Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1999 19:27:47 -0600 (CST)
From: Gene GeRue <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Here in the Ozarks we enjoy very reasonable electric rates.
I average about thirty dollars per month for electricity, including pumping
lots of irrigation water, heating a waterbed, using computer, color TV,
microwave, toaster oven, freezer, refrigerator, beer tapper, window air
conditioner, radial arm saw, the aforementioned planer, portable saw and
drill. At less than $400 yearly electric costs, it would take decades to
pay for a PV system and that system would not give me the power and
flexibility I now enjoy. I do like the fact that excess PV production can
be "sold" to the power company by running the meter backwards. Should PV
system prices ever become affordable for me, I will install one.
I would love a solar (and etc) system hooked up to the grid. I like the
idea of not futzing with batteries and worrying about timing issues (though
I'd put in a backup battery for blackouts). Here in California a full
solar system, including installation, is about $5000
<http://www.greenmountain.com/ca/solar/solar.asp>...they even give you
payment plans. That's after the various gov rebates. This would be enough
to cover most energy concicous household's electrical needs.
And if you're hooked up to the grid you don't have to worry about having
enough power for the starting load of your power tools. For some people,
being on the grid at all is philosophically abhorant, but I don't have a
problem with it.
There's also wind and water power. These can generate huge amounts of
electricity, if the location is suitable.
Gene GeRue, author,
How To Find Your Ideal Country Home: A Comprehensive Guide
http://www.ruralize.com/
I love your website. I did a complete read of it a few weeks ago. I'm
strongly considering moving to a more rural area and having some land. My
SO and I go back and forth about this (being *in* a city is very important
to him but I just need to be reasonably near one). Right now I've got 5500
sf in Oakland, Calif. Not nearly enough when the neighbors do laundry.
Cyndi
_______________________________________________________________________________
Oakland, California Zone 9 USDA; Zone 16 Sunset Western Garden Guide
Chemically sensitive/disabled - Organic Gardening only by choice and neccessity
_______________________________________________________________________________
"There's nothing wrong with me. Maybe there's Cyndi Norman
something wrong with the universe." (ST:TNG) [EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.consultclarity.com/
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