Plan for the future because it's already here
| By Mark Forsythe The Kansas City Post  Coming soon to a yard or rooftop near you. Solar panels. A windmill perhaps? Even a stationary hydrogen fuel cell generator. While the fossil fuel-based world continues blindly down the path they've followed for over a century, academia and free-market entrepreneurs are quietly making incremental advances in alternative energy technologies. Just a few short years ago photo-voltaic cells were a curiosity relegated to giveaway calculators and childrens' science projects.  Today, not a week goes by that an announcement isn't made about the newest, biggest, most efficient solar power installation somewhere in the world. Companies like Google, Ford, and even Wal-Mart are making substantial investments in massive solar arrays. Wind power? Public utilities like PG&E have made wind a significant portion of their power portfolio. The new interest in harnessing the wind is even trickling down to the individual consumer level with companies like Mariah Power marketing quiet and stylish windmills that promise to become ubiquitous on tops of buildings and backyards. This brings to mind the issue of what constitutes a valuable addition to your home or business, and what constitutes and eyesore and nuisance to your neighbors? Is a rotating or spinning windmill a pleasant sound like wind chimes, or is it more like fingernails on a chalkboard? Are solar panels attractive additions to your home's roofline or are they eyesores that threaten to lower your neighbors' property values? These are conversations we need to be having now while we can plan ahead, instead of going into reactionary mode after an installation has generated the ire of surrounding neighbors. The usual manner of doing business is to wait for something that has never occurred, let it happen with little if any oversight and then wait for public fallout to react. We cannot continue to talk about giving our neighborhoods the tools to thrive while simultaneously ignoring new trends, technologies and lifestyles.We certainly won't have self-sustained off-grid communities in Kansas City tomorrow, but we will. It's not a matter of if, but when. Planning for that will make the transition smoother for everyone. |
posted by Mark at 6:00 AM
Comments on "Plan for the future because it's already here"
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Anonymous said ... (8:54 AM) :
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Anonymous said ... (10:01 AM) :
post a commentThose windmills look interesting. Are there any in KC?
Good post...
I'd like to see a technological breakthrough that increses solar panels' efficiency at least 25%- THEN we'll be seriously talking solar power.
Bush missed it all when he didn't use 09-11-01 as a call to get us off the teat of fossil fuels.
-Groucho
-Groucho
Well, luckily for KCMO-ians, there isn't any neighborhood code enforcements, so you can probably get away with whatever you want to install on your roof or backyard, so there's one speed bump avoided.
I'm all for locally produced power, I've always maintained that it's not the big oil companies that are the biggest evil, it's centralized distribution models that makes a monopoly of resource disribution (think KCP&L, MGE, AT&T). Anything I can do at my house to reduce dependence on outside providers is great.
But Mark, have you priced these systems at all? There is no reasonable payback yet. Even with KCPL net metering, I can't get a solar panel system on my roof that has anything less than a 25 year break-even point. I'm not saying I won't be in my house 25 years, because we probably will, it's just that PV solar isn't proven to last 25 years yet. Most manufacturers warranty only 10 and sometimes 15 years. So in a nutshell, it doesn't work yet.
Show me a system that breaks even in 10 or less years and I'll install it tomorrow.
its 2008 show me a system where the break even point is on my next energy bill. :-)
Groucho, Alan,
Solar panel efficiency is making quantum leaps. Within 3 years there will be new solar arrays available using concentrated lenses to increase the efficiency and bring the cost down to the magical $1/watt level. That makes it competitive with coal without government subsidies.
That will also allow the state of Missouri to continue subsidizing ethanol because we all know rural legislators love their corn.
I agree Alan if the cost made sense I would install solar tomorrow. But I would also work with my neighbors before I turned the southern side of my house into a silicon wall!
Laz,
Yes I know that solar doesn't make financial sense in Missouri today. But that's the whole point of my editorial. It will very soon and we need to be prepared.
Even without the payback there are already solar installations popping up all over KC. There's a bungalow not too far from me with the entire front roof covered in solar panels. I say good for the owner, but I have to admit even to me it looks hideous.
anon 8:54AM,
I haven't found one yet but I'm on the lookout!
I think what Mark is trying to say is that some alternative power installations are less attractive then others. I know I don't want a noisy windmill rattling day and night next door to me.
Stupid question, but then in that regard I am the master. What about hideous hail storms? Are the solar arrays impervious?
Hail is definitely an issue with glass solar panels. Some I've researched have a spec that states some type of hail resistance, but it's pretty lame (ping pong ball size, etc...). Something I would look at before buying...
Mark, my buddy was working setting up the Sams Club meeting at Bartle Hall this week. Apparently, they are getting ready to sell a home windmill kit. He didn't catch much information about it, only that it generated "700 watts". It'll be interesting to see what that's all about...
And as to the south side of your house, Mark, that's your back yard, so I think you're in the clear regarding neighborhood approval. I don't think your south roof is visible from any street...
One thing Kansas Citians should understand is that in midtown, most houses are IDEALLY sited for rooftop PV solar. Most houses built between 1880 and 1930 in midtown are facing a north-south running street (Oak, McGee, Main, etc...). Most of these houses have pitched roofs running the length of the house and pitches are most commonly 10:12 pitch. The south facing roof sections with this pitch are as close to an ideal setup in our latitude as you can get.
The other thing I've seen just last week are PV shingle panels that look (kind of) like regular shingles and install at the same time. The installer puts 'em on just like regular roofing except they drill a small hole through your roof deck to run the wiring into a central distribution box. Very interesting for me, as I'm looking a new roof in less than 5 years...
Check out this article on solar panels and look at the pic - nothing hideous there. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1830386,00.html
I can't say I agree the city should be talking about the issues of tomorrow when they haven't fixed the issues of 20 years ago. Oh me of little faith...
OT --The new age of codes enforcement is upon us. We received two issues last week. There are Charlie Willard properties all over my hood with 10ft tall weeds and yards filled with lawn mowers - incl one "someone" tried to burn down. He's had 20 years to clean up his mess but I get 6 months. Now, if they would have bothered to cross check Landmarks they'd have seen we have been working steadily on our house for a year (including removing asbestos siding and building a garage) and have a current work permit - or one would think they'd have noticed all the new wood already up. Will be interesting to see if they actually pursue all absentee slumlords...or just me.
DKC,
As Alan said they're definitely not indestructable. What I've read is to make sure your panels are small modules. Better to damage one small $200 panel then one big $2000 panel.
The prototypes I've seen from companies like http://sunrgi.com are a small, tough module that should prove far more resistant to the brand of frozen rain we get around here.
Michelle,
Thanks for the article. I agree that solar shingles are much more attractive. Unfortunately for me, as Alan pointed out my roof is pitched East/West so I would need twice the amount of solar shingles to pick up the morning and afternoon sun.
Sorry about your codes problems. That will teach you to mess with Mary O. ;-)
dkc,
Here's a timely article that just came across my reader:
http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/solar-electric/five-things-to-consider-when-buying-solar-panels/
If we all go to solar panels can I prevent KCP&L from building a substation in my back yard?
There is no reason that many of these big box stores don't run completely on solar pannels. They're already ugly, and their big flat roofs would be perfect for solar panels. My brother in law who ran for city council in Lawrence and lost wanted to make it mandatory that all new construction had to be at least 50% self sufficient. This type of thing would help the environment...and slow urban sprawl.
Plus, it might keep a substation out of my back yard.
Brent,
That's the frustrating part for all of us. KCP&L is seeking to invest millions in a 50 year old technology for the future.
The number one issue in the presidential race this year is energy. Talk (at least from my candidate) is of a decentralized grid system, sometimes called a "smart grid" or "digital grid" that will lead to smaller, more efficient power sources feeding the network.
Just today a very interesting article crossed my reader that the Department of Energy has launched a Zero-net Commercial Building initiative that could lead structures being there own power source and even generating excess power back to the grid.
http://www.climatelawupdate.com/2008/08/articles/energy-department-pushes-zeronet-energy-buildings/
This is the kind of thing I wish KCP&L could understand instead of putting a whirlygig on top of a clock in the Power & Light District and calling it "green."
The problem is that KCPL makes most of their money distributing power so what interest do they have in any of this new-fangled self-sufficiency BS?
I was reading through Missouri's net metering law a bit yesterday and there's something in there about how you can only sell back excess capacity up to 10% of your peak usage or something like that (I was skimming in a hurry). Basically, it sounded to me like they wanted to prevent someone from getting too ambitious with the whole green thing...
Good post, Mark.
I would much rather force governments and utilities to switch to alternative sources than take matters into my own hands. I don't need another piece of equipment in my house to worry about maintaining.
Eric,
Boo Hoo! (kidding) I personally want a windspire. I think they're attractive.
I am a fan of the Missouri Clean Energy Initiative although I think requiring Missouri investor-owned electric utilities (Ameren, Empire, Aquila, and KCP&L) to get 15% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2021 is not aggressive enough. I wish they would have gone for at least 20%. Massachusetts is going for 25% by 2030.
Find out more about the MO Clean Energy Initiative at http://missouricleanenergy.org
Eric, I 100% disagree with you. Remove government subsidy of fossil power and centralized distribution systems and refund the money back to me so I can get solar on the roof. I'll maintain my own power, thank you very much. And you and I are NOT going to "force the governments and utilities" to do anything, as the last 8 years or so should amply prove.
It doesn't really say anywhere in the constitution that I read that the federal government is supposed to provide us with an electricity infrastructure to be funding by taxing the citizenry, but I guess that's a different subject.
By the way, aside from periodic (annual)cleaning to maximize efficiency, solar panels are zero maintenance if you're tied back into your electric meter.
Bob you tree-hugging hippy. Don't you have a drum circle to get to?
I think Eric's concerns are valid. I don't agree with him either but I respect his right to want to live maintenance free.
Everything requires maintenance eventually. As far as PV's (that's photo voltaics for you non-nerds) there is the hail and wind damage factor. Same thing with windspires.
Thanks for reading and commenting everybody. This has been a fun discussion!
NERDS!!!!
(he-he)
Might be an opportunity here for an inventive type to create a mechanical "drape" that can be lowered to cover the arrays when hail threatens and retracted when the threat passes. Sounds expensive but maybe less so when you consider the cost of replacing elements of an array.
Hey, here's an interesting link that allows you to determine the amount of solar power your home can generate. I'm having some issues with it today (i have a feeling it's me, not the site) but it's interesting.
http://roofray.com/
The funny thing solar panels should be a mandatory build on any new building structures home or commercial.Since it only makes since.All states should go 50/50 with the government to reimburse those who go green.With all the taxes we pay should already cover the costs.The more money we save on living expenses the more money we have to buy goods and services thus creating jobs.I have the solution for the gas situation a electric car that is not dumb looking and can be used to take you gas guzzler into a electric car that never needs plugged in.Not a hybrid a pure electric powered vehicle.I do live in the Kc area and if you can disprove my electric solution then you can try.
Sum1sgem at yahoo dot com
only after a non disclosure doc signed we can meet up so you can try to prove my solution will not work.Also looking for someone with some funds to get prototype done and eventually license to car makers to get the change over to pure electric faster.