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and about blooming time!
I'm very conscious that I must have come across as very negative about several of the renewable technologies, so I thought it about time I balanced it with some positivity!
I'm warming more and more to photovoltaics - (electricity generating solar panels).......they've got a lot in their favour - they really are "fit and forget", and as the technology has been going for a long time, they show signs of remarkable longevity (many companies offer 25 year guarantees) - if you ally that to cutting consumption right down, even at today's inflated prices, they are beginning to make sense. If the promises coming out of several companies are fulfilled (less than a dollar a watt!), they could be the answer to a lot of problems.
Wind works! - here in the UK, we get a lot of it - well-sited (NOT in towns!) turbines can provide a lot of our needs!
Solar Hot Water from solar panels is probably one of the most cost-effective technologies, and suitable for nearly every home.
Hydro works well, and can be very cost-effective - heat pumps (if used in the right projects) can be useful too..........
IF we have the sense to cut our consumption drastically, and then generate only what we need, we can be totally renewably powered - the only difficult part is to get the mass of the public and government to wake up to the need to do it, and very swiftly!

need, we can be totally renewably powered - the only difficult part is to get the mass of the public and government to wake up to the need to do it, and very swiftly.

and thats not all they need to wake up to. unfortunately the public wont wake up until they are actually freezing to death through lack of energy. but yes i agree with what you are saying, the solar panels you spoke about, the photo, something or other, is that the flexible film stuff that works in daylight with out direct sun, it apparently is becoming more efficient and cheaper as time goes by, and as you say you can stick it on a roof or wall and forget about it, no setting up and maintaining like with turbines,

I am in the process of buying a cottage which I want to live in as efficiently and cheaply as possible. My initial ideas include a combination of wood, Solar and electric heating which can be switched easily from one to the other. The combined system will have to satisfy the heating and hot water requirements of 4 people. It is a blank canvas so any feedback would be most welcome. I envisage using the electric system as back up for "lazy" days.