Plug-In Solar And Wind Power Systems On The Market In 2011

So you want to feel better about your “green-self”, but don’t know how to, or the affordability concerns. Well, here’s the first bit of knowledge to get you on your way – one step at a time – start simple and slow, then grow.

Your power for instance, there’s no regulation, mandate, nor physics law that requires you to completely (more…)

The New Era Of Zero-Emission Mobility Has Arrived

Want to hear something outstanding? After more than 115,000 Americans had gone on the Internet and registered their interest in the 2011 Nissan LEAF all electric car, last Tuesday (April 20), Nissan opened the reservation lines and in the first 65 hours 6,635 customers paid their $99 and signed up to reserve their zero emission car for a December delivery. Far exceeding the expectations of the company which hoped to have 25,000 reserved customers lined up by the car’s roll out in December. Better than 25% of their goal reached in hours instead of months. (more…)

The Electric InterGrid – Why A Smart Power Grid is Essential

Source: LiveScience.com

On October 27, President Obama announced $3.4 billion in grants to help build a “smart” electric grid aimed at reducing blackouts and cutting utility bills. The grid, as envisioned, would do a better job incorporating wind and solar energy into the nation’s electricity supply.

The existing power grid is a patchwork of often antiquated systems that, under stress, can fail to deliver electricity where it’s needed. The grants will pay for better transformers at utility companies and also smart meters to help consumers manage their energy use.

“It is fair to say that the current (grid) system is certainly outdated. It’s dilapidated,” said Carol Browner, the president’s top adviser on climate change and energy issues. The new plan is expected to created tens of thousands of jobs, Reuters reports.

What’s a smart grid and why do we need it? Find out below.

The first video being:

America’s electric infrastructure is undergoing a massive make-over. It must develop Internet-style intelligence.

The second video being:

To create an Internet-style power system, every electric device has to learn when to listen and how to talk.

….  as the green world turns.

Our decision to go underground with the electrical was two fold:

1 – safety – nestled underground, no dangling wires for tree limbs, the wind, storms,
or nitwits to knock down. Just need to record the location, (nitwits are uncanny!)

2 – the view – one more time, – the view. All those who can’t wait for the day
that every stinking over-head wire goes underground, please raise your hands.

Going underground is by no means cheap. The power company will gladly do it for you, but,
get ready to give up your first born and a higher education for the rest.

Since we don’t have kids, this is the way we got around the expense:

We bought a “temp” pole for around $175. It comes with the weather head, meter box, and a large
circuit breaker box with double 100 amp main breakers, all installed. These are used for
mobile homes and new home construction sites (hense the name “temp” poles). We set the pole
in the NE corner of our property near the power pole with our transformer. So from main box
to RV breaker box is nearly a 100 foot run.

We dug a trench 2 feet deep to lay the electrical line. Paid $300 for 100 feet of 6 gauge
copper and that was cheap as they were out of 8 gauge. Threaded it through 1 inch pvc.
This was a rushed process, afraid to take a bathroom break, or God forbid, let dark catch
you half done. Because as sure as the sun will rise, that whole run would be unzipped and
nothing left but air in the trench. I can just imagine the little jerk, waiting in front of
the metal recycling place, sitting on my copper wire, sipping a hot cup of coffee, grinning!
Copper is so high now I swear they can smell it.

The whole time we were laying this expensive copper to hook up to an expensive power grid
the free wind was blowing the hats off of our heads and the free sunshine was still making
us squint through our sunglasses. We vowed to ourselves that if we ever get to the point
of getting the everyday necessities accomplished that we were going to build that wind-turbine.
That non-polluting energy generator and if we can ever find cheap solar panels, no roof on
this acre will be safe!

We vowed to get off of the grid or the grid will be paying us. Put that in your coal
burning power plants and smoke it.