Is there an affordable way to convert my home to run on solar or wind power?

Question

Or at least supply 25-50% of my power needs by some renewable source...To me, affordable is $50K or less...and I lean toward the less.

Answer 1

Northern Tool sells solar and wind systems which are quite affordable, including whole-house solutions that would be well within your budget.

Answer 2

I just learned there are companies that rent solar panels so you don't have to buy them outright.

I'll put a couple of links for you below.

Answer 3

Yup..for solar solutions ..What u need is the solar power converter module,but do mentions,d cost is not cheap rite now,n u still need to run it on battery,how these stuf work?

1. solar module unit on d roof charging d battery

2.d battery supply d power to electric equipment

3.from battery to equipment- we need some AC/DC power   converter,normally supplied with it's set.

these cost too much.at an island thats have no electricity ,this equipment supplied by the goverment,just d module only,the battery need to maintainence by villegers them selve.thx

Answer 4

You can, if it is designed right.  Make sure your solar hot water heater is of a passive - thermosiphon design.

"Thermosiphon systems — rely on the natural process that causes warm water to rise. The system circulates water through solar heat collectors and then into a holding tank, which is located above the collector.  Because passive solar water heaters don't have electrically powered components, they are generally more reliable, easier to maintain and sometimes last longer than active systems. "

"Vertical-axis wind turbines (or VAWTs) have the main rotor shaft arranged vertically. Key advantages of this arrangement are that the turbine does not need to be pointed into the wind to be effective. This is an advantage on sites where the wind direction is highly variable. VAWTs can utilize winds from varying directions.

With a vertical axis, the generator and gearbox can be placed near the ground, so the tower doesn't need to support it, and it is more accessible for maintenance. Drawbacks are that some designs produce pulsating torque. Drag may be created when the blade rotates into the wind.[citation needed]

It is difficult to mount vertical-axis turbines on towers, meaning they are often installed nearer to the base on which they rest, such as the ground or a building rooftop. The wind speed is generally slower at a lower altitude, so less wind energy is available for a given size turbine. Air flow near the ground and other objects can create turbulent flow, which can introduce issues of vibration, including noise and bearing wear which may increase the maintenance or shorten the service life. However, when a turbine is mounted on a rooftop, the building generally redirects wind over the roof and this often doubles the wind speed at the turbine. If the height of the rooftop mounted turbine tower is approximately 50% of the building height, this is near the optimum for maximum wind energy and minimum wind turbulence."

The cost is determined by the maximum number of people living in the home.and the amount of electricity to be use.  You can save more if you install the system yourself.

Answer 5

Any typical home can be taken off the electrical grid altogether with $10 - 15 K worth of solar photovoltaic panels and batteries plus an inverter.