[Greenbuilding] Solar electric configuration details

[Lawrence Lile]

>Is there nothing you can do to reduce that 34 kWh a day?  The return on

investment (to say nothing of payback) on CFL bulbs is 300% (before 
taxes).

The 34KWH/Dy is a wild guess estimate, based roughly on my current
house, from my memory which is fulla holes.  The new house should be
dramatically more efficient, it is set up for 100% fluorescent lights,
super efficiency AC, radiant heat not requiring a juice-sucking fan
motor, no electric appliances, and so on.  After a month or two I'll be
able to gauge my electric usage more closely, hopefully it will beat the
current house by at least 40%.  I move in December.  

CFL bulbs are great compared to incandescants.  They are wimpy compared
to high efficiency T-8 bulbs with good electronic ballasts.  The 4 foot
T-8 lamps can beat a CFL lamp by another 50%!  I'm using a lot of T-8's
in the new house.  

Back to the solar electric system:  I'm trying to figure out if this is
just nuts.  So far, I can't justify it on economics, Carbon, or anything
except reliable power and the Solar Grin I'd get driving up to my house
and seeing the solar electric panels on top of it.  

--Lawrence