Post AU2bLMPLpFtDz4Twdk by philipp@social.anoxinon.de
(DIR) More posts by philipp@social.anoxinon.de
(DIR) Post #AU1gx87hgnD3IX64TA by clive@saturation.social
2023-03-27T02:00:54Z
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"How I Grew To Love the Aesthetics of Rooftop Solar"Almost 5 year ago, I put panels on my roof in Brooklyn I worried they'd look ugly, so I set them as far back from the road as possibleBut over time, my view changed!Nowadays I think they look weirdly gorgeous -- a cool cyberpunk mix of 19th-century wood-framed design with 1980s vinyl siding and a 21-century goddamn *power plant*My essay: https://clivethompson.medium.com/how-i-grew-to-love-the-aesthetics-of-rooftop-solar-eda118df0290A "friend" link if you're not a Medium subscriber https://clivethompson.medium.com/how-i-grew-to-love-the-aesthetics-of-rooftop-solar-eda118df0290?sk=14bbcf0c2b43a3bd2ea9b044180329cf
(DIR) Post #AU1hWleihTAW2cX87M by toxtethogrady@universeodon.com
2023-03-27T02:05:57Z
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@clive Considering it is possible to get photovoltaic shingles these days that look like part of the natural roof, that's less of a concern than it was. But everyone has their own aesthetic, and this is proof of concept...
(DIR) Post #AU1hWmI4LAe00ewYS0 by clive@saturation.social
2023-03-27T02:06:48Z
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@toxtethogrady Yep yepAs shingles emerge these aesthetic considerations will diminish
(DIR) Post #AU1hupHEt6uGDr1Rey by Curiouscat@postpandemicparty.org
2023-03-27T02:11:17Z
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@clive Grown to love mine!
(DIR) Post #AU1k4ueNxrrPgwmoN6 by JaminBogi@zirk.us
2023-03-27T02:35:57Z
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@clive Felt the exact same when we got our panels last year, though I came to like the look in only a week or so. We have a rigid metal conduit that stretches over the roof ridge & elbows out over the gutter a bit, quite un-sleek. & we have 7 panels on 1 side of the roof, w/ 2 lonely guys on the other.I quickly grew to love the aesthetic. It's somehow similar to #VisibleMending in my mind—like, we're not hiding this. We *want* this to stand out, so people see it & consider what it means.
(DIR) Post #AU1kHPo5x17PnUI0bQ by clive@saturation.social
2023-03-27T02:38:14Z
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@Curiouscat Nice!!
(DIR) Post #AU1kOin1luQghMH3Ka by clive@saturation.social
2023-03-27T02:38:58Z
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@JaminBogi Yep, 100%The visibility is part of how the conversations start that grow everything faster
(DIR) Post #AU1lYjzUGGQ9GzRY9I by maryjofeeney@home.social
2023-03-27T02:52:07Z
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@clive https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/daK_HXsf1GQC8rUO82wQug?select=meXz9JKRzrZH6fLKjMv-ag&utm_source=oshare&utm_content=photo I like the look of our solar panels.
(DIR) Post #AU1ly3H7hPngK2lHyC by andresmh@hci.social
2023-03-27T02:56:42Z
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@clive what do you know about solar tiles? I have seen some mixed reviews
(DIR) Post #AU1p7n1pG6YwgywR1c by clive@saturation.social
2023-03-27T03:32:31Z
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@andresmh I gather it's still early days for 'em -- promisingly interesting, but I can't tell yet how soon it'll become a bigger market
(DIR) Post #AU1pJ3RqYE7GnoU4US by clive@saturation.social
2023-03-27T03:32:41Z
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@maryjofeeney Cool!
(DIR) Post #AU24hQCV6lDJd9Np44 by philipp@social.anoxinon.de
2023-03-27T06:26:38Z
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@clive completely understand the change in aesthetics and also hope that society will undergo it. Had a similar discussion about the aesthetics of wind turbines, they also give me a glimpse of a better future 😍
(DIR) Post #AU28LX9iy3pyeCu3Yu by fritzoids@mas.to
2023-03-27T07:07:56Z
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@clive , we've managed to "infect" two neighbors in our building with our small "Balkonsolaranlage" (Ger. balcony solar module). One got one because of the environmental impact. The other (I think) enjoys the idea of generating their own power and being able to monitor how much is coming in and "oooh! the sun's out! start the washer/drier/dishwasher now!"
(DIR) Post #AU2VgmiGcTrzvMA8PY by clive@saturation.social
2023-03-27T11:29:28Z
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@philipp Yep! I’ve always liked the look of wind turbines … though I don’t live in a rural area where they suddenly emerged, so I don’t have any skin in the game
(DIR) Post #AU2VnjecOI2mSqlo3s by clive@saturation.social
2023-03-27T11:30:43Z
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@fritzoids I love seeing solar tech on balconies!It’s an additionally cool form of solar because you don’t need any permits to put it in … you just buy the panels le voila
(DIR) Post #AU2bLMPLpFtDz4Twdk by philipp@social.anoxinon.de
2023-03-27T12:32:43Z
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@clive me neither, however I am moving to the countryside in the near future and its def a topic there. btw you might like the solarpunk aesthetics in this video https://youtu.be/z-Ng5ZvrDm4
(DIR) Post #AU2bUkRbpPVh8c0xxg by matthewburton@mstdn.social
2023-03-27T12:34:30Z
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@clive the fuss over the appearance of “historic” homes is so childish. Most “historic” homes (mine included) have zero individual historic notoriety, and are just as old as the homes around them, but are more charming (read:expensive).
(DIR) Post #AU2qkt21ARNZiUCKlE by irwin@saturation.social
2023-03-27T15:25:24Z
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@clive I know this is off topic slightly (seeing as your post was about the aesthetics), I was looking into getting solar too, but when I was talking to other neighbors, they said something about not being able to store the power since batteries are not legal (bc of FDNY regs). Is this true? You're not actually off the ConEd grid; you're just getting credit for whatever you generate? Does it actually pay itself off?
(DIR) Post #AU2rVblt9qp9nNvrKC by clive@saturation.social
2023-03-27T15:33:28Z
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@irwin Yep, not off grid — and wouldn’t want to be, actually! The grid is an awesome piece of technology for resilience and moving energy around…. It needs updating but it kicks ass What happens is I generate way more power than I can use during the day and then at night I buy energy from con Ed I buy very very little — in most 24 hour periods I’m in the black Pre panels: $180-$200 a month ($20 of which is the connection fee)Now: $32ish a month ($20 of which is etc)
(DIR) Post #AU2ruB3FdgeWAGljKi by clive@saturation.social
2023-03-27T15:38:20Z
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@irwin The panels were $13,500, so with an average savings of $150 a month it amortizes in about 7.5 years
(DIR) Post #AU2sX3gaxQ6UcBiBFY by 990000@mstdn.social
2023-03-27T15:45:02Z
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@clive pretty cool and actually not bad looking. I wonder if it also works for bigger walkups with upwards of 16 units.
(DIR) Post #AU2tS5qna9ILpngG4e by clive@saturation.social
2023-03-27T15:55:38Z
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@990000 Good question! A bigger unit could install a full roof — get a lot more power out of itNot sure it would get enough juice for 16 units but it’d make a hell of a dent in the building’s energy needs
(DIR) Post #AU2ti5wmzTW2le738S by clive@saturation.social
2023-03-27T15:58:31Z
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@matthewburton Yeah — the BSW guys told me they run into that problem all the time in Brooklyn, alas
(DIR) Post #AU2vgou34hSTWaLnl2 by sarawinge@saturation.social
2023-03-27T16:20:42Z
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@clive I kept waiting for photovoltaic shingles I felt I could trust, as I also wasn't happy about a bunch o' panels on the roof of my 1936 California Bungalow. But I gave in 2 years ago, cuz enough already with the snooty aesthetics. Still don't like the look of them, but I'm really glad I have them. Especially with batteries--in our storm-caused power outages this winter, I've been comfy and, most important, my sump pump kept working through the atmospheric rivers.
(DIR) Post #AU308epmVHkoDnssSW by clive@saturation.social
2023-03-27T17:10:37Z
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@philipp Nice!!Where are you moving from, and to?
(DIR) Post #AU30FfbI3LdEcpRwlU by clive@saturation.social
2023-03-27T17:11:55Z
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@sarawinge Aha, that's cool about the battery backup keeping the juice on in powerouts!We don't have batteries yet in NYC because the city hasn't figured out a spec yet for the containers ... they are (rightly) worried about battery fires, since if one house goes up in flames in NYC, the entire block can quickly go up too ...
(DIR) Post #AU30W1pBBzF8BXkMC0 by ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org
2023-03-27T17:14:00Z
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@clive @sarawinge NOBODY (and I mean NOBODY) looks up on your roof. I mean, maybe if you live in a very urban environment someone might have a view of your roof. But you could have a cow up on your roof here and no one would notice.
(DIR) Post #AU30jBPWrVZtgI1OV6 by clive@saturation.social
2023-03-27T17:16:47Z
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@ai6yr @sarawinge Yeah, that's one of the awesome parts of rural and exurban living!
(DIR) Post #AU331QGwXto0tUpZ0C by trachelipus@masto.ai
2023-03-27T17:42:29Z
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@clive It would probably add significantly to the installation cost and weight, but I would love an installation that could channel the vibe of Victorian era wrought iron. Steampunk meets solarpunk.
(DIR) Post #AU34QxfjbRGTfxAUbI by clive@saturation.social
2023-03-27T17:57:51Z
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@trachelipus Yes!
(DIR) Post #AU3WGdk1eDTHgM2fVA by philipp@social.anoxinon.de
2023-03-27T23:10:10Z
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@clive to a region called Wendland which is located inbetween Hamburg and Berlin. Beautiful region and what I especially like: Its over 70kms to the next highway
(DIR) Post #AU3X9VysCckzXZ9Yxc by clive@saturation.social
2023-03-27T23:20:33Z
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@philipp that sounds lovely
(DIR) Post #AU4m6uH9700QUUsHNw by themexican@home.social
2023-03-28T13:42:49Z
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@clive I live near your installation and have wondered if it was solar or a sun canopy. I’m surprised there aren’t more roof installations in the neighborhood. My question, how does this design do in high winds?
(DIR) Post #AU4pX907HmEPYJ6zGi by clive@saturation.social
2023-03-28T14:20:35Z
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@themexican I think I’m seeing more and more than all the time so we’ll probably see an expansion of this! As for wind, it’s been designed for hurricane level winds