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| Read the article here. |
This program has become increasingly popular among Tennessee residents.
The concept of Team Tidewater's Unit 6 Solar home is much like many of these money making homes. As a net-zero solar house, it draws power from the grid when necessary, while generating its own power completely. It is also able to give some back. It is this balance of give and take, that after a year the home's power use will be net zero.
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| A half scale model of the Unit 6, Team Tidewater's home design for the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011. |
It is widely agreed that sustainability is important. Though change can be difficult for some, adjustments of previous comfort zones are necessary to realize such an idea. Okay, so how do we do it? How can we be sustainable without killing ourselves economically?
These homes in Tennessee replace a portion of the power company's business. That's one point for sustainability. It's great that more and more of our population are generating clean, renewable energy--slowly decreasing our footprint on the planet. But what sort of economical effect does this have? Does this change in business affect companies such as the Nashville Electric Service? Originally a company that drew in energy from coal, NES now uses at least some power that is provided by various solar homes in the community. In a changing world, one that seems fixed on reducing its consumption of non-renewable resources, should we leave the business of coal behind? Or is it important that we allow the business--the business of power--to change with us?
Good point. It's true that there are pros and cons here. However, (if I'm reading the article correctly), some companies are realizing the economical and survival portions of the equation, and they're finding ways to make adjustments in effort to serve the people and environmental needs.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, such a transition is economically challenging regardless. The adjustment performance itself is another story.
Looking at our US mailing system is an example. Saving trees (though they grow forests just for paper production) may be decreasing our "impact" on some levels, but it's causing a slow death of this established service that supports(ed) so many people. After talking to my postal man the other day, they have laid off many people due to this transition on mail. Pros and cons....