PV Gap

Edith Said:

Would u support a solar energy utility run by the government..Do u trust solar energy?

We Answered:

Yes, solar energy is the best.

Jennifer Said:

Best system for energy efficiency?

We Answered:

Hi I am from Northeast PA. There are a zillion different efficient heating systems out there. First off, you should know, SEVERAL developers and sellers in the Poconos are under state indictment and/or scrutiny for fraud - they have been selling $50,000 homes for $150,000. Make sure you are not getting ripped off - have the house inspected by somebody NOT FROM THE POCONOS. Check out the references of the real estate agent.

Now, back to the heating. You did not provide enough info. You state propane or electric. Propane or electric what? Hot water baseboard? Forced warm air? There are many different systems. Most important will be how well the home is insulated. For your neck of the woods, you should have as a MINIMUM R 49 in the ceiling, R19 in the walls, and R30 in the floor. If you do not have that minimum insulation, you are going to have high heating bills. The less insulation, the higher the bills, no matter what system you have. You should also have double thermal pane windows. Your house should have no drafts.

If you have enough yard area, check out the geothermal systems. The ground temperature five or more feet below grade is around 45 to 50 degrees year-round. They install a heating and cooling unit. They install piping underground - about 1500 feet of pipe. Water circulates through the pipes. The water picks up the heat from the ground in the winter, and transfers the heat to the inside of your house. The neat part about this system is that it works just the opposite in the summer to keep you cool. And, with a programmable thermostat, all you do is switch from heating to cooling mode, and the system does the rest. That is the most environmentally friendly, and one of the least expensive systems to operate. BUT - it ain't cheap to put in. Electric baseboard heat is much cheaper to install if you already have a 200 amp service - but the electric bills will eat half your pay.

Make sure you are insulated as stated above, as proper insulation is your best way to conserve heat.

I think that with today's appliances such as cooking ranges, dryers, etc... the propane units are less expensive to operate than electric. But, with propane, you have to make sure you have gas in the tank. And, there is always the remote possibility of a leak. Electric is always there, except for the few and far between outages.

Victoria Said:

Aluminum can solar energy?

We Answered:

The cans are a poor shape for applying PV technology. If you cut them in half it might be a different situation, but carefully cut one of your cans in half- labor intensive. Now just how much strength does it have? Not much. It will not hold up to the conditions flat panels are made to endure.

Not to mention that in order to get get good adhesion to aluminum, there are a number of steps involved, and it is time consuming and not cheap either. That is even before you try to apply something to them. Then is the matter of electrolytic corrosion. Aluminum is rather reactive to other metals when you get them wet, and this action is accelerated by salt.

As for what is current, you should do more research, as Powerfilm is a flexible PV material. It is applied in a laminated manner. It is also applied to standing seam roofing. http://www.powerfilmsolar.com So no matter how much maligned polyester may be for clothing, it is a highly useful synthetic in electronics and for PV ssytems.

If you want to see projects you might be able to do in your home, check out the projects section of http://www.builditsolar.com Be prepared to spend several hours there.

If you want to try experiment with various items to try generate eelctricity, go for it. No harm in trying something, but just make sure to evaluate the phsyical properties of the materials to be sure they will hold up. Also know that when things break apart, they will become projectiles that can kill. So if you have neighbors within a mile of you, skip experimenting with PVC pipe- it breaks too easy and flies very far when it does- and it can kill. Do some serious research, and use some proven methods, such as what the recent books by Hugh Piggott describe. His wooden bladed props have a proven track record. And understand why they do. This will go far to keeping you from spending time with dead ends.

Ivan Said:

can solar panel and wind turbine generator system run for 6 month straight or longer?

We Answered:

Solar panels currently being manufactured, have a design life of 20+ years.

Home-size wind turbines have a wide range of design lives. The turbine life is influenced by conditions of use -- high winds, ice on the blades, etc.

I would recommend that you purchase your home-scale wind turbine from a seller who offers a guarantee to repair or replace the unit if it fails under normal use. A 5-year or 10-year guarantee period would be ideal.

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