From: songbird@anthive.com   
      
   T wrote:   
   ...   
   > I have thought of solar panels on the roof, but the battery storage   
   > involved takes a lot of space and is a fire hazard.   
      
     i only need a small amount of backup (so i can shut down   
   the computer in a good state) and to run an LED light if i   
   need one.  as it turns out the computer battery back up   
   will do those things so i don't need a separate battery.   
      
     solar panels would be nice, but in the scale of things   
   water heating from sunlight is the best investment to   
   do at first.  you can get hot water for a lot less than   
   full electricity replacement and then using solar to run   
   the pumps you can also use the extra heat in the winter.   
   where you are at with all the sun it pays for itself pretty   
   well.  then once you have that up and running and it has   
   covered the expense of putting it in you can expand the   
   panels to supply the rest of your juice.  stay on the   
   grid and don't bother with batteries if you can avoid them.   
      
     chances are that in the future you can have that all   
   incorporated in your car being plugged in so you won't   
   need two battery packs.   
      
      
     songbird   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)