"GROVER" wrote in message
oups.com...

| The portion of utility bills I refer to are dedicated only to
comfort
| heating. Any electical usage for ww tools, lighting etc. would be
| independent of that amount. The total electrical energy measured at
| the meter should be somewhat less than it would have been if the
user
| had electrical or gas fired comfort heat. The saving per billing
| cycle can be layed off against the capital investment of the solar
| equipment to determine a payout period. I am not an accountant but I
| believe there are some tax advantages for the purchaser of such
| equipment.

Ok.

| Unfortunately it does matter where the petroleum comes from since we
| import so much foreign oil we must endure the vagaries of the
| countries of origen and the economic problems that come from the
| balance of payments.

Agreed - but notice that all of this is related closely to supply and
demand dynamics. A reduced demand produces the same effects as an
expanded supply which (I would expect) would produce the same effect
as a "stronger" purchasing currency.

There's a geometric (perhaps even exponential) growth in demand
globally, a diminishing global supply, and (in the case of the USA) a
weakening currency. The first two factors are sufficient to establish
that, in the absence of some major breakthrough, we can expect energy
supply problems everywhere - and the third factor can be interpreted
as an indicator that the USA, along with other nations lacking strong
currencies, may experience those problems with an above average level
of discomfort if we lack the self-discipline to put (and keep) our
economic house in order.

The vagaries of oil-producing countries are significant only because
of the supply/demand imbalance. As we've seen several times in the
past, attempts by cartels to manipulate prices failed consistantly
whenever even one major supplier declined to participate in
artificially restricting the supply - but note that all of those
scenarios played out in the context in which supply _could_ meet
demand. If/when the restriction is not artificial, we'll all be in
need of a fallback strategy.

Of course, if we conduct our foreign affairs in such a way that not
even one supplier would break ranks, then we could find ourselves in a
serious bind.

| This sounds like a heavy load to put on the back of your solar
| devices. But as I originally said you have taken a small step in the
| right direction. You said you were proud of your work, as well you
| should be. From the photos it appears to be well made with a very
| professional look about it.

Thanks - but even I recognize that it's not much of a step. I suspect
that its primary value will be to impress upon a few folks that there
are some viable alternative technologies. The panel /is/ well-made,
but the professional look comes from a good installation job by the
construction crew.

In the context of this group, I'd be really pleased know that if
people weren't woodworking in the wintertime, it wasn't because their
shop was too cold and/or the energy to heat it was too expensive.

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/solar.html