Renewable Energy Expo. 30min. drive from Tea Party

JD posted about the Tea Party in Oneonta NY today. Political retorich and hopefully equipment sales for River Valley Tractor.
30 miniuts east on I88 there was a Renewable Energy Expo. All forms of renewable energy equipment was displayed,or represented, plus energy conservation auditors, and state sponsered low interest loan agencies were present. Both festivities demonstrate the new grass roots movement of people in our area.
We're sick of Gov. bickering along party lines, rather than working toward solutions to our countries economic decline. Sorry to bring politics onto this forum. Like all of you, I'm just trying to reduce my payments to the power company, and the tax man, and I'm Sick of peeling lables off everything I buy that doesn't say made in the USA
I identify with HANK JRs song "A COUNTRY BOY CAN SURVIVE"

Looks to me that the "Green" movement doesn't have the support of the TEA parties. I don't like to pay high electric bills either, but just wait until the tree huggers get this carbon tax through. If you live in the country it is going to kill your pocket book.

HI JD Seller
Those of us here who promote renewable energy and agricultural preservation, are in constant disagreement with the "tree huggers"We have to work ever day to keep our heads above water. Here the Tree hugger society has vast financial recources and all the time in the world to stiffel any attempts to enhanse our rural economy. IE. any small business that might employe a few people. The young people who have remaind here mostly work construction jobs and drive an hour or more one way, to and from work. A few have stayed on famly farms but a lot more of them moved out of NY. I wish my ties wern't so deep. I'd leave too.

I moved out of the Hudson Valley for similar reasons three years ago.. Wish I had gotten smart twenty years ago. Sure is pretty to visit but it just isn't worth the cost of livin in that messed up state.

I encourage ya to take a look at opportunities elsewhere....

I've got two homes in New York 100% powered by solar and wind. Both systems designed by me. I'm now building a third in northern Michigan and a fourth in the Adirondacks. When I got started with my first project I got involved with the New York State government. Like a fool, I thought they might be helpful. What a joke! If anything, their involvement has ruined things for people who have the drive and smarts to do things for themselves and want to save money. NYSERDA told me that my type of battery-backup grid-system wouldn't work. It did work, and later, they started using it. Previously, they were pushing systems that shut-down whenever the grid went down.

NYSERDA has done little but take tax-payer money, and electric rate-payer money, and screw things up (New York State Research and Development Authority). Maybe it didn't help that they appointed a senior project manager for the agency who had NO experience in the field (Adele Ferranti).

Also, please explain why you claim the Tractor Tea Party was based on " Political retorich." Rhetoric is basically, the "art of using speech sucessfully" . . . but I'm doubtful that is how you meant it. If you DID, then you too just used rhetoric. If common, usually non-political folk don't speak up, who do you think will do their talking for them? Also, were you there? If not, how do know what really went on, who was there, and why?

What New York instrusion into the alternative energy field has done is this.

Make it look like politicians care and are doing something useful.

Driven prices way up on components since now many are purchased with tax-payer dollars.

Also, NYSERDA has created a "make work" program with rediculous high pay scales that any incentive user is forced to pay.

If a person chooses to build an off-grid wind and solar system, and not use State money, but DOES use Federal money, most systems can be built at 1/2 to 1/3 the price of a State authorized system.

The only gain with State involvement is for those who don't do their own work and are unwilling to try. For those who just want a working system installed and managed by somebody else, the State system is the way to go.

If New York had done it the way New Jersey and California did it, I'd be a bit more enthused. They allow "self install"as long as what you put in, passes final inspection.

The irony of New York regs? The final wiring on mine had to be done by a NY State authorized installer. It failed inspection twice unitl I tore it apart, rewired it, and fixed it. I then had to fight it for a year to make them refund me money, but I finaly got it.

I have to admit, I'm a little confused over some comments by others to suggest that people who go to these so-called "Tea Parties" don't care about the environment? Where the heck does that come from? I met half-a-dozen people there that live in off-grid homes powered by wind and solar.

One of my installs, a 5200 watt solar system at home ..

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You're right about the "Tea Party" being a truly grass-roots movement. I hope it doesn't get organized, and then ruined. The one at the Ford dealer was originally supposed to be in a town public park in Oneonta. But, the City government prevented it from happening, so it got moved almost out of the town. I used to know the guy that donated that park. He's probably rolling in his grave over what the Oneonta did to try to stop the event.

As to green energy, I wouldn't call the organized events I've seen as "grass roots." But, I did not attend the Expo you mentioned, so cannot fairly comment. The true "grass roots" people I've met are the ones that did research on their own, and installed on their own - often in spite of NY government "help" that makes things more expensive and more difficult.

Also, I've found that the "grass roots" type of alternative energy equipment sellers are those that sell off-grid stuff. "Off grid" usually means "not related" to government mandates. Most I've met are very helpful and really know their stuff.

To the converse, the many equipment sellers associated with many organized events and State incentive programs often know little about their own products other then what they've been told by the companies that make the stuff.

Hey JD,
You're a very intelligent, industrious, and articulate young man. Keep up the good fight.
Pete

Hi jde You and I are on the same page in relation to NYSERDA. One of their goals they like to refer to is aiding small business move into selling and installing RE equipment. That's a joke. The average small 1-2 man electrical contractor who wishes to enter this market and depend on NYSERDA for speedy aplication approvals and prompt reimbersment would be broke and badly in debt within a year. Like you say the only companies reaping the benifits are the out of state companies like Gro Solar who have large office staffs deticated to dealing with their red tape. We fly under the radar, selling quality products at reasonable prices. We can get a system up and running within a month of purchase rather than 3-6 months later.The customer doesn't get the grant money, but the price wasn't grossly inflated and they gain several months of production. All comes out in the wash, and the customer has us to fall back on when a problem arises.