First full month of crunching power bill!!!

[meanmoe]

Quite a few states also have incentives, like tax credits or rebates.
There's a really good site that has a clickable map where you can see what your state offers at http://www.dsireusa.org/.

I think my state actually has a tax credit for burning wood?! but no solar credit.

EDIT: No lie! click AL - Wood-Burning Heating System Deduction

[slaveondope]

haha my power bill is bout 55$ right now a month

Multiply your RAC by 3 and apply the same to your current bill and your at $165 a month for the roughly my output on WCG

[pirogue]

I think my state actually has a tax credit for burning wood?! but no solar credit.

EDIT: No lie! click AL - Wood-Burning Heating System Deduction

I wonder if that's for pellet stoves??

As for solar, some utilities also have special programs. Even though the state of Alabama doesn't have a credit, TVA has a program where they buy the output for the retail rate + 12 cents/kWh plus a $1000 upfront incentive. If I'm interpreting correctly, if you had a system that generated 1000 kWh/month, you'd basically get 1000 kWh free + $120/month. If you use 1500 kWh/month, as long as the retail rate is less than 24 cent/kWh, you're electric bill would be zero.

It looks like Huntsville is in a covered area.

http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/i...L03F&re=1&ee=1
http://www.energyrightpartners.com/availability.htm

[meanmoe]

Looks like something to look at again then. I entertained it about ~4 years ago when we moved here but it was not economical even with subsidies. Also, IIRC, there were some stipulations to the TVA deal.

Actually, it's funny (in a masochistic way), I keep planning things, but I believe that the program I work for is dead. So I may be some place else next month.

In the next place, I would like solar, and geothermal cooling for my pcs - the machines are pricey, but the 90F environment is not bearable (Movieman, I don't know how you do 1500W). There's a thread around here somewhere were someone did a geothermal chiller in an out building. (Bong chiller too)

Also, I read something about an emerging technology called 'power film' I think that should come out sometime in the near future. It has promised to make solar super affordable for everyone.

[retro77]

This idea is ingenious: Chin Hua solar glass generates electricity, lets (most of) the sun shine in

Replace all of your windows with these, most people keep there curtains drawn anyways...no need to see pink tutus dancin' about....

[meanmoe]

now thats innovative

[AceNZ]

In a somewhat OCD fashion, I unplug everything when done using it, and plug in when ready for use.

In New Zealand, most wall outlets have switches on them, which saves the whole plug/unplug hassle.

[D_A]

In New Zealand, most wall outlets have switches on them, which saves the whole plug/unplug hassle.

Don't confuse the poor Americans, it's not nice.

[NKrader]

In New Zealand, most wall outlets have switches on them, which saves the whole plug/unplug hassle.

Don't confuse the poor Americans, it's not nice.

why dont we have these..

[bot@xs]

i have 2 GTX260 one GTX280 and a GTX285 running which tips my bill to just over $200.
all time peak was around $250
not sure about other states but CA also charges you higher prices if you go over your estimate amount. they call over baseline charge

[slaveondope]

i have 2 GTX260 one GTX280 and a GTX285 running which tips my bill to just over $200.
all time peak was around $250
not sure about other states but CA also charges you higher prices if you go over your estimate amount. they call over baseline charge

Talk about the man trying to keep you down

[bot@xs]

i still feel the boot in my neck .. everytime

[pirogue]

In the next place, I would like solar, and geothermal cooling for my pcs - the machines are pricey, but the 90F environment is not bearable (Movieman, I don't know how you do 1500W). There's a thread around here somewhere were someone did a geothermal chiller in an out building. (Bong chiller too)

I've been dreaming of a geothermal HVAC system for years. Unfortunately, we can't seem to stay in the same house long enough.

There is a guy on the WCG forums that described how he hooked all of his CPU/GPU water cooling up into a loop with a heat exchanger on his water heater. He says it takes care of pretty much all of his water heating needs. Very interesting.

[jcool]

This idea is ingenious: Chin Hua solar glass generates electricity, lets (most of) the sun shine in

Replace all of your windows with these, most people keep there curtains drawn anyways...no need to see pink tutus dancin' about....

I just read an article about that yesterday.. apparently a German named Grätzel discovered that you can generate solar power by simply imitating nature, and build very cheap solar cells without the need for silicium that could also be made transparent (ie, they can be integrated into windows).
This is called the "Grätzel Cell", and he actually had it patented in 1992.

Of course, the Chinese never care about patents, see the TransRapid (high speed magnetic train)

Read all about that here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dye-sensitized_solar_cell

[D_A]

The current patent system really is a mangy dog, though. Very few are checked properly, with patents being issued for things that have been around for, in some cases, 20+ years. I remember reading about a project that was going to open up the patent process, recruiting ordinary people to search for "prior art" which would invalidate the patent before it was granted and save millions on court expenses when rubbish patents have to be challenged later.