As a HUGE proponent of alternative energy, this project is way overdue. Also, despite it's obvious flaws, it's still exciting to see this. http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/06/a_pilot_project_starting_thurs.html
I've been looking at solar... it's so fucking expensive, and it barely covers even a small percentage of my power unless I shell out big bucks.
Here's an idea for alternative energy: Nuclear. If you want to spend money to subsidize a "new" technology, work on scrubbers for coal plants. Or work on extracting oil from shale or sand. Rather than focusing on new technologies, focus on reducing emissions. Let the market take care of the new technologies.
Solar power is initially expensive, but pays it's true divedends over time. One of the things I like, but is rarely practiced is passive solar houses. Building a house oreinted and angled in such a way to take max advantage of the sun and it's seasons. We had a house in Klamath Falls oriented east/west with huge southern exposure winters. In the winter the sun alone heated the place to 68 degrees when we shut off the northern side of the house. In the summer, large soffits and shades kept the sun ouot and by using a method of cooling the place I devised, we never needed AC. In a very cold environment, my winter heating bills were rarely over $40.
That's terrific. I have no problem with someone paying for solar energy themselves. Just don't ask me to subsidize it.
I looked at that program and I had a hard time figuring it out... but what it appear to boil down is that if you have solar... you can get a check back at a certain rate for the power you generate and use. (You don't get anything for the solar power you send back to the grid) In other words... you make more money if you install solar and then leave all your lights on 24x7. Does this seem rather stupid to anyone else? And oh... btw... everyone's rates go up to subsidize those checks back to the people wasting energy.
Solar power is a joke, and a waste of time if we are truly serious about getting off of fossil fuels.
I was actually surprised that Burgerville uses Wind Power. I'm not against alternative energy. I think that its cultivation and development should fund itself or by private companies like Burgerville until it becomes feasible.
Is that why Burgerville sucks now? It did when I went back to Vancouver a couple of years ago. What a shame.