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Re: McCarthy's observations (Re: Wind power to expensive!!)



Joe Dlhopolsky  <joed147@i-2000.com> wrote:

>I don't know about anyone else, but in my house (one-story ranch), the 
>insulation is in the ceiling of the living area.

That's like my attic.

>If I had the money to invest, I'd cover my entire 60 x 40 feet
>of sun-exposed roof with solar panels.

I got my 32' x 20' steep south attic roof replaced this summer with clear
polycarbonate plastic. So now the south side of the attic is transparent,
a 600 ft^2 solar air heater, which should have a peak power collection of
about 40 kW (thermal) at about 75% efficiency. It looks great from the
inside, with a 32' x 24' floor with wide pine floorboards and stone endwalls,
and conventional from the outside, unless I turn on a light at night. The
cost for labor (at $40/hour) and materials was $2200, including a couple
of large vents with operable doors underneath, near the roof peak. 

Nick