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Old 09-21-2010, 10:32 AM   #175 (permalink)
RobertSmalls
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick View Post
Suppose I instead buy a Lotus Elise for $45K and use the leftover $75K to buy solar panels and sell the power to my utility. Then what?
Okay, I'll take that one.

Given: $5000/Wp installed cost, 800-1800KWh/yr/Wp, and .6kg CO2/KWh,

$75000 will generate 20000KWh in Buffalo and 45000KWh in Arizona. That'll offset 12t/yr (metric tons) of CO2 in Buffalo, or 27t/yr in Arizona.

A Lotus Elise is rated for 23mpg combined. Supposing you manage not to exceed the EPA rating, for 12000mi/yr. Including the 17% upstream CO2 generation per DoE data, you generate 8877g CO2/gal, or 4.6t/yr.

Get the Lotus instead of the Tesla, and fill your yard with solar panels. Bonus: The solar panels will last longer than the Tesla, anyway.
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