Energy Conservation: How do I start solar powering my home? and living OFF the grid?

Question

Average middle income family living in the boondocks. Where do I learn more about how to do it? Can I do it in stages? How many do I need for my size house? Do I have to put solar panels on my roof? or a big solar panel form in my yard? Are they strong enough to survive severe storms and hail?

Answer 1

Start with a wood stove to heat the house. Actually, nearly pollution neutral.

With a good southern exposure, the next step would be a solar powered water heater. This is probably the most practical energy saver, next to wood heat.

A wind generator is the next most practical, tho pretty expensive upfront, and would require a bit of maintenance.

I'd look into the practicality of cooling using circulated ground water, tho it might be as expensive to run the pump as a normal AC unit.

Solar panels are still very expensive, but doable if you've got the money. I doubt they'd ever pay for themselves tho.

Check with your power company. Some don't allow reverse metering.

Answer 2

The only way I know is to move where they are incorporating concentrating solar power into the new home projects. And not many of these.

I attended the Focus the Nation at Sierra College on 1-31-08. The event was the 2% Solution, a 2% reduction over 40 years to solve GW. Oil is a nonrenewable resource and we are running out-but not soon - $30 Gal for gas. The 2% Solution is ok for the USA for a 10 year plan to cut 20%. But over those 10 years, we have to be building renewable energy and about that time, we can cut an additional 20%. This should get us from importing any oil. We must have a pollution surcharge where we pay the real price (health effects, GW and cleanup) for oil, NG, coal, cigarettes, Cooling Towers, Cars, trains and airplanes. Humans have to put some of this nonrenewable into renewable energy like small hydro-electric dams, concentrating solar power plants, wind and wave machines, nuks, and geothermal. With the peak of oil in the 1970’s, peak NG in the 1990’s, having mined cheep coal, the peak of ocean fishing in the 1980’s, and the peak of uranium in the 1990’s, humans must stop procrastinating and make real changes to keep earth sustainable including in the energy debate, finance and regulation.

Many of mankind’s advancements cause earth surface to warm, destroy the ozone layer, kill off endanger species, heat cities, and in some way cause more dramatic destruction.  Blacktop and buildings (roads, roofs and parking lots-heat cities), deforestation (air pollution, soil erosion), duststorms (increase hurricanes and cyclones, cause lung diseases), fires (cause pollution, mud slides, and deforestation), refrigerants (like CFC's) and solvents (including benzene destroy the ozone layer raising skin cancer rates) and plastics; cars, airplanes, ships and most electricity production (causes pollution including raised CO2 levels and increased lung and other diseases); these human problems we must fix to keep life on earth sustainable! Humans have destroyed half of the wetlands, cut down nearly half of the rain forest, and advance on the earths grasslands while advancing desertification which increases duststorms.

The result is:  change is on the way, we just do not know what changes (where and when). Look beyond the hype, beyond the weather, beyond a quarterly report and beyond today. President Bush has made a choice of energy (ethanol) over food and feeding the starving people around the world; this is a choice China has rejected. The fact is Bush wants to buy your food to send to starving people since our is not available.

Over the next 90 years carbon dioxide is projected to skyrocket as human’s burn more fossil fuels. The problem is, the oil will be gone in 30 years at present rates of consumption without projected increases. We have to come up with what will take its place. Again we have to cleanup our mess. One of the big problems we have is at some time Yellowstone will blow its top again, as the magma move closer to the surface, creating a nuk winter. After that we will not have to worry about the destruction of the ozone layer.

But with that we must understand we have never seen what is now happening before. CO2 has never lead to temperature change, but temperature change has led to increases in CO2. The models have to be made as we go along with current evidence! But again adding a small amount of CO2 to the atmosphere enlarges the earths sun collection causing warming; increase water in the atmosphere and it forms clouds cooling earth but sometimes causing flooding. Even natural events are warming earth and causing destruction. The sun has an increased magnetic field causing increases in earthquakes (more destruction), volcanoes (wow, great destruction), and sun spots. Lighting produces ozone near the surface (raising air pollution levels). The USA Mayor's have taken a stand and I believe are on the right track, we can have control and can have economic growth. The sun is available to produce energy, bring light to buildings and makes most of human’s fresh water. Composting is the answer to desertification. New dams are the answer to fresh water storage, energy and cooling earth by evaporation, we need many small ones all over (California needs 100 by 2012 and has not even started).

That is why I founded CoolingEarth.org, a geoengineering web sight where you can learn more about earth, the atmosphere, and how to sustain life on earth’s surface.

Answer 3

it's pretty expensive

until they make the solar panels cheaper

and or more efficient.

ppl are working on it.

wait awhile till it's more affordable.

it's the same with the hybrid car batteries

until they become smaller and more efficient

they are not affordable to the average consumer.

Answer 4

Solar panels are the first stop. You can also make a piping system and reservoir for hot water as well. That helps with heating and such. ALSO - if you are really clever you can make a heater for your water consumption.

You can get a wind generator. In summer. put a sort of awning over your roof. Over, not on it. this will keep direct sun off the roof, make the shouse cooler.

Plant trees - evergreens, along the north side of your house. this is a winter wind break. Plant fast growing disiduous trees on the south and S.W. side of the house for shade in the summer as well as a natural air conditioning. These trees will also absorb CO2 and give off oxygen.

Put double pane glass on all windows. Insulate the house to conserve heat in winter and cool in summer.

There are books in your library or tech book store that wil be of great assistance.

Answer 5

Living off grid has no distinct advantage other than saving the expense of a grid connection. Get solar hot water, yes. If you are in a nice windy spot or in a good area for sun then this may be cost effective, but there is the expense of grid ties for selling unused electricity back to the grid.

I would look at investing the money in a wind or solar farm, I should think it would be much more efficient way of using the capital, and more effective politically.

Answer 6

You share with me and by sending an email if you get the right answer and a solution like that. It is more said than practicable.

Answer 7

The CAT centre in the uk has loads of info and research.  Centre of Alternative Technology, based in Machynlleth, wales, uk

Answer 8

Take $50,000 - 100,000 out of your savings account, or borrow it if you can.  Install a complete solar power system including photo-voltaic cells, batteries, inverters.  Disconnect your house from the grid.  Buy some back-up generators and/or kerosene lamps.

Kiss your money good buy, because you will never recover what you spent based on energy savings.