Why An Alternative Energy Home?
The Problem
Due to population growth and increased business activity, our pool of resources continues to shrink relative to
demand. It is especially true for commercially generated electrical energy. As amazing as it seems, and counter to popular belief,
the average retail price of residential electrical power has actually fallen (in adjusted for inflation dollars)
from 12.4 to 9.28 cents per Kilowatt/hour.
This according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration for the years 1960 though 2008. So it begs the question,
"Why then, are our utility bills so large?". The problem is,
we each consume much more power per household than ever before. Consider the many, many millions of cell phones, plasma TVs,
desktop (and laptop) computers,
refrigerators
(don't forget the freezer in the garage or basement), home alarm systems, air conditioning systems, you name it. They all consume
power, forcing our bills skyward. There's no two ways about it. As can be seen at left, we like our lights brightly lit
(we can even see them from space!). As a society, we wolf down power at an incredible rate. Add to that, the majority of power
generation technologies in use today still depend on fossil
fuels (coal, diesel, gasoline, natural gas, etc.). Using these energy sources produce
vast amounts of greenhouse gas and contribute mightily to global warming. Not to mention, the rising cost of those fuels are beginning to
catch up with us (in real dollars). So, what to do to keep the lights on? Can an alternative energy strategy
for your home really help? Can an alternative energy home ease the dilema? Definitely.
The Alternative Energy Home and Coping Strategies
There are three basic strategies we can employ to combat rising costs and global warming:
1) Find a cheaper, cleaner supply. Develop the alternative energy sources for your home (solar power systems for homes) that
will lower your costs and safeguard the environment.
Most likely this means implementing some type of wind power and/or solar energy based electricity generating
system and/or solar thermal system (see the "Residential Solar Systems" page for a clear understanding of these terms).
There are many solar power systems for homes that will fill the bill. In addition, there are configurations and wide options for many residential windpower systems. By way of
financing, you can purchase outright, rent, lease or solar ppa (use a solar power purchase agreement) to get the clean energy you
need. In many cases the cost to you, the homeowner, can be zero dollars (yes, $0).
2) Use less energy. Increase your home energy efficiency profile. This includes putting in place wall insulation programs,
double pane windows, high efficiency appliances, motion sensitive lighting, compact florescent units, LED units, etc.
3) Take up living in a cave. While this has a certain outdoorsy, romantic, get-away-from-it-all appeal, as an everyday
working solution, it comes up a little short.
We think strategies 1 and 2 will best serve us all, in the long run. However, the question remains, "What's the best way to implement them?
This site and its navigation links at right will help you explore some of the ins and outs of implementing an alternative
energy home. As with most successful efforts, planning is key. Not so much
for getting answers, although that's important, to be sure. But answers are only half the battle. What's really critical is making
sure to get the right questions identified. Which
type of system is best for your circumstances? Should you use a contractor or are you a do it yourself type of person? Do you understand and have the
requisite handyman skills, electronic expertise and time resources? Are you willing to learn them? How do you locate a good contractor? How much power do you need to generate? What happens on a cloudy day when there's
no sun or no wind? How much
will a system cost? What about government help for financing? There are many, many questions. So many, in fact, that it's a bit
daunting to know where to begin. For your first step, we suggest a great starting point is reading the next page, "Solar and Wind Energy Basics".
Our mission is to provide and guide you (as quickly as possible) to the news, reference information and reviews that will enable you to make the best informed decisions about implementing your alternative energy supply strategy and plan. We've also referenced additional information sources that can provide more help, on our "Special Home Sources" page.
Should you have any questions or suggestions about the information presented on this site, contact us.
