I am interested in solar energy, but am not sure how eficiant it would be in the northwest? Any comments would be apriciated.
Are solar panels a good thing to do for the environment? – Yes. Can you recoup the cost your investment in the solar cells/panels in any reasonable amount of time in Seattle? – most likely – not.
I know it’s been a miserable spring in Seattle, but, I think we got 3 sunny days last month. With the number of cloudy/rainy days here, solar will only really benefit you in June, July, August and September.
There are two kinds of solar panels – electric or water based.
The electrics – photovoltaics – are costly to purchase and it’s difficult to store the electricity once you make it.
A water heater type solar panel initially cost less and can provide some benefit even on partly cloudy days. I have even seen instructions on how to build your own (if you are frugal and handy)
I just do not think it’s worthwhile in Seattle – if it was Denver or Phoenix we were talking about – then it would be a different story.
Personal drift boats are a great way for one or even two to four anglers to fish a given body of water. Small drift baits are normally thought of as river craft, and they are great for navigating a river, but these small boats are also quite effective for navigating small lakes and ponds. The point is that personal drift boats are a viable alternative for the cost conscious fisherman who is in need of a small boat.
In this article I’m going to outline some of the most popular and viable inflatable personal drift boats on the market. Yes, I said inflatable, which is something that many anglers don’t consider when in the market for a drift boat. Traditional drift boats can be extremely expensive, but their inflatable cousins are much more affordable, and in most cases just as effective.
There are 3 choices that are viable inflatable personal drift boat options for almost any angler, whether you prefer fishing in the flowing waters of a river or the calm waters of a small lake. Those choices are:
The Outcast PAC 800 – This personal drift boat is great for a single angler. This boat is made from top quality components at an affordable price. Whether you’re fishing in still water or a raging river this small drift boat is a great choice. This boat is hade from the highest quality materials and will stand up to a ton of punishment.
The Outcast 1200 – This inflatable drift boat is much like the outcast 800, but has 2 seats for 2 anglers. Of all personal drift boats this model is one of the toughest. It has 2 1670 denier PVC thermal welded pontoons, which means that the pontoons are extremely durable. You and your fishing buddy can comfortably fish from this boat for many hours without being uncomfortable as well. The Outcast 1200 is a great personal drift boat.
The FoldCat Inflatable Boat – This small drift boat is a bit larger than it’s outcast cousins, but provides you with a platform for standing above the water, rather than having your feet hanging in the water. This personal drift boat is manufactured from very tough material that can stand up to being hit with the claw of a hammer, which means it will last for many, many years. The other cool thing about the FoldCat is the fact that it can be completely set up in 15 minutes! Outcast drift boats can take a while to assemble.
Any of these small drift boats are a great choice for any angler. Do a little research, pick your favorite, and get out there and go fishing.
Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country…..Montana!
37 Solar-Powered Boats, Folding Kayaks, Top 10 Sailing Songs
Solar Cordless LED Grill Light
$29.99
Solar Cordless Grill Light eliminates guesswork from nighttime barbecuing. No electricity needed. Flipping burgers in the dark? Clip this Solar Cordless Grill Light to your grill to see precisely what you're doing and how your steaks, brats and chicken breasts are coming along. There's nothing to plug in, it takes just seconds to attach, and its flexible neck bends to any angle so you can zoom in ...
Selling renewable energy credits is a new and interesting market. Here is some information about selling renewable energy credits and a basic understanding of the market.
Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) are frequently referred to as Green Tags, Renewable Energy Credits, and/or Tradable Renewable Certificates (TRCs). RECs represent the environmental and economic value of electricity produced from clean, renewable, emission-free energy resources that will never be depleted and are safe for our environment. The REC is not actual energy, just the right to say that you have offset the production of dirty power for clean power.
Producers of green power should consider selling renewable energy credits as well as the power itself, which will increase their profits. Other parties can buy RECs if they need to satisfy regulatory requirements or improve their corporate appearance. When RECs are sold, the organization buying the RECs obtains the right to claim environmental advantage.
RECs allow energy users all across the country to support alternative energy generation. RECs contribute to the growth of the renewable power sector, and with buyer support will continue to help make alternative power even more cost competitive.
In areas which have a REC program, an alternative energy provider (such as a wind farm) is credited with one REC for every 1,000 kWh or one MWh of electricity it creates. The average residential customer uses about 800 kWh per month. A certifying organization gives each REC an exclusive identification number to make sure it isn’t sold twice. The green energy is then fed into the electrical grid (by law), and the complementary REC can then be sold on the open market.
Several certification and accounting associations attempt to ensure that RECs are correctly tracked and confirmed and are not sold more than once. The Climate Neutral Network, Green-e, and the Environmental Resources Trust’s EcoPower Program certify RECs. If you are interested in selling renewable energy credits, start with your local electric company or one of these organizations.
There are two main markets for RECs in the United States – compliance markets and voluntary markets.
A policy called the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) is responsible for creating the compliance markets. Renewable Portfolio Standard requires electric companies to supply a predetermined percent of their electricity from renewable sources by a specific year.
For example, California electric companies must provide 20% energy from renewable sources by 2010. Electric utilities in these areas with RPSs must demonstrate compliance with their requirements by buying RECs. In the California sample, the electric companies would need to hold RECs equivalent to 20% of their sales.
Want to help companies and property owners go green? Sell your RECs on the voluntary market. Voluntary markets allow customers choose to purchase renewable power, generally out of a desire to go green. Most commercial and domestic purchases of RECs are voluntary. Alternative power providers can sell their RECs to voluntary buyers, usually at a lower price than compliance market RECs.
Detractors indicate a flaw with this system. The problem in this system is that it does not necessarily replace dirty energy. Since some alternate energy resources, most notably wind resources, are irregular and unpredictable, their production does not replace an equivalent amount of other sources, per kW of capacity. However, they do replace on a per kWh basis, electricity from combustion sources, thus reducing greenhouse gases and undesirable byproducts.
Grape Solar GS-440-KIT Residential 440 Watt Grid-Tied Solar Power System Kit
$1,999.99
Applications
* Any large or small on-grid /off-grid PV solar power stations.
* Commercial/ industrial building PV solar roof-top systems.
* Residential PV solar roof-top systems.
* Any commercial / industrial ground mount systems.
* Other industrial and commercial solar PV applications....
Grape Solar GS-5060-KIT Residential 5,060 Watt Grid-Tied Solar Power System Kit
$15,999.00
This Grape Solar 5,060 Watt Kit generates 462kWh to 924kWh of electricity per month for use in your residence. The kit consists of Grape Solar CS-P-230-DJ 230W Poly-Si modules, a PVP4800 Inverter and a roof-top racking system for mounting the modules. This system is easy to install, and the ideal size for future expansion. You have the option to generate a portion of your electricity consumption o...
