[ale] Intelligent Power (was global warming) [OT]

[Jim Lynch]

Jeff Lightner wrote:
> Of course if you're a utility making money selling power it might be
> worth your while to say that economies of scale make solar power (and
> other technologies like wind power) useless for homes.  I haven't
> researched it myself but phrases like "economies of scale" always make
> me suspicious unless I know 
> 1) Who did the research?
> 2) Who paid for the research?
>
> It is not much of a surprise for example that the FDA has had to pull
> drugs from the market that drug company funded studies initially
> suggested were safe and effective but usage by real people proved were
> not the former and in some cases (with many anti-depressants for
> example) not the latter.
>   
It's not hard to evaluate voltaic solar, if you want to put in the 
effort.  All the prices are readily available and since you've got a 
recent power bill you can figure out what your consumption is.  Run the 
numbers yourself.  With the recent rulings that forced the power company 
to accept excess power from consumers running their own power 
generation, part of the costs for an installation have come down since 
you no longer need a battery bank. 

The economies of scale refer to the fact the system I was referring to 
uses molten salt or other substances which just isn't a practical way of 
generating power in your back yard.  The equipment needed to contain, 
store, and provide electricity is expensive at this time.  It works if 
it's large enough to spread the costs around.

Jim.