A Further Look at Solar

This is the first time I have blogged.  It makes me feel young again - - even though I have, obviously, not yet mastered the art.  It also looks like there is not much interest in Solar Energy, at least not in Florissant or North County.  No worries.  I’m a grandpa and in need of the practice, telling stories.

Anyway, during my research on the topic of Solar Energy, I came across a town hall meeting of sorts.  Some folks involved in something called a “Green Challenge” were meeting in Creve Coeur on the following Sunday at 2:00PM.  Why not, it’s after church?  I decided to go over there and listen, to give my eyes a rest and listen to someone speak about Solar.  Creve Coeur is South of Florissant.  Judging by the name, it was a French settlement not unlike our own.  I traveled south and, just before I got to short sleeve weather, I was in Creve Coeur.  Their Civic Center is just off Ladue Road.  The neighborhood had large brick homes.  These people have a lot of money, I thought, money is what you need for Solar.

At the meeting, the installer/vendor had four people from his firm and two people from Ameren Missouri.  I counted thirty-two people wanting to hear about Solar – or – maybe they just showed up for the chocolate chip cookies, water, and coffee.  The main speaker introduced the people from his company and Ameren.  He presented well with his Power Point demo; told us what I had read on the internet, the 60% savings we would have on the Solar System after the Ameren Rebate and the Tax Credits, the difference between mono-crystalline and polycrystalline solar panels, integrated systems, and such.  He said that batteries were expensive and that it was better to hook to the grid.  He addressed the durability issues, hail and bad weather.  By the way, it stands to reason that solar panels will extend the life of your roof.  He said that their objective was to save for us, in the neighborhood, 95% on our electric bill.  I thought, in this neighborhood, that could be a chunk of change.  There was no price talk.  For pricing, you have to speak to a salesperson and they were taking names.  I don’t like pushy salespersons.  For me to address one requires preparation.   So I grabbed a cookie, stuck it in my mouth, put another in my pocket and left.  There were plenty of cookies.

I went home and decided to go to work.  Where are my electric bills?  When I need something like that, I ask my children’s mother, just as they “still” do.  Mothers generally know where to find everything.  Our home, during the last twelve months, used 14,657 KWh, that’s Kilowatt hours, at an average cost of 10.3 cents, in other words, $1,511.58. I don’t know about you but, for the wife and I, that is serious money, more than a seven foot True Temper rod and a Shakespeare spin cast reel, more than a three day stay at the Still Waters condo in Branson, and more than new curtains for the living room - - but who needs those?  Still thinking about Solar Energy, but it's not yet a quest.