November 14, 2008: Moving towards some solar…

  Well, after a quick trip to Chicago – via rail – we are back home.  We missed our 4 PM train yesterday.  So, we made it home at 3 AM this morning.  It was actually fun, though because it was a much nicer train!  So, all in all – a good trip to Chicago.

  It is raining this evening.  Raining and windy!  FALL weather!  Which I love.  🙂  I would love it even more if the rain would change to snow flurries on Saturday.  😉

  Looks like we are heading for an arrowhead show tomorrow.  The show is at Kentucky Lake.  Joey is into arrowheads more than I am.  I enjoy looking, though.  I enjoy finding them on the farm.  So, tomorrow it is off to Kentucky Lake.

  We are moving closer and closer to the beginning of the building project.  🙂  I am more than excited.  Hoping they can start next week or the week after.  More likely the week after.  Which is also Thanksgiving week! 

  I spoke with the solar guy from Illinois today.  Jason is his name.  MAAPS is the company.  We are going to get a solar hot water heater and start a solar electric project.  See images below. 

  The solar hot water heater panels will go on the garage roof – facing south.  The solar panels will go in the back yard – most likely behind the garage.  100% sunshine in this area.  Should work great!

We are going to start with 10 solar panels.  Should be about the size
pictured above.

Example of the solar hot water heater. 

  Course we use a lot of electricity.  I mean a lot!  With all the weather equipment – emergency management equipment – and so on.  🙂  So, it will offset a small amount of our usage.  We are hoping that with the new administration and the energy crisis that just MAYBE they will actually do something and give better incentives for people to go solar.  Illinois already offers a 30% rebate program and the federal government will give me a 30% tax credit.  This will help with the costs.

  More importantly we are hoping to build onto the system over time.  EVENTUALLY perhaps we can make enough solar energy to pay for our electric bill.  It would take a lot of panels, though!

 
  Radar this evening.  Rain rain rain rain.