Old Solar

[Dan M]

Sorry if this was already posted back when it was current, this is an interesting article:

http://www.inventionandtechnology.com/2003/01/postfix.shtml

A few point of note:

In 1897, 1/3 of the homes in Pasedena heated their water with solar units.

As late as 1941 there were 60,000 solar water heating units installed in Florida, and over half of the population of Miami used solar water heaters.

OK, so the population of Miami was about 37 in 1941, but still, it seems like we're moving backwards.

Maybe this ought to go under "rants and opinions".  OK, I just changed the section to R&O, so I can be a little more inflamatory.

What the %#&%$^%% happened?!?!?!?  Is electricity just to $*^&$%^$# cheap and convenient?!?!?

For what it's worth,

-Dan M

[richhagen]

It would appear that cheap electricity and natural gas, combined with their high rates of availability and easier installation spelled doom for the industry.  That may reverse with advances in technology and higher gas and electricity prices.  Rich

[wooferhound]

If I lived in Florida, I would be all about solar energy !

[jomoco]

Seems like these 19th and 20th century early american pioneering inventors Clarence Kemp and William J. Bailey, were also dirty rotten intellectual property holders!

They were great men, and I hope they made alot of money while they made the lives of their fellow americans a little more comfortable!

Great article!

jomoco

[fishfarm]

I grew up in Florida in the late 50's and 60's. I remember home builders advertising "Gold Star" all-electric homes that had no insulation. Some even had heating elements in the ceiling for radiant heat. I think around that time they were saying that nuclear energy would result in electricity being "too cheap to meter". The oil embargo in the 70's changed that thinking but only until prices came down.