"Green" Electricity to Punish the Poor?

harness wind and solar, too, though I'm not an engineer like you. If your ideas are anything like mine, maybe we could encourage a lot of patriots to create small, "green" (i.e. properly engineered) villages using our ideas to make money by selling excess energy to the utilities.

Check out my blog for more.

I have no idea how to create a green energy source. I do have an idea that this or any other method that is do-able, makes sense and would save money is something our dim-wits in government will turn thumbs down and noses up to if brought to their attention. If I sound like a doubting Thomas, it's because I am. (not about your post, Grey), but about our government doing anything smart.

Good post. Thanks for the heads up.

All this foolishness based on the myth of anthropogenic global warming, thanks to the Goracle. I am certain there is a special circle down below with his name on it. Maybe they will have solar power there. Give me dirty coal and oil any day...

Great post!

liberals and conservatives: liberals whine, conservatives plot. It explains the "Laffer curve".

Can we convert livestock flatulence into energy?

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article58 77416.ece

I am about to start the initial phases of a small, energy efficient "village" in Louisiana with a solar energy source. The developer is setting this up for low income housing (single family units, housing along the lines of "Homes for Humanity").

There are major problems with the energy source (connections to electric utility, individual metering, etc.). However, to paraphrase a beer commercial: "If you have the money, I've got the time."

I will check out your site.

It is all a matter of "Engineering Economics". In other words, every site needs to be examined from a "construction cost vs. benefit vs. project life vs. operating costs" angle.

Sometimes it is profitable, sometimes it is not. But the governments' idea of changing the rules to FORCE it to be profitable (i.e., requiring any electricity shipped back into the grid to be paid for at higher than grid costs) IS WRONG.

I think you have an excellent point. The feds have, for years, tried to force their political agenda into the field of engineering. (Social Engineering in a technical field)

If "green" energy is engineeringly sound, it will "stand" on its own merits.

And in many cases, it is engineeringly sound. But in many cases, it is not.

That is why in my article I said that the minute the Liberals pass this legislation is the minute the Gray Ghost "Green" Power Co. goes into business.

Good point!

Thanks for stopping by.

how do you capture the methane in significant quantities to make it worth while?

This is the whole problem in a "nutshell". Do we put "balloons" on the b*tts of all farm animals?

Or do we recognize that farm animals are not the problem and plant vegetation that requires large quantities of CO2 and then returns the methane and CO2 to the environment in the form of O2 and perhaps "food"?

In other words, it is not the rural areas that are the problem. It is the large cities which are.

The solution is the same with autos, etc. Do we say that nobody can own cars; or do we go to an all electric car and ship the electricity to run the car thru the "air"? (Electricity produced by a combination of nuclear power, "Green" power, Hydro Power, coal power, natural gas power, etc.)

Do we start the increased development of fuel cells and other technology?

But we DON"T CHEAT THE SYSTEM by artificially forcing the use of certain types of power.

"... claim that such programs would unfairly burden the poor..."

Lets hope it does. Then the morons who voted for this idiocy can sit in the dark and curse George W Bush. Lets hope that this rolling disaster of a bankrupt socialist state cures us of any compassion we have for the sacred poor. They got a raise in the EITC and Food Stamps and think that all they have to do is elect these liberal chowderheads and the goodies will keep flowing. Screw'em!

I hope the Grey-Green Ghostly Power Company makes a huge profit so that after paying his 96% taxes we can then watch Grey Ghost be hauled up in front of a People's Tribunal and be accused of mulcting the poor of their last pennies. Power To The People!

A couple of interesting (to me) observations.

First, your essay touched on a fanscinating phenomenon. The liberal agenda constantly conflicts with itself, as illustrated here. This "green" electricity imposes a regressive "tax" (for all intents and purposes) on poorer people by its very nature, yet liberals have no problem with that, while at the same time purportedly being AGAINST "regressive" taxes and pro-poor people. The same thing happens every time they bump up the various "sin taxes", ESPECIALLY on cigarettes.

That highlights the inherent hypocrisy of liberalism: they have no problem throwing a "constituency" to the wolves if it forwards a different, but presumably preferable or higher "priority", goal.



The other is something you mentioned in a comment about trying to "force their political agenda into the field of engineering. (Social Engineering in a technical field)"

That, of course, is what LEED is all about. The whole thing's a massive boondoggle, IMO, based on "credits" for various levels of LEED achievement; Standard up through Platinum.

Gaaahhhkkkk!... You can imagine how thrilled I was when I was studying for my LEED Professional certification exam. What a load of horses**t! Then I had to regurgitate it all back on the exam as if I believed it.

I felt dirty.... so dirty......


One thing sticks in my mind: the composting toilets. Who in HELL wants THOSE stinky things in their building????????

You: "this rolling disaster of a bankrupt socialist state cures us of any compassion we have for the sacred poor. They got a raise in the EITC and Food Stamps and think that all they have to do is elect these liberal chowderheads and the goodies will keep flowing"


"When the people awaken to the fact that they can vote to themselves the largesse of the Treasury, democracies fail" -- Alexander Tytler (common attrib.)


Welcome to the Fall of the American Empire.

If you need a working partner, look me up.

I've got a load of paint I need to get rid of... and it's all GREEN!

Color me envious!

Will all of the wires used be green as well?

If it's Clean power you want, I'll run it through a bath of soapy water before putting it out on the grid!

Better yet, we'll just immerse the generators in water...

"I hope the Grey-Green Ghostly Power Company makes a huge profit so that after paying his 96% taxes we can then watch Grey Ghost be hauled up in front of a People's Tribunal and be accused of mulcting the poor of their last pennies. Power To The People!"

I appreciate the hope that I make bunches of money! However, that tribunal part could be a real "paty-pooper".

"Throwing "friends" under the bus: A Liberal trait for over 100 years."

The above statement pretty well sums up the whole problem with what is now occurring. The federal government is approaching is a "patchwork" of energy rules and regulations so confusing that even the Feds don't understand it (not unlike the US Tax Code).

And us "poor" engineers are left trying to figure it out.

BTW, I didn't know you had your "LEED" certification. When I first read the USGBC recommendations, I really believed it was a joke, sent to me as part of an elaborate hoax. In Mississipi, the engineers and architects I know and work with mostly ignore it.

As for "composting" toilets, the only successful use I have found for them is as trout line weights.

I will contact you; but first this has got to be federally mandated (i.e., the forcing of utilities to buy solar power at higher rates than the grid should allow).

And quite frankly, I like your idea of "immersing" the generators in water. It reminds me of when I was an assistant plant operator for a utility during the summer of 1969 (at age 18). The senior operator was a great teacher and friend (He was in the 99th Infantry during the Battle of the Bulge). He always blamed problems in the power plant on the "Turbine Termites" and "Generator Gnats". Except he called them "Ga-nats".

Well, libs do have that hypocritical trait thingy goin on! :)

...You know, I think it was Ben Franklin who said an educated mind can entertain an idea without actually adopting it. Does that not describe the conundrum of libs who are always throwing their idea of tolerance at us UNTIL one of their own does adopt an idea, any idea and it wasn't a liberal one...then it's under the bus with them!!

And thanks for stopping by.

Liberals have been "eating their own" for years. I firmly believe it comes from the fact that no Liberal truly believes the cr*p the preach. But they have too much pride to admit their wrong.

Nee...... hahahahaha! Yeah, great quote!

A liberal "mind" is one that can entertain one thought at a time on a good day, and only if it's approved by the current leftist celebrity du jour, preferably with a measured IQ of one or less digits.




Yeah, Ghost, I am a certified LEED Professional! I'm sooooooooooo proud....

Eat your heart out, you loser!


So, let me assure you, as a LEED Professional, your assessment that the USGBC is full of s**t was absolutely correct!


Most of it stored in those obnoxious composting terlets, btw.





(for you non-engineer types, USGBC is the United States Green Building Council. Aren'tcha glad to know THAT little pearl of wisdom?)

The one item none of the Libyaruls factor into the 'cost' of utilities for the poor is the advantage of getting an entitlement payment once a year from the LIHEAP program.
Those payments in California tend to run in the $176 to $1,000 range, with $332.75 being the average in my county. On top of which is the free weatherization of the home if they want it, another $900-$3,000 of work performed on the home. (I'm in the industry and know precisely of what I speak, since I do the invoicing for it.)

"Yeah, Ghost, I am a certified LEED Professional! I'm sooooooooooo proud....
Eat your heart out, you loser!
So, let me assure you, as a LEED Professional, your assessment that the USGBC is full of s**t was absolutely correct!"

Like I said Brian, none of the architects I know in Mississippi pay the least bit of attention to the USGBC. One even told me that some of the suggested designs are in complete violation with all normal architectural practice. Of course, as a "loser" and Conservative (I like these definitions of myself since I too ignore the USGBC) I probably wouldn't fit in with some of the USGBC's staff personnel.

Brian, I hope we get a chance some day to sit down and talk about the differences between work conditions in CA and MS. I believe the conversation would be interesting!

Many of the Churches and civic organizations (read Lions Club, Rotary, etc.) in my area perform some of the work you mentioned as a free or charity service for the old and handicapped.

Personally, I prefer it this way as compared to it being a government program. The Churches, especially, make the recipient of the "charity" help in performing the work (if only in whatever small way they can). Everyone, including the recipient, can "hold" their head up.

That would be fun, and I'm sure eye-opening for both of us.

I was talking with one of the city zoning guys not long ago and jokingly said that I was considering putting a 300' wind turbine in the backyard.

Not realizing that he lacked a sense of humor, I now suspect he is a liberal, his vehement reply took my by surprise. Apparently, my area is not zoned for "green" and I can't even have one of the 5kw 9 meter whirly gigs in my yard.

There goes my plan to dam up the storm drains for hydro-electric power!