By Keith Garrett

Before you think about adding renewable energy sources to your home, it may be a good idea to cut down on your home energy usage first.  That sounds logical…as not doing so is like leaving the windows open while the A/C is running!  Maybe that’s a stretch but I think you get the point.  Cutting down on your energy usage will only reduce your home solar energy investment.

Change Your Daily Habits: Sometimes the most difficult things to change lie between our two ears.  Most of us probably didn’t arrive overnight at the bad habit of leaving the lights on while no one was in the room, or even worse…not even home.  Yet, changing our daily habits can make a significant impact on home energy usage.  And the best part, they do not cost us a dime to do.

1. Reduce Light Use – One of the easiest ways to cut energy costs is to live by the rule, one light on per person in the house.  If that is a stretch for your family, challenge them by turning off unused lights until you get down to one light per person.  Make a game out it and give a reward to the person who uses the least amount of lights.  Sometimes, taking baby steps is the best way to go.  And those small changes year-over-year will begin to add big dollars to your bank account.
2. Keep Unused Rooms Closed – There is no need to cool or heat rooms that aren’t in use such as the attic, basement or laundry room.  Close doors and vents for unused rooms to keep the comfortable temperatures where your family is…and at a lower energy cost.
3. Garage Door Closed - All day and night the house is either heating or cooling the garage so think twice before sending this stored energy to the wind…keep it!  The garage is a form of insulation, and a good idea to keep in mind since heating and cooling costs can count for up to 25% of your energy bill.
4. Close Up Unused Fireplaces – since hot air rises, this is a more important rule in the wintertime.  Opened fireplaces will create a natural vent for your hard earned heating dollars to escape.
5. Adjust Thermostat – adjusting the thermostat by 15 degrees for eight hours can reduce your electric bill by 15%.  15 degrees seem a bit extreme…try 5 degrees for a week then progress from there.  And with programmable thermostats today that allow you to set your daily and weekly programs, this can make lowering your energy bill a simple chore.
6. Window and Blinds – although this may not have been high on your energy conservation list, opening or closing your windows, blinds or even curtains can have a positive effect on your energy bill.  Instead of reaching for the A/C thermostat, try opening windows instead to vent hot air in the summertime, especially the upstairs windows if you have upper floors.  Even using a fan near windows to blow hot air outside can be a lower energy usage choice than the A/C.  If the A/C or heater is a must, closing the blinds and curtains can be a great way to help insulate your home from the weather.  An exception to this rule is if your windows face the sun in the wintertime.  In this case, open the blinds and curtains to let the solar energy in.
7. Bundle up or go naked – this one was probably not on your list, at least not on any energy conservation one.  Instead of turning on the heater, throw on a sweater instead.  And in no time, you’ll save enough money to buy a new sweater.  For those hot summer days, keep light on the cotton.  How light is up to you, but keep the neighbors in mind if you keep the blinds and curtains open.
8. Cook Outside – instead of using the stove and heating the house, try cooking outside with your barbeque during the summer months.  That way the stove, or secondary heater, won’t be competing with your home cooling system.

With energy costs on the rise and renewable energy sources requiring an investment in time and money, changing your energy consumption habits to cut your energy bill is the best first step for most.  And why not, it doesn’t cost you a thing!

By Keith Garrett

Most of us would probably agree that saving on our energy bill is the number one benefit of building a home solar energy system, but finding all the advantages of every venture our found in the details.  And once we have a better understanding of the benefits of a solar home, we can better determine how much we are willing to pay.

Some of the benefits of a solar home are:

1. Independence: If you own a home, live in the mountains or desert, or on a remote tropical island, solar power can provide complete independence from the utility grid.  Saying good bye to blackouts in your neighborhood during those long summer months of electrical overloads can keep your family cool and calm in the summertime.  This assumes you’ve planned your home solar energy production to match or exceed your home energy usage.
2. Zero Fuel Costs: Assuming you don’t use backup gas generators to resupply your batteries or your home solar system during long bouts of cloudy days, solar energy will eliminate the need for purchasing fuel.  However, if some of your home appliances run on gas, this is a mute point unless you convert these appliances to electrical models.
3. Reliability: Even on cloudy days when solar cells absorb less sunlight, your solar home will still have electrical power…during the daytime.  And if you back-up your solar system with deep cycle batteries (recommended), you’ll have enough power for lights and appliances at night – even if your neighborhood is experiencing a power outage.  Again, the key here is planning…matching both your energy usage and production when designing your solar home.
4. Low Maintenance: Once you’ve built your solar home, there is little maintenance to keep the system going except to remove leaves and dust off the solar panels to maximize the solar absorption.  Cutting back nearby tree branches to handle the leaves and minimize any shade on your solar cells is not a bad idea either.  Also, checking on your batteries to make sure they are maintained and well ventilated is highly recommended.
5. Durability: With the typical 20 – 25 year warranty, installing solar panels will typically last longer than you own your home.  However, if you build and install solar panels yourself (DIY), there is no warranty and the durability will probably be less.
6. No Pollution: As photovoltaic systems (PV) produce clean energy, you are making use of the best source of renewable energy, and in the process, making an impact on reducing global demand for fossil fuels.
7. Safety: If properly constructed, PV systems are very safe to use.
8. Modularity: Once you make the decision to go solar, you have the option to start out small with one solar panel if you like, than add more as your financial situation allows or your energy needs change.  But remember, taking this approach will cost you more if you hire a solar contractor as building three 1 KW solar panel systems will cost you more than one 3 KW system.  However, this will be less of an issue if you choose to build (DIY) your own solar panels and install them yourself.
9. Increase Your Home Value: According to many home builders, home buyers are willing to pay 2% more for a solar home verses one which is tied to the energy grid.  2% may not sound much, but for a $250,000 home, that is $5,000 more you can sell your home for in the future.
10. Reduce or Eliminate Your Energy Bill: Doing the math, if you can save $100 or more on average per month on your energy bill with a home solar system, you can save $1,200 per year, or $6,000 over a five year period.  If you plan on staying in your home long term, the advantages of building a home solar energy system will increase.

Going solar has many advantages, but there are a few disadvantages you should consider:

1. Initial Cost: Commercially installed solar panels typically start from around $22,000 for a 3 KW system, depending on the size and design of the solar system.  Although rebates and incentives offered by local, county and state governments can reduce some of these costs, the savings is typically not enough for most consumers.  One homeowner, who took advantage of these incentives, reduced his 3 KW system to $13,000 after rebates.  With lower home values, most home owners no longer have the equity to finance a $13,000 home solar energy system.
2. Energy Efficiency: Although not necessary (but highly recommended), you may need to replace inefficient appliances.  If you can reduce your KW demands, a smaller solar energy system will cost you less.
3. Weather: Solar radiation varies depending on available sunlight, and the location of your home relative to mountains and trees etc.  The less solar radiation in your area, the greater the benefit of a DIY built system would become as commercial systems would become less cost effective.
4. You Are Completely Green: Although there are plenty of people out there who want you to buy their DIY kits, most of these don’t cover every detail required.  So if you buy one of these kits, you may find yourself with more expenses than you thought.  It is recommended that you buy at least two educational sources that have reviews from regular solar energy consumers like yourself.  It is difficult for one educational source to answer all of your questions.

You can minimize the disadvantages of building a solar home if you choose to do it yourself…this assumes you have done your homework, and planned wisely.  But you have to ask yourself if you’re a person who is up to the task.  If so, do your research, and make sure you have the tools you need.

The path to going solar has many routes.  Doing research will answer many questions, and create a few more.  Enjoy the journey along the way…as building your own solar home will be an accomplishment you will never forget.

From Third Age

Solar energy is fast becoming an innovative industry. Scientists say a new process utilizing both the light and heat of solar radiation could double the efficiency of electricity-generating solar panels.

By Keith Garrett

In these tough economic times, we are all looking to save money whenever we can. Adding wind power can be an energy saving add-on to your home if you live in a strong wind zone. However, buying cheap parts to build your wind turbine or buying an inexpensive kit may not produce the energy savings you are hoping for.

The main parts of a wind turbine are the generator, blades, mounting, tower and control panel. That doesn’t sound too difficult to put together, but the most expensive wind turbines are designed with computers for a reason…to maximize energy production.

Here are the wind turbine parts we need to focus on if we want to maximize both our investment and energy production:

The Generator:  Is one of the most important components of a wind turbine which transforms wind power into usable electricity by reversing the direction of a DC motor shaft.

You can use any DC motor such as a car alternator, old electric lawn mower motor or inexpensive DC motors in power tools if your goals for electricity production are small.

If you want to take it up a notch, invest in a good generator such as those produced by Ametek and focus on the RPM, voltage, amps and size of the motor. Ideally, you want to focus on a motor with a low RPM rating under 400 RPMs which produces over 12 volts. 

Generators with low RPM ratings generate electricity at lower wind speeds. So unless you are expecting to drive your energy production from multiple hurricanes, or live in a high wind zone, a lower RPM rated generator is the way to go.

If dirt cheap is still on your mind, you can attach the blades to a larger hub and use a belt to drive the DC motor, basically like shifting gears on a bike. This will allow the motor to generate electricity at lower wind speeds. However, this will require more torque from the wind blades which will result in lower RPMs. Use a meter and test which configuration works best.

The Blades:  Is another component that is as important as the generator. Blades generate speed by capturing the wind, which is slowed by the wind resistance of the blades. The result of these two forces opposing each other is your RPMs. If you are making your own blades, poor balancing can also reduce your RPMs. 

A three blade configuration is used by the most expensive wind turbines as it produces efficient wind capture at low wind resistance while retaining good balance.

If you are using a larger hub to counter a high RPM rated generator, using five blades to increase your torque at lower RPMs may work best. Again, test and see which maximizes your results as five blades will encounter more wind resistance.

Although making your own wind blades may be a fun project to accomplish and give you an inexpensive wind turbine, manufactured blades made out of carbon fiber which are computer designed can be purchased for a relatively low cost and produce more electricity.

Going cheap on wind turbine parts has its advantages in the short term, but taking it up a notch on your investment can provide you with greater energy savings and more money in your pocketbook in the long term.