Jack Johnson Music - All At Once Community

The availability of renewable energy

Apr 24, 2008 12:11am emilythegreat Total Posts: 21	HI All, I’m not sure what its like in your localities but i’ve found that unless you’re willing to supply the means yourself the Government assists very little in setting up an accessable renewable energy source. My cousins live on a property in Tasmania that is run on all renewable energy but they have a combination of sources. They have solar panels, hydro set up and wind. Being in Tasmania (Cold, windy and rainy compared to where i live) its perfect for them. Where i live in sydney, the government offers a small rebate if you’re willing to use solar panels. The rebate hardly covers the cost. do you live in an area that has accessible renewable energy sources or do you have suggestions to make the energy sources more easily accessible?


Apr 27, 2008 07:46pm Gravitty Total Posts: 17	From what I’ve heard about solar panels you make back the cost fairly easily. Being tied into the grid the solar panels are often producing more energy then you use. Because of this the electric company actually pays you for the power your panels put into the grid. I have no idea how fast you make back the money, it depends on how much sun you get and how much energy your household uses. I guess you’d have to find out how much the electric company pays for the energy put into the grid.


Apr 28, 2008 02:14pm jlc mom Total Posts: 116	I am in the process of putting solar panels on a small commercial building in Delaware. In the States, it seems that it all depends on the individual state, what kind of rebate is offered, whether residential or commercial is more cost-effective, how it works with the local utility, etc. We found a small local company that works with SunPower (a solar panel manufacturer) and takes care of all the paperwork, determines the sizing, does the installation, etc. There are also Renewable Energy Credits, which the utility companies buy, and seem to be priced differently in each state. I am definitely still learning about all this, and will be happy to share as I learn more!


Apr 28, 2008 11:05pm emilythegreat Total Posts: 21	In Australia its not quite the same as the us. You get a government rebate for installing solar power and the like but i’m pretty sure all you get from the energy companies is no bill… We live in one of the sunniest countries around (Australia) and we’re not utilising it.


May 07, 2008 01:33am emilythegreat Total Posts: 21	They’re just about to privatise our electricity supply and then you get money back if you contribute to the grid. woohoo!


Jun 10, 2008 05:42pm hotfoot Total Posts: 14	At my parents house they are connected to the grid but they pay a small fee every month to get they’re energy usage offput by renewable credits


Aug 14, 2008 03:59pm aquarian73 Total Posts: 52	Has anyone heard of Citizen-Re? Or joined it? Ed Begley Jr. was helping promote it and I was wondering if anyone out there has signed up? It was supposed to be up and running this fall.