Oasis Montana Inc.
Renewable Energy Supply and Design
406-777-4321or 4309
e-mail: info@oasismontana.com
Home Page: www.oasismontana.com

Visit us on the web for product and project information!
For grid-tied power systems, www.grid-tie.com
Solar water pumping:  www.PVsolarpumps.com
Non-electric gas appliances, www.LPappliances.com
Efficient and DC appliances, www.eco-fridge.com
And our main page at www.oasismontana.com


Winter 2001/2002 Flier
Times and lifestyles are changing in the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attack in NYC, DC and PA. We in the renewable energy industry hope that those responsible will be brought to justice—but we also hope that we as a nation will resolve to be energy independent of those oil-producing nations who hold our purse strings due to our dependence on their oil. Earlier in 2001, the current presidential administration was negotiating with the Taliban in Afghanistan regarding the oil-rich deposits around the Caspian Sea. Wouldn’t it be great to never have to do business with those jerks—or with any country who would compromise our energy security? We hope to offer some alternatives and insights as to how we can positively effect the changes necessary for energy independence—with the side effect of a cleaner environment.
 THINK GREEN! 
—Chris Daum of Oasis MT

THANK YOU for your interest in renewable energy and Oasis Montana Inc! Whether you have a remote home, RV, ham radio, emergency back-up project, or are upgrading an existing system, do not hesitate to call or e-mail us with your power needs; we'd be glad to specify a system sized for your unique power requirements. We offer competitive pricing on a variety of components, and we also may know where to refer you for that obscure item you seek.

For those of you who aren’t "on line" or are beginning your project, we have an extremely informative 40 page Design Guide and 141 page Product Catalog for ten dollars ($18 out of country)—essential for your energy library! Products, system sizing, pricing, components, energy efficient and LP appliances, battery care, gas generators and wind turbines are just some of the topics covered.

We have several new web sites for you to peruse at your convenience. For efficient appliances, see www.eco-fridge.com; for solar modules, www.PVsolarmodules.com; for our gas appliance offerings, www.LPappliances.com—which includes gas refrigerators, ranges and freezers. Our main index page is www.oasismontana.com/PV_index.html — which offers information on inverters, batteries, wind generators, and pretty much all of the goods we offer. There’s a great deal of information on our site—please feel free to utilize it.

Regarding crude oil, according to a recently published book by a petroleum engineer (who also taught at Princeton for years), we will see world oil production peak somewhere between 2004–2008 (this same model was used in the 50’s to correctly project U.S. production peaking in the early 70’s). Use your imagination to think where the cost of oil will go as the developing world grows their economies (particularly India, China, Indonesia, Brazil). Would it be grand—and smart—if more policymakers believed we should use dwindling fossil fuels to develop renewable energy —use the energy in a barrel of oil to build PV modules and subsidize clean fuel cell technologies?
The Importance of Energy Efficiency: Many first-time inquiries shock the would-be customer — "I can’t believe that system would cost SO MUCH! Why is the cost so high?" Powering a conventional home with renewable sources is unnecessarily expensive—you don’t have to live in the cold, or in the dark, but you do need to utilize appliances that use considerably less electricity. Most homes powered by renewables use one to five kilowatt-hours a day (one thousand to five thousand watt-hours) - about 5 to 15% what a conventional "energy hog" home uses. Those efficiencies are achieved by using efficient refrigeration, compact fluorescent lighting, other efficient appliances, and most heating loads are provided by natural or propane gas (cooking, space heating, water heating, clothes drying), wood, or by incorporating a passive solar design into the home at the onset. Planning a house from the ground up will tend to make such efficient use of energy much more plausible, with a design that uses less energy for the same comfort level. Some things are simply very costly to power with renewables—typically baseboard heat and air conditioning are not feasible due to the huge load this takes (interesting that 40 to 50 years ago, hardly anyone had air conditioning, and now many feel they "can’t live without it"). Phantom loads are a problem – like the instant-on circuitry in your TV, which typically uses about 20-30 watts per hour for every hour the unit is off. Multiply that by two hundred million households or so, and you’ve got the output of several 1GW power plants, per day, just to keep our TVs turned OFF! Stereos, office equipment, microwave ovens all can be put on their own switch so they are turned on only when in use. Proper design helps eliminate loads like heat tape and all-night yard lights.

Several thousand dollars spent on upgrading to a more efficient lifestyle will save you more energy and reduce your electric bill more than an equal amount spent on a power system producing your own energy.

 Incorporating some passive solar (whether for hot water or air) into your home and practicing conservation techniques are things you can do to make a difference NOW. And, you’ll have to do these things prior to a serious investigation of solar or wind energy anyway. It’s simply the best place to start!

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Visit us on the web for product and project information!
For grid-tied power systems, www.grid-tie.com
Solar water pumping:  www.PVsolarpumps.com
Non-electric gas appliances, www.LPappliances.com
Efficient and DC appliances, www.eco-fridge.com
Composting toilets, www.eco-potty.com
And our main page at www.oasismontana.com