Welcome to Solar and Wind 4 Me!

If you’re thinking about creating your own electricity, I’m extremely relieved that you’ve found my blog because not only will my story shock you, it’ll almost certainly save you aggravation and get you on the path to saving money on your power bill each and every month.  

Technorati Tags: solar, solar home, wind, windmill

The price of a barrel of oil has never been higher ($62.00+ in
summer 2005 even before the chaos caused by Katrina). Some say
this is a temporary spike, but more and more analysts are
agreeing that this kind of pricing is here to stay. World
consumption is at an all time high and given the new thirst for
oil in China and India it is unlikely to diminish. According to
International Energy Outlook, global demand is expected to
continue to increase by as much as 59% in the next fifteen
years.

Already, consumer energy bills have been increasing on average
6.5% per year for the last thirty years in the United States.
Given the dramatic rise in the cost of producing energy using
traditional non-renewable resources, this rate is bound to be
overtaken by unheard of price increases in the very near future.
And for consumers who are becoming more and more environmentally
conscious, the thought of the millions and millions of tons of
CO2 and other bi products being released into the atmosphere
annually through the use of fossil fuels in creating energy is
very alarming.

It is a no brainer that our reliance on oil to create energy
leaves us very vulnerable. There are renewable technologies that
produce energy, but the problem has been one of cost
effectiveness. It has always been cheaper to supply energy using
fossil fuels, and consequently, renewable sources such as solar
or wind power have not taken off. But the situation now appears
to be changing. More and more, our consumption of energy is
outstripping supply. The grid can barely keep up with demand and
rolling blackouts are no longer just a concept. No wonder
governments are looking for alternatives. And no wonder everyone
is talking solar once again.

In 1985 annual worldwide solar power system installation
accounted for 21 megawatts of power. By 2004, this had
multiplied to an incredible 927 megawatts in new installation
power production alone. The demand for solar produced energy
over the last several years has increased annually about 25%,
although in 2004 sales were up a whopping 67% from the previous
year.

There are several reasons for this increase in popularity for
all things solar powered. Beyond the obvious environmental
considerations and the privilege of not having to rely on power
from a grid that is aging and stretched to capacity, solar is
getting cost effective. While traditional energy production gets
more expensive, technological advances are making solar power
cheaper. In 1980 the cost of harvesting energy from the sun
stood at about $100 per watt. Literally a hundred times more
expensive than the going rate of electricity, these systems were
not economically viable. By 1999 however, technology had reduced
this to about $4 per watt and costs have continued to decline by
about 5% per year since. The Return on Investment is becoming
very attractive for many commercial organizations and consumers.

Efficiencies have been realized in several technologies. The
inverters that transform the collected DC energy into usable AC
energy used to deliver only about 65% efficiency. 35% of the
collected energy was lost in the transformation process. Today’s
transformers are so efficient they deliver up to 96% of
collected energy into usable AC current.

Photovoltaic technology has also made solar collection far more
efficient. Twenty years ago, only 5% of the sun’s energy hitting
a solar charging panel was harvested. This figure is now in
excess of 15% and will continue to climb as more efficient
compounds are designed and introduced in the manufacture of
these photovoltaic panels.

All levels of government are increasingly looking at solar to
provide stable, cost effective and environmentally friendly
power. 35 states now have some kind of rebate program for
homeowners that install solar power systems. And this is not
just the southern “sunny states”. While California is the clear
leader in promoting solar powered energy solutions (a program
introduced in 2003 is promoting the introduction of solar
powered energy systems into a million homes over the next
several years) New Jersey and New York are next in line for
solar investment.

At the municipal level, many jurisdictions have introduced solar
solutions for traffic and streetlights. 50% of the energy used
to run the City of Sacremento’s water purification plant is
solar. NASA uses solar powered energy systems in many of its
buildings. And governments are not using solar just because it
is good for the environment and sets an example for commercial
entities and consumers (although these benefits cannot be lost
on them!). They’ve concluded that opting for solar systems will
save them hundreds of thousands of dollars.

With so many rebate programs today homeowners are coming to the
same conclusions. Once the initial return on investment is
recouped (as early as 4 to 6 years with the rebate programs in
California for example), solar users don’t have any additional
energy bills, almost no maintenance to worry about and are not
slave to an electrical grid that is becoming more and more
fragile as demand outstrips supply. No wonder solar power is
getting attention!

Solar power is still more expensive than traditional energy
production methods, but the gap is narrowing every year. Solar
power applications are also multiplying at an amazing rate.
House heating, solar pool lighting and heating, hot water tank
heating, calculators, flashlights, solar garden lighting and on
and on. Solar is clean, it’s efficient and it’s here to stay.

Kavar Peter
http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/here-comes-the-sun-solar-energy-is-becoming-more-attractive-for-mainstream-consumers-1295.html

A “green” home is a home that is highly energy efficient, has excellent indoor environment, and is built to exceed local building code. Sounds expensive. Right? Absolutely not! You may have heard that building a green home is more expensive that conventional construction, but this is a myth. Using an experienced green home builder, a green home can be very affordable to build and can save a homeowner thousands in energy costs annually. And the homeowner could qualify for thousands in tax incentives.

A green home can be built for no more than regular construction, and has greater market value when it is completed. It is important to hire a builder that has built green homes before. A builder that has retrofitted existing homes has no experience with the type of building techniques that make green homes more affordable. In addition, an experienced green home builder can help educate the potential homeowner about green techniques, their options, and energy efficiency.

While some green home features can be expensive and retrofitting existing homes can be quite high, building a green home from scratch is very affordable. Your experienced green home builder knows that getting advice from LEED’s engineers and reorganizing the building process to save time, energy, and waste are key steps to starting the project off right. Generally speaking,the green home elements are not expensive items and since they are installed as the house is built, with no demolition of existing concrete foundations and landscaping, the cost of installation is kept lower.

In case you have been wondering what green homes look like, they look just like conventional homes (except for the solar panels) and are quieter and cleaner than conventional homes. Green home features are maintenance friendly and work just like conventional home features.

Energy efficiency savings can be substantial. Using the weather and energy costs in Illinois as an example, and comparing an affordable green home to conventional home with conventional natural gas forced air heating and central air-conditioning, typical homeowner annual bills of nearly $3,000 per year could be lowered to $700 or less – a savings of $2,100 per year. These figures are for illustrative purposes only. Your actual savings depends on the size of the home, the number of people you have living in your home, your electricity usage, and the green options you select.

With tax incentives in the thousands, energy savings worth thousands, and greater market value, building and living in a green home is an affordable option for everyone.

Kimberley Ward

Many people have their workshop in an unused corner of their garage or the basement or some other out-of-the-way area. This can prove to be problematic, if the space is needed for other things or if there isn’t enough room to really spread out one’s projects or tools. Building a workshop can solve these problems and also add to your home’s value if it is planned out properly.

There are a lot of plans and instructions out on the Internet and provided by hardware supply companies and there is really no limit to the kind of structure one can build, provided that the rules and laws governing one’s property are adhered to. It’s a good idea to get a copy of your area’s zoning laws to find out if you need a permit to build the workshop you’re planning on. Also, homes governed by a home or neighborhood association may be limited as to the kind of structures they can build and owners may need permission to build at all.

The plans you choose for your workshop should allow for the inclusion of electricity. Again, there are many resources on this, so I need not enumerate the how-to’s of this. The important thing is that you ensure that the electricity running out to your shop is treated as seriously as that running inside your house - it must be grounded and up to code. When in doubt, get competent professionals to install and/or inspect it. Installations of heating/cooling appliances can further make your workshop more comfortable and valuable.

There are many alternative energy generators that are on the market right now. You have the option to augment your power with electricity generated from solar panels or wind turbines. The Internet can show you a great many alternative energy generators if you want to lessen your electricity bill and also take less power from the grid that you share with the people in your community.

Try to build to complement your home. If your home is a 1906 heritage house, try to avoid installing a fire-engine-red steel structure. Instead, go for a building that reflects your home’s outward appearance and decor. Acquire paint and trim that matches your home, so that the home and shop present a unified appearance. This helps the shop blend in better with the property. If, for some reason you can’t or won’t match your home, paint your shop a neutral color or one that complements your home’s color. Avoid an appearance that is completely different from your home’s; it produces a jarring note that could be easily avoided.

When building, make sure you allow for plenty of storage space and organization. The cleaner your workshop can be kept, the easier it will be to use for you and the better it will look to a potential buyer. Shelves, drawers and hooks are all excellent built-in additions to consider. Also, consider where you are going to put your waste, how you plan to sort recyclables from non-recyclables and allow for the space that this will need.

A home workshop can, with attention to its placement and appearance, add to your home’s value by placing a sought-after structure on the property. A home workshop is something that many people are looking for, which can make your home more attractive should you wish to sell in the future. Paying attention to what may attract or repel future buyers is worth it if you want your workshop to increase your home’s selling power on the market.

Matt Barker
http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/improve-your-homes-value-by-building-a-home-workshop-701301.html

Without a doubt, solar panel installation is a really famous form of the alternative energy. To put it in simple terms, solar energy is the conversion of sun’s rays into the electric power, and the technologies utilized to convert sunlight into useful power are well known as “photovoltaics”. Various uses of solar energy are extending on a fast pace as the researchers develop new ways to utilize it, generate energy from this natural power and store it.

The benefits of solar energy that can be obtained after solar panel installation include running water heaters, providing electricity and heating homes. The solar energy can also be used as a battery charger to get the cell phone batteries and laptop batteries charged in a convenient and faster way. The very fact that these chargers operate on the solar energy directly means that they can be utilized almost anywhere.

As far as the outside uses of solar energy is concerned, it can be used in solar fountains, lights and pool heating system. The best part about these solar panels is that there are no hassles of using them over the electrical lines and facing any shock hazards. During solar panel installation, the particular solar item is basically placed along with the solar panel being set under the direct sunlight. It is much cheaper and easier as compared to the use of electricity.

Solar power for homes can also be a brilliant way to reduce the reliance on energy service provider and the increasing oil rates. Apart from decreasing the reliance on the fossil fuels, one can also lower down the carbon foot print along with making one’s own contribution in the global warming smaller. One can also easily install a solar panel at home with great convenience in order to save some installation charges.

Roberto Luongo

Solar homes. Many people talk about them, although few in the U.S. do more than talk. They are said to reduce utility bills. Some say a solar home cuts utility bills drastically. Some are able to sell excess power back to the power grid. Savings are not automatic, however. Steps must be taken to make the solar home efficient; to conserve the electricity that is produced.

Ways to conserve solar photovoltaic power in the home must be found. The home owner must actively seek out ways to make those photovoltaic (PV) panels on the roof as efficient as possible. Photovoltaic power is free, but it cannot be generated in unlimited quantities. It is important to take measures to use it to best advantage.

Of all the ways to conserve solar photovoltaic power in the home, the most important is probably replacement of power-gobbling electric appliances. Home lighting can also be changed to conserve solar photovoltaic power (PV power). Finally, power usage can be reduced by making every person in the solar home conscious of conservation methods.

12 Ways to Conserve Solar Photovoltaic Power in the Home

1. Shop for energy-efficient appliances and home electronics for your solar home. Most products in this category carry EnergyGuide labels. These labels give an estimate of the products’ energy consumption or energy efficiency, and show the ratings of similar appliance models. In the U.S., appliances and home electronics that meet strict Department of Energy (DOE) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) energy efficiency criteria carry Energy Star labels.

2. Replace an electric water heater in a solar home with an energy-efficient propane or natural gas heater. Connect the new water heater to a solar water heater system. The sun will preheat the water, and the new unit will have less work. Wrap the water heater with thermal wrap to retain heat.

3. Replace the solar home’s electric furnace with an energy-efficient propane or natural gas unit. Install a solar panel air heater to reduce the work load of the new furnace. If you are building a new solar home, consider passive ways to heat the floors and air, further reducing the workload.

4. If the solar home is in a hot, dry climate, use an evaporative cooling unit in place of an electric air conditioner.

5. Check weather stripping around all windows and doors. Seal cracks and openings. Stopping air leakage in and out can improve indoor climate control in every season.

6. Insulate the solar home well. Insulation will keep heat or cool air from escaping. It will also keep outdoor cold or heat from entering readily.

7. Use heavy, insulted drapes and window shades/blinds in the solar home to keep out hot or cold air, making cooling and heating units work more efficiently.

8. A serious solar home owner can save even further by using a solar oven for cooking whenever possible. Especially good in hot climates or summer months, a solar oven will cook food with solar energy, and avoid heating the home. Money is thus saved in two ways.

9. Control of computer usage is another of the many ways to conserve solar photovoltaic power in the home. Monitors should be turned off whenever the computer will not be in use for 20 minutes or more. The CPU and monitor both should be turned off when the unit will not be used for 2 hours or more. Power down or sleep modes should be set.

10. Replace light bulbs with Energy Star qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs. If every U.S. home replaced just one light bulb with one of these bulbs, we would save more than $600 million in annual energy costs. To the solar home owner, such savings are vital.

11. Maximize your use of daylight, turning on lights only when necessary. Use windows to advantage, and install skylights where possible.

12. Landscape your property to block the heat of summer sunlight, permit winter sunlight. Deciduous trees near the solar home will shade windows in the summer, and let warming sunlight through in winter months.

Ways to conserve solar photovoltaic power in the home are not limited to these twelve, but if these alone are used, the increase in efficiency will be tremendous.

Anna Hart
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/solar-home-conserving-pv-power-172506.html

Daily headlines make everyone aware of the dangerous situation in which our environment must operate. The human population has historically overtaxed its natural resources and today we are seeing the long-term effects of this selfish behavior. While many people try to reduce their “carbon footprint” by recycling, spending their money in more effective ways and eating a more “earth friendly” diet, one of the most important practices we should all begin is improving our energy efficiency.

One of the most well developed methods of becoming energy efficient is through the use of renewable energies such as outdoor solar lights. In fact solar power is the best developed and most broadly applied of the modern energy technologies and almost anyone can use it to reduce their traditional energy consumption.

How? It is actually quite simple to recognize the ways in which the sun’s energy can be put to use in even the most basic methods. For example, during the hot summer months a home owner or apartment dweller could close all window blinds, curtains or shades to reduce their need for air conditioning or home cooling. (Imagine a summer without warnings about “rolling blackouts” because everyone has to keep their air conditioner turned to its highest settings simply because they allowed the sun to pound into the room all day long.) Alternately during the winter months they could easily rely on the sun’s warmth to heat up a room during the earlier hours of the day and then close the blinds before dusk in order to capture the remaining heat.

Those who have the financial means can use solar energy in a significantly wider number of ways, and not just to heat their domestic hot water or supply their homes with some energy. While such functions are ideally where all home owners should be headed, currently the materials and equipment required to convert a home’s energy supply entirely to a solar powered system are not within everyone’s budget or ability. Home owners can however employ a wide number of solar powered LED lights and appliances (including radios, solar landscape lights, ovens and attic fans) as an effective approach towards energy efficiency.

Finally, solar power has finally reached the automobile industry and several major manufacturers have promised consumers that they will make cars with rooftop solar panels available by the year 2010. While such vehicles may not be fully powered through solar energy it is clearly a step towards a healthier planet.

Jonathan Gal
http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/the-importance-of-solar-energy-to-our-everyday-lives-734197.html

As more and more buyers are wanting energy-efficient and green homes, builders and sellers are trying to meet this growing demand.  In the past few months, the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) has incorporated a green features section on every MLS report where builders and sellers can list whether the home has Energy Star appliances, solar panels, bamboo floors, and rain collection systems already in place.

If you’re looking to buy an environmentally friendly home, the drawback is that most of the homes you’ll find are new construction.  This is great if you’re wanting a newer home anyway, but a lot of green buyers don’t want new construction because of the trees that are cut down and the idea that there are already enough homes on the market right now without having to build more!

The best advice for these buyers looking for older homes is to search the MLS using the new green features option.  Find a home that already has some of the features you want, and then use the money you’ll save by buying now to go towards other features that you add in either now or along and along.  Earth friendly materials are starting to make their way into mainstream stores, like Lowe’s and Home Depot.  So, it’s becoming much easier to find these materials.  Sure, you won’t find items such as reclaimed wood in a Lowe’s, but you will in specialty stores around the area.  So, why not take a home you love and make it as green as you want it to be?

For newer homes in Charleston that are geared to be energy-efficient, you’ll find a few neighborhoods to choose from.  All of the homes in Summertrees were built to EarthCraft standards.  This neighborhood is on Johns Island, and the builder was Brentwood Homes.  EarthCraft is a program with guidelines ensuring that homes reduce energy by using tighter building construction, air sealing, controlled ventilation, as well as more efficient duct work, HVACs, and vents.  Water usage is also reduced, which cuts down on utility bills.  Last, the interior and exterior paint is low VOC.  These homes are also supposed to have better indoor air quality for an overall healthier lifestyle for the owners. 

Another builder, David Weekley Homes, is also starting to build green homes.  This builder uses a different program called Environments for Living, which is a national program with three levels of green-ness.  David Weekley’s new homes are classified in the highest level of requirements, which is the Diamond level.  These homes are fifty percent more energy efficient than comparable homes built to the standard codes in 2004.  And, for a better comparison, we’ll compare these homes with the Energy Star standards, which people are more familiar with.  Energy Star requirements are only fifteen percent better than the standard 2004 building codes.  So, these David Weekley homes are significantly better than Energy Star.  Buyers are also guaranteed that their new home will not use more than a certain amount of energy from heating and air conditioning.  If the buyer finds that the home exceeds this amount, he or she will be reimbursed the difference in cost.  Of course, this reimbursement does not account for the energy wasted during that time, but at least builders are trying to hold their homes accountable for energy standards.  And, this is a step in the right direction, I think.

For more information about these builders, check out their websites.  And, if you want to buy a pre-owned home and green it up yourself, check out the MLS with the new search feature!

Lee Keadle