Everything Solar Forum

I scanned through the one, "why is solar missing from film and tv", or some title like that.  I think he missed an obvious reason. Solar is static and basically boring. Its like trying to write an exciting scene about beach umbrellas or pool side sun chairs. Wind turbines get way more attention in media because they are MOVING. At least you can see something going on. A thermal or PV array just sits there in the sun. There is no noise (Despite FUD claims), no chems, no radiation, no nothing. Just clean elect production along with shade. Trackers do yield some movement, some of the time, and look best if done in time lapse.

All RE suffers the basic reality that it gives nothing that wasn't already there. Always has been that way. The only place where that is not true is in poor countries where no elect at all has been present. In that case it gets "GOD" status.

I mean when mono channel sound was replaced with stereo, it could be promoted as, "Now you can hear sounds coming from one side or the other, like a car is moving across you visual field, or a plane going by". It offered something that was not there before. RE has never been able (Too date) to offer that experience, that of something new. It is just a replacement for something that is there anyway. Backup power when the grid is down now can offer a new experience. Your lights stay on when others are dark. But, even that has gas or propane gens yielding the same effect.

SO I guess asking RE to be "Hollywood worthy" is a bit like asking a fence post to be $exy.

Not really a fair expectation.

And please, do not post any pictures of dressed up fence posts, if they are out there....

------------------------------
william fitch
Owner
www.WeAreSolar.com
------------------------------

That's an interesting perspective, @william fitch. @Tor Valenza, would you like to reply?

I scanned through the one, "why is solar missing from film and tv", or some title like that.  I think he missed an obvious reason. Solar is static and basically boring. Its like trying to write an exciting scene about beach umbrellas or pool side sun chairs. Wind turbines get way more attention in media because they are MOVING. At least you can see something going on. A thermal or PV array just sits there in the sun. There is no noise (Despite FUD claims), no chems, no radiation, no nothing. Just clean elect production along with shade. Trackers do yield some movement, some of the time, and look best if done in time lapse.

All RE suffers the basic reality that it gives nothing that wasn't already there. Always has been that way. The only place where that is not true is in poor countries where no elect at all has been present. In that case it gets "GOD" status.

I mean when mono channel sound was replaced with stereo, it could be promoted as, "Now you can hear sounds coming from one side or the other, like a car is moving across you visual field, or a plane going by". It offered something that was not there before. RE has never been able (Too date) to offer that experience, that of something new. It is just a replacement for something that is there anyway. Backup power when the grid is down now can offer a new experience. Your lights stay on when others are dark. But, even that has gas or propane gens yielding the same effect.

SO I guess asking RE to be "Hollywood worthy" is a bit like asking a fence post to be $exy.

Not really a fair expectation.

And please, do not post any pictures of dressed up fence posts, if they are out there....

------------------------------
william fitch
Owner
www.WeAreSolar.com

Thanks tagging me, @Kat Friedrich!

Hey, @william fitch, good to be responding to you after so many years. I always appreciated your comments when I was blogging regularly on Renewable Energy World years ago. 

Regarding your comment, please do listen to the podcast to see the potential for solar NOT to be boring. Fictional stories are rarely about the technology alone. Stories are about people, first, and how they use and interact with a technology. 

With that in mind, please listen to my original podcast teaser to get a better idea of my solar in pop culture goals. Then listen to a few of the stories, and I think you'll see that solar consumers and solar workers can be just as interesting and exciting and as dark) as lawyer stories, doctor stories, and spy stories. 

Those doctor, lawyer, cop, and spy stories have always been there. James Bond isn't about gadgets. It's about how James saves the world. He just happens to be using cool cars, weapons, and gadgets. Moreover, Bond stories are about themes, like greed, good vs evil, power, corruption, politics, and fighting terrorism.

Many of my Probably True Solar Stories are about the same themes and flawed/heroic characters, but they're set around the solar industry--and politics. 

For some good examples of some "Solar Noir" stories that Hollywood COULD be doing, listen to:

• The Solar Heist Series (ongoing): https://www.probablytruesolar.com/the-solar-heist-or-how-i-got-into-the-solar-business-parts-1-6/
• Murder by Solar Drone: https://www.probablytruesolar.com/murder-by-solar-drone/
• The Caveman, the Devil's Tools, and the Grid: https://www.probablytruesolar.com/the-caveman-the-devils-tools-and-the-grid/

If you listen, I think you'll see that the stories are not about solar tech, but about solar people--flawed, exciting, corrupt, heroic people, just like any genre. I hope they're entertaining for you as a solar pro, but I've also had positive comments from non-solar pros. They not only enjoyed the plots and characters, but they also learned something about the solar industry, the solar workforce, solar policies, the tech, etc.

Of course, solar stories aren't for everyone, just as many people didn't like the Sopranos or MASH or Star Trek, or Game of Thrones. 

Thanks for your thoughts,

Best,

Tor

------------------------------
Tor Valenza
Solar PR and Podcast Story Teller
UnThink Solar/Probably True Solar Stories
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 01-08-2024 08:24 PM
From: Kat Friedrich
Subject: Read our new issue of Solar Today on the theme "solar marketing and environmental behavior"

That's an interesting perspective, @william fitch. @Tor Valenza, would you like to reply?

------------------------------
Kat Friedrich
Editor in Chief
American Solar Energy Society
Monona WI


Original Message:
Sent: 01-02-2024 02:22 PM
From: william fitch
Subject: Read our new issue of Solar Today on the theme "solar marketing and environmental behavior"

I scanned through the one, "why is solar missing from film and tv", or some title like that.  I think he missed an obvious reason. Solar is static and basically boring. Its like trying to write an exciting scene about beach umbrellas or pool side sun chairs. Wind turbines get way more attention in media because they are MOVING. At least you can see something going on. A thermal or PV array just sits there in the sun. There is no noise (Despite FUD claims), no chems, no radiation, no nothing. Just clean elect production along with shade. Trackers do yield some movement, some of the time, and look best if done in time lapse.

All RE suffers the basic reality that it gives nothing that wasn't already there. Always has been that way. The only place where that is not true is in poor countries where no elect at all has been present. In that case it gets "GOD" status.

I mean when mono channel sound was replaced with stereo, it could be promoted as, "Now you can hear sounds coming from one side or the other, like a car is moving across you visual field, or a plane going by". It offered something that was not there before. RE has never been able (Too date) to offer that experience, that of something new. It is just a replacement for something that is there anyway. Backup power when the grid is down now can offer a new experience. Your lights stay on when others are dark. But, even that has gas or propane gens yielding the same effect.

SO I guess asking RE to be "Hollywood worthy" is a bit like asking a fence post to be $exy.

Not really a fair expectation.

And please, do not post any pictures of dressed up fence posts, if they are out there....

------------------------------
william fitch
Owner
www.WeAreSolar.com

Humm, well lets see:

Yes, I would agree that most Hollywood stories are about people first, settings second, at least the good ones. I read you more in depth link you posted. I am really not a Podcast person. They all tend to put me to sleep. I am a visual person so movies, etc., catch my interest. It just is a medium that doesn't work for me as such, entertainment wise. 

In your list, Good, Evil, Crime, etc.. I noticed you placed Corruption in there. For me that hits a little bit to close to home, because it is not fiction or fantasy, but something I actually went through for real with my solar business when I was starting it up. My business was founded on being a distributer for Sunflower solar out of China for Solar Thermal Evacuated tube collectors. Things were going great in the starting phase when the Fed Gov. decided to start up the SRCC solar thermal certifications again, accompanied by the 30% tax credit for ENTIRE systems, not just the collector part. 

I applied on behalf of the Chinese company for specific models (Stainless frames and double wall construction tubes). Went through the entire random selection process, etc., etc.. To make a very long and painful story short, they stalled me 3 years (Try treading water for 3 years when you are a startup) and lied about my test collector results. They said it failed the pressure test. I to this day have the original test manifold in my possession, and it 100 percent passes pressure testing. I know this because I test all manifolds I receive from the manufacturer to 160 psi so I never send a bad manifold out the door to a customer. Want that peace of mind. When I received the supposedly bad manifold back (For reference SRCC test #00318), I re-tested it to look for the failure point, so I could possibly determine cause to be able to give back that info to the Chinese manufacture for their addressing. Much to my surprise, there was nothing wrong with it. I even pushed the pressure over 200psi just "because". No pressure failure. Imagine my surprise! And there the story begins.

I really do not want to revisit that very painful experience because I, from a business perspective, never recovered from that "hit". SO to full circle back to your "Hollywood" moments, I can FULLY appreciate your "what makes stories, stories". Certification entities that are suppose to WATCH the testing entities to make sure they "play fair", also give them their testing license's which the testing entities pay them allot of money to acquire. I am sure you can see where this is going. The over watch entity is going to cut off the hand of their high paying customers (Hint, not me). I modified the famous Fox watching the Henhouse phrase to "Fox's watching Fox's watching the hen house" to reflect the reality of this situation. The DOE was their Sugar Daddy at the time, giving the SRCC $100 million in funds for this, "Whole thing". The person at the DOE handling this which I had a conference call with was Robert Hassett, Me and Joe Walters FSEC (SRCC test lab, Florida Solar Energy Center) contact, was part of this whole saga. The time frame on this whole debacle is July of 2009.

All emails and calls are documented/recorded regarding this.

Anyway, I ran way to long on this. I need to go take some Ibuprof now.

Best of luck on your Hollywood exposure quest. Hope you luck is better than mine.

Nice hearing from you again, over all.

.....Bill

------------------------------
william fitch
Owner
www.WeAreSolar.com
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 01-08-2024 10:36 PM
From: Tor Valenza
Subject: Read our new issue of Solar Today on the theme "solar marketing and environmental behavior"

Thanks tagging me, @Kat Friedrich!

Hey, @william fitch, good to be responding to you after so many years. I always appreciated your comments when I was blogging regularly on Renewable Energy World years ago. 

Regarding your comment, please do listen to the podcast to see the potential for solar NOT to be boring. Fictional stories are rarely about the technology alone. Stories are about people, first, and how they use and interact with a technology. 

With that in mind, please listen to my original podcast teaser to get a better idea of my solar in pop culture goals. Then listen to a few of the stories, and I think you'll see that solar consumers and solar workers can be just as interesting and exciting and as dark) as lawyer stories, doctor stories, and spy stories. 

Those doctor, lawyer, cop, and spy stories have always been there. James Bond isn't about gadgets. It's about how James saves the world. He just happens to be using cool cars, weapons, and gadgets. Moreover, Bond stories are about themes, like greed, good vs evil, power, corruption, politics, and fighting terrorism.

Many of my Probably True Solar Stories are about the same themes and flawed/heroic characters, but they're set around the solar industry--and politics. 

For some good examples of some "Solar Noir" stories that Hollywood COULD be doing, listen to:

• The Solar Heist Series (ongoing): https://www.probablytruesolar.com/the-solar-heist-or-how-i-got-into-the-solar-business-parts-1-6/
• Murder by Solar Drone: https://www.probablytruesolar.com/murder-by-solar-drone/
• The Caveman, the Devil's Tools, and the Grid: https://www.probablytruesolar.com/the-caveman-the-devils-tools-and-the-grid/

If you listen, I think you'll see that the stories are not about solar tech, but about solar people--flawed, exciting, corrupt, heroic people, just like any genre. I hope they're entertaining for you as a solar pro, but I've also had positive comments from non-solar pros. They not only enjoyed the plots and characters, but they also learned something about the solar industry, the solar workforce, solar policies, the tech, etc.

Of course, solar stories aren't for everyone, just as many people didn't like the Sopranos or MASH or Star Trek, or Game of Thrones. 

Thanks for your thoughts,

Best,

Tor

------------------------------
Tor Valenza
Solar PR and Podcast Story Teller
UnThink Solar/Probably True Solar Stories


Original Message:
Sent: 01-08-2024 08:24 PM
From: Kat Friedrich
Subject: Read our new issue of Solar Today on the theme "solar marketing and environmental behavior"

That's an interesting perspective, @william fitch. @Tor Valenza, would you like to reply?

------------------------------
Kat Friedrich
Editor in Chief
American Solar Energy Society
Monona WI


Original Message:
Sent: 01-02-2024 02:22 PM
From: william fitch
Subject: Read our new issue of Solar Today on the theme "solar marketing and environmental behavior"

I scanned through the one, "why is solar missing from film and tv", or some title like that.  I think he missed an obvious reason. Solar is static and basically boring. Its like trying to write an exciting scene about beach umbrellas or pool side sun chairs. Wind turbines get way more attention in media because they are MOVING. At least you can see something going on. A thermal or PV array just sits there in the sun. There is no noise (Despite FUD claims), no chems, no radiation, no nothing. Just clean elect production along with shade. Trackers do yield some movement, some of the time, and look best if done in time lapse.

All RE suffers the basic reality that it gives nothing that wasn't already there. Always has been that way. The only place where that is not true is in poor countries where no elect at all has been present. In that case it gets "GOD" status.

I mean when mono channel sound was replaced with stereo, it could be promoted as, "Now you can hear sounds coming from one side or the other, like a car is moving across you visual field, or a plane going by". It offered something that was not there before. RE has never been able (Too date) to offer that experience, that of something new. It is just a replacement for something that is there anyway. Backup power when the grid is down now can offer a new experience. Your lights stay on when others are dark. But, even that has gas or propane gens yielding the same effect.

SO I guess asking RE to be "Hollywood worthy" is a bit like asking a fence post to be $exy.

Not really a fair expectation.

And please, do not post any pictures of dressed up fence posts, if they are out there....

------------------------------
william fitch
Owner
www.WeAreSolar.com

Thanks tagging me, @Kat Friedrich!

Hey, @william fitch, good to be responding to you after so many years. I always appreciated your comments when I was blogging regularly on Renewable Energy World years ago. 

Regarding your comment, please do listen to the podcast to see the potential for solar NOT to be boring. Fictional stories are rarely about the technology alone. Stories are about people, first, and how they use and interact with a technology. 

With that in mind, please listen to my original podcast teaser to get a better idea of my solar in pop culture goals. Then listen to a few of the stories, and I think you'll see that solar consumers and solar workers can be just as interesting and exciting and as dark) as lawyer stories, doctor stories, and spy stories. 

Those doctor, lawyer, cop, and spy stories have always been there. James Bond isn't about gadgets. It's about how James saves the world. He just happens to be using cool cars, weapons, and gadgets. Moreover, Bond stories are about themes, like greed, good vs evil, power, corruption, politics, and fighting terrorism.

Many of my Probably True Solar Stories are about the same themes and flawed/heroic characters, but they're set around the solar industry--and politics. 

For some good examples of some "Solar Noir" stories that Hollywood COULD be doing, listen to:

• The Solar Heist Series (ongoing): https://www.probablytruesolar.com/the-solar-heist-or-how-i-got-into-the-solar-business-parts-1-6/
• Murder by Solar Drone: https://www.probablytruesolar.com/murder-by-solar-drone/
• The Caveman, the Devil's Tools, and the Grid: https://www.probablytruesolar.com/the-caveman-the-devils-tools-and-the-grid/

If you listen, I think you'll see that the stories are not about solar tech, but about solar people--flawed, exciting, corrupt, heroic people, just like any genre. I hope they're entertaining for you as a solar pro, but I've also had positive comments from non-solar pros. They not only enjoyed the plots and characters, but they also learned something about the solar industry, the solar workforce, solar policies, the tech, etc.

Of course, solar stories aren't for everyone, just as many people didn't like the Sopranos or MASH or Star Trek, or Game of Thrones. 

Thanks for your thoughts,

Best,

Tor

That's an interesting perspective, @william fitch. @Tor Valenza, would you like to reply?

I scanned through the one, "why is solar missing from film and tv", or some title like that.  I think he missed an obvious reason. Solar is static and basically boring. Its like trying to write an exciting scene about beach umbrellas or pool side sun chairs. Wind turbines get way more attention in media because they are MOVING. At least you can see something going on. A thermal or PV array just sits there in the sun. There is no noise (Despite FUD claims), no chems, no radiation, no nothing. Just clean elect production along with shade. Trackers do yield some movement, some of the time, and look best if done in time lapse.

All RE suffers the basic reality that it gives nothing that wasn't already there. Always has been that way. The only place where that is not true is in poor countries where no elect at all has been present. In that case it gets "GOD" status.

I mean when mono channel sound was replaced with stereo, it could be promoted as, "Now you can hear sounds coming from one side or the other, like a car is moving across you visual field, or a plane going by". It offered something that was not there before. RE has never been able (Too date) to offer that experience, that of something new. It is just a replacement for something that is there anyway. Backup power when the grid is down now can offer a new experience. Your lights stay on when others are dark. But, even that has gas or propane gens yielding the same effect.

SO I guess asking RE to be "Hollywood worthy" is a bit like asking a fence post to be $exy.

Not really a fair expectation.

And please, do not post any pictures of dressed up fence posts, if they are out there....

------------------------------
william fitch
Owner
www.WeAreSolar.com

@Tor Valenza, thank you very much for your insightful response. 

I would encourage readers of this forum to check out Tor's podcast, especially the episode on Pooh. The solar heist is suspenseful as well. 

Thanks tagging me, @Kat Friedrich!

Hey, @william fitch, good to be responding to you after so many years. I always appreciated your comments when I was blogging regularly on Renewable Energy World years ago. 

Regarding your comment, please do listen to the podcast to see the potential for solar NOT to be boring. Fictional stories are rarely about the technology alone. Stories are about people, first, and how they use and interact with a technology. 

With that in mind, please listen to my original podcast teaser to get a better idea of my solar in pop culture goals. Then listen to a few of the stories, and I think you'll see that solar consumers and solar workers can be just as interesting and exciting and as dark) as lawyer stories, doctor stories, and spy stories. 

Those doctor, lawyer, cop, and spy stories have always been there. James Bond isn't about gadgets. It's about how James saves the world. He just happens to be using cool cars, weapons, and gadgets. Moreover, Bond stories are about themes, like greed, good vs evil, power, corruption, politics, and fighting terrorism.

Many of my Probably True Solar Stories are about the same themes and flawed/heroic characters, but they're set around the solar industry--and politics. 

For some good examples of some "Solar Noir" stories that Hollywood COULD be doing, listen to:

• The Solar Heist Series (ongoing): https://www.probablytruesolar.com/the-solar-heist-or-how-i-got-into-the-solar-business-parts-1-6/
• Murder by Solar Drone: https://www.probablytruesolar.com/murder-by-solar-drone/
• The Caveman, the Devil's Tools, and the Grid: https://www.probablytruesolar.com/the-caveman-the-devils-tools-and-the-grid/

If you listen, I think you'll see that the stories are not about solar tech, but about solar people--flawed, exciting, corrupt, heroic people, just like any genre. I hope they're entertaining for you as a solar pro, but I've also had positive comments from non-solar pros. They not only enjoyed the plots and characters, but they also learned something about the solar industry, the solar workforce, solar policies, the tech, etc.

Of course, solar stories aren't for everyone, just as many people didn't like the Sopranos or MASH or Star Trek, or Game of Thrones. 

Thanks for your thoughts,

Best,

Tor

That's an interesting perspective, @william fitch. @Tor Valenza, would you like to reply?

I scanned through the one, "why is solar missing from film and tv", or some title like that.  I think he missed an obvious reason. Solar is static and basically boring. Its like trying to write an exciting scene about beach umbrellas or pool side sun chairs. Wind turbines get way more attention in media because they are MOVING. At least you can see something going on. A thermal or PV array just sits there in the sun. There is no noise (Despite FUD claims), no chems, no radiation, no nothing. Just clean elect production along with shade. Trackers do yield some movement, some of the time, and look best if done in time lapse.

All RE suffers the basic reality that it gives nothing that wasn't already there. Always has been that way. The only place where that is not true is in poor countries where no elect at all has been present. In that case it gets "GOD" status.

I mean when mono channel sound was replaced with stereo, it could be promoted as, "Now you can hear sounds coming from one side or the other, like a car is moving across you visual field, or a plane going by". It offered something that was not there before. RE has never been able (Too date) to offer that experience, that of something new. It is just a replacement for something that is there anyway. Backup power when the grid is down now can offer a new experience. Your lights stay on when others are dark. But, even that has gas or propane gens yielding the same effect.

SO I guess asking RE to be "Hollywood worthy" is a bit like asking a fence post to be $exy.

Not really a fair expectation.

And please, do not post any pictures of dressed up fence posts, if they are out there....

------------------------------
william fitch
Owner
www.WeAreSolar.com

Hey  Kat,

Started reading the new issue of Solar Today, and got as far as, Why Is Solar Missing in Film and TV Today? Then started reflecting back on all the films I've seen that had solar energy involved and one stood out above the rest, and that was a movie staring, John Travolta and  Kyra Sedgwick called, Phenomenon. This movie came out in 1996, a year that I believe was a turning point for all things technology of our modern times as the internet was beginning to take off full bloom, as information on about almost anything was now becoming available at ones finger tips.   Well in this movie the guy gets struck by lightning soda speak, that turns on more capabilities of the human brain to the point of Genius in this case.   So what does the guy do?  He puts solar panels on his roof, and sets up all kinds of experiments with gardens and solar irrigation and the like. Yah, people do relate to the movies and are highly influenced by the content in these shows.  I thought the article was very good and touched on a very needed factor within but Matt Damon surviving on Mars takes the cake, as space has truly been the proving ground for all things solar every since Calvin Fuller diffused boron into silicon to create at Bell Labs the first modern photovoltaic cell mainly spurred for solar power on spacecraft, but now could power every earthbound home on the planet. 

------------------------------
Timothy Mcbride
CEO/Owner
Sol-Era R & D
------------------------------

Hey  Kat,

Started reading the new issue of Solar Today, and got as far as, Why Is Solar Missing in Film and TV Today? Then started reflecting back on all the films I've seen that had solar energy involved and one stood out above the rest, and that was a movie staring, John Travolta and  Kyra Sedgwick called, Phenomenon. This movie came out in 1996, a year that I believe was a turning point for all things technology of our modern times as the internet was beginning to take off full bloom, as information on about almost anything was now becoming available at ones finger tips.   Well in this movie the guy gets struck by lightning soda speak, that turns on more capabilities of the human brain to the point of Genius in this case.   So what does the guy do?  He puts solar panels on his roof, and sets up all kinds of experiments with gardens and solar irrigation and the like. Yah, people do relate to the movies and are highly influenced by the content in these shows.  I thought the article was very good and touched on a very needed factor within but Matt Damon surviving on Mars takes the cake, as space has truly been the proving ground for all things solar every since Calvin Fuller diffused boron into silicon to create at Bell Labs the first modern photovoltaic cell mainly spurred for solar power on spacecraft, but now could power every earthbound home on the planet. 

------------------------------
Timothy Mcbride
CEO/Owner
Sol-Era R & D
------------------------------