WP
I commend you for investing in new technologies, You display a commitment to the environment that very few of us are prepared to embrace. The closest I got to this position was installing solar panels on the roof. Most people quickly assess that I did this to make money from the subsidy. I explain that I took out a $13,000 loan to be able to do that. Originally I calculated that it would pay for itself inside of eight years. It is clear that this will not be the case and I don't know if it will ever pay for itself, but that is OK because mainly it was the principle that I was supporting. Part of the issue is the "service" charge that is exacted by the electricity companies, but also the panels do not produce 5KW frequently enough and maybe I use my thicknesser too often. :rolleyes:
I was able to raise the loan quite easily at the time , but I doubt I would be able to do that now and many people are not in a position to consider such ventures either because of finances or renting and not their own home to quote two circumstances.
When we resort to hyperbole my alarm bells ring. When Morrison claims in such glowing terms we are going to meet out emission targets my alarm bells ring. When a British entrepreneur claims he is going to produce enough power from his solar farm to power SA five times over my alarm bells ring (and I am hugely sceptical, particularly as he has not turned the first sod). When a new technology is in the pilot stage, or even worse the laboratory stage, and it is put up as the way to go, my alarm bells ring. It is wonderful that new ventures are being tried: It is a shame that more of them are not being developed in Oz. If enough people are prepared to lose money (like me, although I had hope I would not) on a venture then small scale individual schemes may work, but if we are expecting commercial enterprises to do the same thing we are going to be extremely disappointed. The differences between idealism and reality are sometimes like our skies, a little cloudy.
The opportunity to indulge in large scale power generation projects that may not become a resounding commercial success was lost the moment the governments, usually state based, but with some federal input, began to sell off their power companies. It is gone. I don't and didn't agree with it at the time. It is gone.
Now, just to fend off the negativity I am anticipating, I am surprised that nobody here on this thread has considered the possibility of their own wind farm: Probably easier than solar for the backyard. Do some google searches for Savonius Drum. I once considered this.
Regards
Paul