Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Get some Solar Panels and tell "Bob" to Stick It!

Recent hurricanes have caused a lot of South Floridians to get crazy over gas powered electrical generators. Once they catch their breath and learn how much it costs to fuel those babies, they will begin to second guess their decision in buying them. And well they should. If they forked out $25,000.00 or more for a "full house" generator, they will soon discover that fuel costs, whether it be gasoline, propane, or natural gas, aren't cheap. If FPL is slow in restoring their power, it may require them to take out a bank loan or a second mortgage on their home to pay for the fuel costs so they can continue watching their favorite TV shows and keep their house air-conditioned. In reality, once they realize how expensive it is to run those generators, they will opt to run them less to save money.

Another approach would have been to consider installing solar electric panels. Although the cost per watt is much higher than conventional gas powered generators, the main benefit is that there are NO ADDITIONAL FUEL COSTS after the unit is installed. Plus, you can SELL EXCESS POWER TO FPL.

If you would like to learn more about solar energy systems as a viable alternative to gas powered generators, Miami Dade College, Wolfson Campus, is having a workshop Thursday, October 12th at 5pm in Auditorium 1261. Co-sponsored by Architecture Club AIA Miami, the Earth Ethics Institute, and the U.S. Green Building Council South Florida, you can get more information by calling 305-237-3796.

C'mon, you know you want to tell "Bob" to stick it. This is one way you can.

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