I have an IDEAR

[Chumbucket843]

As much as I would love this idea to work I don't think it will.
I think the way for us is to keep our eyes open for someone or a foundation that would offer help in cutting the electrical costs by perhaps sponsoring all or a percentage of the costs of installin solar power.
my normal house costs for electric in the summer WITHOUT the crunchers is app $150.00/month.
With the crunchers it's up near $360.00/month..
That's $210.00/month in summer and app $160.00 in winter..Cut that cost and I could afford to assemble a new top machine every year just on the savings..

solar is ridiculously expensive:http://sharpusa.cleanpowerestimator.com/sharpusa.htm
i think it would be cool if our research discovered a drug and crunchers got some kind of company share or profits.

[Movieman]

solar is ridiculously expensive:http://sharpusa.cleanpowerestimator.com/sharpusa.htm
i think it would be cool if our research discovered a drug and crunchers got some kind of company share or profits.

I know it's expensive, thats why I want someone else to pay for it!

[[XC] leviathan18]

I know it's expensive, thats why I want someone else to pay for it!

yeah but with the wind link you can get more people with the same money

glad i pay peanuts for electricity

[Gamekiller]

How much energy does wind power make compared to solar in general? I know it depends on the wind speed.

[CmB]

I know it's expensive, thats why I want someone else to pay for it!

That's the whole point of this thread

[perkam]

In Ontario, Canada, you can now buy Solar panels and sell unused energy back to the Hydro company here for a profit.

Dunno if this is the case anywhere else.

Perkam

[Gamekiller]

In Ontario, Canada, you can now buy Solar panels and sell unused energy back to the Hydro company here for a profit.

Dunno if this is the case anywhere else.

Perkam

It's the case in most areas as far as I know. I think in the US there's a law that makes them have to buy up to a certain amount but I'm not for sure.

[Mr_Slinky]

Forget about solar ... this is to expensive. I'd rather look into Windenergy. I recently read about a new wind turbine which is small enough to be used in the city or town, runs on low wind speeds, absolutely quiet and prices may drop quickly when it hits the market (I hope this is soon in the US).
Here is a link to the company: http://www.quietrevolution.co.uk/qr5.htm
I'm definitely waiting for this one - not only because of crunching ...

I am not sure on most states but here in Wisconsin you would need to file a permit with the DNR(Department of Natural Resources) and that have to see how it will affect all the wildlife and perform an extensive study, takes about 1-2 years to have them do that and then when you get the go ahead from the DNR then you have to hold town meetings on the proposed location. From what I have seen everyone loves the idea but they don't want it close to them, the not in my backyard. There is a wind farm down by where my grandma is and they had started this back in the 90's and took almost 5 years to get the ok from the DNR the town meetings for the surrounding areas were fun to attend as well lots of people up in arms because its going to tip over and kill all the birds when their migrating. all that had to be settled before the construction could start. But it has become easier to add to them and since the first one is environmentally friendly and has been there for 10+ years, I believe its sustainable.

Since wind cost much more then solar and you don't have to check with your local municipalities its therefore easier, in my simple little mind.

[Duh]

How much energy does wind power make compared to solar in general? I know it depends on the wind speed.

dont know much but: how much space on the roof you are planning to use the power of the solar panels, if there are many efficiency differences between models ... what I ve read is that wind energy is more buck-wise

I have a nice plan but the meds are kicking in and dont feel like doing a long post at this moment..
I like the idea.. I love you guys

[Gamekiller]

I've been planning to build a wind turbine from scratch but it would only do DC power which could be inverted to AC but only for smaller items.

Something I though of: Solar panels might reflex the heat off of your roof and thus reducing indoor cooling needs?

[jspace]

They don't have to be DC, and in fact I think it is supposed to be more efficient to use AC. It's just more work to build an alternator than to use a DC motor.

[mreuter80]

I am not sure on most states but here in Wisconsin you would need to file a permit with the DNR(Department of Natural Resources) and that have to see how it will affect all the wildlife and perform an extensive study, takes about 1-2 years to have them do that and then when you get the go ahead from the DNR then you have to hold town meetings on the proposed location. From what I have seen everyone loves the idea but they don't want it close to them, the not in my backyard. There is a wind farm down by where my grandma is and they had started this back in the 90's and took almost 5 years to get the ok from the DNR the town meetings for the surrounding areas were fun to attend as well lots of people up in arms because its going to tip over and kill all the birds when their migrating. all that had to be settled before the construction could start. But it has become easier to add to them and since the first one is environmentally friendly and has been there for 10+ years, I believe its sustainable.

Since wind cost much more then solar and you don't have to check with your local municipalities its therefore easier, in my simple little mind.

Yes, you are right, regular wind turbines might have an impact on wild life. But keep in mind the turbine I referenced is made for towns, can have a cage around it, so no bird could actually fly into it and get killed. It is quiet and it diameter is very small compared to the regular windmills.
Well, as long it is not available in the US I don't need to think to much about it.

[Duh]

I thought of having a closed/locked community DC ( data center) so we can prove that we are not using it for other purpose.. everything would be managed via remote access and if hardware smashed we got f... it would be cool each to have his own comp in the DC :P

[jcool]

Wind sucks.. I have been looking to get a solar panel for my parent's house, something that would generate around 3kw/h costs like 10000€ with governmental aids, not that bad really. Unfortunately the roof area is too small, the houses' positioning is less than ideal to mount a larger solar array...

[Jaco]

Wind sucks..

no , it blows

[jcool]

Yeah right.

[Duh]

Wind sucks.. I have been looking to get a solar panel for my parent's house, something that would generate around 3kw/h costs like 10000€ with governmental aids, not that bad really. Unfortunately the roof area is too small, the houses' positioning is less than ideal to mount a larger solar array...

down here the same stuff would actually cost the same but with one or two more zeros (ballparking)

edit: after reading this: I understand more stuff about solar energy ( and why in germany is so damn cheap to have solar energy )

[Otis11]

down here the same stuff would actually cost the same but with one or two more zeros (ballparking)

edit: after reading this: I understand more stuff about solar energy ( and why in germany is so damn cheap to have solar energy )

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure they substudize it like the US is starting to do. (30% tax exemption on up to $5000 per year for things that make your house more efficent - wonder if crunchers count...? )

But now that I'm thinking about it... We might be able to pull a lesson from Naja and his Geo loop and be able to count it for tax credit, or set it up to where our computers heat our house in the winter and claim $1500 off of our taxes if we spend the $5000 on computers and radiators... Worth looking into anyone?

[mreuter80]

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure they substudize it like the US is starting to do. (30% tax exemption on up to $5000 per year for things that make your house more efficent - wonder if crunchers count...? )

But now that I'm thinking about it... We might be able to pull a lesson from Naja and his Geo loop and be able to count it for tax credit, or set it up to where our computers heat our house in the winter and claim $1500 off of our taxes if we spend the $5000 on computers and radiators... Worth looking into anyone?

Yep ... and in Germany the energy giants must take your electricity for a fixed price (which is of course higher than you would actually be able to produce from Solar) - that makes it so tempting in Germany. Here in the US I haven't seen the "fixed" price

[Aerou]

I would very much welcome any sort of electricity fund, because the frackin bill prevented me from building another cruncher

[CmB]

First off sorry for diggin up an old thread but i had another idear and thought I might just continue this thread rather than clutter up with a new one lol. Here's what it is:

I saw this Joulemeter from Microsoft and it hit that we might use the software electricity meter capability to prove what electricity we used for what DC program. Maybe it's not the answer but maybe it's a start in the right direction? I would like to see something happen along these lines if we can...if not, I believe its still worth crunching, folding etc. anyway lol. But if we can write off mileage for business [usually you just state what miles you drove for work right?] why can't we figure out a way to write off electricity usage?

[fallwind]

WCG is not a registered charity so that pretty much shoots down any chance from getting a tax break out of crunching.

[CmB]

well that stinks. Looks like I have to make a few political phone calls and see if WCg is willing to change this. Long shot but why not? I've wasted my time on worse things lol

[aythrea]

I kinda like the idea of Wind Energy. But I'm not sold on one specific type at any time. A combination of Wind and Solar sounds like a good idea to me. Especially since I live in OK. A handful of solar panels, and a few wind turbines out to produce quite a bit. I'm mostly concerned about hail shattering the solar panels.

[naokaji]

Forget about solar ... this is to expensive.

Yes it is expensive, but some of the bigger Companies could easily fit it into their marketing budget and not only claim they support the fight against Cancer but on top of that use it as part of their Green Marketing strategy they all keep talking about.