the top companies who have installed solar panels

[woodsmoke]

Ummm the top one for solar panels is also possibly the top one for wind turbines on buildings.



from:

http://www.seia.org/research-resourc...r-customers-us

woodsmoke

[NickStone]

OK what's the purpose of this? What you trying to say?

[woodsmoke]

I'm just commenting since I have taught an environmental science class in the past and probably will do again so in the future.

And, also the department requires a small mention, at least, in the environment lectures for basic biology.

The "normal" ballyhoo about this kind of stuff is "users of green enegy", that means that they "pay" for using green energy from a grid someplace, but also may have other things going on, like Intel, who is into biogas, etc.

When I was googling the net for the lecture, I try to work a month or so in advance, which I change each semester, I EXPECTED to see some company like Intel, because that is the company that is always ballyhooed.

This particular graphic, which is from data provied by the U.S. DOE, shows "installation of panels" on buildings.

Installation of panels on buildings is not talked about as much because the national attention is on "solar panel farms" which cover thousands of acres.

So, when I did not see Intel anywhere on the list, when Intel is always ballyhooed, I was surprised.

And, I was also surprised at who was on top because one does not normally think of a "retailer" as doing something like this.

Another thing that is rather worthy of note, to me at least, is that most of the people are, indeed, retailers, not "manufacturers".

And a REALLY amazing thing is that CRAYOLA is on the list!

I searched mightily for a "listing" of who is putting windmills on/near their operations but all I can get returns for is lists of "manufacturers".

The turbines do not have to be "ugly" and the below example produces a minimal vectoral force on the structure, as opposed to the old "water well windmill" of the turn of the last century.



Everybody should be into alternative energy production as much as possible, in addition to other energy strategies, and credit should be given where credit is due.

woodsmoke

[SteveRiley]

OK what's the purpose of this? What you trying to say?

Walmart, Costco, and Kohl's, rapacious corporations who care only about maximizing profits by squeezing every last gram of efficiency out of their processes and people and driving operational costs into the ground, have identified that "liberal" technologies can help them achieve their "conservative" goals.

Woody's mind is being blown, that's all.

[woodsmoke]

is not! is no! is not!

I agree completely about the alternative technologies.

Back in the 70s I did the whole "back to the land" thing, was, and still am, an advocate of alternate energy paradigms.

The problem is sometimes the timetable.

Moving that way "too fast" causes massive problems elsewhere, such as when CA mandated more alcohol in the gas, and the law of unintended consequences result was food riots in Carribean countries because of food corn acerage being diverted to fuel corn acerage.

And, yet again, it was announced today that another solar panel company has gone belly up.

And, in contravention of the express will of both Democrats and Republicans that the U.S. government will buy solar panels made in the U.S., ....

a "subcontractor" for a solar installation on government contract purchased "components" from China.

So, I am completely for moving to alternative energy sources.

woodsmoke

[SteveRiley]

alternate energy paradigms

What are these?

[woodsmoke]

LOL
I do not spend a lot of time, personally in my lectures, on the "big stuff".

The students get that shoved down their throats too much and are mightily bored by it.

The hardcore advocates should re-read what I wrote above and tone the hysteria about "we HAVE to do it NOW" down a bit, they are just turning people off(at least the students with which I interact).

So I go more for stuff that they can understand on a personal level:

Alternative heat source:

This actually does work and the students verify it themselves.

http://hackedgadgets.com/2009/10/16/...candle-heater/

Biofuel:

This starts as a general overview of "alcohol as fuel" but at the bottom are step by step instructions on how to convert your car to alcohol for chump change.

Also provided are step by step instructions about how to PRODUCE YOUR OWN alcohol fuel.

However, the new "fuel injection" engines can do it automagically, IF the company wants to say so, otherwise they just charge more for a capability already there.

http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_...earth/me1.html

Solar Panels on your house or business:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/renew...lar-Power.aspx

A home made solar water heater:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Renew...er-Heater.aspx

a homemade wind turbine:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/renew...z75mazgoe.aspx

discussion of small to large wind turbines

http://www.motherearthnews.com/blogs...ind%20turbines

Solar water heating and heated water storage, along with using stored hot water as a "heat generating wall".

http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects...er_heating.htm

This video shows a homemade electric generator that runs from water flowing through a garden hose.

The point being that the garden hose can be laid within the water of a VERY SMALL rivulet of water that is flowing downhill so that the water IN THE HOSE forms the "head" of water that is normally stored behind a big physical, concrete "dam".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQyybaaafS4

ALL of this information has been around since the seventies AND BEFORE, but it has been IGNORED by

BIG ENVIRONMENTALISM....

the "little people" are just too "stupid" to do any of this and need to be taken care of by big brother who will

enable

SELLING those stupid the electricity, fuel and heat.

And also the same for BIG BIDDNESSSS....

who also wants to SELL the stuff..

faaaauuuuggghhhh on all of them..

And a pox on BOTH of their houses!

But.... then I'm just an old hippie who DID NOT DO DOPE!

woodsmoke

[SteveRiley]

Apparently I am being too subtle lately.

Woodie, I know plenty examples of alternate energy sources. What intrigued me about your statement was alternate energy paradigms. The energy I know of comes from the motion of electrons, realized as some form of radiation: heat, light, etc. I thought maybe you stumbled across something completely different!

[woodsmoke]

SR....

You are just so.......TECHNICAL!!!

woodsmoke

[GreyGeek]

LOL!

Where's Google on that list of solar power users?

[steve7233]

Apparently I am being too subtle lately.

Woodie, I know plenty examples of alternate energy sources. What intrigued me about your statement was alternate energy paradigms. The energy I know of comes from the motion of electrons, realized as some form of radiation: heat, light, etc. I thought maybe you stumbled across something completely different!

I bet if sientist's understood Qauntum physics better they could probably manipulate Quantum particles to produce new forms of energy that we have never seen before beyond simple electron flow! lol