Energy expert Alden Hathaway and his wife Carol live in a solar powered house in Londoun County near Hillsboro,Virginia. If one in every four houses in Virginia were solar powered, our power needs would be cut in half.
Duration : 0:2:47
The Hathaway’s Solar House: Alternative to Dominion Power
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{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
I think that this …
I think that this is a great step in the right direction! Great job!
I will definitely consider this as an option!
I live next to the …
I live next to the proposed dominion power plant in St. Paul Virginia. I own a fine home in an up scale neighborhood. I would give anything to have someone use my home as a model for solar, wind or a combo grid connect or off grid system. I own 8 empty lots in the subdivision, hillside and everything faces south. I can’t afford to switch over but if I could find a way I would do it in a heartbeat.
Use me.
How are you going …
How are you going to power everything in your house when it’s dark outside, no sun light? Is there a generator that stores the electricity whiling utilizing it at the same time?
Some power …
Some power companies credit people for the electricity they generate and give them credit on the bill. Typically solar houses create more power on hot summer days when there is the most demand for power. Essentially the power company becomes the battery — the solar home owner banks his power credits and uses them on days when he can not generate his own power.
The problem is that most power companies do not encourage this because it doesn’t make money for them.
some solar homes …
some solar homes have battery banks think a room full of car battery’s, that stores the power when the sun is out, then you can run off the battery’s when its dark,
fantastic work! …
fantastic work! what a great contribution you are making!
30×800 is 24000
30×800 is 24000
6 kilowatts x 5 …
6 kilowatts x 5 good hours of sun = 30 kilowatts a day. 365 days in a year x 30 killowatts = 10950 kw a year (assuming perfect sunlight).
Most power companies charge on average about 16 cents a KW. 10950kw x .16 = $1752 saved per year.
Most 200 watt panels are about 800 bucks each (including all accessories, cables, etc). He would have 30 of these. 30 x $800 = $160000. So he is saving $1752 a year, on a $160,000 investment. The old man will be dead in the 90+ years it takes to pay it all off.
How much is this …
How much is this going to cost
you are an …
you are an inspiration. Keep speaking out — humanity needs you!
wooo yeah!
wooo yeah!
I remember Loudoun …
I remember Loudoun county very well. I grew up near Leesburg, lived in Sterling, and Philomont. I love Richmond, but I do miss Loudoun.
good point
good point
Interesting how …
Interesting how people will ask how much solar panels cost and worry about the economics of them but no one questions granite counter tops and the other expensive finishes put into houses. It’s all a question of where you want to spend your money not if you’re going to spend it in most cases.
This is fantastic
This is fantastic
I want to do this …
I want to do this someday.