In the tiny Aspen sleeper community of El Jebel, Colorado, a man is on a mission. Jim Duke has always been known for his environmental streak — back in the 80s he spearheaded efforts to establish recycling and composting programs for Aspen and surrounding communities.
Now he’s spent $84,600 to install a large array of solar panels on his ranch capable of producing 15,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually — and he’s giving away the power for free to charge any electric cars who’s owners show up on his doorstep.
He’s gotten rid of his gas stove and changed out his gas boiler for an electric one. To further ween his family from carbon, he’s purchased two cars from Miles EV for every day trips to and from town.
>> See Also: Nation’s Most Effective Solar Community Purchasing Program Descends Upon Los Angeles
Although the up front costs are huge, Mr. Duke is eligible for nearly $51,000 in federal, state, local and power company credits, which take the edge off just a little bit. Still, $34,000 is a gigantic chunk of change to lay out for a project that could take decades to pay off.
But it doesn’t seem that a pay off is what Jim Duke is looking for — he sees becoming carbon neutral as an obligation to future generations and the planet, saying, “It’s way, way, way past the point for talk. It’s time for action.”
Source: The Aspen Times
Image Credit: Jordan Curet/The Aspen Times
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Cool. Now if only more people had the motive and the means to do this, the governments lack of effort would not be so bad.
Cool. Now if only more people had the motive and the means to do this, the governments lack of effort would not be so bad.
“The government lack of effort would not be so bad”
Did you miss this part, “Mr. Duke is eligible for nearly $51,000 in federal, state, local and power company credits”
“The government lack of effort would not be so bad”
Did you miss this part, “Mr. Duke is eligible for nearly $51,000 in federal, state, local and power company credits”
A web-available bunch of technologies can be combined to produce “Zero operating cost, Zero upkeep” housing, post (GRD) great republican depression survival shelter! combined with solar powered fridge, solar pv panels, passive solar heating, wind power, super-insulation, green housing, composting, humanure composting ( perfected in Sweden), water conservation techniques, ground heat storage, modernized microwave cooking, LED lights, and various other up to date tech advances, totally off-grid, extremely low cost survival in relative comfort is possible! A modern, tech supported off-grid survival shanty for the GRD and post GRD years, to keep us alive and well fed. We need and Obama-miracle just to extricate ourselves from past sins! We are knee-deep in economic clownshit, excreted by our “savant” economists and still no Utopia! It is time to take a closer look at reality and live accordingly! Smaller, off-grid, technically advanced basic survival units built for survivability through times of unemployment and economic duress will make the nation richer and stronger than strings of foreclosed McMansions! The world is really running out of oil! The Saudis will not come clean about how much they have! Why? We need the truth , NOW! and we need to replace oil with solar and wind as fast as possible! This home is a step in the right direction! Solar refrigeration is possible, solar/electric low D.C. microwave cookers can be built, passive solar heating works, greenhouses filled with GMO’ed super veggies are possible, Aquaculture for fish production works, wind power, battery stored is still power! Each of us can do better with less, we expect too much right now, because advertising has convinced/hypnotized us that it is so! It is not so! We do not have to “go third world” We have the technology when applied, to make great progress towards a better world! the GRD will force this upon us and we will yield to its pressures. Some will die resisting, the majority will pull through into a greater age for America than ever before! This is our time of tests. These are the homes of the future.
A web-available bunch of technologies can be combined to produce “Zero operating cost, Zero upkeep” housing, post (GRD) great republican depression survival shelter! combined with solar powered fridge, solar pv panels, passive solar heating, wind power, super-insulation, green housing, composting, humanure composting ( perfected in Sweden), water conservation techniques, ground heat storage, modernized microwave cooking, LED lights, and various other up to date tech advances, totally off-grid, extremely low cost survival in relative comfort is possible! A modern, tech supported off-grid survival shanty for the GRD and post GRD years, to keep us alive and well fed. We need and Obama-miracle just to extricate ourselves from past sins! We are knee-deep in economic clownshit, excreted by our “savant” economists and still no Utopia! It is time to take a closer look at reality and live accordingly! Smaller, off-grid, technically advanced basic survival units built for survivability through times of unemployment and economic duress will make the nation richer and stronger than strings of foreclosed McMansions! The world is really running out of oil! The Saudis will not come clean about how much they have! Why? We need the truth , NOW! and we need to replace oil with solar and wind as fast as possible! This home is a step in the right direction! Solar refrigeration is possible, solar/electric low D.C. microwave cookers can be built, passive solar heating works, greenhouses filled with GMO’ed super veggies are possible, Aquaculture for fish production works, wind power, battery stored is still power! Each of us can do better with less, we expect too much right now, because advertising has convinced/hypnotized us that it is so! It is not so! We do not have to “go third world” We have the technology when applied, to make great progress towards a better world! the GRD will force this upon us and we will yield to its pressures. Some will die resisting, the majority will pull through into a greater age for America than ever before! This is our time of tests. These are the homes of the future.
Uncle B,
I’ve come to love your wackiness, thank you for adding life to the comments section of this site.
lol… “economic clownshit”… LOL!
PS… I don’t mean to imply that all of our regulars don’t add life into this site’s comments. You are all very much appreciated members of the gas 2.0 community
@ Matt, if you think offering a few tax credits is government action you are definitely part of the problem.
@ Matt, if you think offering a few tax credits is government action you are definitely part of the problem.
Fair play buddy, he has the right idea and very good of him to share it also, hopefully members of his community will switch to electric motors to benefit from this
Fair play buddy, he has the right idea and very good of him to share it also, hopefully members of his community will switch to electric motors to benefit from this
Uncle B.
Electric solar systems are not low cost, my modest system is a fraction of what Jim Duke is reported to have. Maintenance is considerable. And making the solar cells and related electrical cables, batteries, switches etc, is anything but green.
Oil reserves are known, numerous professionals have documented this. More than half the oil has still not been produced. The issue is how quickly will we use this. How many mega trucks do people drive like cars, when the latter would do. How many cheep holidays do people take in far away places, how many specialized organic foods do we eat – grown miles from our homes. All this creates mega consumption or energy and resources. Why do we heat our homes so much when wearing a sweater would save lots of energy. Why does the US export beef to Australia, and import beef from Australia?? Governments make silly trade pacts that are good for the transport industry, and wasteful. A wake up call is needed, and we the people need to be less selfish.
All the problems would be insignificant if we have a 80% reduction in the world’s population. The planet cannot sustain human selfishness.
Uncle B.
Electric solar systems are not low cost, my modest system is a fraction of what Jim Duke is reported to have. Maintenance is considerable. And making the solar cells and related electrical cables, batteries, switches etc, is anything but green.
Oil reserves are known, numerous professionals have documented this. More than half the oil has still not been produced. The issue is how quickly will we use this. How many mega trucks do people drive like cars, when the latter would do. How many cheep holidays do people take in far away places, how many specialized organic foods do we eat – grown miles from our homes. All this creates mega consumption or energy and resources. Why do we heat our homes so much when wearing a sweater would save lots of energy. Why does the US export beef to Australia, and import beef from Australia?? Governments make silly trade pacts that are good for the transport industry, and wasteful. A wake up call is needed, and we the people need to be less selfish.
All the problems would be insignificant if we have a 80% reduction in the world’s population. The planet cannot sustain human selfishness.
Jim Duke sounds like a nice guy that I should like to have for a neighbor and friend. That doesn’t mean that I agree with him, just that it seems that he at least has reasons that he could articulate to explain them and we might be able to have discussions about them and about mine.
Jim Duke sounds like a nice guy that I should like to have for a neighbor and friend. That doesn’t mean that I agree with him, just that it seems that he at least has reasons that he could articulate to explain them and we might be able to have discussions about them and about mine.
@Doug,
The government should not be involved in such matters. It requires a consumer shift in order to change the market.
Personally, I think it is a travesty that the government is collecting taxes from you, me, and every other working person in this country in order to masquerade as a social engineer! If you want the change to happen, change your preferences as a consumer… This is NOT a legitimate role for government.
@Doug,
The government should not be involved in such matters. It requires a consumer shift in order to change the market.
Personally, I think it is a travesty that the government is collecting taxes from you, me, and every other working person in this country in order to masquerade as a social engineer! If you want the change to happen, change your preferences as a consumer… This is NOT a legitimate role for government.
“It’s way, way, way past the point for talk. It’s time for action.” FTW!
“It’s way, way, way past the point for talk. It’s time for action.” FTW!
This man is a hero.
‘Not a role of government’? Do any of you realize it may be already too late, (without intervention) who do you think is not bringing clean energy to the market? The corporations. Stop with this demand and supply thing, if green car becomes available in the many dealerships near my house I will buy one, it is at least 50% (I would say up much more) up to the dealership to make it available to me, not me going and dropping a suggestion in their comment box for god’s sake.
This man is a hero.
‘Not a role of government’? Do any of you realize it may be already too late, (without intervention) who do you think is not bringing clean energy to the market? The corporations. Stop with this demand and supply thing, if green car becomes available in the many dealerships near my house I will buy one, it is at least 50% (I would say up much more) up to the dealership to make it available to me, not me going and dropping a suggestion in their comment box for god’s sake.
It’s no use blaming the government. What can it actually do?
Force people to buy electric cars, home insulation or low watt light bulbs… Impossible in a free society (Can you say “black market”?). Or how about subsidies? Not working too well!
The easiest and best way is to raise the price of fossil fuels with a tax. When solar power is cheaper than grid power, everyone will want solar panels. Want to see electric cars instead of SUV’s? Raise the price of gas. People will jump on electric cars.
Basic economics — anything cheap or free is wasted. Energy is too cheap. Proof of that — it is wasted.
It’s no use blaming the government. What can it actually do?
Force people to buy electric cars, home insulation or low watt light bulbs… Impossible in a free society (Can you say “black market”?). Or how about subsidies? Not working too well!
The easiest and best way is to raise the price of fossil fuels with a tax. When solar power is cheaper than grid power, everyone will want solar panels. Want to see electric cars instead of SUV’s? Raise the price of gas. People will jump on electric cars.
Basic economics — anything cheap or free is wasted. Energy is too cheap. Proof of that — it is wasted.
Mandating or regulating, I know pretty much taboo in some part of the world, are not the same as forcing. A regulatory body sets rules on clean air issues and when faced with the need (because of the things occurring around us) and an availability due to regulations the consumer will make the choice to increase the chances of having a better future. Whether those regulations include increased taxes or other mandatory (stopping production of certain light bulbs, plastic bags, or more electric cars, tax breaks for green products) is up to everybody to decide.
Mandating or regulating, I know pretty much taboo in some part of the world, are not the same as forcing. A regulatory body sets rules on clean air issues and when faced with the need (because of the things occurring around us) and an availability due to regulations the consumer will make the choice to increase the chances of having a better future. Whether those regulations include increased taxes or other mandatory (stopping production of certain light bulbs, plastic bags, or more electric cars, tax breaks for green products) is up to everybody to decide.
Right on dmoore
The government, Bush, Obama, republicans or Democrats are not going to save us from ourselves. Regular people like Jim Duke, doing the right thing simply because it’s a positive thing to do is what will. People like us who know that the kind of cars we drive and the kind of fuels we burn in them really matters, will do the saving. Not some government mandate ot tax.
Right on dmoore
The government, Bush, Obama, republicans or Democrats are not going to save us from ourselves. Regular people like Jim Duke, doing the right thing simply because it’s a positive thing to do is what will. People like us who know that the kind of cars we drive and the kind of fuels we burn in them really matters, will do the saving. Not some government mandate ot tax.
Awesome! And the $35k cost is not all that much when you consider he will not pay anything for fuel, electricity, for the lifetime of those panels. Kudos to Jim Duke! Could he possibly be recognized as a charitable entity for giving away free electricity to those in need? Maybe some tax breaks there …
Awesome! And the $35k cost is not all that much when you consider he will not pay anything for fuel, electricity, for the lifetime of those panels. Kudos to Jim Duke! Could he possibly be recognized as a charitable entity for giving away free electricity to those in need? Maybe some tax breaks there …
Many people I know wouldn’t purchase micro vehicles. Their arguments usually fall into the “it can’t survive a crash” category. While the Smart car shows an incredible ability to keep the passenger compartment relatively free of damage (too bad the video I saw of the crash testing tried hard to say not safer than a different vehicle… every other car out there is BIGGER than a Smart), their perceptions are firm. Many know about the successful Prius or the earlier EV-1, but they refuse to accept smaller vehicles for any reason. In a somewhat twisted argument, they decide that the traction issues in northern climate winters are an overriding decision maker. They will drive a gas guzzling 4 wheel drive pickup truck, no matter what. The deeper issue is a matter of complicated interactions: what hydrogen fuel station? Will my employer allow me to recharge my car at work? I cannot afford the necessary solar panels and attendant hardware (inverter) to support large amperages needed to recharge vehicles. The list goes on, and common folks are simply saying “no chance I’m making a move now”. I believe that people would change if the refueling infrastructure for the target technology was about 50% the current petroleum based refueling capability. And also, these consumers MUST be FORCED to choose the next technology, so federal action is mandatory.
Many people I know wouldn’t purchase micro vehicles. Their arguments usually fall into the “it can’t survive a crash” category. While the Smart car shows an incredible ability to keep the passenger compartment relatively free of damage (too bad the video I saw of the crash testing tried hard to say not safer than a different vehicle… every other car out there is BIGGER than a Smart), their perceptions are firm. Many know about the successful Prius or the earlier EV-1, but they refuse to accept smaller vehicles for any reason. In a somewhat twisted argument, they decide that the traction issues in northern climate winters are an overriding decision maker. They will drive a gas guzzling 4 wheel drive pickup truck, no matter what. The deeper issue is a matter of complicated interactions: what hydrogen fuel station? Will my employer allow me to recharge my car at work? I cannot afford the necessary solar panels and attendant hardware (inverter) to support large amperages needed to recharge vehicles. The list goes on, and common folks are simply saying “no chance I’m making a move now”. I believe that people would change if the refueling infrastructure for the target technology was about 50% the current petroleum based refueling capability. And also, these consumers MUST be FORCED to choose the next technology, so federal action is mandatory.
Oh, BTW I daily drive a 36+ MPG car, not an SUV; my 4WD pickup is used for long plowing my rural driveway, not for daily commuting.
Oh, BTW I daily drive a 36+ MPG car, not an SUV; my 4WD pickup is used for long plowing my rural driveway, not for daily commuting.
Show your work! Since the writer couldn’t be bothered, we have to make assumptions.
Assuming an average of 12 hours of sun per day you have:
15,000kwh/yr/365dy/12hr = 3.42kw array
$84,600/3,420watts = ~$25/watt installed.
While tax subsidies are nice for getting a technology off the ground, they can’t be relied on. While I applaud the intentions of Mr. Duke his installation is a relatively poor example of the use of photovoltaics. Either that or the math is flawed?
Show your work! Since the writer couldn’t be bothered, we have to make assumptions.
Assuming an average of 12 hours of sun per day you have:
15,000kwh/yr/365dy/12hr = 3.42kw array
$84,600/3,420watts = ~$25/watt installed.
While tax subsidies are nice for getting a technology off the ground, they can’t be relied on. While I applaud the intentions of Mr. Duke his installation is a relatively poor example of the use of photovoltaics. Either that or the math is flawed?
@ MArk and dmoore,
I do not expect the government to force anyone or to save the world. What I do expect them to do is help build the infrastructure that makes these types of renewable resources easily attainable. I am far from a socialist or as I was accused earlier a fascist, but I do believe in the proper use of government resources to help make it easier to do the right thing. That is the purpose of laws and it is time they were used to help spur this change over.
@ MArk and dmoore,
I do not expect the government to force anyone or to save the world. What I do expect them to do is help build the infrastructure that makes these types of renewable resources easily attainable. I am far from a socialist or as I was accused earlier a fascist, but I do believe in the proper use of government resources to help make it easier to do the right thing. That is the purpose of laws and it is time they were used to help spur this change over.
Doug
Government is a blunt instrument. When you try to have government do one thing, there are often all kinds of unanticipated consequences. For example I do not think that when the EPA was created anybody thought that it was going to prevent people from installing equipment that would allow dual use gasoline or compressed natural gas. However, that is the result of current EPA policies.
The best thing that the government can do is to change some incentives, by raising oil import taxes, for example. They can also try to remove government barriers to improvements such as removing the excessive EPA requirements on CNG conversion or allowing electric utilities to sell electric car charging service with a separate circuit that is only live at night but which provides much cheaper power.
Doug
Government is a blunt instrument. When you try to have government do one thing, there are often all kinds of unanticipated consequences. For example I do not think that when the EPA was created anybody thought that it was going to prevent people from installing equipment that would allow dual use gasoline or compressed natural gas. However, that is the result of current EPA policies.
The best thing that the government can do is to change some incentives, by raising oil import taxes, for example. They can also try to remove government barriers to improvements such as removing the excessive EPA requirements on CNG conversion or allowing electric utilities to sell electric car charging service with a separate circuit that is only live at night but which provides much cheaper power.
@ Mark,
That is exactly what I am talking about. I do not want the government to mandate anything. I want them to remove the ill thought and poorly enforced restrictions and create a streamlined policy that allows companies to profitably manufacturer renewable tech. Also Mark I truly realize that I am being idealistic. I also realize that as a whole anything the govt. touches is automatically tainted, but I can still dream.
@ Mark,
That is exactly what I am talking about. I do not want the government to mandate anything. I want them to remove the ill thought and poorly enforced restrictions and create a streamlined policy that allows companies to profitably manufacturer renewable tech. Also Mark I truly realize that I am being idealistic. I also realize that as a whole anything the govt. touches is automatically tainted, but I can still dream.
That is the way to go, the the world is getting a better place.
http://www.stichtingmilieunet.nl/andersbekekenblog/?p=5359
That is the way to go, the the world is getting a better place.
http://www.stichtingmilieunet.nl/andersbekekenblog/?p=5359
It only costs about $4 to fill up a Telsa for 220 miles, charging time is 8-10 hours on regular current, figure most people wont want to hang out for that long.
So for less than $2 this guy might get to meet some cool people and check out their cars.
I buy 100% wind power for my house for an additional 1 cent per KWH it costs me an extra $5 per month. I hereby invite anyone who has an electric vehicle over to my house for free charging – in exchange for a short test drive
It only costs about $4 to fill up a Telsa for 220 miles, charging time is 8-10 hours on regular current, figure most people wont want to hang out for that long.
So for less than $2 this guy might get to meet some cool people and check out their cars.
I buy 100% wind power for my house for an additional 1 cent per KWH it costs me an extra $5 per month. I hereby invite anyone who has an electric vehicle over to my house for free charging – in exchange for a short test drive
Top man!
Top man!
@dmoore
I think you’ll find that Government is the largest single comsumer in the market. Even if all its functions were paired down to just defense of the nation it would be still be the single largest actor in the econonmy. And in any case, you wouldn’t have a market without a government to to uphold the rule of law….
@dmoore
I think you’ll find that Government is the largest single comsumer in the market. Even if all its functions were paired down to just defense of the nation it would be still be the single largest actor in the econonmy. And in any case, you wouldn’t have a market without a government to to uphold the rule of law….
No Matt, I think you’re missing the point actually. This is *ONE* INDIVIDUAL who doesn’t have nearly the amount of money the government (our, or ANY for that matter) has.
In the words of my 90 year old Grandmother, who is a great depression survivor, “The people are the government”. Well this is one of those people, but unfortunately, most people like to just enjoy things without giving back, or in other words, sit back and watch while others actually produce.
This guy has that choice, as we all are lucky enough to. However, he has chosen to be SELFLESS. The most selfish thing, if anything, about what he’s doing is that he gets the slightest self-satisfaction from doing good things, and that is surely not why he’s doing it.
Rethink his motives before making assumptions or accusations. Doug is exactly right on what he said, but keep in mind that if good people don’t take part in government and social actions, the government will be comprised of evil parasites who use our tax money to have orgies in the sky on fancy airplanes (with our tax money, mind you), amongst other things (wrongful war, oil consumption and pollution, etc).
We can easily see that the entire human population’s actions have only come back to hurt us (economy, global warming, etc). We ALL need to shape up, myself included, but step one is being aware of this.
-Bryan
No Matt, I think you’re missing the point actually. This is *ONE* INDIVIDUAL who doesn’t have nearly the amount of money the government (our, or ANY for that matter) has.
In the words of my 90 year old Grandmother, who is a great depression survivor, “The people are the government”. Well this is one of those people, but unfortunately, most people like to just enjoy things without giving back, or in other words, sit back and watch while others actually produce.
This guy has that choice, as we all are lucky enough to. However, he has chosen to be SELFLESS. The most selfish thing, if anything, about what he’s doing is that he gets the slightest self-satisfaction from doing good things, and that is surely not why he’s doing it.
Rethink his motives before making assumptions or accusations. Doug is exactly right on what he said, but keep in mind that if good people don’t take part in government and social actions, the government will be comprised of evil parasites who use our tax money to have orgies in the sky on fancy airplanes (with our tax money, mind you), amongst other things (wrongful war, oil consumption and pollution, etc).
We can easily see that the entire human population’s actions have only come back to hurt us (economy, global warming, etc). We ALL need to shape up, myself included, but step one is being aware of this.
-Bryan
We will soon come to regard people such as this as not only the new pioneers, but the heros of our times.
We will soon come to regard people such as this as not only the new pioneers, but the heros of our times.
Simply nice article, its good to hear about these things because it helps spread hope.
Simply nice article, its good to hear about these things because it helps spread hope.
Uncle B hit the nail firmly on the head when he mentioned that we need to be well fed, ever heard the saying civilisation is 3 meals away, for those who don’t realise it, 70 % of our fertiliser comes from oil without that resorce the food which is pushed along by its energy would not be posible at the modern yields aquired today, as the world population grows, by the time we start running out of the cheap every ready energy that oils is giving us, our propblems will really start to take hold, the long term prognosis is not a pretty one.
Every thing we have here on earth is brought about from the current bun in the sky, one days worth of its rays gives enough power to supply the world by 20 times our current daily electricity consumption, this figure by the way comes from the film called,
A Crude awakening, one of the most important collection of world experts former oil company employees and other official bodies this century, check it out and don’t be supprised what you see and hear.
The Germans have been up to something of late, they have been stock pilling recycled glass for many years in huge open cast pits, former coal fields, and they are embarking on a project to build a new solar panel made entirely from glass, to capture solar energy, there is talk that they could supply their countries power needs from the hot plains of spain, convert it into electricity and transport it vis conventional means available now.
Getting back to the farmer offering free electricity how many people have an electric car that is capable of visiting his ranch way out there in the wilderness how stupid or what, does he supply a break down truck to come and fetch those who have run out of power getting there, come on.
Uncle B hit the nail firmly on the head when he mentioned that we need to be well fed, ever heard the saying civilisation is 3 meals away, for those who don’t realise it, 70 % of our fertiliser comes from oil without that resorce the food which is pushed along by its energy would not be posible at the modern yields aquired today, as the world population grows, by the time we start running out of the cheap every ready energy that oils is giving us, our propblems will really start to take hold, the long term prognosis is not a pretty one.
Every thing we have here on earth is brought about from the current bun in the sky, one days worth of its rays gives enough power to supply the world by 20 times our current daily electricity consumption, this figure by the way comes from the film called,
A Crude awakening, one of the most important collection of world experts former oil company employees and other official bodies this century, check it out and don’t be supprised what you see and hear.
The Germans have been up to something of late, they have been stock pilling recycled glass for many years in huge open cast pits, former coal fields, and they are embarking on a project to build a new solar panel made entirely from glass, to capture solar energy, there is talk that they could supply their countries power needs from the hot plains of spain, convert it into electricity and transport it vis conventional means available now.
Getting back to the farmer offering free electricity how many people have an electric car that is capable of visiting his ranch way out there in the wilderness how stupid or what, does he supply a break down truck to come and fetch those who have run out of power getting there, come on.
Depending on how much this dude drives he will probably use all of the energy that he produces with his solar cells with his own vehicles not to mention his house. 15,000 kilowatt hours annually is not allot of energy. Think the amount it takes to run one single typical house. This is a RANCH!!! Sure, he may top off some electric cars for whoever takes the trek to his backwoods ranch, but don’t think for a moment that it is all coming from those solar cells. Also, judging by the climate shown in the picture, during the winter months he should not expect to make any significant amount of generation. The fool will be spending all of his time brushing the snow off the solar panels. If anything, this should serve as an example of why solar power generation is useless for anything of any scale larger than a calculator or some LED lighting.
Depending on how much this dude drives he will probably use all of the energy that he produces with his solar cells with his own vehicles not to mention his house. 15,000 kilowatt hours annually is not allot of energy. Think the amount it takes to run one single typical house. This is a RANCH!!! Sure, he may top off some electric cars for whoever takes the trek to his backwoods ranch, but don’t think for a moment that it is all coming from those solar cells. Also, judging by the climate shown in the picture, during the winter months he should not expect to make any significant amount of generation. The fool will be spending all of his time brushing the snow off the solar panels. If anything, this should serve as an example of why solar power generation is useless for anything of any scale larger than a calculator or some LED lighting.
This man could be a great example for many of us.