The Louisiana Solar
Energy Society is an
educational organization formed to promote the
use of solar energy and to share information
on the subject between its members and the
public.
This
letter was submitted to Gambit Weekly in response to their article about
the high energy prices in Louisiana titled Electric Shock. 2/8/01
2/13/01
Mr.
Verma,
I
read with interest your cover story article on Electric Shock. What
amazed me was not how high everyone's electric bill was but the lack of
interest in alternative energy in Louisiana. As an example you mentioned
that you could not find a solar house in Baton Rouge. I wanted to
let you and your readers know that although there are no homes operating
"off grid" in the city, mine is being partially powered by solar electricity
and has been for two years. Every watt I get out of my solar panels
is one less watt I need to buy from the electric company.
Solar
power is not an "all or nothing" option in powering a home. It is
more like buying a wardrobe of clothes. You buy the basics and supplement
as you get more money. I installed my solar power system in 1999
and have enjoyed doing my part in becoming less dependant on the grid.
I can run about four rooms of my house "off grid".
I
wrote Richard Perez, the editor of Homepower magazine with an open invitation
for anyone in this area to contact me about starting a user group.
We have started what we are going to call the Louisiana Solar Energy Society
(LSES). It will be an educational society and will share information
with people considering solar power for their homes, businesses or camps.
For
most people money is their sole motivator. Let's hope that the positive
side of the high utility bills of this winter will be that it encourages
people to look at alternative energy (and energy conservation) as something
they should do today.
If
anyone would like to take a look at the developing LSES website and see
some pictures of my system they can visit the website
