GoingTrueGreen's Blog Postings

MORE POWER!

6/30/2022

Batman, Solar, panels, solar panels, electric bill, save energy, batwing, GTG, GoingTrueGreen, Going green, kWs, sunset, energy production, Tesla, solar city, solar power

Nice Batwing Batman!

Well, not exactly. The image shown has a graphic that is like a Batwing chart represents the pattern of light being given off by a light producing fixture. However, this image on the right is my energy production for the day from my solar panels. Nice smooth increase from early morning and a steady decline as the sun sets behind trees, other houses and the horizon.

So far this summer, I have no electric bill due to the excess kWs I have in the bank. Not only covering my electric cost, but taxes and fees included. Additionally, still producing excess power beyond what I used for the day and placed those kWs in the bank for the winter months and next year.

If you are interested in going with solar, become a GTG member and email us all your concerns and questions. We will be happy to provide additional basic info. Also for specific steps to reduce your own electric consumption without sacrifice is another benefit to being a GTG member.

Even if you already have a solar system and want to save more, membership can offer you additional access to specific energy saving actions to save big. Let us help make your current solar system shine brighter for you!

Bill Lauto , GTG
Environmental Scientist
 International Sustainability and Energy Consultant 
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Electric Bill Free

5/17/2022

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For the next three or four months I will have no electric bill at all. I just received a credit at the end of April for the extra electricity I produced with my Tesla Photovoltaic Solar Panels during my year's billing cycle. Just like the past 7 years since I had my Tesla solar system installed I have made more electricity than I consume.

Prior to this winter, I had almost 2,000 Kilowatt hours in excess and with our winter sun low in the sky I have been using that supply to make up the difference on my electric bills. By the time winter ended, I had about 840 Kilowatt hours still left over. At the end of my billing year, I am issued a credit for the remaining kW I did not use. So the ten to fourteen dollars that I pay each month on my utility bill for taxes and fees will now be wiped out by my 840 kW credit over the next few months.

I also had a fast Three year and Eight month Return on my investment and that was possible by making an energy efficient house. The actions I have taken to live a more sustainable life and have a very energy efficient house took about 12 years prior to the implementation of the solar system. Nevertheless, these energy efficient actions taken are NOT rocket science. Throughout my GTG blog posts you can read about these actions.

The second reason for the fast payback is due to my research and evaluation of many Solar companies. (Several of the companies that I did not go with are now out of business or their suppliers have bowed out.) Product performance was also key: knowing where the products were manufactured, who installed what components and comparing the costs between Lease programs or buying.

Bill Lauto, at GoingTrueGreen.com
Environmental Scientist
International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
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PROCESS OF ENERGY PROGRESSION

1/2/2022

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The world has stalled with our progress toward hydrogen fuel cells as an energy answer. Additionally the far left, with the acquiescence of the far right, have blocked the production of carbon free transition energy such as 4th generation safe and low waste nuclear power plants, as well as modern hydroelectric dams. Both of these energy sources would help lower our emissions as we progress toward hydrogen fuel cells. Fuel cells that will work with FREE rain water and FREE sunlight. Why is this stall taking place? So both extreme sides can make money.

Energy created by humans started with the burning of wood. From wood we made charcoal. The making of charcoal is an ancient technology. Basically make a fire in a pit, cover it with mud and later reclaim the partially combusted pieces of wood, now called charcoal, to burn again. (Charcoal burns hotter and is used today by people in poor nations.)

From charcoal, humans progressed to coal, a rock dug out of the ground; and mixed in that time frame also came energy from: wind, hydro, oil, gas, solar, nuclear, geothermal and finally the energy answer: Hydrogen Fuel Cells operating with hydrogen molecules obtained from collected FREE rain water.

Needless to say the trauma doesn’t conclude with our stalled energy progress. The process of progression for energy production is also halted in all the disadvantaged nations among us. From Haiti to the Congo the far left, with the unspoken approval of the far right, are helping to keep poor nations poor. In the name of saving the environment, the far left prevents disadvantaged nations from progressing with their energy production process like we did. Harboring arrogance and greed, while yelling, “We must help the poor,” both sides have denied these countries the transition away from wood and charcoal.

The people in disadvantaged countries become trapped with using charcoal and kerosene, causing ill health and carbon footprints that harm our environment. Who are we, in the already energy advanced countries, to tell the people who are poor that they can’t progress on their own toward better solutions?

Perhaps from one of these poor nations a young student with morals and scruples will provide us with the break-throughs for successful hydrogen fuel cells to be our world’s solution. We all know that many countries already have hydrogen fuel cell technology, sadly greed is preventing further development because after equipment purchase there is only maintenance fees, no monthly fuel or utility bills.

A hydrogen fuel cell energy answer would work with a system that collects FREE rain water and as needed, the membrane component, will separate the hydrogen molecules from the freely collected rain water (not from natural gas) with FREE electric power created from the Sun with a few solar panels. A small battery back up will suffice for cloudy days and night time because the electricity made by the fuel cell will always be recharging the battery. The hydrogen molecules run the fuel cell that makes FREE electricity to power the house, office and our car. The byproduct is water.

So because our energy answer and carbon free energy solution has an equation filled with the word FREE, greed has prevented all the established and wealthy nations around the world from reaching the energy answer goal needed for humankind.

The far left and the far right in unspoken harmony hurt the poor even more by causing harm to our world’s environment just to show a profit or secure their position in office. Let it be done through donations, fear mongering, movies, books, corrupt politicians, pseudo-education, implausible plans, suspicious deals, mislead organizations or sales of fuels such as gas and oil.

Now allow me another minute to answer the question that has been circling through everyone’s thought patterns as reading this promulgation.

Why on the topic of energy, would the far right, agree with the far left?

There is information and evidence, on this ungodly agreement showing millions of dollars have exchanged from one hand to another in political donations and failed solutions. The reason for the far right to support the far left’s failed solutions are obvious. In the 1990s, both sides started in earnest to prevent the opening of safe and low waste 4th generation nuclear power plants. Nuclear power is also carbon free. In the name of the “environment,” the emphasis placed on solar and wind to replace oil, hydroelectric dams, gas and nuclear was put on steroids… while keeping their sinister secret just out of sight.

This secret has taken me some time to come to terms with, because after all, we all want to believe the sales pitch. Sadly, we are all being sold a bill of goods. The media doesn’t care about the complete truth because sensationalizing makes them far more money than journalism. Corruption can infect everyone. These dishonest people in the media, politics, Hollywood and corporations, belong to the COC, “Collective Of Corruption”.

Here is the bottom line: If solar and wind replaces oil and gas completely, more harm will be done to our environment due to the need for back up systems. The mathematical equations showing power production comparisons DO NOT add up for these systems. The far right knows this and thus, by supporting solar and wind under the table, they ensure their sales of oil and gas. Oil and gas need no backup batteries, they need no vast amount of land like solar or wind farms. The amount of harm to our environment and land confiscation for solar and wind to meet the world’s energy needs will create more problems in the long run. From carbon emissions with manufacturing to more wildlife displaced or killed as land is consumed. From short production lifespans to toxic waste buildup. The complete picture is unavoidable and unfeasible.

For example, Hydroelectric dams are not popular due to the amount of land needed to hold the built up water. This will displace wildlife and plant life. Yet, why are solar farms popular when they take up more land and produce less power per square meter? More wildlife and plant life is disrupted by solar farms. Additionally, dams last longer, use less material that is toxic in production and in recycling. Some calculations state similar solar output would use 16 times more materials and 300 times more waste than a modern dam. Then the E-Waste goes to poor nations where the toxins will leach into their ground water supply.

As far as a transition source of energy toward Hydrogen Fuel Cells that work off of rain water and on demand so we do not risk storing hydrogen, dams are better than solar. Sadly, these complete facts are not presented by the media which only wants to sensationalize the story. Some data on the scraped plans for a modern carbon free hydroelectric dam in the Congo would produce enough electric power for the entire country… no wait, enough power for the entire continent of Africa. Thus setting the people free to improve life on their own. They could start by finding better politicians, inventing cost cutting technology for fuel cells and telling foreigners to stop mandating policies upon them under the lie of saving earth. When energy advanced countries keep people poor in energy and spirit, after their own country moved ahead and only to stop before hydrogen fuel cells save the world, that is a sin. Where there is hypocrisy, there is corruption.

The math doesn’t add up for solar and wind as the complete solution, nor are dams, geothermal, oil, gas and nuclear. However, for those with the authoritarian power:

The more payoffs accepted to stop transitional 4th generation nuclear plants that are safe and operate for 60 years with a fraction of waste; the more oil and gas sold.

The more land needed for solar farms and battery back ups that provide no reasonable payback or needed duration of supply; the more oil and gas sold.

The more wind farms that take up space, kill migrating birds, insects and bats, along with windless days and aged out equipment; the more oil and gas sold.

The more prevention of developing the energy answer hydrogen fuel cells, that operates on demand with water; the more oil and gas sold.

Now don’t misinterpret what I am saying, I have solar, I use solar, I produce more than I consume. However, while I have no electric bill due to my energy efficient house and solar panels, I still need to make hot water and heat my home. So I use the cleanest transition fuel available to me along with my 95% energy efficient heating system. That fuel is natural gas. The previous owner used oil with a 72% efficient heating system. When I researched using solar instead of gas, I found that I would need to double the number of solar panels that I am already using. I don’t have the space nor the money for 25 more panels. Additionally, I would need another 25 solar panel just to charge up batteries for nights and cloudy days so I could be off the grid. Again, I don’t have the space or the money. Then there is no reasonable payback on the costs for the battery backup system and I have yet to charge up any electric car. Additionally, what about the recycling issues after an expected 20 year lifespan for the panels? Read more data at my Dead Solar Panels blog post.

As an individual, I am doing the best I can on many environmental fronts. I must because this isn’t just my job, this is a passion. Yet, I am distraught, because one doesn’t have to look far to see hypocrisy like a major city pretending to help the environment with passing policy that stops new construction from using natural gas. Electricity must be used instead, but what fuel is being used at the utility’s power plant in the neighborhood with high cases of asthma to make that electricity? Most likely oil, not a solar or wind farm. And yet these same policy makers cry out that we need environmental justice for the poor. Who is hurting the poor when you block one of the cleaner fuels, such as gas, to help us while we transition toward carbon free hydrogen fuel cells. Alas, we are not in transition anymore because monthly money can’t be made off of everyone with their own hydrogen fuel cell in their home, office and car.

These are the truths. Humankind has always faced truths such as these. Until regular honest people step up to serve the people and not get rich off of the people, we will always have the poor, along with the poor of heart, mind, soul and a politicized environment.

To LEAD, one must SERVE.
Wishing and praying for all of us to have a happy New Year.

If anyone wishes to see sources of implicating data in support of this blog, please email me with full contact info and I will be happy to respond.

Bill Lauto, at GoingTrueGreen.com
Environmental Scientist
International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
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What Happened In Texas?

2/18/2021

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Texas, Texas freeze, texas winter storm, Texas snow storm, Texas power failure, Texas grid, texas wind turbines, renewable energy, non-renewables, oil, coal, solar, wind, gas, greed, infrastructure, electric grid, texas electric providers, sustainability, power plants, utility companies, Texas untility

I have been asked and I have been receiving the very question structured above for today’s GoingTrueGreen blog title by many GTG members.

First, I wish to level the playing field. Unlike other electric utilities that I have worked for or visited and had first hand information about many operations, I do not have first hand knowledge of every detail that contributed to the failures in the power grid infrastructure for Texas. Therefore, I must reserve the right to correct any verbiage in this blog due to the fact that despite reading and confirming some reliable information on the subject, “Sensationalism” prevails and real “Journalism” is squelched.

So what happened with the power grid in Texas? Seems to me that a poor management decision was made due to money justification. The temperatures were dropping and the demand for electricity was spiking. Additional Megawatts were needed and a decision was made not to bring on more production from gas, oil or coal power plants. After all, perhaps an innocent assumption was made that this was Texas and the weather will be warm again in a day or two. In addition, the decision makers had to justify the cost for bringing on line additional generators.

So again we have the real problem: Assumptions and Money. This A & M is a contagious disease that crosses all spectrums of power production. End result, there wasn’t enough power to meet the demand and the grid started to shut down as designed for safety protocol. Rolling blackouts were put into action until additional generators could be brought on line. A 100% shut down was avoided, but 85% of that Grid took a hit because of humankind’s decision.

So the lost of power wasn’t an act of God, but a humankind assumption floundering in money justification and that is the problem with all energy production. Both Renewable energy and Non-Renewable energy are plagued with this A & M disease. Case and point:

Why did the power grid supply fail?
There is a rare winter storm in Texas, a state that saw no reason to spend “money” on winterizing their energy production.

Solar panels have no system to clean snow off, because those systems cost money. (Even I have a way to clean snow off my solar panels. I had to come up with some method, because my area does get snowfall every year. I have a very simple and safe way, that had a very small investment. However, I must put in the time since I could not afford an automatic system. My time makes me money as I am able to produce Kilowatts once the sun is shinning again.
BTW: I do not go up on my roof. My previous GTG blog posts on solar explain more.)

Texas Wind Turbines and Gas Lines froze because they never had the money spent to winterize their operations. Oil and coal could not meet the demand because of human error in decision making. (System automatically starts to shutdown as a safety precaution when demand can’t be met.) In total, an 85% system shutdown.

If Texas had invested in winterizing all electrical generating systems, this one storm would have provided payback and possible profit. Now, this storm is costing them far more than any winterizing investment. Additionally, we need to ask the following: Did the government and electrical utilities provide helpful information on the news to inform the public of alternative ways to keep warm as well as how to drain most of the water out of their pipes? All the frozen and broken water pipes may become a legal matter now costing the utility more money, because while the storm can be labeled as an act of God, the system’s failure was due to poor decisions made by humans.

The irony is this, the two political sides blame each other and fail to see that they are both to blame, because the little that they do, is all about making money for themselves. Let it be for renewable or non-renewable energy production.

Next week, Texas’ weather will be around the sixty degree mark, while most of northern United States will have another week in and out of the twenty degree zone, but the power remains on.

Bill Lauto, at GoingTrueGreen.com
Environmental Scientist
International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
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Dead Solar Panels

3/10/2020

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solar, solar electric, solar panels, gallium, solar farms, photovoltaic, solar energy, recycle

Unusable Solar Panels: Recycle or Bury

Solar Panels have a life span of about 20 to 30 years. They help our environment in that time period by reducing the alternatives which would increase our carbon footprint. However, to prevent dark clouds from forming overhead due to the coming waste management issue with old solar panels that are decommissioned, we need a plan toward an efficient infrastructure to recycle up to tens of millions of solar panels.

America has over two million solar installations ranging from roof tops on homes and businesses to rack systems on the ground in solar farms. Many older systems are at the decommissioning stage. Currently, America does not have efficient solar panel recycling policies. The U.S. actually has no national policy.

Europe has policies for solar recycling programs because the Dual Systems laws, which have been in place for years have the manufacturers take back their products to recycle. In July of 2014, I wrote a GTG Blog post on this called:
eRecycling and eWaste. Here in the U.S. the homeowner is on their own, especially with older systems that do not have monitoring abilities in place to inform the contractor or homeowner when the solar panels need to undergo decommissioning.

Solar panels are 99% recyclable since they are made up of glass, aluminum, plastic, copper, lead, gallium, cadmium and silicon. However, the process to recycle solar panels is very involved. Dissembling all parts and separating some of them with melting, lasers, a solvent, cutting or a stream of electrons to selectively break apart components on a surface maybe necessary. Despite all that, great recycling opportunities are coming and an economic upside can come from recycling solar panels. Some estimates state that there will be a 15 Billion dollar business waiting for the new solar recycling industry by 2050.

The time to start is now, so we don't find ourselves burying dead solar panels in landfills.

Bill Lauto, at GoingTrueGreen.com
Environmental Scientist
International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
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Roof Tops

5/9/2019

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Bill Lauto, roofs, roof repairs, solar, NASA, rain water, collecting rain water, rain barrels, toilets, astronauts, Florida, going green, saving water, saving money, cleaning solar panels, Tesla, gardens, watering flowers, sustainable living, sustainability

Altering Perspective

I have been on a several roof tops recently. A person's perspective is always altered when viewing their surroundings from a different angle, especially from above. I had the good fortune to meet with an American Space Shuttle Astronaut when visiting NASA in Florida one year. His view when in space was an extreme perspective of our Earth. Many astronauts described that view as an altering perspective.

Much closer to the ground, on my rooftop, I just did some air vent repairs and wiped down my solar panels for optimum performance. I also cleaned out the rain gutters to prepare for my next project. Collecting rainwater to flush my toilet!

Tuscany Rain Barrel

I can no longer subscribe to paying money for clean drinkable water to flush away waste. Rainwater is Free and after a filter system to catch roof gravel, I am planning to implement my system for at least one toilet ASAP. I already collect rain water off my roof for my garden and lawn. From Tuscany style rain barrels to a giant rock design holding 80 gallons.

One's perspective must always include all angles to truly see all their surroundings and one's impact on God's green earth.

Bill Lauto, at GoingTrueGreen.com
Environmental Scientist
International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
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Batteries Included

1/1/2019

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Apollo 11, Tesla, Lithium-air batteries, Lithium-ion batteries, power wall, nuclear, solar, fuel cells, hydrogen, electric cars, non-renewables, sustainability, going true green, going green, bill lauto

Tesla's Current Power Wall Battery

This New Year will bring us the 50th anniversary of America's Apollo 11 Moon mission. This American accomplishment, against all odds, proves what Team Work will always give us... Success.

Currently a Team effort for better batteries is underway at the University of Cambridge. Scientists from Cambridge have recently pointed out that in less than the necessary time it takes to build a Nuclear Power Plant, lithium-air batteries could be contributing to making oil, coal and nuclear obsolete. Lithium-Air batteries are five times cheaper and lighter than today's lithium batteries.

These new developments place the technology of battery storage comparable to non-renewable fuels. Lithium-air batteries have a density that is ten times more than a lithium-ion battery. That is over 90% efficient through the discharge and recharge cycle. Also these batteries can be recharged well over 2,000 times before a need to replace them. This can drive down the cost for an electric car with batteries to a fifth of current costs. Additionally, these newer lithium-air batteries will weight a fifth of current batteries, thus allowing a car drive of over 400 miles possible on one charge.

Now technically the energy density is still lower than energy produced from oil. However, much of that oil producing energy is wasted by today's trucks and cars. The oil fuel is not utilized efficiently and as much as three-quarters of the oil fuel energy is lost in heat. Nevertheless, researchers at the University of Cambridge have shown how the development of a lithium-air battery looks very promising.

A New Year is upon us and time will tell. Meanwhile, Fuel Cells that make electricity by running off of free Hydrogen obtained from free rain water with power from free sun light working a photovoltaic panel are also moving closer to the launch pad, where we will all hear those heart stopping words, "Mission Control, we are GO for launch!"

Bill Lauto, at GoingTrueGreen.com
Environmental Scientist
International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
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NUTS

9/13/2018

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Two colleagues and members of the Going True Green team created a video when in Boston last month. They saw an opportunity to send me a zinger and they were intrigued to see my reaction. Below is the video:

My return text to them was one word, NUTS. The same answer used by Brig. Gen. Anthony C. McAuliffe's in World War Two's Battle of the Bulge. When I saw them a few weeks later, they were laughing as I slowly shook my head. We then laughed and shared how they made the short video.

Nevertheless, the point made is well known and with that understanding, the improvement and development of energy storage advances each year.

Bill Lauto, at GoingTrueGreen.com
Environmental Scientist
International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
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Sustainable Payback With Solar

6/12/2018

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Above Data is tracked, recorded and presented by Tesla Incorporated

Three Years, Eight Months ago... I went with Photovoltaic Solar Panels for producing electricity at my house. This month I saved the complete amount of my cost to install the panels. The reasons for my fast Three year and Eight month Return on my investment starts with having an energy efficient house. The actions I have taken to live a more sustainable life and have a very energy efficient house took about 12 years prior to implement. Nevertheless, these energy efficient actions taken are NOT rocket science. The estimated "reach" of 1.7 million people who can access my Going True Green blog posts know that obtaining optimum energy efficiency isn't difficult when you have all the facts and done within your own budget of time and money. With my energy efficient house and solar panels, I have not had an electric bill above the 9 to 13 dollars per month service fees from my Electric Utility.

The second reason for the fast payback is due to my research and evaluation of many Solar companies. (Several of the companies that I did not go with are now out of business or their suppliers have bowed out) Product performance was also key, knowing where the products were manufactured, who installed what components and comparing the costs between Lease programs or buying.

The third reason is because I was confident enough with my knowledge of Solar to be one of the first to take the leap ahead. The timing was perfect because the best offers were being made as well as the best tax credits. I did a Lease Program that offered a 33% discount on the total cost if I pre-paid the twenty years of lease payments up front. I then received a tax credit from the Federal Government and the State that was equal to half of my up front cost.

So when I reached a savings of $6,000.00 this month, I had a full Return on my investment. In fact, I have been producing more electricity than I consume, thus suppling power back onto the Grid. Yes, I have AC cooling the house and the lights (LEDs) are on at night. As I took action to live a more sustainable life, I have saved money, energy, our environment and all without making any sacrifices. I am living healthier and happier as I try to present the educational facts through my GoingTrueGreen.com and EnergyHotwire.com websites that provide assistance to everyone who visits.

One additional note... Since installing Solar on my house, several neighbors followed and the value of my house has increased.

Bill Lauto, at GoingTrueGreen.com
Environmental Scientist
International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
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Invisible Glass

1/5/2018

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Even though we can see through glass, glass is not invisible. Until 2017 when scientists at Brookhaven Lab’s Center for Functional Nanomaterials almost eliminated all surface reflections on their textured glass surface containing features that measure billionths of a meter.

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Image provided and Copyrighted by Brookhaven National Laboratory

This ultra-transparent nano-textured glass is antireflective over a large range of wavelengths that include the visible and near-infrared spectrum, along with viewing angles. The glass is virtually invisible because the reflections are reduced to almost non-existent.

With this discovery we should see many benefits such as:

Enhanced solar cell efficiency
Improved high-power laser applications
Eliminating glare on sunny days when viewing smartphones or screens
Resistant to fog
Improvements with steam turning condensation coils
Improvements in car and aircraft windshields

However, one immediate drawback that comes to mind is with those sliding glass doors. Visual stickers on the glass will now need to be mandatory.

Bill Lauto, at GoingTrueGreen.com
Environmental Scientist
International Sustainability and Energy Consultant
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