My cute new electric car? It's a little ray of sunshine

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.theage.com.au/news/opinion/my-cute-new-electric-car-its-a-little-ray-of-sunshine/2008/02/20/1203467178020.html

My cute new electric car? It's a little ray of sunshine

Alan Gray
February 21, 2008

SINCE my new electric car appeared in The Age ("Electric car uses sun to show watts driving the future", 15/2), letters to the editor have taken different views of its consequences. One writer claims people like me are not being "honest"; the second urges diesel fuel and the third highlights the real dangers of nuclear.

All seem to have overlooked solar power. The solar panels on my office roof can recharge my car — a four-door, five-seater hatchback with lithium ion batteries where the petrol tank sat. The genius of Harcourt designer Ross Blade is in producing a little car that is just as user-friendly and has all the acceleration, performance and accessories of its petrol equivalent, but can be recharged from the sun or wind.

Australians have embraced grid-connected solar power systems in droves since the Federal Government doubled the rebate last year to $8000. Since then there has been a 500% increase in installation of systems that generate solar power during the day and draw power from the mains grid at night or when it's cloudy. This two-way flow of electricity is automatic, and free of any maintenance or batteries. You're buying mains power when you need to, and "selling" solar power when you have an excess.

Such systems should be mandatory for all new homes and major renovations, given that hot summers threaten power cuts just when these solar power systems are pumping their peak watts into the grid. Over the course of a year a solar system — costing $14,000, less the $8000 government rebate and another $500 of Renewable Energy Credits — will generate about as much electricity as it costs to pay back that $5500 investment. That's before the 25% to 30% mains power price hikes possible over the next three years.

...

[Iwasthere]

1. WOW!!

I want one :( Why can't we do that here?

[burythehatchet]

2. As I begin renovating an old house my goal is to make the new home energy neutral.

If that's possible.

[OKIsItJustMe]

5. The Affordable Zero Energy House

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/05/the_affordable_2.php

[Mik T]

6. It's awesome to see good news out there

We live in the northeast- have a poorly insulated semi rural house with old windows with a basement apartment on 2 1/2 acres of land and so are able to grow some of our own veggies and fruits but we still use wood to cut down on heating bills- some of which we sustainably harvest ourselves- but even so our house (including apt) cost over 3000$ to heat last winter and probably more this winter. Solar is just not affordable for us and we have already put in as many flourescent lights as my husband would allow(he has bad eyesight and complains they negatively effect his eyes)

Last year we were able to afford to replace one window and better insulate our downstairs bathroom and when I repainted my baby's bedroom I bought insulated curtians to hang over our crappy windows in there.

I am a mom and he is a prof at a small four year school so our income sucks but I do have some time- does anyone have any ideas of something we could do to be more carbon neutral?

[burythehatchet]

7. I think retrofitting, like you and I are trying to do, requires customized solutions

and that just means lots of research. My place is a 50's ranch in Atlanta and there are plenty of possibilities. I think the key is to downsize the core living space. That's tough with kids, but not impossible. For example, I plan to "super-insulate" a small core of the house - maybe 800 sf, the perimeter area would be indoor/outdoor space that is usable for 10 months out of a year.

[OKIsItJustMe]

8. Start with an energy audit

http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home/energy_audits/index.cfm/mytopic=11180

Your state may offer some sort of program.

[pscot]

9. Insulate your attic

You need at least a foot of insulation up there. More is better. Just buy a roll of fiberglass batting whenever you have a few dollars to spare.

Plug up air leaks; caulk, insulation, door snakes, plastic sheeting; whatever it takes.

[Mik T]

10. The floor of our attic is insulated- not the ceiling

Does it help to insulate the inside of a door? I guess the door might not open...cause it gets down to 32 degrees in the attic and there is only an inner room door between that and the house 2nd floor.we have a snake there but-

[OKIsItJustMe]

11. Sure, it would help to insulate the door. (Does the door feel cold to the touch?)

However, look into an energy audit. You may easily find that there are bigger/easier fish to fry.

[Mik T]

12. It Does +Insulation question

I just dont know how to insulate it. Maybe If I bought a slab of that solid blue stuff, cut it to size and slapped it on the back?

PS I got an energy audit and the guy told me windows didnt matter as much then wanted to charge us 5000$ to insulate the attic and ceiling of 2nd floor (which are pretty much one and the same)Turns out he was selling insulation...are there non profit places who do this? Was he right about the windows? If he wasn't How do I make the picture windows better in the LR for cheap without buying new ones or spoiling the view?

[OKIsItJustMe]

15. I'm not an expert

But that never stops an American from offering an opinion!

When it comes to insulating the door, sure, you could put some blue foam on the back of it, or you could put some layers of corrugated cardboard on the back of it. (Probably cheaper, and probably more durable.)

I wouldn't be surprised to learn that attic insulation was suggested as a first step. (Heat rises after all.) It's fairly easy to add insulation to an attic, and quite effective (relative to something like replacing the windows.)

Frequently, there are non-profits who will perform energy audits. In some cases, power companies will (and they don't profit from having someone better insulate your house.)

Regarding your windows, here's a do-it-yourself project that may interest you:
http://www.hammerzone.com/archives/energy/conservation/basics_1/window_cover.htm

Here's a helpful guide to insulating an old house:
http://www.ornl.gov/sci/roofs+walls/insulation/ins_06.html

[OKIsItJustMe]

4. You can

http://www.google.com/search?q=electric+car+conversion

[OKIsItJustMe]

3. The Original Article

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/electric-car-uses-sun-to-show-watts-driving-the-future/2008/02/14/1202760494735.html

Electric car uses sun to show watts driving the future

Orietta Guerrera
February 15, 2008

ALAN Gray reckons he is driving the most ecologically advanced car in Australia. To other motorists it is just another zippy hatchback. But open the petrol cap and there's a surprise.

The Trentham man's new Hyundai Getz has been converted to electric power. He uses an extension cord to plug the car into a power point, charges it overnight and drives away. Using power from solar panels above his office, it costs only 97 cents to drive 100 kilometres. "What this shows is that there's no reason that here and now, today, we can't run our homes and our cars on solar," Mr Gray said.

The converted car — dubbed the "Blade Runner" — can get from zero to 60 km/h in just over seven seconds, compared with six seconds for a standard vehicle. And it can comfortably travel at 110 km/h.

The catch? The $49,000 price tag. Mr Gray admits he is "driving the most expensive little four-door car in Australia". But he says the price will drop as more of the cars hit the road.

...

That's roughly 44,805 US $'s

[NNadir]

13. Actually, on planet earth, as opposed to Mars, your cute appeal to the car culture has something

to do with the sun, mostly blocking it out, but also with changing the absorption patterns of its radiant energy in earth's atmosphere.

Appeals to car culture self delusion are pretty fucking lame, actually. On some level they are disgusting.

[grace0418]

14. Thanks for the link.

I'll book mark it to read later.