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The U.S. Congress yesterday introduced legislation that would affirm the right of American consumers to install solar systems on their roofs and receive fair treatment as energy producers.

Read the full release here.

The "Solar Opportunity and Local Access Rights Act" (SOLAR) would establish national standards for the interconnection and net metering of solar energy systems, based on the most progressive state standards to date. The legislation would require utilities to credit their customers at retail electric rates for supplying excess solar power to the grid. The bill would also establish that ownership of renewable energy credits (RECs) resides with the solar system owner for purposes of selling or trading to meet a state or federal renewable portfolio standard.

The SOLAR Act would protect solar consumers from restrictive covenants that block the siting of solar systems on a roof - similar to the current legislative treatment of satellite dishes. The bill would also help shield prospective system buyers from exorbitant permitting and licensing fees.

We are what we repeatedly do. - Aristotle

March 21, 2007 -- Scientists from the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory announced today a new tool to monitor changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases by region and source. The tool, called CarbonTracker, will enable its users to evaluate the effectiveness of their efforts to reduce or store carbon emissions.

The online data framework distinguishes between changes in the natural carbon cycle and those occurring in human-produced fossil fuel emissions. It also provides verification for scientists using computer models to project future climate change. Potential users include corporations, cities, states and nations assessing their efforts to reduce or store fossil fuel emissions around the world.

"NOAA encourages science that adds benefit to society and the environment. CarbonTracker does both," said retired Navy Vice Admiral Conrad Lautenbacher, Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. "Increasingly, observations of the Earth are demonstrating a remarkable impact on our understanding of human and natural systems. We are transitioning this understanding gained from intensive research into operations that benefit the environment and the economy."

(Credit: NOAA)

Latest fill up:
17/3/07, 63.88 liters, 469 miles, 34.8 MPG avg, 30.8 MPH avg, 91.9p/liter, 12.5p/mile


Historical
12/3/07, 67.84 litres, 488 miles, 33.6 MPG avg, 26.1 MPH avg, 89.9p/litre, 12.5p/mile
5/3/07, 64.92 litres, 434 miles, 31.3 MPG avg, 22 MPH avg, 89.9p/litre, 13.4p/mile

I have been posting links to the map of UK bioDiesel suppliers on various bioDiesel forums over the past week and I guess some of those readers have followed the link to this blog too. One of them sent me an email with some info regarding a local (High Wycombe, about 30 mins away) supplier of Methanol. This is good news as most suppliers won't ship the stuff and the only ones I have found so far are in the Manchester area (a couple of hundred miles away!)

Click me

I have put forecourt Diesel into the 530d on 2 occasions so far and noted the mileage per tank (give or take a couple of miles) and the average MPG and Speed as reported by the on board trip computer. My daily drive included stop start/slow commute traffic on the school run (a few miles each day), travel between client sites (I work from home and visit local people or businesses each day, normally within about 30 - 45 mins drive of home) and occasional long trips on motorways. I estimate my annual mileage to be about 15 - 20K.

I bought my 530d with 77K on the clock. Its a BMW straight 6 turbo Diesel engine linked to a 5 speed "step tronic" auto box. The whole thing is in a big heavy 5 series touring (aka estate/station wagon) chassis that weighs around 1700Kg (3750lbs).

The first fill up 5/3/07, 64.92 litres, 434 Miles, 31.3 MPG avg, 22 MPH avg, 89.9p/litre
The next fill up 12/3/07, 67.84 litres, 488 Miles, 33.6 MPG avg, 26.1 MPH avg, 89.9p/litre.

I have found this great site by Robin White to do the conversion of miles and litres to miles per gallons.

From this site I have done 30.4 MPG and 32.7 MPG on the two tanks.

One of the reasons to make bioDiesel is to save money. To help workout the savings I need a benchmark of "normal costs" to compare against. With the cost per tank and the mileage per tank I can work out that the two tanks have cost me £0.134 per mile and £0.125 per mile.

I will try to keep up with the data as I drive and in time put it into a graph.

Dear colleagues and friends,

With clean energy becoming a central issue for the Congress and our country, we have the biggest opportunity yet to jumpstart solar - but we need your help to make it happen. The newly introduced "Securing America's Energy Independence Act" is the largest, most important solar energy legislation ever introduced in this country.

The bi-partisan legislation (introduced in the House as HR. 550 and the Senate as S. 590) would make America's energy future a lot brighter by making solar energy more affordable across the country. In many states, solar would be cheaper than buying electricity from the grid.

Specifically, the bill extends the 30% federal solar investment tax credit (currently set to expire at the end of 2008) for another 8 years, modifies the photovoltaics incentive to $1500 per half-kW of capacity and removes the $2000 residential cap.

Solar energy has the potential to provide much of the electricity our country needs. Temporary financial incentives are necessary to build economies of scale-and extending the tax credits over a longer period gives the solar industry the market certainty necessary to make long-term investments.

Use the link below to email your elected representatives, tell them how important building a clean, renewable energy future is to you, and ask them to co-sponsor the "Securing America's Energy Independence Act."

Please forward this link on to family, friends and colleagues who support solar energy development in the United States.

http://capwiz.com/re-action/go/seia

(Credit: SEIA)

Well I now have two not so shiny 55 gallon oil drums, former use was to store Acetone (nail varnish remover) that has since been used and removed/cleaned :-)

Next stop for them will be to weld in the heater and various pipe connectors.