaster. The switch to electric transportation can have a positive effect on the environment. All that we need now is intelligent leadership and an aggressive plan. Maybe if we can get our politicians to stop taking money from coal and oil interests, we might just get legislation that is good for the environment for a change.
John
Sources:
Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center:
http://cdiac.ornl.gov/pns/faq.html
Chevy Volt Site:
http://gm-volt.com/
Tesla Paper:
http://www.stanford.edu/group/greendorm/participate/cee124/TeslaReading.pdf
Friday, August 15, 2008
Sizing Your Off-Grid Solar Electric System
The average US home consumes about 940kwh of electricity each month. For many, electricity use could be cut in half with a serious conservation effort. But if you had to rely on a small photovoltaic (PV) system could you get by on 120kwh per month?
To get by on less you’ll first need to make sure you’re using electricity as efficiently as possible. Replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent (CFL’s) is a good start. You’ll also benefit by eliminating phantom loads and replacing inefficient appliances. I’ve listed many more things you can do in previous posts, so I won’t repeat them here. Check this blog’s archives for that information.
Living (comfortably) off-grid on less than 120kwh of electricity per month (about 4kwh per day) may sound impossible, but you just might be able to do it. Here’s how:
Of the 20 or so 13 watt CFL lights in your home, you might use each (on the average) 1 hour per day. So, 13 times 20 times 1 = 260 watt/hours. Shown below is the total for lights, and a list of other ways you might use this limited supply of electricity.
Lights: 13 watts X 20 hours = 260 watt/hours
Refrigerator: 50 watts (average) X 24 hours = 1200 watt/hours
TV and Cable box: 125 watts X 3 hours = 375 watt/hours
Radio: 5 watts X 6 hours = 30 watt/hours
Fans: 35 watts X 16 hours = 560 watt/hours
Computer and monitor: 120 watts X 2 hours = 240 watt/hours
Microwave oven: 1000 watts X 0.5 hours = 500 watt/hours
Toaster: 900 watts X 0.1 hours = 90 watt/hours
Vacuum Cleaner: 750 watts X .2 hours = 150 watt/hours
Cell Phone Battery Charger: 25 watts X 2 hours = 50 watt/hours
Washing Machine: 500 watts X .25 hours = 125 watt/hours
Iron: 1000 watts X .25 hours = 250 watt/hours
Total: 3930 watt/hours per day
How you use the available electricity will not exactly match my list of course. This is simply an example to show how you might get by on much less electricity than you’re currently using. Off-grid doesn’t have to mean living like a caveman. A small PV system can meet most of your electrical needs, including a limited amount of cooking and climate control. As long as you have other systems in place for heating, cooling, and other high-energy devices, you could live quite comfortably on much less than you currently use.
Why is this important?
Most of us purchase electricity from our local utility company for less than 2% of our household income. Because grid-supplied electricity is inexpensive and convenient, few people have any interest in alternatives at this time. But just as gasoline prices have skyrocketed in the last two years, we’ll soon see the cost of electricity increase dramatically. Most consumers will deal with this by cutting back, but some will choose to disconnect from the grid. A PV system large enough to meet your current electricity requirements may cost 25 to 35 thousand dollars. For most, reducing usage and installing a smaller PV system will be easier and less costly than installing a system big enough to meet current demands for electricity.
What would this smaller PV system cost?
First of all it’s important to understand that a system capable of providing 4kwh of electricity a day will not provide 4kwh on a cloudy/rainy day. Typically, a lack of sunshine prompts the user to either cut back on electricity use that day, or to use another source of electricity during those times, typically a generator. It is also important to understand that we’re discussing an off-grid system, not a grid-tied system. An off-grid system includes the extra expense of batteries, and is not as efficient as a grid-tied system. Your system design might include a battery bank large enough to compensate for a day or two of cloudy conditions.
PV panels produce electricity when the sun strikes them, but are most productive during hours of peak-sunlight, or stated another way, when the sun is almost directly overhead. We’ll do our calculations based on an average of 4 hours of sunlight each day. A 100 watt solar panel can produce 400 watts/hours (100 watts times 4 hours) of power each day. It follows then that to get 4000 watt/hours (4kwh)from the panels each day, you’ll need 1000 watts of PV panels. To make up for system inefficiencies, you should shoot for at least 1200 watts of PV. That would be 12 one hundred watt panels for example. If you shop around, you’ll find solar panels for less than $4.50 per watt, so you’ll spend about $5400.00 for PV panels alone. You’ll also need a charge controller, batteries, an inverter, panel mounting hardware, wire, and safety components. These items can be bought for $2600.00 if you shop around. If you’re not able to do the installation yourself, you might spend another $3000.00 for that, making your total cost about $11,000.00. If this sounds expensive, don’t forget that it eliminates your electric bill. The system could pay for itself in 5 years, or less as electricity prices increase. And since solar panels can be expected to last in excess of 20 years, you’ll be getting many years of low-cost electricity after that.
Using your system:
Your small system may not always keep up with your needs, but you’ll learn techniques to maximize efficiency. Using energy from the sun as it’s generated (instead of storing it in batteries for later use), increases system efficiency greatly. By using the vacuum cleaner, washing machine, and other appliances during peak-sunlight hours you eliminate losses associated with converting, storing, and retrieving energy. Your goal should be to use electricity wisely, ensuring a surplus. That surplus will come in handy when it’s cloudy.
Conclusion:
Having your own power plant means that you’ll not be affected by outages and brown-outs that grid-connected customers often experience. News reports about rate increases will no longer concern you. You’ll feel good knowing that by disconnecting from the grid you’re not contributing to the environmental problems associated with mining and burning coal to produce electricity. By installing your own PV system you’ll be taking an important step toward personal electric transportation, or as a politician might say eliminating your “addiction to oil”. Declining oil supplies will soon usher in the age of electric cars, and it’s not unreasonable to think that someday you’ll be able to drive on free energy from the sun. That’s something to get excited about!
John
To get by on less you’ll first need to make sure you’re using electricity as efficiently as possible. Replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent (CFL’s) is a good start. You’ll also benefit by eliminating phantom loads and replacing inefficient appliances. I’ve listed many more things you can do in previous posts, so I won’t repeat them here. Check this blog’s archives for that information.
Living (comfortably) off-grid on less than 120kwh of electricity per month (about 4kwh per day) may sound impossible, but you just might be able to do it. Here’s how:
Of the 20 or so 13 watt CFL lights in your home, you might use each (on the average) 1 hour per day. So, 13 times 20 times 1 = 260 watt/hours. Shown below is the total for lights, and a list of other ways you might use this limited supply of electricity.
Lights: 13 watts X 20 hours = 260 watt/hours
Refrigerator: 50 watts (average) X 24 hours = 1200 watt/hours
TV and Cable box: 125 watts X 3 hours = 375 watt/hours
Radio: 5 watts X 6 hours = 30 watt/hours
Fans: 35 watts X 16 hours = 560 watt/hours
Computer and monitor: 120 watts X 2 hours = 240 watt/hours
Microwave oven: 1000 watts X 0.5 hours = 500 watt/hours
Toaster: 900 watts X 0.1 hours = 90 watt/hours
Vacuum Cleaner: 750 watts X .2 hours = 150 watt/hours
Cell Phone Battery Charger: 25 watts X 2 hours = 50 watt/hours
Washing Machine: 500 watts X .25 hours = 125 watt/hours
Iron: 1000 watts X .25 hours = 250 watt/hours
Total: 3930 watt/hours per day
How you use the available electricity will not exactly match my list of course. This is simply an example to show how you might get by on much less electricity than you’re currently using. Off-grid doesn’t have to mean living like a caveman. A small PV system can meet most of your electrical needs, including a limited amount of cooking and climate control. As long as you have other systems in place for heating, cooling, and other high-energy devices, you could live quite comfortably on much less than you currently use.
Why is this important?
Most of us purchase electricity from our local utility company for less than 2% of our household income. Because grid-supplied electricity is inexpensive and convenient, few people have any interest in alternatives at this time. But just as gasoline prices have skyrocketed in the last two years, we’ll soon see the cost of electricity increase dramatically. Most consumers will deal with this by cutting back, but some will choose to disconnect from the grid. A PV system large enough to meet your current electricity requirements may cost 25 to 35 thousand dollars. For most, reducing usage and installing a smaller PV system will be easier and less costly than installing a system big enough to meet current demands for electricity.
What would this smaller PV system cost?
First of all it’s important to understand that a system capable of providing 4kwh of electricity a day will not provide 4kwh on a cloudy/rainy day. Typically, a lack of sunshine prompts the user to either cut back on electricity use that day, or to use another source of electricity during those times, typically a generator. It is also important to understand that we’re discussing an off-grid system, not a grid-tied system. An off-grid system includes the extra expense of batteries, and is not as efficient as a grid-tied system. Your system design might include a battery bank large enough to compensate for a day or two of cloudy conditions.
PV panels produce electricity when the sun strikes them, but are most productive during hours of peak-sunlight, or stated another way, when the sun is almost directly overhead. We’ll do our calculations based on an average of 4 hours of sunlight each day. A 100 watt solar panel can produce 400 watts/hours (100 watts times 4 hours) of power each day. It follows then that to get 4000 watt/hours (4kwh)from the panels each day, you’ll need 1000 watts of PV panels. To make up for system inefficiencies, you should shoot for at least 1200 watts of PV. That would be 12 one hundred watt panels for example. If you shop around, you’ll find solar panels for less than $4.50 per watt, so you’ll spend about $5400.00 for PV panels alone. You’ll also need a charge controller, batteries, an inverter, panel mounting hardware, wire, and safety components. These items can be bought for $2600.00 if you shop around. If you’re not able to do the installation yourself, you might spend another $3000.00 for that, making your total cost about $11,000.00. If this sounds expensive, don’t forget that it eliminates your electric bill. The system could pay for itself in 5 years, or less as electricity prices increase. And since solar panels can be expected to last in excess of 20 years, you’ll be getting many years of low-cost electricity after that.
Using your system:
Your small system may not always keep up with your needs, but you’ll learn techniques to maximize efficiency. Using energy from the sun as it’s generated (instead of storing it in batteries for later use), increases system efficiency greatly. By using the vacuum cleaner, washing machine, and other appliances during peak-sunlight hours you eliminate losses associated with converting, storing, and retrieving energy. Your goal should be to use electricity wisely, ensuring a surplus. That surplus will come in handy when it’s cloudy.
Conclusion:
Having your own power plant means that you’ll not be affected by outages and brown-outs that grid-connected customers often experience. News reports about rate increases will no longer concern you. You’ll feel good knowing that by disconnecting from the grid you’re not contributing to the environmental problems associated with mining and burning coal to produce electricity. By installing your own PV system you’ll be taking an important step toward personal electric transportation, or as a politician might say eliminating your “addiction to oil”. Declining oil supplies will soon usher in the age of electric cars, and it’s not unreasonable to think that someday you’ll be able to drive on free energy from the sun. That’s something to get excited about!
John
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
PV System Performance Update
People sometimes ask me how much I save on my electric bill since installing solar panels. I have some difficulty answering that question. While my grid-supplied electricity usage is about 50% less than it was two years ago, much of that is due to energy efficiency improvements I’ve made. Replacing my refrigerator and switching to CFL lights contributed in a big way to cutting electricity usage. Still, my PV system has made a significant contribution and it’s good to evaluate performance now and then.
About my system:
My system can be considered small. If this were my only source of electricity I would be quite limited in the appliances I could use. Although some folks rely on PV systems much smaller than mine to meet all of their needs for electricity, my family prefers not to live with such limitations. I’ll continue to use electricity from the power grid, and continue to enlarge my system as my budget allows. I plan to add 1 or 2 more solar panels before the end of this year, and perhaps 2 more next year. I would like to be able to use wind or hydro, but those options are not practical for my location. Solar fits nicely into my budget, unlike more elaborate solutions such as hydrogen generation.
System specifications and capabilities:
I have 425-watts of PV panels on my roof.
My main battery bank is rated at 630ah.
My spare battery bank is rated at 420ah.
The typical load is a chest freezer, and a refrigerator.
When neither compressor is running, the load can be as low as 5 watts.
The maximum load sometimes exceeds 525 watts.
The system is automated. The load switches to grid-supplied power when batteries are low.
With about 4 hours of sunlight per day, I expect 1700 watt/hours of electricity production.
At 65% efficiency, I should get 1100 watt/hours from the system each sunny day.
My refrigerator and freezer need about 3.6 kilowatt/hours per day for their operation, much more than the PV system can generate. I could have provided a smaller load, but by connecting a load greater than the system can handle I’m not wasting any of the power that the system is capable of producing.
Measured results:
For the month of June, my solar panels delivered 42kwh to the batteries and load, an average of 1.4kwh per day.
My data also shows that I’m sending about 2kwh to the loads each day, more than the solar panels produce. The apparent discrepancy is due to the fact that I top off the charge on my batteries at night with a battery charger. My utility-provided electricity has been very inexpensive at night, and I take advantage of that by storing the low-cost energy for use during the day when rates are higher. This opportunity will end in the fall, when daytime rates go down, and nighttime rates increase. You can learn more about this plan at www.powersmartpricing.org.
When the grid fails:
My day-to-day strategy is to use as much of the solar-generated power as I can for household use, cutting my electric bill. My strategy changes dramatically when grid power fails. Since I don’t have enough capacity to keep my big refrigerator running, I unplug it. I place all of my frozen food in the chest freezer. I place items from my refrigerator in ice-chests, and use ice that I’ve previously stored in the chest freezer. My PV system can keep the chest freezer running continuously, as long as I have plenty of sunshine. I use CFL’s for light, watch TV and listen to the radio, use the microwave oven, charge the cell phone battery, and do most of the other things I would normally do with grid-supplied power. I just have to use this limited supply of power more conservatively.
Winter is the worst possible time to suffer from an extended grid power outage. To conserve electricity, I heat only a portion of my home using my corn-burning stove. Eventually I’ll have a solar PV system big enough to keep the stove running 24/7, but I’m not quite there yet. My system is big enough to meet my summertime needs, but using central air-conditioning is not possible. I have plenty of energy during mild weather grid-power outages, and I’m very comfortable in my home when that happens. It’s a joy to have plenty of light, to be able to use a TV and appliances, and to prepare food while many of my neighbors are using candles. I must admit that I still have a small gasoline-powered generator, but I’ll phase it out as my PV system grows.
Conclusion:
I’ll soon be installing another solar panel, and I have a couple of system modifications in mind that I expect will improve overall system efficiency. Starting small has been a rewarding experience for me, and I would highly recommend it to others. You might be surprised by how much you can benefit by implementing a small PV system, and you’ll certainly learn a lot. Each system upgrade makes you more independent, and improves your comfort level in the event of a grid power failure. Producing your own electricity will lead to using less gasoline. By using less gasoline you’ll be sending less money to those who want to kill you or convert you to Islam against your will. For each kwh of grid-supplied power that you don’t use, about 2.2 pounds of carbon dioxide is kept out of the atmosphere, not to mention other pollutants emitted from coal-fired power plants. If many of us do a little, it will help a lot.
John
About my system:
My system can be considered small. If this were my only source of electricity I would be quite limited in the appliances I could use. Although some folks rely on PV systems much smaller than mine to meet all of their needs for electricity, my family prefers not to live with such limitations. I’ll continue to use electricity from the power grid, and continue to enlarge my system as my budget allows. I plan to add 1 or 2 more solar panels before the end of this year, and perhaps 2 more next year. I would like to be able to use wind or hydro, but those options are not practical for my location. Solar fits nicely into my budget, unlike more elaborate solutions such as hydrogen generation.
System specifications and capabilities:
I have 425-watts of PV panels on my roof.
My main battery bank is rated at 630ah.
My spare battery bank is rated at 420ah.
The typical load is a chest freezer, and a refrigerator.
When neither compressor is running, the load can be as low as 5 watts.
The maximum load sometimes exceeds 525 watts.
The system is automated. The load switches to grid-supplied power when batteries are low.
With about 4 hours of sunlight per day, I expect 1700 watt/hours of electricity production.
At 65% efficiency, I should get 1100 watt/hours from the system each sunny day.
My refrigerator and freezer need about 3.6 kilowatt/hours per day for their operation, much more than the PV system can generate. I could have provided a smaller load, but by connecting a load greater than the system can handle I’m not wasting any of the power that the system is capable of producing.
Measured results:
For the month of June, my solar panels delivered 42kwh to the batteries and load, an average of 1.4kwh per day.
My data also shows that I’m sending about 2kwh to the loads each day, more than the solar panels produce. The apparent discrepancy is due to the fact that I top off the charge on my batteries at night with a battery charger. My utility-provided electricity has been very inexpensive at night, and I take advantage of that by storing the low-cost energy for use during the day when rates are higher. This opportunity will end in the fall, when daytime rates go down, and nighttime rates increase. You can learn more about this plan at www.powersmartpricing.org.
When the grid fails:
My day-to-day strategy is to use as much of the solar-generated power as I can for household use, cutting my electric bill. My strategy changes dramatically when grid power fails. Since I don’t have enough capacity to keep my big refrigerator running, I unplug it. I place all of my frozen food in the chest freezer. I place items from my refrigerator in ice-chests, and use ice that I’ve previously stored in the chest freezer. My PV system can keep the chest freezer running continuously, as long as I have plenty of sunshine. I use CFL’s for light, watch TV and listen to the radio, use the microwave oven, charge the cell phone battery, and do most of the other things I would normally do with grid-supplied power. I just have to use this limited supply of power more conservatively.
Winter is the worst possible time to suffer from an extended grid power outage. To conserve electricity, I heat only a portion of my home using my corn-burning stove. Eventually I’ll have a solar PV system big enough to keep the stove running 24/7, but I’m not quite there yet. My system is big enough to meet my summertime needs, but using central air-conditioning is not possible. I have plenty of energy during mild weather grid-power outages, and I’m very comfortable in my home when that happens. It’s a joy to have plenty of light, to be able to use a TV and appliances, and to prepare food while many of my neighbors are using candles. I must admit that I still have a small gasoline-powered generator, but I’ll phase it out as my PV system grows.
Conclusion:
I’ll soon be installing another solar panel, and I have a couple of system modifications in mind that I expect will improve overall system efficiency. Starting small has been a rewarding experience for me, and I would highly recommend it to others. You might be surprised by how much you can benefit by implementing a small PV system, and you’ll certainly learn a lot. Each system upgrade makes you more independent, and improves your comfort level in the event of a grid power failure. Producing your own electricity will lead to using less gasoline. By using less gasoline you’ll be sending less money to those who want to kill you or convert you to Islam against your will. For each kwh of grid-supplied power that you don’t use, about 2.2 pounds of carbon dioxide is kept out of the atmosphere, not to mention other pollutants emitted from coal-fired power plants. If many of us do a little, it will help a lot.
John
Friday, February 15, 2008
Dealing with the Energy Crisis
Alternative energy research tends to produce interesting, but useless information. Do you really care how much of the sun’s energy falls on one square meter of land on any given day? Do you benefit by knowing how much electricity is needed to power Chicago? David MacKay, University of Cambridge Physics Professor, is one source of information of this nature. For the most part it’s interesting, but not really helpful. David did get my attention with a couple of statements: “…the people of the developed world are living immorally, and a huge crisis is upon us, unless we change our lifestyle.” I don’t know if we’re living immorally, but it’s hard to deny that an energy crisis exists, and that it’s getting worse.
How did we get into this mess?
Most of the electricity produced in the United States comes from coal-fired power plants. Since coal has always been plentiful and inexpensive, electric rates have been reasonable. Most people spend less than 2% of their household income on electricity, and as a result of its low cost, we tend to waste a lot of it. We use electric doorbells when we could be using mechanical ones. We have electric can openers, hand-lotion warmers, air-fresheners, and many other unnecessary items. In addition to the wasteful items we use by choice, many wasteful items are forced upon us because of a lack of availability of energy-efficient alternatives. Many of our electrical devices use energy even when they’re turned off. These are known as “phantom loads”, and they’re more wasteful than most people realize. Because a device appears to be off, we’re not always aware that it is wasting energy.
How do we correct the problem?
Because our lifestyle includes so many wasteful gadgets, there are many corrective actions we can take. Begin with an energy audit of your home. You’re likely to find some no-cost energy-saving measures you can take that will not adversely affect the quality of your life. Do you really need that plug-in air freshener or hand-lotion warmer? You probably already have surge protectors on your TV’s and stereo equipment. If you use the switch on the surge protector, instead of the remote-control unit for on/off control of your TV, you’ll eliminate a phantom load. Check all of your AC outlets, and remove all unused wall-warts (transformers).
Next, you might want to spend a few dollars on things that will end up costing you nothing by virtue of the savings you’ll see on your electric bill. Replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs is a good example. And why not replace your clock-radio with a wind-up alarm clock? Having done those things, it’s time to move on to larger items. Maybe it’s time to replace that old refrigerator with an energy-star-rated model. You might cut $20.00 per month off of your electric bill if you do. And isn’t it time to replace that big old TV in the den with a new 42” plasma model? In doing so you might go from 300-Watts to 100-Watts. You’ll get three hours of TV viewing for the price of one hour. The savings really add up at the end of the month.
After doing all of those things, you might consider geothermal heating and cooling, and solar hot water heating. I use a corn-burning stove to supplement my natural gas heating. Burning corn is a little more work, but it reduces my heating bill significantly. Check with a reliable contractor to see if any of these strategies will benefit you.
How much are you willing to sacrifice?
Once you’ve done all you can to reduce consumption, and perhaps made energy-efficiency improvements to your home, you then need to decide just how far you’re willing to cut back. It’s easy to say “I’ll turn my thermostat down” when the weather is mild, but will you really do it when you’re shivering in the coldest winter months? Will you also cut back significantly on air-conditioning? Be honest with yourself. If it seems like too much of a sacrifice, remind yourself of the negative effects of excessive energy consumption. Cutting back benefits you, your children, and the entire planet.
It’s unlikely that you’ll be able to make all of these changes at once. Do some research and come up with a game plan, and a consumption rate to shoot for. Check the energy-star tags on appliances you intend to buy. Look at your electric bill. If you’re currently averaging 900kwh of electricity per month, that’s a lot. Try to cut it in half. If you’re using 500kwh of electricity per month, try to cut it by at least 25%.
As you work on your plan you’re likely to discover energy-saving lifestyle changes that actually enhance the quality of your life instead of detracting from it. I’ve found it much more pleasant to turn my thermostat down and use an electric blanket in a cool bedroom. An inexpensive Kill-A-Watt meter helps me determine how much I’m saving.
Beyond conservation
After you’ve reduced consumption, the cost of a solar photovoltaic, wind, or a hybrid electric system won’t be so daunting. If you’re not ready to disconnect from the grid entirely, you can install a small system that meets a portion of your needs. If you choose to start small, employ a strategy that helps you get the most out of your system. Solar equipment that is unused, or underused, is counterproductive. Everything you’ll need to automate your system for maximum efficiency is available, and at a reasonable cost.
Expensive gasoline – The other part of the energy crisis
Having a solar electric system in place not only contributes to your independence from the power company, it’s the first step toward gasoline independence. Plug-in-hybrid-electric-vehicles (PHEV’s) will start to show up in dealer showrooms in the year 2010. By charging your car with power from your photovoltaic system, you’ll be driving on free power from the sun instead of expensive gasoline. It’s going to take a substantial system to do the charging, so now would be a good time to get started.
Renewables – No War Required
By purchasing less oil from Middle Eastern countries we not only reduce the amount of money that they have available for war, we eliminate our need to be there in the first place. Since the politicians won’t stop it, it’s up to each of us to lead the way.
When the people lead, leaders follow. Let’s roll!
John
How did we get into this mess?
Most of the electricity produced in the United States comes from coal-fired power plants. Since coal has always been plentiful and inexpensive, electric rates have been reasonable. Most people spend less than 2% of their household income on electricity, and as a result of its low cost, we tend to waste a lot of it. We use electric doorbells when we could be using mechanical ones. We have electric can openers, hand-lotion warmers, air-fresheners, and many other unnecessary items. In addition to the wasteful items we use by choice, many wasteful items are forced upon us because of a lack of availability of energy-efficient alternatives. Many of our electrical devices use energy even when they’re turned off. These are known as “phantom loads”, and they’re more wasteful than most people realize. Because a device appears to be off, we’re not always aware that it is wasting energy.
How do we correct the problem?
Because our lifestyle includes so many wasteful gadgets, there are many corrective actions we can take. Begin with an energy audit of your home. You’re likely to find some no-cost energy-saving measures you can take that will not adversely affect the quality of your life. Do you really need that plug-in air freshener or hand-lotion warmer? You probably already have surge protectors on your TV’s and stereo equipment. If you use the switch on the surge protector, instead of the remote-control unit for on/off control of your TV, you’ll eliminate a phantom load. Check all of your AC outlets, and remove all unused wall-warts (transformers).
Next, you might want to spend a few dollars on things that will end up costing you nothing by virtue of the savings you’ll see on your electric bill. Replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs is a good example. And why not replace your clock-radio with a wind-up alarm clock? Having done those things, it’s time to move on to larger items. Maybe it’s time to replace that old refrigerator with an energy-star-rated model. You might cut $20.00 per month off of your electric bill if you do. And isn’t it time to replace that big old TV in the den with a new 42” plasma model? In doing so you might go from 300-Watts to 100-Watts. You’ll get three hours of TV viewing for the price of one hour. The savings really add up at the end of the month.
After doing all of those things, you might consider geothermal heating and cooling, and solar hot water heating. I use a corn-burning stove to supplement my natural gas heating. Burning corn is a little more work, but it reduces my heating bill significantly. Check with a reliable contractor to see if any of these strategies will benefit you.
How much are you willing to sacrifice?
Once you’ve done all you can to reduce consumption, and perhaps made energy-efficiency improvements to your home, you then need to decide just how far you’re willing to cut back. It’s easy to say “I’ll turn my thermostat down” when the weather is mild, but will you really do it when you’re shivering in the coldest winter months? Will you also cut back significantly on air-conditioning? Be honest with yourself. If it seems like too much of a sacrifice, remind yourself of the negative effects of excessive energy consumption. Cutting back benefits you, your children, and the entire planet.
It’s unlikely that you’ll be able to make all of these changes at once. Do some research and come up with a game plan, and a consumption rate to shoot for. Check the energy-star tags on appliances you intend to buy. Look at your electric bill. If you’re currently averaging 900kwh of electricity per month, that’s a lot. Try to cut it in half. If you’re using 500kwh of electricity per month, try to cut it by at least 25%.
As you work on your plan you’re likely to discover energy-saving lifestyle changes that actually enhance the quality of your life instead of detracting from it. I’ve found it much more pleasant to turn my thermostat down and use an electric blanket in a cool bedroom. An inexpensive Kill-A-Watt meter helps me determine how much I’m saving.
Beyond conservation
After you’ve reduced consumption, the cost of a solar photovoltaic, wind, or a hybrid electric system won’t be so daunting. If you’re not ready to disconnect from the grid entirely, you can install a small system that meets a portion of your needs. If you choose to start small, employ a strategy that helps you get the most out of your system. Solar equipment that is unused, or underused, is counterproductive. Everything you’ll need to automate your system for maximum efficiency is available, and at a reasonable cost.
Expensive gasoline – The other part of the energy crisis
Having a solar electric system in place not only contributes to your independence from the power company, it’s the first step toward gasoline independence. Plug-in-hybrid-electric-vehicles (PHEV’s) will start to show up in dealer showrooms in the year 2010. By charging your car with power from your photovoltaic system, you’ll be driving on free power from the sun instead of expensive gasoline. It’s going to take a substantial system to do the charging, so now would be a good time to get started.
Renewables – No War Required
By purchasing less oil from Middle Eastern countries we not only reduce the amount of money that they have available for war, we eliminate our need to be there in the first place. Since the politicians won’t stop it, it’s up to each of us to lead the way.
When the people lead, leaders follow. Let’s roll!
John
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Renewable Energy Project Progress Report
It was approximately on today’s date, two years ago, that I first decided to install solar panels on my roof. This plan evolved into an effort to become more self-sufficient, and then to a mission to eliminate my use of fossil fuels altogether. And although I have a long way to go, I’ve made significant progress toward my goals. The following paragraphs outline my progress:
PV System Upgrades:
As finances allow, I continue to expand my PV system. I now have 4 solar panels on my roof, 420ah of battery capacity, a 60-amp charge controller, and an 1100-watt pure sinewave inverter.
Using the PV System on a Daily Basis:
The PV system is now used to power a chest freezer on a daily basis. The resulting reduction of my grid-supplied energy use eases the load on a coal-fired power plant, reduces my electric bill, and is consistent with my goals to use less fossil fuel and to become more self-sufficient. As I continue to enlarge the PV system, I’ll add additional appliances to the solar-powered load.
The Corn-burning Stove:
I installed and began using a corn-burning stove in 2006. By using the stove I’ve greatly reduced my use of natural gas, cutting my home heating cost at the same time. The money I save on my heating bill is used to help pay for PV system upgrades.
Energy-saving Lights:
I’ve replaced nearly all of the incandescent light bulbs in my home with energy-saving compact fluorescent ones. Having done that, I noticed a reduction of my electric bill.
Home Improvements:
I’ve added insulation and replaced old windows with energy-efficient ones.
Appliances:
I’ve replaced my old refrigerator with an energy-star-rated one. Although my new refrigerator is larger, it uses about 65% less energy than the old one. I've also replaced two televisions with energy-star-rated TV's.
Growing Food and Fuel:
I've significantly enlarged the size of my garden over the past two years, and preserve more of what I grow. I have successfully grown tomatoes indoors, and I've grown a small amount of corn that can be used as fuel in my stove.
My Blog:
I include my blog as an accomplishment for several reasons. I hope to inspire others to do similar work. When they do, everyone benefits. Not only do readers comments show that I’ve helped others, they are also my opportunity to learn from them.
Conclusion:
I’ve made significant progress toward my mission over the past two years, and I now have a good emergency power system as a bonus. When grid-power fails, I have electricity and can generate heat if necessary. I’ve investigated electric vehicle technology, and am preparing to purchase a PHEV when they become available. My work and my research will become even more relevant as gasoline prices continue to climb.
John
PV System Upgrades:
As finances allow, I continue to expand my PV system. I now have 4 solar panels on my roof, 420ah of battery capacity, a 60-amp charge controller, and an 1100-watt pure sinewave inverter.
Using the PV System on a Daily Basis:
The PV system is now used to power a chest freezer on a daily basis. The resulting reduction of my grid-supplied energy use eases the load on a coal-fired power plant, reduces my electric bill, and is consistent with my goals to use less fossil fuel and to become more self-sufficient. As I continue to enlarge the PV system, I’ll add additional appliances to the solar-powered load.
The Corn-burning Stove:
I installed and began using a corn-burning stove in 2006. By using the stove I’ve greatly reduced my use of natural gas, cutting my home heating cost at the same time. The money I save on my heating bill is used to help pay for PV system upgrades.
Energy-saving Lights:
I’ve replaced nearly all of the incandescent light bulbs in my home with energy-saving compact fluorescent ones. Having done that, I noticed a reduction of my electric bill.
Home Improvements:
I’ve added insulation and replaced old windows with energy-efficient ones.
Appliances:
I’ve replaced my old refrigerator with an energy-star-rated one. Although my new refrigerator is larger, it uses about 65% less energy than the old one. I've also replaced two televisions with energy-star-rated TV's.
Growing Food and Fuel:
I've significantly enlarged the size of my garden over the past two years, and preserve more of what I grow. I have successfully grown tomatoes indoors, and I've grown a small amount of corn that can be used as fuel in my stove.
My Blog:
I include my blog as an accomplishment for several reasons. I hope to inspire others to do similar work. When they do, everyone benefits. Not only do readers comments show that I’ve helped others, they are also my opportunity to learn from them.
Conclusion:
I’ve made significant progress toward my mission over the past two years, and I now have a good emergency power system as a bonus. When grid-power fails, I have electricity and can generate heat if necessary. I’ve investigated electric vehicle technology, and am preparing to purchase a PHEV when they become available. My work and my research will become even more relevant as gasoline prices continue to climb.
John
Friday, November 16, 2007
I Burn Corn to Heat My Home
If you visit this blog frequently you know that I supplement my home heat by burning corn. The corn-burning stove is part of an overall strategy to reduce my use of fossil fuels, and to become more self-sufficient. The stove uses electricity for the blowers and an auger motor, and my photovoltaic (PV) system supplies that energy if the grid is down. My stove must be lit manually, and will not relight itself if the fire goes out. While this is somewhat of an inconvenience, it also keeps the power requirements of the stove low, making it possible to get by with fewer solar panels and batteries. And although the stove doesn’t have a thermostat, it does have individual controls for the corn feed rate and for the room air blower motor. When properly set, these controls help to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature regardless of the outside temperature.
I buy shelled corn in 50-pound bags, and use the stove when the outside temperature drops into the 30’s. I usually start the stove in the evening and stop using it mid-day as the outside temperature rises. This is my second season with the stove. Here are some details from last winter:
I purchased (and burned) 2 ½ tons of corn.
My natural gas bill for the heating season was $524.97
My natural gas bill for the same period, one year before getting the stove, was $1140.71
Because I burn corn, I cut my natural gas bill by $615.74
For this period my cost for corn was: $397.45
My net savings was $218.29
People sometimes ask me if the extra work involved in heating with corn is worthwhile. I believe it is. I’ve calculated that corn-handling and stove-related chores take about 10 minutes per 50 pound bag of corn. Or to put it another way, these chores took about 15 hours during the entire heating season. If I divide my time by the money I saved, I conclude that I’ve saved about $15.00 dollars per hour. I call that worthwhile. And, for a variety of reasons, it’s likely that my savings will dramatically increase in the future.
Some say that burning a source of food is immoral. I disagree. Blowing up mountains in order to harvest coal is immoral. Since that coal is used in power plants, purchasing electricity from those power plants is immoral. Any step taken to reduce energy consumption is a step in the right direction. Solar panels, compact fluorescent lighting, energy-saving appliances, recycling, and alternative heating and cooling are a few of the steps you can take to do your part.
Is burning corn immoral? I will ponder that as I sit in front of my stove on a cold winter day.
John
I buy shelled corn in 50-pound bags, and use the stove when the outside temperature drops into the 30’s. I usually start the stove in the evening and stop using it mid-day as the outside temperature rises. This is my second season with the stove. Here are some details from last winter:
I purchased (and burned) 2 ½ tons of corn.
My natural gas bill for the heating season was $524.97
My natural gas bill for the same period, one year before getting the stove, was $1140.71
Because I burn corn, I cut my natural gas bill by $615.74
For this period my cost for corn was: $397.45
My net savings was $218.29
People sometimes ask me if the extra work involved in heating with corn is worthwhile. I believe it is. I’ve calculated that corn-handling and stove-related chores take about 10 minutes per 50 pound bag of corn. Or to put it another way, these chores took about 15 hours during the entire heating season. If I divide my time by the money I saved, I conclude that I’ve saved about $15.00 dollars per hour. I call that worthwhile. And, for a variety of reasons, it’s likely that my savings will dramatically increase in the future.
Some say that burning a source of food is immoral. I disagree. Blowing up mountains in order to harvest coal is immoral. Since that coal is used in power plants, purchasing electricity from those power plants is immoral. Any step taken to reduce energy consumption is a step in the right direction. Solar panels, compact fluorescent lighting, energy-saving appliances, recycling, and alternative heating and cooling are a few of the steps you can take to do your part.
Is burning corn immoral? I will ponder that as I sit in front of my stove on a cold winter day.
John
Monday, August 20, 2007
Rethinking Solar Power (PV) for Your Home
When considering a solar photovoltaic (PV) system for your home, the first step is to reduce your energy needs by making your home more energy efficient. Improvements might include an upgrade to energy efficient windows and doors, the addition of insulation, and the replacement of older appliances and inefficient lighting. Because these improvements reduce your energy needs, you’ll be able to reduce the size of your PV system and save money. Unfortunately, the overall costs of the improvements, when added to the cost of the PV system, may be more than you want to spend. Instead of discarding the idea entirely, why not consider a small to mid-size system. At least make a thoughtful evaluation of the benefits of a scaled-down system versus its cost before making a decision.
Generally speaking, there are three reasons for considering an alternative to the power supplied by your electric company; saving money, environmental concerns, and reliability issues.
The monetary concern is self-explanatory, everyone likes a bargain. Electric service is available at a reasonable rate for most of us, but not for everyone. In areas where electric rates are excessive, alternatives to grid-supplied electricity make financial sense. A grid-tied system is usually the best choice for those wanting to cut their electric bill, but you can also benefit from a small, and therefore less-costly, off-grid system.
Environmental concerns may mean a desire to use a non-polluting source of power, or a passion to preserve natural resources for future generations. Since the majority of the electricity produced in the United States comes from coal-fired power plants, your decision not to use electricity that originates at those power plants goes a long way toward reducing pollution. From the mine to the fire, coal pollutes every step of the way. Subsidence, contamination of ground water, and even the tragic death of mine workers remind us of the true cost of using coal.
Reliability is more important to some of us than it is to others. Most of us can tolerate a few hours, or even days, without power, but an extended loss of power can be life-threatening to some. Just losing the ability to make an emergency phone call can be dangerous. Climate control is not only important for your safety and comfort, temperature extremes can result in damage to your home. And don’t forget about food spoilage when there’s no electricity to run the refrigerator and freezer.
If you’ve decided to install a PV system for the purpose of saving money, first make reasonable energy-saving improvements to your home. Then size the system so that it produces a little more than your total energy needs. If space constraints or your budget won’t allow you to do that, your next best option is to install the largest system possible. If you’re billed for electricity on a tiered rate, perhaps you can install a PV system large enough to keep your grid-supplied electricity usage within the lowest tier. A sophisticated controller switches between alternative power and grid power in a way that optimizes system performance.
If reliability is the reason for installing a PV system, first consider the electrical needs that you can’t live without. If you live in a cold climate, the greatest need will probably be during the winter months. For home heating you might consider a wood-burning stove or fireplace. A heat exchanger, or even a portable fan, will help to distribute heat to other parts of the house. As an alternative to wood, you might consider a pellet or corn-burning stove. Both require electricity for their operation, but those needs can easily be met by a small PV system. Your summer needs might include cooling, but don’t plan to run a central air conditioning system with your small PV system. You might choose a window air conditioner if your PV system is big enough to handle it, or simply use fans for cooling. Your goal should be to keep at least one room comfortable in the event of a power outage.
When sizing your system (with your budget in mind), don’t forget about your other needs. You should consider a system big enough to power a chest freezer to keep food from spoiling, and to power a microwave oven. The microwave oven not only makes it possible to prepare meals, but also to boil water for drinking should that become necessary. Remember, one of your reasons for installing the PV system is to serve as an emergency source of power. Don’t underestimate your needs in the event of a disaster.
An advantage of making your system large enough to supply power during worst-case conditions is that you’ll have an abundance of power at other times. If you’ve sized your system to get you through power outages during harsh weather, power outages during mild weather are no problem at all. You’ll be able to watch TV, make phone calls, prepare meals, keep food from spoiling, etc. Trust me; it’s a good feeling to light up your house at night when your neighbors are using candles. But don’t be cruel; invite them over for a hot meal and to watch TV.
Using alternative power doesn’t mean that you have to be uncomfortable, but it is important to recognize the limits of your system. If family members practice conservation, you may be able to disconnect from the utility grid entirely when the weather is mild. It’s good to see the disk in the electric meter stop turning. Practices like turning off lights and other devices when they’re not in use will help to ensure a steady, uninterrupted source of power. If you’ve chosen to install an undersized system with plans to upgrade in the future, your good conservation habits will be beneficial later, as your system grows. If your children complain about the limited power your system provides, remind them what life would be like without it.
Some say that there are better ways to spend your money. A generator with an ample fuel supply may appear to be a better alternative. A generator is less expensive than even a small PV system. However, the fuel to run the generator needs to be fresh, and enough of it stored to get you through an extended power outage. The cost for fuel to keep the generator running can exceed the cost of a PV system in a short time. Some New Orleans residents reported generator fuel bills exceeding $900.00 per months after the Katrina disaster. A generator is good for a short-term power outage, but you’ll quickly grow tired of the noise, and refueling chores. Remember also that fuel may not be available locally in the event of a disaster. On the other hand, your solar panels provide quiet and steady power which is renewed each day by the sun.
The recommended way to design a PV system is to first calculate your energy needs. Instead of that approach, why not calculate how much energy you can get from a system that falls within your budget. For under $1000.00 you can build a system that will give you light, recharge your cell phone batteries and power a radio, but not much more. For another $1000.00 you can add some TV viewing, a fan, and other low-power appliances for a short duration. For a little more you can keep a small refrigerator or chest freezer running to protect your food from spoiling, use a microwave oven, and keep warm in the winter. You can live comfortably through an extended power outage with a relatively modest system. Start small if you must, and add to the system as additional funds become available. While you’re saving money on your electric bill, you can be proud that your efforts help to reduce pollution and preserve natural resources.
Be sure to check this blog's archives for additonal information.
sj
Generally speaking, there are three reasons for considering an alternative to the power supplied by your electric company; saving money, environmental concerns, and reliability issues.
The monetary concern is self-explanatory, everyone likes a bargain. Electric service is available at a reasonable rate for most of us, but not for everyone. In areas where electric rates are excessive, alternatives to grid-supplied electricity make financial sense. A grid-tied system is usually the best choice for those wanting to cut their electric bill, but you can also benefit from a small, and therefore less-costly, off-grid system.
Environmental concerns may mean a desire to use a non-polluting source of power, or a passion to preserve natural resources for future generations. Since the majority of the electricity produced in the United States comes from coal-fired power plants, your decision not to use electricity that originates at those power plants goes a long way toward reducing pollution. From the mine to the fire, coal pollutes every step of the way. Subsidence, contamination of ground water, and even the tragic death of mine workers remind us of the true cost of using coal.
Reliability is more important to some of us than it is to others. Most of us can tolerate a few hours, or even days, without power, but an extended loss of power can be life-threatening to some. Just losing the ability to make an emergency phone call can be dangerous. Climate control is not only important for your safety and comfort, temperature extremes can result in damage to your home. And don’t forget about food spoilage when there’s no electricity to run the refrigerator and freezer.
If you’ve decided to install a PV system for the purpose of saving money, first make reasonable energy-saving improvements to your home. Then size the system so that it produces a little more than your total energy needs. If space constraints or your budget won’t allow you to do that, your next best option is to install the largest system possible. If you’re billed for electricity on a tiered rate, perhaps you can install a PV system large enough to keep your grid-supplied electricity usage within the lowest tier. A sophisticated controller switches between alternative power and grid power in a way that optimizes system performance.
If reliability is the reason for installing a PV system, first consider the electrical needs that you can’t live without. If you live in a cold climate, the greatest need will probably be during the winter months. For home heating you might consider a wood-burning stove or fireplace. A heat exchanger, or even a portable fan, will help to distribute heat to other parts of the house. As an alternative to wood, you might consider a pellet or corn-burning stove. Both require electricity for their operation, but those needs can easily be met by a small PV system. Your summer needs might include cooling, but don’t plan to run a central air conditioning system with your small PV system. You might choose a window air conditioner if your PV system is big enough to handle it, or simply use fans for cooling. Your goal should be to keep at least one room comfortable in the event of a power outage.
When sizing your system (with your budget in mind), don’t forget about your other needs. You should consider a system big enough to power a chest freezer to keep food from spoiling, and to power a microwave oven. The microwave oven not only makes it possible to prepare meals, but also to boil water for drinking should that become necessary. Remember, one of your reasons for installing the PV system is to serve as an emergency source of power. Don’t underestimate your needs in the event of a disaster.
An advantage of making your system large enough to supply power during worst-case conditions is that you’ll have an abundance of power at other times. If you’ve sized your system to get you through power outages during harsh weather, power outages during mild weather are no problem at all. You’ll be able to watch TV, make phone calls, prepare meals, keep food from spoiling, etc. Trust me; it’s a good feeling to light up your house at night when your neighbors are using candles. But don’t be cruel; invite them over for a hot meal and to watch TV.
Using alternative power doesn’t mean that you have to be uncomfortable, but it is important to recognize the limits of your system. If family members practice conservation, you may be able to disconnect from the utility grid entirely when the weather is mild. It’s good to see the disk in the electric meter stop turning. Practices like turning off lights and other devices when they’re not in use will help to ensure a steady, uninterrupted source of power. If you’ve chosen to install an undersized system with plans to upgrade in the future, your good conservation habits will be beneficial later, as your system grows. If your children complain about the limited power your system provides, remind them what life would be like without it.
Some say that there are better ways to spend your money. A generator with an ample fuel supply may appear to be a better alternative. A generator is less expensive than even a small PV system. However, the fuel to run the generator needs to be fresh, and enough of it stored to get you through an extended power outage. The cost for fuel to keep the generator running can exceed the cost of a PV system in a short time. Some New Orleans residents reported generator fuel bills exceeding $900.00 per months after the Katrina disaster. A generator is good for a short-term power outage, but you’ll quickly grow tired of the noise, and refueling chores. Remember also that fuel may not be available locally in the event of a disaster. On the other hand, your solar panels provide quiet and steady power which is renewed each day by the sun.
The recommended way to design a PV system is to first calculate your energy needs. Instead of that approach, why not calculate how much energy you can get from a system that falls within your budget. For under $1000.00 you can build a system that will give you light, recharge your cell phone batteries and power a radio, but not much more. For another $1000.00 you can add some TV viewing, a fan, and other low-power appliances for a short duration. For a little more you can keep a small refrigerator or chest freezer running to protect your food from spoiling, use a microwave oven, and keep warm in the winter. You can live comfortably through an extended power outage with a relatively modest system. Start small if you must, and add to the system as additional funds become available. While you’re saving money on your electric bill, you can be proud that your efforts help to reduce pollution and preserve natural resources.
Be sure to check this blog's archives for additonal information.
sj
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Is a Solar Photovoltaic System a Good Investment?
Is a photovoltaic (PV) system a good investment? Many “financial guru’s” will tell you that it’s not. When considering the high cost of a PV system, and the modest savings you’ll see on your electric bill, it’s easy to understand why financially savvy folks tell you to invest elsewhere. Adding insulation and replacing inefficient appliances are far better investments they say. Buy a hybrid car and some compact fluorescent lights instead, we’re told. These suggestions have merit, but what do you do AFTER you’ve done those things? You’re still burning fossil fuels! Chances are you’ll continue to pay for electricity at an ever-increasing rate for the rest of your life.
Will you earn a bigger return if you invest in mutual funds? Possibly, but what fun is that? You should be investing anyway, perhaps for your children’s education and for your retirement. Hopefully you have an investment plan that will meet those goals, but do you want to put ALL of your extra money into that? Life will be dull if you don’t use a portion of your earnings for other purposes. I’m not saying that the addition of solar panels will make your life more exciting, but we do tend to take for granted all of the comfort and convenience electricity brings to our lives. If you’ve experienced an extended power failure recently, you know what I mean.
Having your own power generating equipment not only shields you from inevitable rate increases and power outages, but also prepares you to cope with fossil fuel shortages that are predicted to be a part of our future. I suspect that many of us will someday be driving plug-in electric vehicles (PHEV’s), and those of us who have our own PV systems will be able to recharge ours at no cost. Instead of burning gas or paying high utility company rates, we’ll be traveling on free power from the sun!
When you produce your own electricity from PV panels, you’re also reducing the load on a coal-fired power plant. This benefits all of us in many ways. Coal is dirty when it is mined, dirty when it’s transported, and dirty when it’s burned to produce electricity. Coal mining in Appalachia is responsible for the destruction of mountains and forests. Pristine streams are buried under debris that is the byproduct of mining operations, and ground water sources are polluted. Coal dust and smoke pollutes our air, and carbon dioxide that results from burning coal is a major contributor to global warming. Many lives have been adversely affected by mining-related activities. By choosing to install a solar electric system you become part of the solution, instead of contributing to the problem.
The savings you can expect as a result of installing your own PV system are only part of the story. Without such a system an extended power outage may force you from your home, cause your food to spoil, and damage your plumbing. Dealing efficiently with power outages not only saves you money, it’s comforting to know that a backup system is in place.
The next time a financial expert tells you solar PV is a bad investment, ask to see his (or her) crystal ball. The value of PV as an investment can only be known by someone who can see into the future. We’ve already seen sharp price increases in gasoline, and perhaps we should feel lucky to have gasoline at all when we look at the current situation in the Middle East. Another crisis in that region may result in a shortage that will trigger a rush to have alternative systems installed. If that happens, you might find yourself near the bottom of a very long waiting list for system components and installation service. I’m glad that I’m able to purchase panels and equipment now, and I hope to have a system large enough to meet all of my needs before it’s too late.
Financial experts tend to ignore everything but the bottom line. The idea of conserving natural resources for future generations doesn’t seem to cross their minds. If you can’t get a decent cash return on your investment today, it’s bad, period. It’s unfortunate that bean counters tend not to see the big picture, the true cost of producing electricity by burning coal and the true value of a PV system. Not only that, I wonder if they ask themselves "is this a good investment" when they buy items like toilet paper or sox.....
John
Will you earn a bigger return if you invest in mutual funds? Possibly, but what fun is that? You should be investing anyway, perhaps for your children’s education and for your retirement. Hopefully you have an investment plan that will meet those goals, but do you want to put ALL of your extra money into that? Life will be dull if you don’t use a portion of your earnings for other purposes. I’m not saying that the addition of solar panels will make your life more exciting, but we do tend to take for granted all of the comfort and convenience electricity brings to our lives. If you’ve experienced an extended power failure recently, you know what I mean.
Having your own power generating equipment not only shields you from inevitable rate increases and power outages, but also prepares you to cope with fossil fuel shortages that are predicted to be a part of our future. I suspect that many of us will someday be driving plug-in electric vehicles (PHEV’s), and those of us who have our own PV systems will be able to recharge ours at no cost. Instead of burning gas or paying high utility company rates, we’ll be traveling on free power from the sun!
When you produce your own electricity from PV panels, you’re also reducing the load on a coal-fired power plant. This benefits all of us in many ways. Coal is dirty when it is mined, dirty when it’s transported, and dirty when it’s burned to produce electricity. Coal mining in Appalachia is responsible for the destruction of mountains and forests. Pristine streams are buried under debris that is the byproduct of mining operations, and ground water sources are polluted. Coal dust and smoke pollutes our air, and carbon dioxide that results from burning coal is a major contributor to global warming. Many lives have been adversely affected by mining-related activities. By choosing to install a solar electric system you become part of the solution, instead of contributing to the problem.
The savings you can expect as a result of installing your own PV system are only part of the story. Without such a system an extended power outage may force you from your home, cause your food to spoil, and damage your plumbing. Dealing efficiently with power outages not only saves you money, it’s comforting to know that a backup system is in place.
The next time a financial expert tells you solar PV is a bad investment, ask to see his (or her) crystal ball. The value of PV as an investment can only be known by someone who can see into the future. We’ve already seen sharp price increases in gasoline, and perhaps we should feel lucky to have gasoline at all when we look at the current situation in the Middle East. Another crisis in that region may result in a shortage that will trigger a rush to have alternative systems installed. If that happens, you might find yourself near the bottom of a very long waiting list for system components and installation service. I’m glad that I’m able to purchase panels and equipment now, and I hope to have a system large enough to meet all of my needs before it’s too late.
Financial experts tend to ignore everything but the bottom line. The idea of conserving natural resources for future generations doesn’t seem to cross their minds. If you can’t get a decent cash return on your investment today, it’s bad, period. It’s unfortunate that bean counters tend not to see the big picture, the true cost of producing electricity by burning coal and the true value of a PV system. Not only that, I wonder if they ask themselves "is this a good investment" when they buy items like toilet paper or sox.....
John
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Nothing is Sacred to Big Coal Companies
The Black Mesa coal-mining project plans to divert over a billion gallons of water every year to support a coal processing operation. That water comes from aquifers linked to Hopi sacred springs.
Sadly, our federal government fails to recognize that springs flowing on Indian land have already run dry since Peabody Coal Company began using the water. Haven’t we done enough harm to Native Americans in this country? Does the need to supply coal to a power plant justify taking their drinking water and killing their fish?
More on this can be found here: http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/swcbd/press/black-mesa-02-06-2007.html
Can’t we just do the right thing? Support renewable energy projects.
John
Sadly, our federal government fails to recognize that springs flowing on Indian land have already run dry since Peabody Coal Company began using the water. Haven’t we done enough harm to Native Americans in this country? Does the need to supply coal to a power plant justify taking their drinking water and killing their fish?
More on this can be found here: http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/swcbd/press/black-mesa-02-06-2007.html
Can’t we just do the right thing? Support renewable energy projects.
John
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Politics and the Myth of Clean Coal
One of the reasons renewable energy solutions are so important is that they replace energy sources that are harmful to people and the environment. Coal, for example, is particularly harmful.
The burning of coal for the production of electricity is the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States, contributing in a major way to global warming. But the problems with coal are not limited to the effects of burning it. Mountaintop Removal Mining is destroying mountains in Appalachia at an alarming rate, and is harmful to the residents of the area in many ways. Unfortunately, practitioners of mountaintop removal mining, such as Don Blankenship, CEO of Massey Energy Co., seem to care little about the mountains of Appalachia or the people who live there.
Coal is big-business in this country, and with that comes political pressure that too often results in actions that are in the interest of the coal industry rather than the interest of people and the environment. Blankenship has been known to contribute millions of dollars to political campaigns, including a massive campaign to unseat a Supreme Court judge. As Beth White, a coordinator with West Virginia Consumers for Justice, put it; “It proves that West Virginia Supreme Court seats (are) for sale.”
At the federal level, the three billion dollar Clean Coal Technology Program is a huge waste of taxpayer dollars. Toxic elements are removed from the coal, but they are not eliminated, they just end up somewhere other than the smokestack. Clean Coal Technology does not address the toxic slurry lagoons that result from the washing of coal. These are often placed in locations where they present a danger to those downstream, and they sometimes contaminate drinking water. One such impoundment failed in 1972, sweeping 125 people to their death and left 4000 others homeless.
The Clean Coal Technology Program is part of the Bush Administration’s Advanced Energy Initiative. It’s the bad part. The money spent on the Clean Coal Technology Program could be better used to fund solar, wind, and other renewable energy projects. As a result, the world would move closer to eliminating the need to produce electricity from coal, and the environment would be better off. Our air would be cleaner, and streams would be free of pollutants. There is no dirtier fuel than coal, and it needs to be phased out as soon as possible. Trying to clean it is the wrong approach.
Sadly, instead of being a good steward of the land, President Bush has placed lobbyists and lawyers from the very industries that they are supposed to regulate into important environmental positions. It is unlikely that any meaningful progress will occur until these positions are filled with people who care more about people and the environment, than they do about big corporate profits.
For more information, visit the websites listed below:
http://www.greenpeace.org/seasia/en/asia-energy-revolution/dirty-energy
http://www.energyjustice.net/coal/
http://www.mountainjusticesummer.org/
http://www.alternet.org/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/02/AR2006110201668_pf.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Creek_Flood
http://solarjohn.blogspot.com
I’ve sent a copy of this paper to my representatives. I hope you will do the same.
Solar John
The burning of coal for the production of electricity is the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States, contributing in a major way to global warming. But the problems with coal are not limited to the effects of burning it. Mountaintop Removal Mining is destroying mountains in Appalachia at an alarming rate, and is harmful to the residents of the area in many ways. Unfortunately, practitioners of mountaintop removal mining, such as Don Blankenship, CEO of Massey Energy Co., seem to care little about the mountains of Appalachia or the people who live there.
Coal is big-business in this country, and with that comes political pressure that too often results in actions that are in the interest of the coal industry rather than the interest of people and the environment. Blankenship has been known to contribute millions of dollars to political campaigns, including a massive campaign to unseat a Supreme Court judge. As Beth White, a coordinator with West Virginia Consumers for Justice, put it; “It proves that West Virginia Supreme Court seats (are) for sale.”
At the federal level, the three billion dollar Clean Coal Technology Program is a huge waste of taxpayer dollars. Toxic elements are removed from the coal, but they are not eliminated, they just end up somewhere other than the smokestack. Clean Coal Technology does not address the toxic slurry lagoons that result from the washing of coal. These are often placed in locations where they present a danger to those downstream, and they sometimes contaminate drinking water. One such impoundment failed in 1972, sweeping 125 people to their death and left 4000 others homeless.
The Clean Coal Technology Program is part of the Bush Administration’s Advanced Energy Initiative. It’s the bad part. The money spent on the Clean Coal Technology Program could be better used to fund solar, wind, and other renewable energy projects. As a result, the world would move closer to eliminating the need to produce electricity from coal, and the environment would be better off. Our air would be cleaner, and streams would be free of pollutants. There is no dirtier fuel than coal, and it needs to be phased out as soon as possible. Trying to clean it is the wrong approach.
Sadly, instead of being a good steward of the land, President Bush has placed lobbyists and lawyers from the very industries that they are supposed to regulate into important environmental positions. It is unlikely that any meaningful progress will occur until these positions are filled with people who care more about people and the environment, than they do about big corporate profits.
For more information, visit the websites listed below:
http://www.greenpeace.org/seasia/en/asia-energy-revolution/dirty-energy
http://www.energyjustice.net/coal/
http://www.mountainjusticesummer.org/
http://www.alternet.org/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/02/AR2006110201668_pf.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Creek_Flood
http://solarjohn.blogspot.com
I’ve sent a copy of this paper to my representatives. I hope you will do the same.
Solar John
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