How to green power my home?
Question:
I need to know exactly what I will need? I understand I need solar panels and batteries, or windgenerator and batteries but, what else? What past the batteries in the system will I need?
Answer:
buy a book called the Solar Living Sourcebook...
http://www.amazon.com/real-goods-solar-l...
that's a description of it, it's about $25 but it has everything you need to know from start to finish, plus other topics / methods in sustainability/renewable energy
it's basically the hornbook for sustainable folks...if they don't own it then they've at least heard of it, i promise you that
http://www.uni-solar.com/interior.asp?id...
Some fairly sophisticated electronics to control it all.
Depending on where you live, you do not want to take your house off the grid. You often can sell the excess power generated by your system back to the power company for a good price. Basically, your electric meter will run both ways. For solar, these guys are pretty good:
http://www.planitsolar.com/
Aside from generating energy you should also look to increase energy efficiency. consider a ground linked heat pump for environmental heating and cooling, incredibly energy efficient and doesn't need combustion to generate heat.
Here are some sites regarding passive solar with some hints that you can do right now, some very inexpensively. For instance, using bubble wrap on the inside of your windows to reduce heat loss. I am going to try it tonight!
Getting off the power gird is a great idea, but its costly and tricky. There are somethings you can do today to reduce your power bill.
Obvious things. Get rid of your conventional light bulbs and go to the new advanced florescent. We did and comparing Nov 2005 to Nov 2006, that move alone dropped the electic bill about 8%.
Set the thermostat down. It doesnt have to be 80 in your house just because its snowing outside. Try 67 and a sweater. That will save you tons of money.
Set the hot water down. You don't have to freeze in the shower but you dont need to stand in 85 degree water for 20 minutes, either.
Dont use the air conditioner unless there is a legit health concern.
Turn off the lights when no one is in the room, same with the TV and other appliances. I know I'm sounding like your old man, but this is sound advice.
Get good double or triple pane windows. Get good seals around doors and windows. This could save up to 20% per year on heat.
More expensive but still cheaper than solar, look at getting a passive water system. This requires some re-plumbing. Ground water at about 55 degrees is pumped through a seires of pipes along the baseboard of the wall. The effect is interesting. In summer you have no-cost air conditioning and in winter, if you set your thermostate at 67, your furnace only has to heat the house 12 degrees, rather than 30 or 40 degrees.
Many of these and thousands of other tactics can reduce your energy costs and a few of them will even get you a tax break.
Good luck!
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