Current Events — HabitableZone

Current Events » in reply to Leaving the grid

multiple systems
jms — (archived)

I agree with the idea of multiple systems, but we are taking this one step at a time. We have reliable natural gas, being a producing state, but I feel the next move would be towards either solar heating or a heat pump. Multiple systems doing different things. A windmill is out of the question. While wind we got (a good, strong chinook wind is common here), our location is somewhat shielded by topography and vegitation, so the windmill would have to be way up there. Don't think the neighborhood would be all that delighted with us.

But these are just dreams at this point, we don't really have "money to throw around" on this sort of project at this juncture. When I do throw money around I want it to bounce back - with interest. Or something else more tangible, like electricity. The investment in photovoltaics is long term (25-30 years) and will probably just break even. But it pays a small dividend with uninterupted power and that certain feeling of independence. And as I've said before, when the power goes out, every watt is priceless.

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