coming soon to a beach near you

Smitty, did you say this, or are you quoting someone who responded to me then deleted his comment?

 

I was trying to quote the part about efficient energy and nuclear. I need to retract all statements because anyone too stupid to know how to quote in SI new format should not be talking about efficient energy. I am referring to myself of course!

 

More oil options is a good thing. As hard as you might wanna search, don't think ur gonna find another energy source with as much power, lb for lb, as gasoline.

It's the best we've got from what I see.

Just be diligent and operate cleanly.

It's easy to pitch a fit and say u wanna have a car that runs on seaweed. Makin that happen is an entirely different matter.

 

Respectfully, IBC... I couldn't disagree more. Solar energy is weightless. It's energy, not matter. Converting naturally occuring kinetic or solar energy into thermal or electrical energy IS the future. You and I may not be here for that, but that's only direction we have right now for the expected lifespan of our planet. Energy stored in "fossil" chemicals will run out. Sometimes I think the faster we use it up the better... so we get to where we need to be sooner.

 

I know. I know.

But Paulie... I got me one o' them EE lectric cars. I ain't usin a DROP of oil.

I think ur still using oil to charge them batteries, dude. Takin all that gasoline power, cookin it down, and stuffin it in a different box (battery).

I think.

 

Someday we'll be off oil. Let the wizards work on that, but we still gotta deal with today too.

I think it's gonna be a heck of a long time before we recycle all them dinosaurs and run outa oil.

 

Stupid?? No, not at all! Moronic, well, yes...you are a moron. We are all morons here on SI, it is the glue that binds us all!! Why else would we post on SI??

But at least you have the IQ to engage in respectable topics, unlike jesterface, who is still in the oral-fecal stage of life........we can hope he will emerge soon...

 

Well.......I agree it SHOULD BE the future. But not yours, and certainly not mine. Still a lot of work to be done to make efficient conversion; no incentives, politics (oil lobbies, etc)....lots of hurdles still.
But you err in your science--solar energy IS MATTER, it is nothing more than the expenditures of nuclear reactions, right?? That makes it "nuclear energy", doesnt it?? 't, it is atomic particles, resulting from fission and/or fusion, which is what the sun is. Solar flares disrupt your electric grid for a reason--electrons hurled at planets with unrelenting force!! Particles hitting your skin precipitating DNA mutations that your melanocytes (one of humans skin cells) do not particularly like , so they mutate and give you melanoma.......All sorts of evidence to particles (matter); us humanoids never quite put it all together, as liberal ideologies precede teaching sciences in schools.....such a shame.

 

Not if your home is solar powered....I drive an electric car and my house is 100% solar powered. I am not even connected to the grid anymore (don't get me started on the BS red tape involved in accomplishing this). So, yes, it took petroleum to build my panels and hardware but after that all clean. It is possible in 2018 to be energy independent as a person. It's very liberating too!

 

If you can do it, rock on dude. I agree that's a good place to be.

It isn't a realistic option for most folks.

Yet.

 

You know as well as I do that there are two theories of light energy... the particle theory and the wave theory. Neither theory explains all of the different behaviors of light energy.

My point is one that Kyle alludes to... save petroleum for making things and it will last us a lot longer than it will if we continue to exponentially increase the rate at which we burn it up to generate electricity and heat.

There's no easy answer to solving the energy puzzle... and for all the reasons you mentioned. But it has to start somewhere. Ultimately, the technologies that will help solve that puzzle are like the medicines that have yet to be created to cure diseases that don't exist yet... I'm not confident they're anywhere close to being on our radar. But as we try... and progress... and fail... and try again, we'll get there. Look at where we've come with communications... from radios to tvs to cell phones and the internet, all in your lifetime. There are a million reasons why that evolution happened before the energy revolution, but in time... it will have to happen. I just hope it happens before there's such scarcity of the resources we need to for it to happen, that scarcity becomes the limiting factor in the process.

 

This has always been interesting to me. I remember a huge push for solar power during the energy crises of '73 and '79 when a lot of panels started showing up.

One would think that the technology would be considerably more advanced 40 years later.

 

Lobbys have kept it from progressing

I do not believe in the wave theory. While fission does release waves, it will be found to be a particle (see muons, etc). But you are correct, scientific theory will always evolve.
Also, the reason communications evolved faster than energy....sex. That's right...sex. That is how males (dominating the sciences) have always measured themselves. Energy?? Boring...what hot chick wants to know about energy?? Now, communicate?? Oh, baby...talk to me so I can see if YOU are want I want.
In humans-sex drives everything.
Lobbiest know this--they provide hookers for legislators!!! hahahaha!!!! And you and I pay for it!!!

 

Next time you have to replace your roof, look into it. You might be surprised how economically viable it has become. (depending on where you live of course).

Barry is right, lobbying has been the biggest crux in the advancement of solar energy. It still goes on today, just in the past 2 years Big Energy has tried to sneak two different amendments on our state ballot to limit solar expansion (Amendment 4 in August 2016 and Amendment 1 in November), but failed luckily. Like I said earlier, the amount of work I had to go thru to disconnect from the grid was insane. A perfect example of local/state governments completely corrupted by big business.

I won't even begin to tell you the ridiculous regulations regarding capturing and storing your own water. Not even worth trying....

 

A marine engineer I know, who's a pretty smart guy in a lot of other ways, recently installed rooftop solar, and wrote about it on his blog. He called the entry, "New Jersey solar math." You can google that "solar math" phrase and a lot will come up. But he did a really simple, boiled down, laymen's write-up that anyone can understand here: http://www.martinottaway.com/blog/rik-van-hemmen/new-jersey-solar-math. He breaks down the costs and savings in just a couple of paragraphs.

In a conversation he had with me, he said you really have to take advantage of all of the tax credits and rebates and stuff to shorten the break-even time, but you do end up saving money in about 10-15 years. Plus... you're well on your way to making your home energy independent. So there's always that...

 

Energy independence would be nice...the Jersey Math does not account for opportunity cost. The $224 (netted out cost off energy bill) invested for 7 years then continued compounding out to the 15 year mark far out weighs the $10k in his pocket calculation. Could be as much as +$20k depending on compounded rate of return. In the end, you are paying to reduce your footprint I think. But, at some point you would hit break even...I think the younger you are the more sense it makes to convert. Also, probably a positive selling point on RE investment. My neighbor just converted to Solar. He says his deal would likely break even somewhere past 20 years. I would probably do it if I planned to stay in my House for next 20 years...

 

I hope to get out of my house in about 15 years, so I'm not investing. But I think you're right... young couple, settling down in a new home, there for the long haul... makes sense to invest.

 

The reason it takes so long for breaking even is:
1) the solar heating systems today are not worth the cost; they are clearly overpriced.
2) The technology is insufficient, does not do what it purported to do.

Unfortunately.