First Solar Powered City To Be Built In the U.S.

[rusty river]

  Any oldtimers to educate on how the economy got ahead from the depression?

I believe WWII is usually given most credit for ending the economic depression.
In other words, MASSIVE GOVERNMENT SPENDING.
Interesting...

[solomianohio]

years ago the residents who could afford  to experiment would invest to help any situation, today the same offspring is either relocating, holding on to what they have left, or have lost all they had inherited.  Any oldtimers to educate on how the economy got ahead from the depression?

[Towntalk]

Rick, once again I have to agree with your points.

The Mahoning Valley was built by men willing to take risks.

Case in point:

Chauncey Andrews was not born into wealth. He started out by running a small hotel in downtown Youngstown, yet when he died, he was the richest man in Ohio, he built railroads to haul the coal he mined, and that railroad became part of the Erie Railroad. He built a steel mill, founded a bank, and started a newspaper.

When he died, trains from as far away as Washington, D.C and Chicago brought people to Youngstown for his funeral.

A Catholic High School in Youngstown today sets on his homestead thanks to his family.

Mr. Andrews didn't get one red cent from the government.

If we look at the history of the families who built this city the same story can be repeated over and over again.

Then there are the Heaton brothers who opened up the valley's first blast furnace in Struthers which went on to become a major steel mill.

They started out on a shoe string.

J.G. Butler started out working in a small steel mill and look at what he contributed to Youngstown.

Volney Rogers was a lawyer with a small practice, yet we owe Mill Creek Park to his efforts.

G.M. McKelvey started out with a small store that grew into a major department store, but what most folks don't remember is that he also was one of the founders of a local bank and was part owner of a local newspaper.

As Rick pointed out it's almost imposable to find "self starters" today.

[Rick Rowlands]

 

But alas, as long as oil, coal, and nuke lobbyists and PACS control our legistlators, change will come slowly to Ohio and the USA.

Its amazing how this country has changed...

We use to be a country of self starters.  John Young did not wait for government to pay him to come from Connecticut to the Mahoning Valley, he did it on his own.  David Tod did not wait for government to pay him to mine coal in Brier Hill, he did so at his own risk and with his own money.  But now it seems that we are all paralyzed unless government come in and does whatever we want for us. If you want to put solar panels on your house then do it.  If you want to put them on your business then do it.  If you think that using solar panels will payoff, start a company that sells and installs solar panels and pitch your idea to prospective customers.  Every day I read these posts and its always the same answer, govt. must do this and govt. must do that.  Nowhere do I see that we the people are putting up our own money to do this stuff. 

What will it take for many of you to realize that this nation should be hunkering down in survival mode instead of finding more ways to spend money that does not exist?  Sure solar energy will pay off in the long run, but the steps that would have to be taken and the money created out of thin air to get us there will bankrupt the country before those savings will start to pay off.

[irishbobcat]

With sunshine yesterday and today, we would probably be watching our electric meters run backwards by now.....

But alas, as long as oil, coal, and nuke lobbyists and PACS control our legistlators, change will come slowly to Ohio and the USA.

Dennis Spisak
Mahoning Valley Green Party

[Towntalk]

So soon forgotten:

Both Federal buildings on downtown Youngstown are going to get solar panels, thanks to the Stimulus package.

Now granted this is only two buildings, but at least its a start.

Like you, Dennis, I would like to have seen every single building be required to install and use solar panels by a day certain with no equivacations, but around these parts, we lack the visionaries that such an exercise requires.

[irishbobcat]

Amen, Brother Jay. We have more sunshine than the entire solar-leading power country of Germany, yet we can't get any government official or city to promote solar power of any kind on any government buildings or help citizens with financing such programs.

We will always be the shrinking city in Ohio.......

Dennis Spisak
Mahoning Valley Green Party

[jay]

Babcock Ranch will be a solar city by 2010 and we will still be a shrinking city with no plans to use alternative energy.

[irishbobcat]

First Solar Powered City To Be Built In the U.S.

The first 100% solar powered city in the U.S. is in the works, and will be powered by the world's largest photovoltaic plant.
The eco-city, called Babcock Ranch, is a joint venture between a real estate developer, Kitson & Partners, and Florida Power & Light, and will be located near Fort Myers, Florida.
·   » See also: BP Solar Expects to Add 100 MW in U.S. in 2009
·   » Get CleanTechnica by RSS or sign up by email.
18
votesBuzz up!
Babcock Ranch will include almost 20,000 houses and 6 million square feet of mixed retail, office, and light industrial space, and have city-wide wireless internet and electric car charging stations throughout.
The city will be fully powered by solar during the day, and produce an excess of electricity that will be exported to the grid. The CEO of Kitson said the project will serve as a model to other communities and be a "living laboratory for companies, workers and families ready to reap the rewards of innovation."
Florida Power & Light expects to break ground on the $400 million solar PV plant this year, pending regulatory approval. Construction of Babcock Ranch is slated for the summer of 2010.
The project's cost is estimated at $2 billion, and is expected to create 20,000 jobs.

These are the types of projects that must move America forward to new renewable energy resources and jobs.
Dennis Spisak
Mahoning Valley Green Party
Ohio Green Party
www.ohiogreens.org
www.votespisak.org/thinkgreen/