Renewable energy

Using alternative energy sources is a broader and less mechanical/technological topic than one might suppose. We all do it. Our legs are an alternative energy source, when we walk to the store instead of drive. Curtains are an alternative energy source, when we close them to keep the house a little warmer at night. Sweaters are an alternative energy source, when we wear one rather than turn the heat up on the thermostat. And all of these are important resources for those who want to use other alternative sources of power, such as wind or solar power or alternative fuels. The key to all alternatives, and petroleum or coal based energy for that matter, is conservation.

These days there are more ways to begin to use renewable energy than ever. Whether you live in the city or on a farm there are ways you can participate. Many places now have available “green power”. That is, you can choose to buy electricity from a company that generates through wind farms or solar installations. Biodeisel and/or ethanol fuel pumps are appearing here and there around the nation for people with flex fuel or biodiesel vehicles. Hybrid gas/electric cars are on the market. More government incentives are available for putting solar panels on your roof or getting an energy efficient car or appliances. Doing this will create little noticeable change in your life. You still plug in or gas up and drive off.

The changes that really reduce our consumption of the planet’s resources take a little more effort and consciousness starting with things like turning off lights and appliances that you are not using, insulating and getting rid of drafts and leaks in our homes. This includes unplugging appliances when you are away or overnight… as many have “phantom loads”. That is, they still are on a type of “stand-by” mode, using power even after you have turned them off. Make sure all your appliances are energy efficient, trading in old models for Energy-Star ones if needed. Immediately reducing the power you use will do more than any other action in reducing pollution, greenhouse gases, and dependency on foreign oil.

Many alternative energy electric systems are integrated with the existing power grid. That is, you have solar Photo Voltaic (PV) panels on your roof and it is wired to put energy into the main power grid from which you buy your usual electricity. The difference is, when the sun is shining, your electric meter runs backwards! You get credit for the power you have put back into the system and that system acts like a giant battery, storing the power so you have electricity at night or in cloudy weather. People who live off the grid are not connected to the regional power grid or any power company. The power they produce must be stored too, usually in a bank of large deep cycle batteries.

Our own system has solar PV panels, a micro-hydro system, and a small wind generator. Together they generate power in favorable conditions (sunny, windy, rainy, or all three). This power is used to charge up the battery bank. Nothing runs directly off of the PV panels or other sources. The energy in the batteries goes through an inverter, which changes it to regular 120 volt household current, so we can plug in appliances and lights and such the same as in any other home. However, the storage capacity of our batteries is finite, which makes us very, very aware of the power we are using. Remember how I mentioned conservation? It plays a big part in keeping your batteries from getting low unnecessarily. How frugal you are depends on your system and your inclination, but you soon never leave a light on in an empty room!

If you want to use alternative power directly without going off grid there are many ways to simply tap the energy of the sun. One of the easiest changes to make that directly uses solar power is solar hot water. We are all familiar with how hot water is coming out of a water hose that has been sitting in the sun, solar hot water systems work on the same principle. There are several variations on the theme, some that heat the water directly, some which work by heating a different fluid and using that to transfer heat to the water in your water heater. Those are called heat exchange systems. Check in your local area to see if there is someone who sells or installs these systems. If you cannot use a solar hot water system, consider changing to an on demand, or tankless, hot water heater. Lots of energy goes into making heat, and keeping a tank of hot water up to temperature all the time is a huge waste. It will make a noticeable difference in your energy consumption (and power bill) to make this switch.

Passive solar energy is when you reap heat from the sun without using mechanical or technological means. Having windows on the southern side of your home is an example. The list goes on and on. If you want to cut down your use of fossil fuels and green up your power consumption you have a lot of choices. But always remember the first step is to use less, mainly by not using power when you do not have to. Conservation will always be the key in preserving resources and living a greener life.

See this article and much more in the book: "What's It Like, Living Green?” compiled by Jill Vanderwood, for which I am a contributing author.

See the following article reprinted courtesy of Home Power magazine, www.homepower.com. You will need Adobe reader to open the PDF file.


		First Steps in Renewable Energy for your Home

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