Renewable Energy for Private Homes:
Is It Possible?

Renewable energy can be conveniently used in private homes or apartments for the benefit of the residents. On the one hand it involves the use of unpolluted green energy sources while on the other, it is most cost effective for everyone. For instance, when building a new home, one can plan it in such a way that it can receive and absorb the rays of the sun abundantly during winter to keep the home naturally warm. Called Passive Solar Buildings, these types of homes are becoming quite popular in most US cities and suburbs as they tend to save more than 50% on heating expenses while incurring only 1% higher construction cost. Low-emissivity (low-E) windows can also add to the comfort at a nominal initial cost. Alternatively, installation of Transpired Solar Collector in the form of a dark perforated metal wall in a new home will not only provide a novel look to the house but will convert around 80% of the sunlight striking it into heated ventilation air, turning it cozy and comfortable. Natural Gas Absorption heat pumps will also improve heating efficiency in a home up to 50% or more.

As for naturally available hot water, one can lay water pipes on the rooftop that will absorb sunrays during daylight hours, delivering hot water whenever needed. Installing Photovoltaic Water Heater will also ensure supply of hot water as and when needed.

Renewable energy in the form of solar power or wind power can work wonders in private homes. Though installation of solar panels in homes could be rather expensive (many states provide incentives for such installations), the benefits available through their use are manifold. Instances of people using solar power for home lighting and then selling the surplus power to the utility are not very uncommon. In many cases, the monthly utility bills get drastically reduced in this process since most of the charges are offset by the power generated by the PV that is fed back to the grid itself. However, the biggest disadvantage associated with solar panels relate to their limited use only during the daylight hours. This natural drawback of the solar power brings another renewable form of energy to the forefront. Yes, you have rightly guessed it. This is nothing else but renewable wind energy that is currently taking the United States by storm.

Wind energy is now successfully harnessed with the help of Wind Turbines that generate electricity by converting the wind’s kinetic energy to electrical energy instantly and without any hassle. If going for a factory assembled wind turbine proves expensive for the buyer, one may build a turbine in home that costs a little over $100. All that is needed to build a wind turbine at home include a small DC motor that can be fished out of a hardware store, a battery bank which can be procured from any automobile junk yard for a song, a transformer-cum-converter and a charge controller from the nearest e-bay outlet at a low price, some electrical wires and terminals and a tower or a steel frame hosing to keep the turbine facing wind current.

However, one should check up with the local authorities if such installations are allowed within the locality. This had come into force recently as some turbines create a whine when spinning at a high revolution. But otherwise, turbines are excellent work horses, diligently delivering current all through the day and night.