Living off gridLiving off grid is quite the lifestyle change. After extolling the advantages of solar energy, since 1973, I finally got to visit two with this energy efficient home design. They can view the Hydro lines going past their homes, but since they are living off grid, in renewable energy homes, they are unaffected by all this talk of lack of energy. These two Alternative Energy houses are equipped with all the amenities of modern living. They bought energy efficient refrigerator, energy efficient appliances, such as washer, dryer, and energy saving light bulb. Both are energy efficient houses using passive solar energy by orienting all their best energy efficient windows south, towards the Sun. The North side looks normal except has very little thermal energy loss, because of the few windows They have alternate energy sources such as active solar energy, using photovoltaic solar energy to recharge their storage batteries. The solar thermal energy is used to heat their radiant energy floors and their hot water supply in the summer.
The next improvement is Geothermal Energy. One home, because of the extra energy demand, added wind power, in the form of a one kilowatt wind energy generator, that supplements the solar panels. They also added a diesel powered generator as a back-up energy source, just in case they have to service their alternate energy sources. They profess that the most inexpensive energy, is the one you conserve. They recommend replacing incandescent lamps with more energy efficient fluorescent bulbs, power bars, to easily disconnect all those little leaks, e.g. VCR,television,etc.
The emotional payoff is more of the reason for doing this, it is a sense of independence, taking control of your life. That sense of independence is certainly felt during power outages
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