[Tom Farrell]

I spent over 40 years in the power construction energy, and have lived in the Villages for 3 years. I think we have the unique opportunity to try for a project to change the Villages to a solar energy national project. If we look into converting to solar energy (not just hot water), it would cost approx $40k. No one is interested that. However if there were about 40,000 houses that would get it done on a government sponsered stimulus program, the costs should could be substanially reduced, and we could be a model for the country;s green energy program.
How would the Villages be qualified for such a program? I am assumming we have about 40,000 houses based on our population of 75,000. We are in one of the sunniest areas of the country. Almost all houses are single story of standardized designs with ashphault shingle roofs. All are conducive to solar energy. They are grouped into an organized owner structure with individualized owners. The Villagers are a dynamic group that is constantly looking for improvedways of living.
I sent a suggestion for this to obtain stimulus funds for such a program to the Dept of Energy and the White House Stimulus Coordinator. I did not receive a reply from the WH (not sure if my email got there). THe Dept of Energy suggested I follow through the States stimulus progrom. I have presented to the Owners group with no response, and also to the POA organization again with no response.
I believe if we could get stimulus funds under the green energy prram for a Village Energy Project, we should be able to target the costs for a house to $10k where you could actually receive refunds for back flow of electricity to the grid. Also part of the program would be to update the energy efficiency of your house, to further reduce your energy costs as part of the government program.
I am open for suggestions as to how to get stimulus funds and Village support for such a green energy program, or if you think it far out, to drop it. Tom Farrrell

[cybermuda]

an excellent idea - I'm in if you need people to start signing up

it's a shame to waste so much non-polluting energy, especially if we can harness it cheaply

clearly solar water heating is currently the most cost-effective way, but I agree that photovoltaic cells would also be viable if we can feed back into the grid - especially for those only here a few months of the year

I am also in favor of wind-power, although many have strong feelings about that, but do we have sufficient wind in TV?

[ijusluvit]

Very good idea. We have to start somewhere with practical solar power for private residences, so why not in TV.

Can you tell me how your math went from 40k to 10k per house? Would there have to be as many as 40,000 homes to make the project feasible? I could foresee perhaps several thousand homeowners willing to join in such a project, but not 40 thou. Like the current appliance and LSV programs, this sounds to me like a potential tax credit or rebate kind of project. We get our congressional reps to advocate for a piece of the stimulus pie to those who install the equipment and have the government grant the credits over a multi-year period. For example - a 2k tax credit for x number of years to those who install photovoltaic and reverse metering equipment. In this scenario there are not large up-front stimulus grants necessary and the paybacks are spread over more than one budget year. Also, with a heavy campaign to install panels in a single community like TV, we should be able to get lower prices on both equipment and installation costs.

Oh, well, that's enough crazy thinking for one day.

[graciegirl]

I think it is a very good idea but not a doable one. I do not think that the people who would need to be convinced would be convinced...easily, i.e. the villagers and the owners.

Just my opinion.

[DougR]

Sounds like a good idea! If you ever need signatures for a petition etc, count me in! The whole concept sounds great and what better place to begin such a program as sunny Florida. You should not drop this venture but pursue it with vigor. Good Luck!

[salpal]

Wonderful idea! I read a statistic a long time ago that said if every household in China had a refrigerator, the ozone layer would cease to exist. I believe that time is getting closer and closer.

[EdV]

Why not try to walk before running. How many community center pools are there in TV, 30, or 40?. Why not get behind a plan to add solar heating to all of them. One at a time over the course of a few years and see how it goes.

In my opinion, solar heating of pools here in Florida is probably the most cost effective energy saving tool available today. If you can’t make that work, then why bother with anything else.

[ijusluvit]

Originally Posted by EdVinMass

Why not try to walk before running. How many community center pools are there in TV, 30, or 40?. Why not get behind a plan to add solar heating to all of them. One at a time over the course of a few years and see how it goes.

In my opinion, solar heating of pools here in Florida is probably the most cost effective energy saving tool available today. If you can’t make that work, then why bother with anything else.

This is also a good idea but unfortunately the costs of implementation would be high and could only come from the Developer or the AAC. I can't see that happening. On the other hand, residential conversions are within reach of some, and lots more with tax credits.

[EdV]

Originally Posted by ijusluvit

This is also a good idea but unfortunately the costs of implementation would be high and could only come from the Developer or the AAC. I can't see that happening. On the other hand, residential conversions are within reach of some, and lots more with tax credits.

Ain't gonna happen here.

[Pturner]

Don't know if it's feasible, but I'm open to the idea.

[GMONEY]

Seems to be alot of " Dont think it will work" feelings here. Instead of saying Good Idea, but it will not work, lets get the ball rolling. The creator of this thread along with the solor heating Pool idea, come up with something in writing. Get a petition circulating!! See how many signatures you can get, find out how many you will need to make this idea heard by the Head Cheese and friends. Then start a plan of attack. You got to always have a plan of attack!! Then submit the idea to all, including the media with the idea. Get them rolling, and I am sure a plan of this magnitude will get them rolling.

The possibilites are endless with such a great plan like this. The Villages are already doing alot more of the construction as a " LEED PROJECT" Green construction, which most dont know yet. But they are already heading in that direction. If you get Resistance, Think of my favorite War Figure, PATTON. " Hold em by the Nose and kick them in the A**"

But you have to get the ball rolling somewhere, If not this will just be another thread.

[rshoffer]

There are some homes that have already converted to photoelectric roof panels here in TV.

The first thing my son suggested when he saw our home was to investigate solar photoelectric roof panels. Considering the tax credit and the ability to sell power back to the electric company it seemed like a great idea.

Perhaps if this has momentum it might move forward.

[salpal]

Gmoney: agreed, power of positive thinking. All change start with one small step.

[Rag Bagger]

That's what it all boils down to. Green sounds keen but all to often it dosen't truely save a dime and most of the time costs more. As soon as some one develods an energy mouse trap that truely saves money it will fly. Government rebates are not the answer because in the end you are still paying the bill of the new technology that may or may not save bucks in the end. As much as people want to save the environment some of this technology really cost way more energy than it saves.

So if you want to really cause a green change invent that energy mouse trap that truely pays for itself plus some.

[Zass38]

I worked for a startup, called GridPoint, that was involved in the 'smart grid" initiatives for several years.

the general concept was that if you get a group of homeowners to band together, as a group, then that group of users would then become a 'mini' electric generating plant, as each of the solar panel units would also be connected to a group of batteries. In this manner, when the electric utility needed power, such as between noon and 3PM, the utility would contact this group and take power from the batteries as the "going rate", which is as much as 10 times the sales rate. The power utilities really need this type of smart solar power. Out calculations showed that in general the investment would be returned to the owners in something like 5 years. Additionally, several utilities were amenable to contributing to the financing of the owners installations.

The KEY to this concept is that there be a cooperative of many (say 100-200) homes in the same power distribution grid.

Always a chance that a progressive utility such as SECO would go for this type of effort. SECO could then make the applications to the Dept of Energy ... this has been done in several other areas, such as Denver.

See www.gridpoint.com for some additional information on this concept.