Comments on: Video: MoveOn launches new energy campaign targeting noted private citizen

By: rocketman

rocketman — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 21:50:03 +0000

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A few years ago a new employee showed up at my workplace. His old beat-up Toyota pickup had a sign on the back that said, “I get my electricity for free–ask me how!” I did–he told me about the solar panel system he installed on his house.
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I asked him how much it cost–answer was $10,000 for materials and he did the installation himself. I asked him how many kilowatts it could furnish–answer was 5 Kw. I asked him how long the panels would last–answer was 10 years–barring a really bad hailstorm. I asked him how long the lead-acid battery bank would last–and how much it would cost to replace it. Answer was about 5 years–and about $800 dollars.
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Then I did the basic math. In ten years the “free” electricity would cost $10,000 plus $800–a total of $10,800. Dividing this total by 120 months gives a total cost of $90. per month–regardless of the amount of energy used. And he had to come up with $10,800 on day one, $800 at the 5 year battery replacement time also. And at 10 years he would have to do it again! And he still has a power company service since he has to have backup power for overcast days.
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He can sell power back to the power company–the meter runs both ways. Assuming he can sell half of his 5 Kw. back for 10 hours a day at $0.10 per KWH he can get a profit of 2.5 X 10 X .1 = $2.50 per day. Multiply this by 120 months and 30 days per month and the power sellback profit is 2.50 X 120 X 30 = $9,000 in ten years.
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His savings for not paying for 2.5 Kwh in a 10 hour day is 2.5 X 10 X 0.1 = $2.50 a day–also works out to $9,000 in ten years.
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At first glance he does seem to get “free electricity” and a profit. He spends $10,800 in ten years, gets $9,000 from the power company, and saves $9,000 in this time–total profit of $18,000 – $10,800 = $7,200.
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However, he probably can’t use an electric stove, electric clothes drier, electric heat, or refrigerated air conditioning–too much peak power usage. He will need gas appliances for these tasks. And a more exact calculation would include the interest lost on the $10,800 initial investment–this would reduce the $7,200 profit. And cloudy day costs are not included either.
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At 10 years plus one day he would be “in the red” due to solar panel and battery bank replacement–$7,200 – $10,800 = -$3,600–a loss–at that point. No maintenance or failed parts costs are included in this calculation.
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This “free power” deal doesn’t look very good to me–even if everything works perfectly during the 10 year period. And if he sells his house and leaves at 5 years he has lost money. And near 10 years anyone buying his house will want $10,800 taken off the house price to pay for the new solar panels and battery bank that will be needed!
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Like a wise man said, “WHEN ANYONE OFFERS YOU SOMETHING FOR FREE TAKE AS LITTLE OF IT AS YOU CAN AFFORD!!” My power bill is about $60. a month–with all peak demand I need, and with no maintenance costs or big initial investments needed. Although I do not feel very “green”–I feel a lot smarter!
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John Bibb
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By: Wyznowski

Wyznowski — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:24:35 +0000

But, but, she’s standing in the way of clean energy jobs! Clean energy, people! You know, the private citizen Sarah Palin who holds no political office and has no power or authority over anything…she’s standing in the way…of clean energy…for bazillions of people!

By: andycanuck

andycanuck — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 14:54:24 +0000

And the Dems were scared of Bush when he was in office, or they wouldn’t have been attacking him.

By: andycanuck

andycanuck — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 14:53:27 +0000

So, how much did you donate, Allah?

By: NJ Red

NJ Red — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:58:03 +0000

Maybe no one is badmouthing them because they aren’t as easy targets yet. People badmout Bush does that mean Democrats are scared of Bush now?

terryannonline on July 27, 2009 at 7:56 PM

He’s not an issue any longer. She is.

By: MarkTheGreat

MarkTheGreat — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:55:07 +0000

Especially since it takes more power to make and assemble the generators than they will ever produce in their life times.

By: MarkTheGreat

MarkTheGreat — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:54:18 +0000

To be fair, there’s more to “dirty energy” and environmental degradation than CO2.

ernesto on July 27, 2009 at 9:22 PM

Wind and solar cause more environmental damage than does coal.

By: Morning Briefing – July 28, 2009 — Behind Blue Lines

Morning Briefing – July 28, 2009 — Behind Blue Lines — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:15:36 +0000

[...] MoveOn.org Attacks Palin in New Video – Hot Air [...]

By: kangjie

kangjie — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:04:59 +0000

I don’t get it . Why spend all this time attacking someone who people say have no chance of winning the republican primarys much less the general election.
If she got elected what do they think she will do and how much different do they think she would be over almost any other Republican.
Complete unhinged parnoria from the left over this woman, and that is one reason why I like her so much. I have never seen anything like it, you have to go all the way back to Nixon for something simalar

By: shaken

shaken — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:41:56 +0000

Now why would Soros focus so much attention on little Ol’ Sarah?

Because he knows that she is a real threat.

Otherwise, why bother?

By: Damian P.

Damian P. — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:32:27 +0000

Come on, guys. This is no different from all the GOP attack ads against Geraldine Ferraro that ran through 1985.

By: ohiobabe

ohiobabe — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:30:51 +0000

Have you noticed they are not attacking mitt or huck?Hmmmmmm!

By: NoDonkey

NoDonkey — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:27:55 +0000

Ooooo, Move On You Stinky Lunatic You’re Nauseating Me.org is having a tantrum . . .

Who really cares what these jackasses think about anything?

Any right thinking individual will know any side MoveOn takes, argues for the other side.

By: darktood

darktood — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:21:42 +0000

As well as using specialize water way generators on fast moving rivers for villages (that won’t really work in the winter due to ice dams).

upinak on July 27, 2009 at 7:38 PM

Ice dams are a spring phenomenon, and the problem is easier to deal with, than thick surface ice.

A oil company tried Solar Panels on their buildings on the slope to be more enviromentally friendly. It didn’t work.. why.. due to lack of sunshine in the winter. hmmmmm

Which one? And they were probably trying to discredit the environmentalists.

Also the fact that an oil company tried those new diesel trucks. Couldn’t make them last because the colder it got, the thicker the bio fuel because until the engines couldn’t take it and died as most trucks on the slope aren’t turned off in the middle of winter due to the cold. The would never start back up. The Oil company sent them back to the dealership saying never again and asked for regular diesel trucks.

All diesel thickens when cooled, even winter weight fuels. Bio diesel does not need special engines. It is a direct replacement for regular summer weight diesel.

Oh and those nice wind turbines sieze at -10. The oil doesn’t like the wind chill… or something. Still need fuel oil it seems.

The problem was solved by modifying the oil cooler, and adding heating to the nacelle.

Yep.. great ideas!

upinak on July 27, 2009 at 7:51 PM

Slander does not help our cause.

By: LtE126

LtE126 — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:37:29 +0000

Why would they spend money on this “moron”?

Interesting. I thought she was a laughingstock.

Go Sarah.

By: darktood

darktood — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:36:52 +0000

Does anyone realize how inefficient solar power is at this point? My husband is in the industry that supplies technology; no one is spending because it’s only 18% efficient. So a green homeowner would apply for a gov. grant for solar panels, then also have to use conventional for 82% of the power.

Babyhugger on July 27, 2009 at 10:15 PM

18% efficient solar panels convert 18% of the light hitting them to electricity, and can provide 100% of a buildings power requirements, although it is usually more cost effective to dump excess power into the grid, than store it in batteries.

By: Dasher

Dasher — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:05:06 +0000

Do the guys wearing hard hats to install a dippy solar panel look goofy to anyone else?

thebrokenrattle on July 27, 2009 at 8:20 PM

You never know when the sky might fall.

By: Meditacion 7 Chakras Reiki | Metaphysical Beliefs

Meditacion 7 Chakras Reiki | Metaphysical Beliefs — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 10:44:27 +0000

[...] Hot Air » Blog Archive » Video: MoveOn launches new energy … [...]

By: powerpro

powerpro — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 06:26:00 +0000

Seems like a lot of effort to attack a politically dead, insignificant figure, doesn’t it?

By: long_cat

long_cat — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 06:23:22 +0000

Hey ‘Pundon’t, your intentions are actually back firing! I think the lot of us, given the choice, would actually prefer Palin posts @ hotair. ‘Specially if they’ve got pictures. Gettin’ a little tired of Baraky and his frumpy SoS, know what I mean? So, keep ‘em coming, regardless of your veiled attempts to undermine SPs success.

By: Buckeye Babe

Buckeye Babe — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 05:36:21 +0000

Ha Ha. Seriously?
Sarah FTW!

By: Mallard T. Drake

Mallard T. Drake — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 04:40:27 +0000

Lame

By: Noocyte

Noocyte — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 03:59:29 +0000

They said that if George Bush were elected, powerful political groups, funded by millionaires, would go on the attack against private citizens whose views differed from theirs….and they were right!

(H/T Blogfather)

By: AZfederalist

AZfederalist — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 03:59:16 +0000

If they had a picture of a nuclear plant at the end there, maybe they would have something. A WINDMILL? YGBSM (look up “Wild Weasels” for that one.

My dad’s family had a wind charger back in the early 40′s because electric power hadn’t made it to their location yet. They dumped it in a heartbeat when electricity was available because even in eastern Colorado — the wind doesn’t blow all the time and the batteries eventually discharge.

New campaign slogan: 1930′s Electric Power, Coming to you today!

By: Sekhmet

Sekhmet — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 03:57:57 +0000

Lame. Fail.

This is as pathetic as the victory laps lefties are doing about every GOP politician caught with a chippie, as if it’s the first time a guy has ever had his weasel greased. Lame.