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Old 09-05-16, 11:05 AM   #628
WyrTwister
Master EcoRenovator
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: USA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by randen View Post
For us north of the boarder Furnace oil is about $3.00 USD / US gal. Gasoline is about the same but oddly varies quite a few cents from station to station. However its sold in liters which varies the price per tank full quite a bit.

We had made the switch to Geo-thermal 8 yrs ago and have been enjoying the systems a lot. We also had installed solar water heating. The comfort has been amazing. Summer months the air-conditioning is left at 23 Deg C. with no setback. The cost to operate is so little. Heating is much the same. Set it and forget it.

I remember furnace oil being close to $6.00/ Gal here and feeling cold in the house but more so the butt clinch feeling as one approached the thermostat to call for more BTUs.

The investment for the systems was sizeable however it has paid off huge. We have no natural gas service here and I'm sure I would have went Solar Hot w-Geo-thermal anyway.

With a more moderate climate I understand that a Hy-brid system may be more financially sound method of staying warm. 2 or 3 mini splits for the summer and shoulder seasonal heating requirements and N. gas or oil for the deep freeze.

Electricity costs have doubled here since we installed the Geo but we forged on with becoming more efficient. LEDs and better appliances. Over the last 8 yrs our usage of KWHs has remained the same. Infact this year, so-far is less. I keep a spread sheet on the costs.

Now this reduction of kWh's is also odd as we've added 2 electric vehicles to the mix.

Like pinballooking or very soon we'll have solar PV installed. The down-side is we cannot connect for Net-Metering or any sort of programs. We have to use it ourselves. So BE IT.

The technology of vapour compression machines is awesome. Riding on electrons the same. Heating using the sun better yet. To come yet, collecting electrons and storing them in a lithium basket to later use for geothermal operation or charging a vehicle

It was only a few years ago it was not technically possible to accomplish these things just a dream. Now MAYBE expensive but completely practical.

Randen
I have been reading & watching youtube videos on battery technology . Evidently the electrical utilities would like to have economically viable / practical storage to help even out the difference between on peak and off peak demand .

Apparently lithium battery technology has not gotten to that point , yet .

What kind / brand / model of EV did you end up with . We purchases a 2012 Nissan Leaf this last June .

I installed a GE WattStation Level 2 EVSE .

God bless
Wyr
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