What is Digg?189 Comments
- phreak79, on 07/01/2008, -7/+56By all means make them mandatory on any state built properties, but forcing them into private properties? Not for me thanks. This is a good enough technology to take hold without relying on such heavy handed tactics.
- n1eb, on 07/01/2008, -18/+56Everybody should be forced to have one. I feel like the government doesn't play nearly as large a role in my life as it should. Bringing back the 55 mph speed limit would also be a good idea.
- SteelChicken, on 07/01/2008, -6/+43signed into law by a republican? WTF I thought republicans hated the environment. wait, she must have been paid off by solar heater companies.
- thegrizz51, on 07/01/2008, -0/+34Sarcasm noted.
- WiseWeasel, on 07/01/2008, -9/+41Nice job, Hawaii! Solar water heating is cheap to implement and hugely economical in a warm climate such as Hawaii. All states with a decent climate should follow suit here, as it's a travesty to allow all that sunlight hitting your roof, and all that electricity and gas used by water heaters to go to waste when there's such an affordable common-sense solution available to this problem. As more states move forward with this type of requirement, look for standard building material suppliers to start incorporating the technology at lower and lower costs, benefiting us all. Still, 2010 is a pretty ambitious deadline, and I wouldn't be surprised to see supply issues, lack of expertise on the part of contractors, and bureaucratic red tape holding up housebuilding in the state.
- s0m31john, on 07/01/2008, -6/+27It's not the governments job to decide for me if I want to save money.
- WiseWeasel, on 07/01/2008, -3/+23Translation: there's this hippie chick I want to get with, and I need to go from zero to Al Gore with a couple hours of reading and minimal effort. Is it true I need to stop shaving and bathing to show I care about the environment? Do I need to know how to play acoustic guitar?
- GiJoeBob, on 07/01/2008, -0/+19I have a friend that uses the waste heat from his air conditioner to preheat the water going into his water heater. Now THAT'S a great system.
- boobsbr, on 07/01/2008, -8/+26solar heaters are always a good thing but enforcing them is ridiculous.
- s0m31john, on 07/01/2008, -4/+18Not by force, no.
Energy is a product, there's a market for it, I have money to buy from that market. Don't tell me what I can and can't do with the product (energy) that I bought. - balibones, on 07/01/2008, -4/+18If it is economically sensible to install a solar hot water heater - and it IS - then the new housing market will get there. I don't see a need for the government to force this. It might take a little longer, but this technology is too much of a no-brainer for it not to take off on it's own.
- lostmyleggins, on 07/01/2008, -0/+13studies shows you are better off when a government committee makes more decisions for you. you really shouldn't try to run your own life.
- gn0stik, on 07/01/2008, -0/+11Actually, they have options in Hawaii as to the type of alt energy they use. This bill just takes those options away. They could do geothermal, and wind as well. The intention is good, and it makes sense to mandate alternative energy, but give them options. Solar hot water systems are not cheap. It would be cheaper to use a tankless heater and alternative electricity generation. In the near future as solar panels and wind energy become cheaper and more efficient, this becomes more and more stupid. If I was already planning a system to run my entire home, this would piss me off.
- dwm1225, on 07/01/2008, -6/+17I agree. We really need more government control. I look forward to the day our big brothers tell us what we can and cannot watch on TV or the internet. One day we can only hope to be more like North Korea. Here's fingers crossed!
- SeventhSon, on 07/01/2008, -1/+13We don't do crap like that here.
- logicet, on 07/01/2008, -0/+11No, I don't. I prefer flushing a half gallon toilet 10 times.
- lostmyleggins, on 07/01/2008, -0/+10that's the evil solar companies. remember all companies are evil, only govt. employees are good.
- WiseWeasel, on 07/01/2008, -0/+9Looks like once you get away from the warmer climates, the systems get more expensive and complicated (active vs. passive):
http://www.solardirect.com/swh/swh.htm - SeventhSon, on 07/01/2008, -2/+11The other two are secret ones.
- RudeTurnip, on 07/01/2008, -2/+11Nobody really talks about Jefferson and Moosylvania.
- s0m31john, on 07/01/2008, -6/+15Environmentalists are like watermelons, green on the outside, red on the inside.
- thcobbs, on 07/01/2008, -6/+14Don't buy a new house then. Now, for all intents and purposes... this is just an extension of the building code. Sure, you may not like the extra cost... but in the long run it will save you money.... might even pay for the interest on your house note. And you can have at least semi-hot water when the power goes out.
- lostmyleggins, on 07/01/2008, -0/+8awtripp - the govt just called, your computer is using to much energy you need to turn it off now. they will send you an email to let you know when you can turn it back on.
- Braddeharder, on 07/01/2008, -9/+17Yes, all the liberals cheer but little do they know that this is once again another way that that the government is intruding into our lives.
I have a solar water heater in Florida, it works great but you still need a regular water heater for the instant on stuff like dishwashers, showers, etc. In fact, the best use for these is heating a pool.
So all Governor Linda Lingle (R) has done is add cost to the price of a new home in an area that already has high construction cost. How does this help a poor family just trying to get a better house for there kids to grow up in?
People need to realize that forcing energy savings on someone really does not help anyone. It will take years and years for a solar water heater to pay for itself and keep in mind you still need to pay for a traditional water heating system as well. - Dauntless1, on 07/01/2008, -0/+8After all, we're not really qualified to run our own lives, right?
- s0m31john, on 07/01/2008, -2/+9@busketbusket
In one where I should have the right to do with my property what I want. Private property, outrageous idea isn't it? - nericus, on 07/01/2008, -0/+7What was our government's deficit again? I forget.
Yet, I'm essentially debt free (and not by comparison, actually)
Sounds like I make better choices than the Bureaucrats... - s0m31john, on 07/01/2008, -8/+15And rights of Private Property were taken away.
It's not the governments job to keep people from buying stupid things when they know the risks.
Let the Market handle it, if there's a large enough market for those safety products they will be available. - invidious, on 07/01/2008, -2/+9Did you mean 50th?
- ender7074, on 07/01/2008, -0/+6I wouldnt mind having solar anything in my home if it was affordable. This is coming from a conservative. I cant afford it right now but I'd have it if I could. Any money I dont have to pay to the electric company is good by me.
- jonmlm, on 07/01/2008, -1/+7why does the picture show solar panels? photovoltaics have nothing to do with solar water heaters.
- doktorrocket, on 07/01/2008, -1/+7I've got a solar water heater here on the east coast. Shouldn't I be able to sell credits of some sort to a Hawaii resident who doesn't feel like buying one? You know, shuffle some paper and money around a bit, with no net change in the energy situation, but allow everyone to feel better about themselves?
- wonderchemist, on 07/01/2008, -1/+7I would think a more important place to implement passive solar designs are cold states like Maine. In a day of every increase heating oil costs any solar gain you can get is money saved.
- s0m31john, on 07/01/2008, -2/+8I bought the resources with my money. I should be able to use them as I see fit. Anything else is a violation of my property rights.
- TheInformer, on 07/01/2008, -1/+71984 is alive and well in the hallowed halls of massa government. It's only 24 years late, but it is a government program.
- Brassbud, on 07/01/2008, -1/+7The "Government" is composed of these same short-sighted people, it isn't some deity.
- s0m31john, on 07/01/2008, -1/+7So because those people are in the government they can make better choices with my money than I can.
I can not be trusted? What makes them so trustworthy?
Yes, If I have the means to "squander gas and electricity", and there's a market for me to buy it, then yes, I should have the freedom. - diggydougie, on 07/01/2008, -1/+6No, I still have them. And they are great. I don't live in the dessert where you need to worry about the water.
- Wakkyweed, on 07/01/2008, -12/+17Sometimes it requires heavy handed tactics because people are automatically afraid of change. They think "well, the old heaters did just fine in all my other houses, so why take a chance on something that might not work as well".
Remember, things like safety belts, air bags, and safety glass were resisted in automobiles because people didn't want to pay extra for things that they didn't think were necessary. Hundreds of thousands of lives have been saved by the governments "heavy hand" with those things. - inactive, on 07/01/2008, -1/+6At first I was going to berate you for your assumption that Hawaii is a sunny state.
But then the common sense of taking a cold shower vs the trickled own cost of imported fuel over rulled it.
Makai homes would benefit, Mauka homes may benefit.
Mauka homes also benefit from water conainment systems due the amount of rain they get vs water transport up the mountain.
I have an uncle that lives inland, gets rain every day, and overcast where he lives most of the time.
He has a brother that lives on Kauai that gets even less sun.
However, most of the farmland sold recently in the past few years are near the coast and this is likely where the decision to offset the cost of imported fuel comes from. - TheSexyGeek, on 07/01/2008, -0/+5For those bitching about the water heaters. . .
I was Born in the Caribbean, Barbados to be exact.
The Barbados government cut all import duties on Solar Water heaters and heavily encouraged people to buy them instead of electric. In Barbados, just about every house has a solar water heater on the roof. They are perfectly good for heating water for any purpose. They have a large tank that holds more hot water than you're likely to use and can heat the water electrically if necessary. In tropical climates like Hawaii, this is an absolute no-brainer.
it is a measure that has little or no impact on the homeowner while having a huge impact on the amount electricity consumed by a community. As far as I'm concerned they made a wise decision. Anyone bitching about it is just being stubborn. - stonewall123, on 07/01/2008, -0/+5Hot water heaters have a typical payback time of 3-5 years which is much less than the time that this unit will last ( http://solarhotwater.siliconsolar.com/solar-hot-wa ... ). If one really wants to think of their kids they should be happy to know that over the life of their solar hot water heater they will actually save money, $$ that could be use for school, food, etc.
- altgeeky1, on 07/01/2008, -4/+9Do you also miss 5-gallon flushing toilets?
- ranman100, on 07/01/2008, -1/+6It will be very interesting to track the cost of these heaters now that they are mandatory. You always pay extra for Green so it is only people that have extra money to spend that get the savings.
It feels like the "Green" movement is the next Y2K. A lot of money spent for the best intentions but will it really make a difference or will it just make a new set of people rich because they market a product as "Green". - lostmyleggins, on 07/01/2008, -0/+4then get up on your roof and put on the panels, you don't need to wait for the govt. to tell you what to do with your home.
- adiyo011, on 07/01/2008, -2/+6They shouldn't force it upon the citizens even though it is good for the environment. It would be way better for them to provide incentives/discounts.
- inactive, on 07/01/2008, -0/+4sad as it sounds, my only real goal in life anymore is to have a self-sustaining house. no grid connections, no bills. ill pay my taxes and cable/cell phone bill and that's it. probably when im 80 years old...
- nericus, on 07/01/2008, -1/+5Except the governments prior decisions to make/keep energy a scarce resource here in Hawai'i is what they are now trying to offset with MORE legislation.
Big Island Kona = $0.40 KW/h - DucoNihilum, on 07/01/2008, -1/+5Yes- you should be able to do what you will with YOUR resources. They are yours after all.
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