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AC_Hacker · 11-11-13, 12:43 PM

Since factiods are being featured here, here's another one...

When the 1973 OPEC embargo happened, many countries were affected by the sudden unavailability of cheap fuel.

The United States launched a big solar initiative, including cash incentives to people who chose to go solar. Jimmie Carter even put solar collectors on the roof of the White House (some of these very solar-collectors are in a museum in China today).

Today, you can get perfectly serviceable solar collectors for free or very cheap, that are from that era. At the same time, home heat loss standards were improved only to some modest degree.

Sweden chose to go after home heat loss head on, did major studies, totally revamped the building techniques and codes and also laws that affect home heat loss. So, today in Sweden you can't build a home that is not what we call a high efficiency home (very similar to a Passive House). If you can't afford it, the government will weigh in to make sure that everyone has a high efficiency home.

Net result is that Sweden has been transformed, with regards to home heat efficiency, while in the US, solar incentives come and go with the administration, and the solar industry is constantly whiplashed by government subsidies (or lack thereof), so US solar has never actually grown into a mature industry. Which leaves the interested fringe like us who are doing interesting things as best we can.

There are very many lessons from this story, but to me, the big one is to focus your best attention on the structure of your house, insuring maximum tightness, over-generous insulation (see Daox's office project for ideas)... but to keep an eye out for solar, too.

If you can seriously reduce the rate of heat loss from your house, amazing things are possible with alternative energy techniques, including solar.

Best,

-AC

11-11-13, 12:43 PM	#20
AC_Hacker Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 4,004 Thanks: 303 Thanked 723 Times in 534 Posts	And One More Bit... Since factiods are being featured here, here's another one... When the 1973 OPEC embargo happened, many countries were affected by the sudden unavailability of cheap fuel. The United States launched a big solar initiative, including cash incentives to people who chose to go solar. Jimmie Carter even put solar collectors on the roof of the White House (some of these very solar-collectors are in a museum in China today). Today, you can get perfectly serviceable solar collectors for free or very cheap, that are from that era. At the same time, home heat loss standards were improved only to some modest degree. Sweden chose to go after home heat loss head on, did major studies, totally revamped the building techniques and codes and also laws that affect home heat loss. So, today in Sweden you can't build a home that is not what we call a high efficiency home (very similar to a Passive House). If you can't afford it, the government will weigh in to make sure that everyone has a high efficiency home. Net result is that Sweden has been transformed, with regards to home heat efficiency, while in the US, solar incentives come and go with the administration, and the solar industry is constantly whiplashed by government subsidies (or lack thereof), so US solar has never actually grown into a mature industry. Which leaves the interested fringe like us who are doing interesting things as best we can. There are very many lessons from this story, but to me, the big one is to focus your best attention on the structure of your house, insuring maximum tightness, over-generous insulation (see Daox's office project for ideas)... but to keep an eye out for solar, too. If you can seriously reduce the rate of heat loss from your house, amazing things are possible with alternative energy techniques, including solar. Best, -AC __________________ I'm not an HVAC technician. In fact, I'm barely even a hacker...