Critics Roast Energy Secretary For Telling Poor People To Buy Solar Panels

a reply to: TheRedneck

I'm totally with you. I think we should be looking for innovated solutions and im not saying solar panels are it. Maybe they will be once they become affordable and can be obtained ethically.

I just think we should be discussing it and not both sides of politicians pushing their own corporate interests.

a reply to: Tekner

Like i responded to someone earlier.. I'm for looking for inovative solutions if they work and are ethical. Fossil Fuels have their fair share of unethical situations. I'm not pushing anything. Just consider what could be the future if we can make it happen.

a reply to: CptGreenTea

Innovation happens when it happens. You cannot force it and the government cannot distort their way to it. Just handwaving a regulation or law into place that says "X shall be by Y" does not make it happen. We could have cured cancer long ago if that was how it worked.

a reply to: Zrtst

You might want to look into "wood alcohol" as a potential fuel. That is admittedly a bit out of my interests, but I believe methods exist for turning wood into usable fuel for off-grid purposes. It is actually methyl alcohol (which, by the way, is POISONOUS! Never drink methyl alcohol under any circumstances; it can, does, and has caused permanent blindness!).

I wish I could tell you more, but it's something I have just heard of, not something I have familiarized myself with.

TheRedneck

a reply to: CptGreenTea

I am always looking for alternate power sources. I am always willing to discuss potential alternate power sources. I have 45 years of experience working with power generation and distribution privately and a degree from one of the top US universities to verify my adeptness in that field; I am pretty hard to trick when it comes to electrical phenomena. So I probably come across at times as being against alternate energy. I'm certainly not, but I am also not going to fall for every idea that comes down the pike.

Solar power is great for niche applications which are low-voltage DC and isolated. It is expensive to set up, but once installed it is also dependable. It simply cannot handle high-voltage AC applications well, and certainly not under heavy current loads.

Wind power is a good idea, but I believe we are approaching the point where we will have detrimental effects on weather. Taking too much energy form the prevailing winds means less wind energy to drive weather; that's a dirt simple observation.

Hydro power is the best, cleanest energy we have. My area uses it a lot (although my power in this section of the grid is nuclear). Properly maintained, it also allows for a better ecology; thanks to the actions of TVA, we have wildlife and waterlife that is becoming nationally recognized. But we are running out of rivers to dam.

Nuclear seems to be the best developed energy source we have for now, although we do need more research into alternate nuclear fuel use and better disposal methods.

Wave energy is under development, although I wonder at how slowly it seems to be progressing. About a decade ago, I chose a particular wave energy project for a report for college. It was a pre-commercial unit that was to be deployed in the ocean off the coast of Denmark. The idea was to create an artificial platform around the unit that would mimic the action of waves on a shoreline, causing the height to increase. The waves would break over an upper reservoir, which would then drain through a modified hydro generator back into the ocean. Considering that the device used proven generation methods applied to wave energy instead of dams, I considered it one of the more promising ideas. Power distribution would be limited to more-or-less coastal areas, but that is a lot of people who live along the coasts.

Fossil fuels are something that I do not see as going away, but considering the geopolitical gyrations associated with natural gas and oil, any substitution to any degree to a less volatile fuel source is a good thing. I also believe that the ultimate energy solution is a combination of many different sources... one big reason why I disagree with those who simply condemn fossil fuel use in any capacity. It has uses, but the more we can move to alternates the more we escape the negative aspects of fossil fuel use.

I do NOT believe in Global Warming, but I do not need to use a colorless, odorless plant food as a scapegoat to support my position on fossil fuels.

TheRedneck

a reply to: StoutBroux

AZ has about 360 clear sunny days a year. NE Ohio has about 7.

You forgot her other great accomplishments: Going on the "Dating Game" TV show, and losing. Staring in a TV show on Al Jazeera with AlGORE. Enacting 21 huge Tax increases on Michigan during a severe recession, causing a ten-year long, one-State "Great Depression". Increasing State employees by 20% as the population fled to other States. Enacting a program called "Cool Cities", where she gave blank checks to heavily unionized Democrat cities so they could spend as they pleased. Buying her Children stocking stuffers for Christmas consisting of General Motors Common Stock, and then encouraging the public to do the same. 30 days later, GM declared Bankruptcy, rendering the stock worthless. At least with Coal in your stocking, you could burn it for heat.
Also, she got fired off the Obama Presidential Transition team for delusions that she actually got elected President, and for causing constant egocentric disruptions.
Her prodigious facial blemishes earned her the name of "Jennifer Granmole" in Michigan. But never underestimate the the power of her Hypno-Moles. They transfixed Michigan's feckless Republicans into "rubber-stamping" every one of her disasters. Try not to stare at them.
She fled Michigan to a cushy pay-back teaching job at Berkley, CA., as her personal safety could no longer be assured in Michigan.
She is also a Canadian National.
Her re-election to Michigan Governor after all this, tells me the Voting Machines have been rigged in Michigan for at least 20 years. Nothing she says could surprise me. treply to: [post=26642691]infolurker[/post

The pursuit of sustainable energy is a worthwhile endeavor, and I hope your kids find the resources and support they need, even after a couple of years.

Even though this thread is from a couple of years ago, the topic of affordable energy solutions remains relevant. It's essential for individuals to explore options that suit their budget and energy needs, and advancements in technology continue to make renewable energy more accessible.
If your kids are still interested in exploring cost-effective energy solutions, they can check out the latest developments in leading-edge solar and battery technology. They may have updated information and options to help them on their journey to eco-friendly and affordable energy solutions.