Author: Steven Guccione

Solar Payback

Steven Guccione

My solar testbed has been running for a few months now. In the summer here in Austin I tend to get 700 WH per day, but it does vary. I was wondering what the payback is for my little setup. My panels are just whatever I found on Amazon. Not the best or the worst. Price probably ok at $150.

At 700 WH per day, and using $0.10 per kWH, it comes to about $0.07 per day production. Doesn’t sound like much but thats $25 per year. So I’m looking at about a 6 year payback. Not bad. Of course there are lots of variables. My equipment has a battery, inverter and controller that I’m not including. Also $0.10 per kWH is top tier here in Austin, but that is what we pay. But there are other fees on our power bill that aren’t included, and they are significant these days in Texas. And if you use less electricity the tier and the rate will be lower. Of course the output of the panels will be lower in the winter. But a good ballpark number.

Little Armadillos

Steven Guccione

After dinner last night saw three critters in the grass in the back yard. Thought they were squirrels, but they were moving too slow. Walked up and they were little armadillos. Not afraid of me at all as I walked up taking photos. They eventually scurried under the fence and into my neighbors yard.

Unbreaking the News

Steven Guccione

Its no secret that the Internet has been tough on news sources. I admit that for years I mostly rely on Google News to select the news I read. For a while I was pretty happy with this. Over time I began to get more “clickbait” articles, that is, one with ridiculous headlines designed to get you to click on their link. I figureed ignoring these stories would “tell” Google not to send me this sort of stuff. But it didn’t.

I found I was getting lots of articles about the same thing, often using the same text. I also began to get local stories from places I have never been and have no particular interest in. I also found it was taking me longer and longer to read my news in the morning. But maybe that was Googles plan all along.

Recently I decided to beging to ruthlessly block articles and sites that sent me any stories I found had misleading headlines or information. Also I tried to reject news that was loaded with adjectives and adverbs. I’m just want facts, not opinions and emotions. This had led me to blocking what I’m used to consider premier content. I’m mostly thinking of the New York Times. I’m fact, their stories keep popping up and I keep blocking them. What up with that Google (although I suspect I know the answer)?

i joke that I’m down to ESPN, Al Jazera and The Onion. But something funny has happened, at least temporarily. I’m spending less time reading news and feel more informed. I’m also getting lots of news from less prominent and often more local sources. Its important to note that I’m trying to broaden what I read, not narrow it. I’m not looking to make my own echo chamber; quite the opposite. I’m not sure what the solution is for news in today’s world, but I’m happy with my aggressive blocking of news sources.