http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124959929532112633.html
There are times when saving energy seems like a pie-in-the-sky expensive burden, but it really need not be so. In fact, it can be the best investment you can make.
In 1981, we installed a solar water heater for a total cost in current dollars of about 5,000 dollars. That has saved 30,000 dollars in electricity so far, and the unit is still working.
When it came time to reroof four years ago, instead of the usual tar paper shingle job that would have cost 25,000 dollars, we had an elastomeric coating applied that cost 12,000. That did not cost more money, it cost less... for something that had to be done.
The elastomeric coating has titanium oxide ceramic particles in it that reflect heat, so the roof does heat up, and the house is cool and comfortable without air conditioning. The test: If it is uncomfortably hot inside your house, but it is comfortable outside your house, the problem is the house... it is heating up. All you need to do is block the heat from entering to begin with.
Yes, LED lights are way too expensive and are not quite ready for prime time, but the warm white compact fluorescents are only a few dollars and work well. A 60 watt incandescent spotlight was replaced with an 11 watt compact fluorescent spotlight. Buy one and try it.
The point is, none of this cost more money, it cost less.
The solar water heater cuts about 1,000 dollars per year off the electric bill, for a return on the original 5,000 dollar investment of 20% per year.
The elastomeric roof saves 600 dollars per year.
A conventional roof would be 25,000 twice over 50 years, which would be 50,000 dollars over 50 years.
An elastomeric one is 12,000 the first time, and 2,000 every ten years for a pressure washing and touch up coat, which would be 20,000 dollars over 50 years. And that is not even taking into account the energy savings in reduced air conditioning costs. You would need a smaller air conditioning system, or none at all, and would use less electricity running it.
The difference is 30,000 dollars.
Over 50 years, doing these two things basically costs 80,000 dollars less to get the same thing... actually, something better. You would have to earn 160,000 dollars, and pay taxes of let's say about half, if you had an electric water heater and a regular roof instead of a solar water heater and an elastomeric roof, just to get the same thing.
So while I hope the Rocky Mountain Institute continues to make cutting edge breakthroughs in energy efficiency, and I am sure those advances will slowly trickle down to us all, in the meantime, there is a lot that can be done that is not unbelievably expensive but is in fact much cheaper.
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