Re: Trumpled (Alternative Leading)
Reply #4624 –
Not quite, its just a simple fact that cost benefit analysis is required.
i.e. I have a gas hot water unit and heater at home.
The Gas heater cost me 6 grand, and was fitted about 5 years ago. It has a lot of life left in it.
The hot water unit has been here at least 14 years (how long ive been in this house). It would have cost about 1500 to fit at the time.
We renovated our kitchen, and have a gas cooktop. That was 8 years ago, and it cost us $800.
Gas appliances: $8200 Should be set for 75% of them for a significant period of time (30 years or more).
Our Gas bills $400 a quarter on average, for roughly $1200 a year according to our budget.
Ive had a quote for solar. The cost to fit solar and batteries is relatively cheap with rebates. About $7000 all up for the panels and inverters, but add a battery, and it costs $10000. Selling back to the grid is effectively useless.
For me to get maximum benefit from solar, Ill need to replace the hot water unit with a heat pump (some of those are relatively free with rebates, but who knows for sure until you do it). The Gas cooktop with induction (meanwhile get rid of the old pans Ive got, which we have had for a while but are in great shape because we clean well and dont cook on the stove all that much, and also fit split systems through the home, to use the free and green solar energy.
To replace it all, and go truly green will cost in the vicintiy of about $20 000 minimum (im being conservative). My Gas bills would be eliminated, but I would need to upgrade a few appliances and cookware to go with it, and all those perfectly fine and usable items, would go to landfill, after all, I cant sell it unless someone is struggling and isnt going green.
Cost benefit analysis? Im in the hole financially, and whilst I might make that money back, it will take that long, Ill be net break even in about 15 years. Guess what will likely need replacing at that time? The Solar panels maybe, potentially the battery, and possibly all the appliances.
Is it that much greener? Why wouldnt these businesses do the same thing on a macro economic scale?
When push comes to shove, when the time to retire my generation of things comes, I would be silly to keep getting Gas things, but whilst they are performing, I am better off staying as I am, and odds are they will be fine for a long time. Im contributing less to landfill in this process and saving myself a bit of up front cost, which I can use to generate more income elsewhere.
This isnt apathy to being green or ecological factors either. Its just plain and simple common sense. I might get some solar panels ahead of time to kickstart it but if the maths requires some gymnastics to achieve the benefit, its got some flaws. Lets not forget the sheer waste of perfectly usable items. Who cares about that though yeah?
Topic: Trumpled (Alternative Leading) (Read 1158599 times)
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