Comments on: City of Binghamton Looks to Waste $321K of Taxpayer Money on Solar Panels for Sewage Plant http://rssbinghamton.com/city-of-binghamton-looks-to-waste-321k-of-taxpayer-money-on-solar-panels-for-sewage-plant/ A conservative voice crying in the liberal wilderness of Greater Binghamton, NY Mon, 08 Nov 2010 12:19:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: CMal http://rssbinghamton.com/city-of-binghamton-looks-to-waste-321k-of-taxpayer-money-on-solar-panels-for-sewage-plant/comment-page-1/#comment-2080 CMal Sun, 06 Dec 2009 15:59:45 +0000 http://rssbinghamton.com/?p=570#comment-2080 A quick google search reveals 2 compelling pieces of data. 1. Binghamton is not the epicenter of sunshine. 2. The most expensive, carefully designed, and complicated solar panels in the world operate at about 40% efficiency. That means that, for every bit of sunlight that hits the panel, only 40% of it is turned into electricity. Mythbusters would rule Busted. A quick google search reveals 2 compelling pieces of data.
1. Binghamton is not the epicenter of sunshine.
2. The most expensive, carefully designed, and complicated solar panels in the world operate at about 40% efficiency. That means that, for every bit of sunlight that hits the panel, only 40% of it is turned into electricity.

Mythbusters would rule Busted.

]]> By: Jim Willis http://rssbinghamton.com/city-of-binghamton-looks-to-waste-321k-of-taxpayer-money-on-solar-panels-for-sewage-plant/comment-page-1/#comment-2076 Jim Willis Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:49:01 +0000 http://rssbinghamton.com/?p=570#comment-2076 Sorry Sean, I'll have to disagree with you on this one. The money comes from taxpayers, all $321,000 of it, regardless of which pocket they take it from. And if they install these panels and if they actually save $7,500 per year, the fact that it takes 43 years to earn back the investment is NOT a good way to spend MY money. It's downright foolish. Please realize that you (and I) are not bottomless pits of money for the government. Sorry Sean, I’ll have to disagree with you on this one. The money comes from taxpayers, all $321,000 of it, regardless of which pocket they take it from. And if they install these panels and if they actually save $7,500 per year, the fact that it takes 43 years to earn back the investment is NOT a good way to spend MY money. It’s downright foolish. Please realize that you (and I) are not bottomless pits of money for the government.

]]> By: Sean http://rssbinghamton.com/city-of-binghamton-looks-to-waste-321k-of-taxpayer-money-on-solar-panels-for-sewage-plant/comment-page-1/#comment-2075 Sean Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:24:04 +0000 http://rssbinghamton.com/?p=570#comment-2075 It's smart spending actually. This is taxpayer dollars should be spent on, infrastructure reinforcement. Costs a bit of money upfront, saves in the longrun. Basic economics. It’s smart spending actually. This is taxpayer dollars should be spent on, infrastructure reinforcement. Costs a bit of money upfront, saves in the longrun. Basic economics.

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