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Are you a renewable energy user? Fri, 11 April 2003 14:33 Go to next message
FurFuznel is currently offline FurFuznel

 
Lt. Junior Grade
Stars! Nova developer
Stars! Nova developer

Messages: 437
Registered: November 2002
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Do you use:[ 16 votes ]
1. Photovoltaics 0 / 0%
2. Solar Water Heating 1 / 6%
3. Solar Thermal Heating 0 / 0%
4. Ground Source Heat Pump 0 / 0%
5. Geothermal Energy 0 / 0%
6. Wind Power 1 / 6%
7. Hydro Power 2 / 13%
8. Biomass Fuels 2 / 13%
9. as much coal and oil as you can 6 / 38%
10. Tidal Generation 0 / 0%
11. squirrels running in their wheel powering a generator 1 / 6%
12. I don't use any energy, I live in a cave! 3 / 19%

As I am currently purchasing wind powered electricity from the local utility and considering installing a solar water heater in my home I was wondering what other people might be using in the field of renewable energy?

Shadallark / FurFuznel



Shadallark <==> FurFuznel
Mental anguish is for those who choose to think - FurFuznel
running Mac OS X 10.6.7

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Re: Are you a renewable energy user? Fri, 11 April 2003 19:47 Go to previous messageGo to next message
gible

 
Commander

Messages: 1343
Registered: November 2002
Location: Wellington, New Zealand

Except for experimental wind farming in the manauwatu(a different area of New Zealand than where I live) we do not have the option of choosing our electricity source. Its mostly all hydro or gas here tho.
When I get around to buying my own house I intend fitting it out with photo cells & solar heating..maybe some wind generator if there a decent prevailing wind. I've looked into it and it cost about 3 years worth of electricity...probably less with the way prices are going up. Then I can sell the excess back to the main grid Smile


[Updated on: Fri, 11 April 2003 19:48]

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Re: Are you a renewable energy user? Fri, 11 April 2003 21:33 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne is currently offline Wayne

 
Chief Petty Officer

Messages: 74
Registered: November 2002
Location: New Zealand
And not to forget the large number of fire places with wetbacks here as well Gible, and I also do some cooking on the fire as well.

I recently did some maintenance work for a Canadian that has moved over here repairing his water wheel that supplies both water and power along with a wind turbine and solar panels he has a pretty good set up.



Wayne

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Re: Are you a renewable energy user? Sat, 12 April 2003 01:12 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Peptis is currently offline Peptis

 
Petty Officer 3rd Class

Messages: 45
Registered: November 2002
Location: Canberra, Australia

Canberra (where I live) is powered by a hydroelectric plant in the nearby "mountains".

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Re: Are you a renewable energy user? Sat, 12 April 2003 19:44 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Coyote is currently offline Coyote

 
Lt. Commander

Messages: 906
Registered: November 2002
Location: Pacific NW

Most of Washington State - where I am - gets its electricity from hydroelectric dams along the Columbia. In theory it's very clean, but it disrupts the terrain and interferes with shipping as well. Still, it's the best energy source we have available.
The near-aqueous climate here makes solar power a ridiculous idea. Confused Wind power could be useful in the mountains I suppose. There was a halfhearted attempt at building a fission plant over here at Satsop but the project fell through and the site is being converted into an industrial park, which is fine by me.
Anything is better than a coal plant though. Evil or Very Mad the sheer amount of coal byproducts spewing into the air makes it much more dangerous than nuclear waste.... and far harder to contain.

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Re: Are you a renewable energy user? Sun, 13 April 2003 21:39 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Marduk is currently offline Marduk

 
Ensign

Messages: 345
Registered: January 2003
Location: Dayton, OH
I've talked to people who knew people (for whatever that's worth) that set up their own wind or water generators, and people who use different forms of solar energy. In general, the people running generators are very happy with them, but there are occasional maintenance issues that leave them without their own power for a few days at a time. The solar people haven't had any trouble, but none of them are wholly reliant on solar.

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icon9.gif  Re: Are you a renewable energy user? Mon, 14 April 2003 16:16 Go to previous messageGo to next message
jeffimix is currently offline jeffimix

 
Officer Cadet 1st Year

Messages: 218
Registered: November 2002
Location: EGR, MI, USA

I live in the US, coal capital of the world. Also have natural gas water heater; fireplace. Don't have much of a choice over here, so I picked burn that oil baby, let it flame. Sad


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Re: Are you a renewable energy user? Mon, 14 April 2003 18:52 Go to previous messageGo to next message
yucaf is currently offline yucaf

 
Master Chief Petty Officer

Messages: 100
Registered: December 2002
Location: India
jeffimix wrote on Mon, 14 April 2003 15:16

I live in the US, coal capital of the world. Also have natural gas water heater; fireplace. Don't have much of a choice over here, so I picked burn that oil baby, let it flame. Sad


Coal Capital of the world? I thought it was China, but I have no valid data to backup that...

YucaF

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Re: Are you a renewable energy user? Tue, 15 April 2003 09:47 Go to previous messageGo to next message
FurFuznel is currently offline FurFuznel

 
Lt. Junior Grade
Stars! Nova developer
Stars! Nova developer

Messages: 437
Registered: November 2002
Location: New Brunswick, Canada
Not sure where the coal capital of the world is, but I know that here in Saskatchewan, Canada 75% of the electricity used in the province is generated from coal with the remainder being generated by natural gas, hydro, and wind energy. For a small premium ( my 2 cents .5 cents per kWh) you can purchase the electricity "generated" by the wind turbines. There is of course no way to ensure that the electrons in the grid reaching your home are the exact ones being generated at the wind turbines but the company has to ensure that they are producing enough to cover off the amount consumed by everyone paying the premium. The response to this new initiative (started Spring of 2002) was so strong that the utility is now building another wind farm.

Shadallark



Shadallark <==> FurFuznel
Mental anguish is for those who choose to think - FurFuznel
running Mac OS X 10.6.7

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Re: Are you a renewable energy user? Tue, 15 April 2003 11:09 Go to previous messageGo to next message
yucaf is currently offline yucaf

 
Master Chief Petty Officer

Messages: 100
Registered: December 2002
Location: India
I also chose "oil" as where I live (Panamá) you only have the choice between 2 companies both using oil. In fact, the choice is determined by where you live since when the national company was privatized 2 years ago and split into 2 private companies, they shared the territory so as to ensure they were not going to compete for the consumers and have to reduce their price.

It's a sad story in a country where sun is an abundant and pretty much constant source, that you can't even find solar panels on the market or any alternative. I should mention there is some hydraulic energy in the west of the country but that's not where I live.

I also wonder if it would be interesting to use tidal energy as on the pacific coast there is as much as 10 meters of difference between low and high tide. I can easily imagine it's a huge investment.

YucaF

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Re: Are you a renewable energy user? Tue, 15 April 2003 18:25 Go to previous message
jeffimix is currently offline jeffimix

 
Officer Cadet 1st Year

Messages: 218
Registered: November 2002
Location: EGR, MI, USA

Tidal generators do exist, they are massive grey cement structers, with, IIRC, big fanblade turbines in them. won't work on the Great Lakes (no noticable tide effect) but they would definitely be a good investment. For one thing they are very low maintenance, so once you set them up, you can probably leave them for a long time, unless of course, they need cleanign, or something I'm not thinking of.


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