Hats off to you, TAW
Now you're talkin' !
"I've designed fabricated and installed active and passive solar heating. I've converted and installed high efficiency pulse combustion gas furnaces in place of oil fired systems. I installed super-insulation and high efficiency windows. This has all been done to my houses over 25 years."
The wonderful thing is that marginal improvements mean a lot. In California only 10% usage reduction cut price gouging (with slight allowance for paid-off politicians and hands-in-your-pockets consultants but what else is new). It doesn't take much. Your efforts over 25 years have probably reduced a few dollars out of the Taliban treasury, if you imagine as I do that a percentage of mideast oil wealth the finds its way into his tent.
I'm sure you made money, and enjoyed it. I know I am.
If we all managed 20% we could reserve domestic energy for domestic consumption, including the manufacturing you mention, with much less to be imported from enemy territory.
My belief is that we can do that, and at the same time increase lifestyle, not decrease it, if we think about it. You'll no doubt disagree, but I think with huge volume and a national commitment we can get PV down to less than $2/watt, at which point it becomes revolutionary when combined with efficient appliances.
Don't laugh. They didnt believe in lunar missions either. I've already got wind down to near $1/watt w. existing tech.
Save energy, for fun, profit, and patriotism ... |
