Floridians For Solar Reform

Add a Comment

Comment by Gary Munson on July 23, 2008 at 2:15am

We all need to realize the best thing we can all do to help the energy situation is to take individual action. Rather than waiting around for the government to do something we can each cut our electric usage dramatically. Here are several sites worth visiting that aren't selling anything but tell it like it is. Plenty of simple and painless techniques to cut your power bill.

http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/

http://www.builditsolar.com/index.htm

The current situation has people grasping at all sorts of non-cost effective solutions that sound great on paper but don't hold up to scrutiny in the real world. Solar electricity is one of those as would be wind power in cent. Florida. Solar PV just costs too much at the present. Hopefully ongoing research will change that in the future but it's not ready for prime time yet. Plenty of outright scams getting too much press also. The 'run your car on water' crowd is one I can think of (apparently many people didn't pay attention in high school physics). A good site explaining the physics that negates that scheme is here along with other interesting info about some of those behind the current revival.

http://www.alternative-energy-resources.net/browns-gas-the-reality....

Another scam that's been revived is the 'phase controller' that supposedly saves electricity by making motors run more efficiently. Home show demonstrations with an electric motor show it's electricity usage dropping dramatically when the motor is plugged into the device rather than straight into the incoming power. These devices actually do work in the applications they are designed for...this has the unfortunate effect of helping the scammers (or to give them the benefit of the doubt, uneducated-in-electricity folk) sell these things. An industrial application that produces savings would be a big table saw in a woodworking shop that runs constantly. When it's not cutting wood, the motor is under no load and at that moment, a phase controller will save energy. The goal of electrical engineers is to make sure anything with a motor runs that motor at rated capacity at all times...that's the point a motor is most efficient. Their striving for this is what has made ACs and refrigerators much more efficient lately. The point here is motors in your home all run at rated load all the time. There is no 'off load' time like with the big table saw. A 'phase controller' saves nothing in this situation.

In hot climates a proven strategy that works well is a heat recovery unit attached to your AC unit. It provides free hot water and also increases the efficiency of the AC a couple of SEER points. Adding one of these to an older AC unit that still runs well is a good way to cut $30-$50 off your monthly power bill during AC season (which here in cent Fl can be about 9 months). Here is a manufacturer's site for one on these and a power company document about it as well.

http://www.trevormartin.com/about.asp

http://www.p2pays.org/ref/11/10104.pdf

Please use due diligence when deciding on ways to save energy. The internet is a great source of info and you can easily see both points of view on any energy saving strategy. Just simple conservation by time-tested means is still the best way to approach our dilemma. If we all cut our power bill in half, we'd all have much more money in our pocket and our nation would be much more secure.

Comment by Alankar Gupta on July 22, 2008 at 9:49pm

Greetings Friends,
We all need to thank Mr. Pickens for explaining the energy problem that we as a nation face. Earlier it was one Group (users) pointing fingers at the other Group (suppliers) and vice versa. The problem is real. It was magnified to some extent, in recent times, by speculators. But, the truth is we are importing more oil every year and producing less. We are sending billions of dollars overseas.

I like Mr. Pickens Plan but I think it needs to be supplemented by other plans. It by itself will not get us to Energy Independence. It will just buy us more time. For this reason I have posted a petition for Energy Independence .

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/windenergycorporation
People's petition is based on windenergy and that may not be the ideal means for Florida, I trust you will support the Petition as it will help achieve the final goal. I assure You many who have signed the People's Petition will sign a Petition based on solar energy.

Please (a) sign the Petition and (b) forward it to your friends. United we can achieve Energy Independence and avoid this constant financial bleeding of our great nation.
Thanks.

Regards and Best wishes,

Alankar Gupta

Comment by David N. Heald on July 22, 2008 at 6:01am

I'm not sure where we start or how to get there, but I am looking forward to the journey.

Comment by Brennan D McCarthy on July 18, 2008 at 5:39am

In two weeks the 30% Federal Tax credit on new Solar and Wind installations will expire. Without this incentive the alternative energy industry will have a major setback. Congress can renew this credit, but they are bickering and may let it expire and then go on their summer break. Now is the time to contact your representatives in Congress and let them know this important bill has to be renewed.

Nancy Pelosi could bring this issue up for a vote, but she has stalled on this bill and will not call for a vote.
Her phone number is: 202 225-0100 I urge you to call her and let her know we want this tax credit and it needs to be voted on. It is time to let Congress know we want action.
Thank you.

Comment by Brennan D McCarthy on July 16, 2008 at 4:30pm

In Florida we need to institute a Solid Plan to reduce our Utility Bills as well as create jobs to revitalize our local economies!

*We need to have a workable rebate program. A program that will assign the rebate to the Installers prior to installation...

*94% of Americans Say It's Important for the U.S. to Develop and Use Solar Energy
Actions speak louder than words

write our governor and tell him you care!!

Charlie.Crist@MyFlorida.com

Comment by Clyde Childers on July 12, 2008 at 12:52pm

1. We need : a national standards for all states to be enact for net metering and that standards include 2 MW limitation on size. 25 kW to 100 kW will not allow business and industries to address their power requirements.

2. We need: The ability of community solar and wind farms to allow companies, homeowner to park their renewable machines and allow for net metering activities to occur instead on the premise. This would allow for orderly grid management of distributed energy systems.

3. We Need a compressive incentive program much like the Europeans but different. We need 50 Billion energy trust to be managed by the states for incentive either tax credits or rebates that can allow individuals, businesses and industries to adopt the renewable energy technology.
4. We have the technology today for wind and solar. Private venture funds are funding all type of systems and technology. With advent of 50% solar conversion efficiency by University of Delaware and MIT new organic dyes systems. the ball game is about to change. We need to support the DOE 10 Billion loan guarantee program already enacted. We need to pass the new SBIR and STTR program to provide 300K for phase I and 2.1 M for Phase II projects and national goal of 2 Billion for SBIR and STTR programs.

5. We need a real incentive for American to drive different cars manufactured in America by American, We need a Federal Tax credit that support high gas mileage cars and as the gas mileages increases the higher the tax credits.
6. Finally, we need to enact 10 year Production Tax Credit for wind, solar and other renewable energy. We stop the "stop and Go" policy of the past congresses.

Comment by Jeff Thornhill on July 12, 2008 at 11:08am

We took advantage of the California 1,000,000 solar homes program and had a 7.5 kWh PV system installed on our home. It works great.

I know much of Florida has all electric homes. Going solar for domestic hot water is less expensive than adding PV to heat water.

GE will have a new electric 'hybrid' hot water heater out late in 2009. It is a regular electric hot water heater with a heat pump that preheats the water before it enters the tank. Savings are about 50%. If you cant go solar, this is another way to save. I will get one myself.

-- thanks, jeff

Comment by Bill Mollring on July 11, 2008 at 11:35am

Please take a look at our group site Mariah Power. The Windspire is now on display in Washington D.C. at the U.S. Capitol Botanic Garden through October 2008. Units are going up in California, Nevada, and Utah now, and we will very visable and effective throughout Hawaii this year. Mariah will be available worldwide as production increases with the completion of a new plant in Youngstown, Ohio. For more information contact Bill Mollring at : 831 402-2037 mrbillmaui@yahoo.com -
http://www.push.pickensplan.com/group/mariahpower
See my page for Photos or "PHOTOS" on push.pickensplan.com

• First
• Previous
• Next
• Last