I hear you Bryan, unfortunately the UK is not so blessed, I have 2 20 W panels on my outside wall and can run my computer monitor each evening off the power they make IF we have had a sunny day, I'd like to buy more panels but they are quite an investment.

in a way your right Mr RB but we must understand that the earth has its balance, all that we do changes that ballance, at present we are probably using twice the energy we could use if we were more efficient users of energy, as it is we are unbalancing the weather system in a way we can hardly predict

My electricity comes from wires in the ground. It is reliable because the future consumption was planned properly.
The other end of the wires has a nuclear generating station or a huge never-ending waterfall driving generators. The electricity is fairly inexpensive.

I Think hydroelectric power stations are a great idea, time to see some more in those areas that can make use of them, I truly wish I lived in a house with a small stream next to it, i was paper delivering some time ago in a village and a row of houses had a neat 2 foot wide stream / water run off going through their gardens, such potential, probably not seen by the obviously rish people living there who most likely care little for the actual origin and environmental impact of their energy needs, I saw a coulple of KW of petential there

Originally Posted by smanches

You never really realize how much energy we consume, compared to just 100 years ago, until you try to generate your own. If only everyone would try to do it, everyone would understand how absolutely spoiled we are.

Certainly a little stream would be of too little use.

Might have to give up watching your 400W TV 10 hours a day.

Who has a 400W TV?

thats very true, we have no idea just how much power we require which really never happend 100 years ago when we made little enviromental impact. If you think of the consumption in comuting to work alone its astronomical, how many people would travel 100 miles just to get to work and back 100 years ago ?

I travel 11 daily and I'm sure that would be a feat 100 years ago, or 4 hours of my dailay life walking where now i would be spending at leat 3 of those hours on my computer, I think to say that our consumption is 100 times or more a day than it was in 1909 is no exageration

Originally Posted by Nigel Goodwin

Certainly a little stream would be of too little use.

its something, certainly compared to solar power and cost per W certainly a great addition to other alternative power methods, now if with the size gardens these people have you could install 2

Originally Posted by Thunderchild

its something, certainly compared to solar power and cost per W certainly a great addition to other alternative power methods, now if with the size gardens these people have you could install 2

As you're in the UK I suggest you have a trip to Wales and visit C.A.T. it's a good day out, and VERY informative.

maybe i will someday but what is it ?

Originally Posted by Thunderchild

maybe i will someday but what is it ?

You could have googled

Centre for Alternative Technology

Centre for Alternative Technology Home Page

I use many (about 27) solar garden lights to light up my garden at night.
Today was raining and cloudy and this evening they lighted for only about 10 minutes. Useless energy conservation.

Heck, you don't need to go in the garden when it's all wet and soggy anyway. But I applaud you for using solar lighting. Wish my neighbor did. He has his house lighted with a bunch of floodlights all night. For what? Who's gonna look at his house at 2:00 in the effing morning?

My neighbour is out of town. She has many incandescent heaters lighted 24/7 wasting a lot of electricity.