Tesla Dealer in Kansas City

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[shinatoo]

At the Tesla quick charge station you can have them swap your batt, takes about 5 minutes. I thought you were thinking of that.

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[FangKC]

Sure, you do like Fang said and put panels on your roof. Charge it overnight, like usual. That's pretty much the only owning a Tesla here would make sense, if you're interested in the environmental angle, because you simply can't get clean electricity from the grid.

The ideal solution would be to charge your car at home from your stored power from solar, and then work somewhere that also has solar panels on the roof to replace any lost energy from the drive in. However, for most people, just their home stored solar energy would be enough to get them back and forth to work, and to do shopping.

Still, the USA is adding alternative energy sources from solar and wind pretty quickly. Our capacity in those sources of energy are growing in leaps and bounds every day.

Solar panel technology is changing rapidly, and the costs are coming down fast. Some utilities and solar companies are putting solar on residential customer roofs, and the cost of the installation comes out of regular monthly bills. In some cases, the utility buys excess power from the customer, and that pays for their solar panels. If this model works well, I think we will see a lot more utility companies going this route because building new coal and gas power plant capacity is very expensive, and there are so many regulations and obstacles to it now.

Some new solar panel technology will potentially collect energy even on cloudy days when the sun doesn't shine.

On another note, I've read about Tesla cars, and they are incredibly fast. The top end model is as fast as sport Porsche models. Their 0-60 is incredible--especially when one considers electric cars and their reputation in the past.

[shinatoo]

There is a bill in the Missouri Senate that will bar HOA's from restricting solar panels on homes, with some aesthetic restrictions. http://www.senate.mo.gov/15info/BTS_Web ... BillID=169

[FangKC]

It won't be too much longer that the aesthetics of solar panels will be an issue.

I've seen articles where companies are developing solar shingles for roofing that will look just like regular roofing shingles for the most part.

Companies are also working on all sort of thin film-like solar materials that could be affixed to large windows and be unseen from the street. There is also talk of siding materials that would be similar.

Another article I read had something to do with improving solar technology that a smaller panel would produce a great deal more energy than what is being marketed today. This would allow more much smaller, more discrete placements, or small pod units placed in the yard on a concrete pad--similar in size to an AC compressor unit that everyone has today.

[shinatoo]

Exactly, but many HOA covenants still strictly prohibit (mine for example) solar panels of any sort. It's backward thinking and is easier to change by state law then to change the covenant.

[loftguy]

Exactly, but many HOA covenants still strictly prohibit (mine for example) solar panels of any sort. It's backward thinking and is easier to change by state law then to change the covenant.

Can't cover up those beautiful old-growth cedar shingles....

[taxi]

Exactly, but many HOA covenants still strictly prohibit (mine for example) solar panels of any sort. It's backward thinking and is easier to change by state law then to change the covenant.

Can't cover up those beautiful old-growth cedar shingles....

Ha! I was thinking the exact same thing.

[swid]

Every time I hear HOAs mentioned in any context, I wonder how they are remotely legal.

[shinatoo]

Same way any sub state government entity is. Same way a TDD is. Or a City. We entered a contract when we moved into the neighborhood. The HOA protects our joint interest, collects fees to provide community services. What's hard to understand?

Some things I don't like but the great majority of what I get from the HOA is worth it.

[FangKC]

Covenants existed in many of J.C. Nichols housing developments.

[FangKC]

Exactly, but many HOA covenants still strictly prohibit (mine for example) solar panels of any sort. It's backward thinking and is easier to change by state law then to change the covenant.

I found an article that shows the new shingle type solar panels. I think in time HOAs will move to accept them, since in time there will be more pressure for everyone to power their homes and cars using cleaner alternative methods. Once these sources of power become more common, I think we will see more electric vehicles and more and more people powering their vehicles from home sources.

Many people don't realize that a lot of energy generated from carbon-based sources is lost in transmission over miles of power lines. So all that carbon that has been put into the atmosphere over decades has produced no benefit to consumers of electricity. It was just wasted. I think the future will be one of more power being generated on-site.

Solar Shingles Made from Common Metals Offer Cheaper Energy Option

http://e360.yale.edu/digest/solar_shing ... tion/3600/

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