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  • From: Gloria Morris <gloriamorris59 AT gmail.com>
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Shaking the grid
  • Date: Thu, 4 Feb 2010 20:02:43 -0600

I looked into alternative energy very seriously about 8 years ago. I
subscribed to Home Power. Over the course of a year or more, I made a
serious study of system design, so that I could understand it, and
what is needed. I studied our loads intensely, took a hard look at
cutting those loads severely (what would have to go, what would have
to be replaced, etc.), and system design. Then I faced facts. Unless I
wanted to get rid of virtually everything we had that used power and
replace it with something less power hungry or do without, the cost of
a system was totally out of reach for us. And, the cost of replacing
everything was pretty steep too. I also figured that, the system would
take more than 20 years to pay for itself in energy cost savings, even
if we could come up with the money for a system. That figure included
some assumptions about energy cost increases, and did NOT include
rising costs of batteries, and did NOT include replacement parts in
the system, such as new inverters, etc. In all likelihood, without a
government subsidy, the entire project would be an extremely expensive
hobby that I could not afford, so that I could play at
self-sufficiency. And, I looked into such subsidies, btw, just to see
if that would bring the project into the realm of reality. It didn't,
as Illinois did not, at that time, have the types of subsidies
available in some states. I'm not sure I want the government paying
for my self-sufficiency projects anyway, as that isn't very
"self-sufficient"! LOL!

And I finally decided that, if it comes down to it, in the event of
some major catastrophe that ends grid power for all time, I will
revert to living as my grandparents did, without power. That is what I
do when the grid fails now anyway.

YMMV,

Gloria




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