OT: Into solar?

[sandbox]

I know from pictures that I've received that another one of our members is into Wind.  

The Revolution Will Be Solarized
An interview with Travis Bradford, author of Solar Revolution
By David Roberts
30 Nov 2006

QUOTE

Solar power has been the Next Big Thing for decades now, yet it remains a niche player in the energy world. The problem of intermittency is unsolved, up-front capital costs remain high, and surging demand for polysilicon, a key component of solar panels, has recently outstripped supply, stifling production.

http://grist.org/news/maindish/2006/11/30/roberts/index.html

QUOTE

Solar providers can't keep up with growing demand

Solar power may not yet be ready for the big time: The current spike in oil prices is causing a surge of interest in home solar, but supply of polysilicon (the stuff solar panels are made of) is unable to keep up with demand. It used to be that only those in the semiconductor industry cared about polysilicon, but about half of this year's supply will go to the solar industry. The current shortage means higher prices and longer wait times. The delightfully named Barry Cinnamon of California's Akeena Solar admits that a 16-panel system now costs about $25,500, a jump of $3,500 from 2004. Residential clients in Jacksonville, Fla., are having to wait three months to solarize. The same wait applies in North Hollywood, Calif. -- though if they get desperate there, they always know where to find some spare silicone.

http://grist.org/news/daily/2006/05/01/3/

QUOTE

Solar Energy:
An Economic Inevitability


Founded in 2003, the Prometheus Institute for Sustainable Development is a US-based non-profit focusing on collecting and disseminating information on all types of technology and processes used in promoting global economic, industrial, and societal sustainable development.

http://www.prometheus.org/

global energy link http://www.theoildrum.com/

[jguti]

That's it!
I am starting a bio deisel revolution down here in the south (USA)

[sandbox]

Well jguti, with the steady gulf breezes, or current if you’re not close, and the large amount of sunny days Bio diesel wouldn't be my first choice. The close proximity to the soon be tapped natural gas resources in the gulf, the slow but steady flow of the rivers into the delta, in addition to the improved nuclear options coming online will pretty much divert any huge investment in Bio Diesel into more eco-friendly options.

I'm in the market for a solar panel for my iBook that I can carry into remote areas. I think that development of task specific modules will become increasingly available in time.

Buy a drier get a solar panel, buy a hot water heater get two, better insulation will promote solar refrigeration, better batteries will promote mobility. With just investment, time, innovation and WILL we can solve many problems confronting us.

[Gregg]

Cooking oil is supposed to be a good energy source too. Problem is, the cholesterol will kill you before you fry enough of those composted chickens to make the quantity of oil you'd need to power the fryer. It's a viscious circle.

[sandbox]

Cooking oil is an option here Gregg, folks make it their business to collect it and some diesels will run it, though it smells like french fries.

My uncle in Maine ran all his farm vehicles on bio diesel, as did his father during the depression. He had an old IH (internatational harvester) truck that would run on it as well. He used potatoes primarily but would ferment just about anything he thought would burn.  

[jcarter]

There is a local person here who is using the cooking oil for fuel in his heating oil company, I think you have to make a slight moderation to your burner, and he has a list of things that you have to do to your diesel truck engine to use it.  But its becoming popular here finally.
And we have a solar thing on our house, its amazing what heat it puts out on a sunny winter day!
And maybe you have read of the proposed wind farm here between Hyannis and Nantucket.  That is a good idea, but the funding is all messed up, and the fact that we dont have much wind at night might not be economical.  It would take a long long time to put enuf into the powergrid to make up for the initial cost.  But still, all these things are are very important to work on.
Nuclear power too, they would relieve a lot of our dependency on importing oil.  But president Carter(no relation!)stopped the re-processing of uranium. History Channel again. I would have to ask my husband the details on that, but I would think that nuclear power generation could be upped.
All these things combined could really make the USA a lot more self sufficient.
I can sure say that even here in New England, solar can really make a difference.
On the coldest(sunny) days, we can shut our heat off, turn the fan on manual, and heat the house from our one solar room. February is the best.
Check this one out, plug in your closest city,
http://www.jgiesen.de/daylight/index.htm
Jane