Financially does burning wood even make sense now or future?

[EbS-P]

One of the best decisions I ever made was getting the solar up in 2021. I would have done it sooner if I could have but we didn't move in until spring of 2020 and needed a little time to let the financial dust settle while we renovated things. My friends who got in earlier got much better SMRT credits etc but I'm not complaining. It saves me a fortune. Works very well with my heat pump and wood stove.

Solar, heatpump, woodstove. Add vehicle to grid EV and that’s the holy grail. If done well and you have taxable income the government incentives for those purchases could be over $20k

Subsidized is just another way to take money from your pocket and make you feel good about paying it. It all comes out of our pockets.

I'm getting weary of paying for failed, feel good boondoggles. If something can't stand on its own merit it should fail as non-viable.

If the tax code looked liked like it did pre Regan this would statement wouldn’t be needed. I’m specifically looking at the effective tax rates on the highest income brackets. In general saving money on residential utilities is not something those in that bracket care about.

Historical Income Tax Rates

Wolters Kluwer takes a historical look at the top marginal income tax rates in the United States.

www.wolterskluwer.com

 

[Caw]

Sure, normally I'd agree with you. I'm not pro big government and handouts. I'm also not a tree hugging hippie. I'm my opinion though this is a different situation. Our main power sources are non-renewable, finite, and actively/aggressively destroying the planet. This is a solve the problem now not a kick it down the road and figure out how to make money on it thing.

I don't mind being the minority on this here if I am but I doubt I am. I am ice skating with my kids today, something I did here all the time when I was young, that we hardly get to do anymore because it's so warm all the time. My kids are having a very different experience than I did growing up just 15 minutes away. I'm happy to keep using my solar, wood stove, and heat pump to do what I can. I'll be getting an EV when my car dies for sure and I will be fully off fossil fuels other than to run my power tools.

 

[Pinesmoke]

Me too. Why on earth do we continue to subsidize the fossil fuel industry to the tune of about $20 billion a year while they pulled in about $4 trillion in profits?

Yes stand or fail.

 

[Woodrow Vanwoodmen]

We built our house three years ago. We went with 2x6 exterior walls and spray foam encapsulation of the entire house. We have a heat pump installed.

We have yet to use the heat pump for heat . We do run the house fan to circulate the heat from our wood stove. Our last power bill ran about 90.00 for a 2200 sq ft house.

I am fortunate enough to have a friend the clears land bring us our logs a dump truck at a time. I cut,split,stack and dry everything myself. I enjoy the exercise.

I guess I have intentionally made having a wood source for heat be economically viable for our needs. It's a hobby worth pursuing. I enjoy the low power bills during the winter . Summer time our power doubles from running the AC side of the heat pump.

 

[ozarkoak]

We subsidize the fuel industry the same reason as we subsidize farmers. In the USA 30% of the population participated in "government provided" (really tax payer provided, because the government makes exactly zero dollars and zero cents) assistance. If food and energy were to naturally find their real market worth there would be riots in the streets.

 

[Wildflush]

Solar, heatpump, woodstove. Add vehicle to grid EV and that’s the holy grail. If done well and you have taxable income the government incentives for those purchases could be over $20k

If the tax code looked liked like it did pre Regan this would statement wouldn’t be needed. I’m specifically looking at the effective tax rates on the highest income brackets. In general saving money on residential utilities is not something those in that bracket care about.

Historical Income Tax Rates

Wolters Kluwer takes a historical look at the top marginal income tax rates in the United States.

www.wolterskluwer.com

According to the Tax Foundation the highest earning Americans pay the most in combined Federal, State, and local taxes. In Mass we have folks that don’t pay into the system draining our healthcare system. How much is enough? I remember my Professor in college saying “the government has no money, it’s your money” so true.

 

[begreen]

If food and energy were to naturally find their real market worth there would be riots in the streets.

Not really, that's a myth fostered by the fossil fuel industry. It wouild be the lobbyists that rioted. I remember that being said back in 2000 when gas was under $2. WA state has the highest in the nation and there are no riots.

Looks like this thread is going down the political drain and getting way off topic. Good discussion but it's run its course.