FW: [at-l] Home Solar Power (Non-Hiking)

[saunterer@jimbullard.org (saunterer@jimbullard.org)]

At 03:58 PM 2/11/02 -0600, Billie H. Cleek wrote:
>Um...why would there have to be a grid at all?  Why not just say that
>everyone has to generate their own?

Now there you have hit the key problem.  The rule for making (big) money is 
to figure out what people need and then put yourself in a 'gatekeeper' 
position, meaning they have to pay you to get it.  Investors aren't 
interested in anything that isn't going to make a fat return on their 
money.  Empowering people too get off the grid doesn't make big bucks 
unless you do it with very high tech (read that "expensive") equipment that 
makes the money up front (like the $5000 alternative to opening your 
windows that Weary mentioned).  The only people who can afford the high 
tech stuff are folks who already have big bucks and want to get off the 
grid for eco-prestige and/or because they want a place with all the 
comforts that is too far out to be supplied by the grid.  Solar power can 
be part of the solution but I don't think photo voltaic cells are a cost 
effect way to do it.

sAunTerer