Pollution free... it is possible

[benevolance]

This guy used solar power to completely power a modern home with a hot tub and jacuzzi....In ew Jersey....Not an area known for it's super duper sunlight

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070117/tc_nm/solar_home_dc_4

[MountainDon]

Quote from the article,
"Exide, which donated some $50,000 worth of batteries, "   8-)
How can I sign up!!!  

[Amanda_931]

Me too!  I'd love to have a (free) system that needed 50k worth of batteries.  

But unless everything else was used, I'd doubt it was pollution free.  

[glenn-k]

We have the movie "Who Killed The Electric Car" showing this week.

Our friends Dave Raboy and Heather Bernikoff will have their hard won Electric Ford Ranger there, and I understand they have a small part in the show.  Their solar panels are in the back of the picture and are enough to take care of nearly all of their power needs and the truck charging.

Interesting story.  Old news items.



http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/04/24/MNGDTCEA9B1.DTL

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/04/24/MNGDTCEA9B1.DTL

[glenn-k]

I went to the Documentary, "Who Killed The Electric Car" tonight.  My friends, Dave and Heather pictured above (they were on the first Innovative Homes Tour with us also) were there with their electric Ranger.  Also, Chelsea Sexton was there and signed her picture in the book for me------ "Plug-in Hybrids - The Cars That Will Recharge America" by Sherry Boschert.  Chelsea worked for GM on the EV1 Project and was a major force in trying to keep GM from destroying the cars.  She also had a major role in the movie.



Our local Cinema is not normal.  It is a community oriented non-profit organization that has many educational films and events.  After a documentary such as this we often have a discussion about the film, how it affects us - the world etc. and when people like Chelsea are brought in it makes it even that much more special.  These are people who are doing something to make change for the better.

More information at  http://www.pluginamerica.com/

http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/223/index.html#here

Video Trailer -  http://www.sonyclassics.com/whokilledtheelectriccar/

Thanks again to Dave and Heather for helping to get this pollution free promoting event together.

[glenn-k]

While not a house, this is still a part of the same concern, and the two are tied together no matter what you do.  People who are concerned with pollution free vehicles are very often concerned about a pollution free home as well as environment.

Found this on Rense this morning.

http://www.ev1.org/



Clean cars could have been sold for $25,000 each, cash, no rebates to loving buyers
     

Instead, GM crushed and then shredded them, sending the remains to the foundry.

Check their site out.

[Amanda_931]

That made so much sense




NOT.


:'(

[glenn-k]

If you see the movie you find the answer - Big oil -- car dealers not selling parts and service (40% of their business) because these things didn't need service- hardly anything ever-  - the mechanics went home with clean hands.  California air resources board and the federal government threatened the states and ordered their destruction when dubya came into office.  Consumer demand was a bit of the problem but there were buyers for all of the cars available.  Manufacturers never wanted to make them in the first place - couldn't sell replacement parts and big oil hated them.

The Hydrogen car is a smokescreen to stall while trillions of dollars of oil are sold-- It runs about $1,000,000 and will never be practical.  

The electric was here and doable right now -- that was the problem.  There were batteries invented to make much better range - GM bought the rights then sold them to Chevron Oil.  -- Fat chance of getting them --- but there is hope - LIon batterys are made everywhere and they are working on getting the Hybrid with a plug too.  That will get you up to about 125 mpg for the first few hours. Even charging off the grid, they are still gaining around 45% on efficiency over gas.

Here's the dude that made the battery - Into solar now.  http://www.ovonic.com/

I quit buying GM products because of engineered failure  -- I suppose they all do it but my truck had plastic parts in the transmission in 76 because the brass thrust washers in earlier transmissions were lasting too long.  You could buy the brass ones when you pulled the trans for overhaul.  This is just another facet of their business plan.  Wonder why they're going broke?

[Amanda_931]

Ford too, lost an unbelievable amount of money last year.

But smallish companies--especially things like Chinese for home consumption--are coming up with better and better solutions.  Some available in this country.  Batteries are getting better.  

I get a newsletter for an electric scooter--top speed 45mph so it is scooter class--with an almost reasonable miles/charge--30 I think.  But not out yet.  

Don't know if I could ride it the ten miles over to a regular potluck dinner and back in the wintertime--with lights completely on, though.  (without recharging the couple of hours I was there)

[glenn-k]

There goes that wild biker chick thing again. :-/