Why are Federal dollars going to the BIG DOGS?

aikoentp
aikoentp Registered Users Posts: 1
Why are Federal Dollars going, basically, to big enterprises? Does it not make sense to allow low interest, government guaranteed loans available to property owners? As most alternative energy is cost prohibitive to the normal person paying $100-$300 a month for home energy use. If even a third of the energy cost could be produced useing alternate methods, that savings could go back to repaying a low interest loan. I now live in VA. I will be moving soon to Puerto Rico where I own property. The cost per Kilowatt hour is outragues there, as most energy is generated by oil fired power plants. The Tropical sun can be used to supply all hot water needs, as well as electricity that could be fed back on the grid. Seems to me that most of the "Green Energy" monies are being used to give CEO's big bonuses before the company goes bankrupt. Comments welcome.

Comments

  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: Why are Federal dollars going to the BIG DOGS?

    Yea--Government grants/investments/loans are usually very wasteful and risky (beyond that needed to fill a need--like a space program or such--And even that is full of graft).

    We had our election and nothing much changed--So I would suggest focusing on what we can do personally. It is almost always easier/cheaper to conserve than to generate your own power--So starting by measuring you loads (a Kill-a-Watt type meter for plug in loads, whole house meters for A/C and other larger loads) so you know where your money is going.

    Next--Look at your current energy sources (grid power, natural gas, propane, etc.) and decide what to address first.

    Resistance heating (cooking, hot water, home heating) is usually a huge expense... Things you can do to shift to more cost effective fuels (such as natural gas) and/or the newer technologies (induction cookers, thermos cookers, heat pump based water heater, heat pump based heating/cooling/hot water) is a big start. (note--Links are for beginning points of research--not recommendations to purchase exact items or from specific vendors).

    So is simply choosing to use smaller/more efficient devices (a laptop computer using 20-30 watts vs a desktop system using 200-200 watts), energy star appliances, etc... Insulating the home (lots of attic insulation, add wall insulation, double pane windows, weather stripping, heat recovery ventilators, CFL/LED lighting,) and just turning stuff off when not in use (using a power strip--many devices when "off" use almost as much power as when turned "on"--DVRs, sat/digital receivers, even older home stereos, computers/monitors/printers, etc..).

    Once you have done all the above--For many people this is the point to stop. If you want to go a bit farther--Researching Grid Tied solar power systems (solar panels+GT Inverter) can be helpful--And for some states (east/west coasts) where we have expensive tiered power rates (upwards of $0.30 to $0.50 per kWH in summer)--GT solar can save money. But it requires your state/electric utility to support Net Metered power planes... There are many utilities that do not--and it can be very difficult to break even with solar GT systems (or even illegal to install such a system)--You need to research your local PUC/Utility policies.

    It almost never makes economic sense to go "off grid" if you already have utility power. In the US/North America--A pure off grid system costs (very roughly) around $1 to $2+ per kWH for a full time residence (installation, maintenance, battery replacement every 5-10 years or so, new inverter/charge controllers every ~10+ years, etc.)... With off grid power costing ~10x utility power costs--Conservation is even more critical.

    I have issues with utility scale wind (and solar)... Wind and Solar are too variable (seasonal, and even hourly) hits to amount of power generated just makes the utility run coal/nuclear plants a near full power (wasted) to be ready to pick up loads from a wind farm that lost its wind or a weather system moving through the area. Or--the utilities have to install expensive gas turbine "peaker plants" that can come up to full power in minutes (vs hours to days for base load power stations).

    Many government polices are making our infrastructure more unreliable/expensive--Rather than reliable/cheap and sustainable (look what happened in Long Island when the utility stopped replacing rotten poles and trimming trees because too many people complained--then got slammed with hurricane and flooding).

    Without reliable/cost effective power--We are hosed as a "modern" civilization.

    We will discuss politics when related to energy/conservation/solar RE topics--But for the most part, our forum here is our small part of the world where we attempt to make practical solutions/suggestions for specific needs of our members.

    There is a wide political spectrum here--And we don't want to form sides and drive people away (or pick winners and losers). That is not our intent here, and we are hosted by a solar power distributor/retailer (Northern Arizona Wind and Sun)--So we want to respect the guidelines of our host here too and stay focused on open and free exchange of information and related discussions.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • oil pan 4
    oil pan 4 Solar Expert Posts: 767 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Why are Federal dollars going to the BIG DOGS?

    I hate to say it but this administration like all others before it does not care about the colonies, they are the littlest of the little guys.

    Solar hybrid gasoline generator, 7kw gas, 180 watts of solar, Morningstar 15 amp MPPT, group 31 AGM, 900 watt kisae inverter.

    Solar roof top GMC suburban, a normal 3/4 ton suburban with 180 watts of panels on the roof and 10 amp genasun MPPT, 2000w samlex pure sine wave inverter, 12v gast and ARB air compressors.

  • ggunn
    ggunn Solar Expert Posts: 1,973 ✭✭✭
    Re: Why are Federal dollars going to the BIG DOGS?
    oil pan 4 wrote: »
    I hate to say it but this administration like all others before it does not care about the colonies, they are the littlest of the little guys.
    It's not the administration, it's the way of the world. Big Money calls the shots, and the shots are called to make more money for Big Money. Democratic, Communist, Islamic, Socialist, Fascist, Anarchist... it makes no difference in the end. Money is Power, and Power corrupts. Citizens United. Need I say more?

    Yes, I'm in a cynical mood today. D
  • inetdog
    inetdog Solar Expert Posts: 3,123 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Why are Federal dollars going to the BIG DOGS?
    ggunn wrote: »
    ...Citizens United. Need I say more?

    Yes! But probably not here. :-)
    SMA SB 3000, old BP panels.
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: Why are Federal dollars going to the BIG DOGS?

    Easy, fellahs; this is drifting away from a discussion on government subsidies to large solar firms into political ranting.
    I hate to say it but this administration like all others before it does not care about the colonies, they are the littlest of the little guys.

    I wasn't aware the U.S.A. had any "colonies". :roll:

    If you wish to discuss the merits of corporate solar subsidies (manufacturing) vs. private solar subsidies (end user) that's fine.

    And remember: I am in a cynical mood every day.
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Why are Federal dollars going to the BIG DOGS?

    hey coot, did you ever hear of puerto rico?
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: Why are Federal dollars going to the BIG DOGS?
    niel wrote: »
    hey coot, did you ever hear of puerto rico?

    Yep. Got a friend who lives there. It's a Commonwealth unincorporated territory, not a colony.
    Is the District of Columbia a colony?
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Why are Federal dollars going to the BIG DOGS?
    Yep. Got a friend who lives there. It's a Commonwealth unincorporated territory, not a colony.
    Is the District of Columbia a colony?

    fancy words for a colony.

    i wish dc was a colony so we could give the blow hards their own independent country to screw up.:p dc is more like the outline of royal grounds gone mad.
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: Why are Federal dollars going to the BIG DOGS?

    Darn. You mean the Commonwealth Nation of Canada is still a colony of Great Britain despite being confederated as a Federal Dominion in 1867? Does that make the Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Nunavut colonies of the colony or are they still territories? :p

    You could send the Army in to D.C. to clear the rabble out, except for the little problem of the Army's head honcho being one of the rabble (regardless of party at any given time).
  • inetdog
    inetdog Solar Expert Posts: 3,123 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Why are Federal dollars going to the BIG DOGS?
    Darn. You mean the Commonwealth Nation of Canada is still a colony of Great Britain despite being confederated as a Federal Dominion in 1867? Does that make the Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Nunavut colonies of the colony or are they still territories? :p

    And there is always Quebec.... :-)

    "Two nations in this land....."
    SMA SB 3000, old BP panels.
  • solarvic
    solarvic Solar Expert Posts: 1,071 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Why are Federal dollars going to the BIG DOGS?

    Niel! Dd you know Pa. and 22 other states have a petition to secede from the union? That is as political as I better get, Also saw a unique generator on Youngstown news tonight but I couldn,t find the story on thier website yet. Channel WFMJ in case someone else wants to see if they can find it. The generator is powered by the gas pressure coming out of a gas well. Sad one could power 3 homes. Thnk it was called a GEO Volt. Will watch the news at 11pm and make sure that is the name. Solarvic
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Why are Federal dollars going to the BIG DOGS?

    they say that every time there's a presidential election depending on the winning party and the state. matters not as we the people lose no matter what.

    am i reading you rightly that they are tapping the flow of the gas much more akin to a hydro arrangement would be, but it's high pressure gas instead? i may look to see if i find it.

    no luck, but they seem to have everything shy of, man arrested for spitting on sidewalk.
  • inetdog
    inetdog Solar Expert Posts: 3,123 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Why are Federal dollars going to the BIG DOGS?
    niel wrote: »
    they are tapping the flow of the gas much more akin to a hydro arrangement would be, but it's high pressure gas instead? i may look to see if i find it.

    If nothing else, it would make a great backup generator to power the controls at the wellhead.
    SMA SB 3000, old BP panels.
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: Why are Federal dollars going to the BIG DOGS?

    Or are they referring to a thermionic generator where the heat becomes electricity directly?

    The Army had high hopes for those some 50 years ago. I don't know how well they've progressed.
  • solarvic
    solarvic Solar Expert Posts: 1,071 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Why are Federal dollars going to the BIG DOGS?

    Coot, There is no gas burnt. The pressure from the well flows thru something like a hydro setup turning a generator. The drilling for the new shale horzontal wellsa are starting in my area. The first one in Mercer county Pennsylvania is bieing drilled right now. They say that some of these wells in ohio are producing a Million dollars a day. Solarvic
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: Why are Federal dollars going to the BIG DOGS?

    That's pretty cool; a flameless turbine. :D
    (Pun intended.)
  • solarvic
    solarvic Solar Expert Posts: 1,071 ✭✭✭✭
    Generator that runs on gas well pressure

    Here is a link of a generator that runs off gaswell pressure. http://www.wkbn.com/content/news/local/story/Mans-Personal-Power-Plant-Unveiled-in-Warren/OKc7h1QEPE2on67p_fr_wA.cspx solarvic
  • waynefromnscanada
    waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Generator that runs on gas well pressure

    Very interesting!