Solar Power Eliminates Utility Bills in U.S. Home

skyhawker writes "Yahoo! News is running an article about a New Jersey home that uses solar power to provide 100% of its energy needs, including fuel for the owner's hydrogen fuel cell-powered automobile. From the article: 'Strizki runs the 3,000-square-foot house with electricity generated by a 1,000-square-foot roof full of photovoltaic cells on a nearby building, an electrolyzer that uses the solar power to generate hydrogen from water, and a number of hydrogen tanks that store the gas until it is needed by the fuel cell. In the summer, the solar panels generate 60 percent more electricity than the super-insulated house needs. The excess is stored in the form of hydrogen which is used in the winter -- when the solar panels can't meet all the domestic demand -- to make electricity in the fuel cell.'"

I wonder...

[Ziwcam]

How MY neighbors would feel if I loaded up their roof with solar cells...

Just a half million dollars!

[Quiet_Desperation]

I'll get right on that!

One small problem

[Anonymous Coward]

He eliminated his electric bill, but couldn't eliminate the fact that he is in New Jersey.

Big deal, I eliminated all utility costs in my

[antifoidulus]

place by not paying the bill 6 months in a row. It's amazing, your monthly electric costs will drop to 0 very quickly!

Re:Okay, good idea, but this sucks

[UbuntuDupe]

Move to a neighborhood without a draconian HOA.

And use a secure version of Windows, an honest attorney, or a Hooters franchise that doesn't debase women.

Re:Big deal, I eliminated all utility costs in my

[That's Unpossible!]

place by not paying the bill 6 months in a row. It's amazing, your monthly electric costs will drop to 0 very quickly!

As will your energy usage!

Re:At $500,000... How long to pay back the cost?

[AnotherHiggins]

You pulled that number out of your butt very authoritatively.

It will likely be yet another 15-20 years before solar power is a viable option for the average homeowner.

Oh the humanity.

[Rob T Firefly]

A big tank of pure hydrogen gas in your basement, eh? That's great! I don't see what could possibly go wrong with that.

In fact, you should celebrate a job well done. Have a cigar!

/run

Re:I wonder...

[Anonymous Coward]

Not to worry. The energy company lobbyists on are already hard at work getting laws passed to prevent any energy self-sufficiency that looks like it will work.

Re:Big deal, I eliminated all utility costs in my

[Anonymous Coward]

How are you posting on slashdot without any power?

Re:I wonder...

[rolfwind]

If you were my neighbor, I'd let you:) I might even let you have any excess electricity after my needs are met>:)

Re:I wonder...

[Panaflex]

I don't think they be quite so worried about that as they would the large tanks of hydrogen sitting in the back yard.

Somewhere in the world there's going to be a reddish explosion on the horizon...

Re:Okay, good idea, but this sucks

[Directrix1]

I believe you underestimate the number of fascist bastions in America.

Or go nuclear

[alohatiger]

It's probably possible to spent a few million dollars to build a nuclear power plant AND PAY NO ELECTRIC BILLS!

Until the economics work, none of this stuff matters.

/Someday I'll have solar and wind power...

Re:At $500,000... How long to pay back the cost?

[Xaoswolf]

It would still be generating it as the solar system broke down in 25 years.

If the solar system breaks down in 25 years, I don't think I'll be worrying about money in the bank...

Re:At $500,000... How long to pay back the cost?

[shaitand]

Don't be silly, you'd just toss the batteries in the trash like you do now.

Riiiiiight...

[Anonymous Coward]

There's more to life than money...

Only people with a lot of money say that.

Re:At $500,000... How long to pay back the cost?

[cheezit]

Clearly the photons are defective and are falling on to the floor soon after they leave the fixture. Have you tried greasing the air? They would slide farther.

Re:I wonder...

[HTTP Error 403 403.9]

I don't think they be quite so worried about that as they would the large tanks of hydrogen sitting in the back yard.

Somewhere in the world there's going to be a reddish explosion on the horizon...

Oh, the humanity!

Re:At $500,000... How long to pay back the cost?

[clanky]

That's all well and good, but you need to factor in the hidden cost of no one wanting to sleep with someone driving a beat-up 12 yeaer old geo metro. Wheras the prius dude can't beat off the actresses and hippiechicks.