How to Build an Energy Independent House

Climate change, the approach of Peak Oil, and rising energy prices are causing many people to look more seriously into alternatives. An energy-independent or "off grid" home is a worthy goal for many reasons. Done properly, it is less ecologically damaging than a conventional home; done humbly and in moderation, it is cheaper; and done with love and attention, it will reward you with a secure and inviting place to escape from the uncertainties of a resource economy.

Start With Conservation

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  Cut your power consumption as much as you can. This reduces the size of the power system you will need and allows you to live lighter on the land.
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  Consider living without electricity altogether. Invest in candles, a gas stove, and some kerosene lamps. Do your work during the daylight and when it gets dark, relax.
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  If you must use electricity, choose only light bulbs and newer appliances that have been approved as energy-efficient by a reputable agency. Avoid large televisions and electronics with standby loads. If you have a computer, put it on a power bar that is turned off when it isn't in use.

Temperature Control and Insulation

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  Heating is the major source of energy use in most houses. Replace leaky windows with high efficiency double paned windows. Put draft blockers at the base of exterior doors, especially at night. Put heavy drapes on the windows in the winter. Avoid air conditioning.
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  Don't heat with electricity. Natural gas or propane are far more efficient, and less costly.
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  Find out how your house is insulated, and if it is below par, replace it or add to it. Exterior rigid foam, blown-in cellulose, or an interior retrofit are all options. Insulation can keep your home cooler in summer, too.

Solar Electric Panels

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  Install solar panels on the roof of your house. Hire a professional to do this if you are not comfortable working with electricity.
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  Put a battery bank in the basement. The size of battery bank that you need is dependent not only on the amount of electricity that you use but also your usage patterns.
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  If you want to run alternating current (what you are used to on the grid), you will need an inverter between your batteries and your interior outlets. A more efficient but less versatile option is to run the entire house on direct current.

Solar Water Heating

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  Install solar hot water panels next to your solar electric panels. By running water or an antifreeze mixture from these panels to hot water tanks and to pipes in your floor, you can gain at least some of your heat needs directly from the sun.
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  A more low-tech option that works in hot weather is to put a large barrel painted black onto your roof. The sun alone will heat water that can be used for showers, dishwashing or cooking.
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  If you are north of the equator, you will need a south-facing rooftop or outdoor site to install these panels in order for them to function most efficiently.

Wind and Water Energy

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  Use a small windmill for your domestic electricity needs if you live in a windy place. The advantage of a windmill is that it can generate electricity with no sun or at night.
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  If you have a stream with a significant drop on your property, you can install a microhydro system. Like windmills, hydro turbines can produce electricity in any weather (as long as the stream is running), night and day.
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  Windmills and microhydro systems are not simple things to install. If you choose to do it yourself rather than hiring a professional, be prepared for a steep learning curve. It is a worthwhile and rewarding path

Types of Green Power!!

Green power" received its name because it harnesses the natural, renewable power of the Earth. This type of power puts emphasis on sustainability and efficiency. More efficient ways of harnessing and capturing energy are desirable because they reduce the toll on the environment. Sustainable energy sources are also desirable because dependence on non-renewable energy sources cannot meet the needs of the entire human race indefinitely. Renewable or persistent sources can.

Hydroelectric

• Hydroelectric dams harness the power of gravity and potential energy to power gigantic turbines that divert energy to generators. This method is the most widespread of all renewable energy sources; it also produces no direct waste, relatively little carbon dioxide and does not use non-renewable fuel. Hydroelectric dams do lead ecosystem damage, however, because huge areas of land are flooded or filled to create dam reservoirs to generate this power.

Geothermal

• Geothermal energy is extraordinarily efficient, highly renewable and very environmentally friendly. It's usually generated by capturing the steam and the pressure created in fissures or boreholes. For this reason, geothermal energy is incredibly costly to harness and geographically limited to areas with volcanic activity or proximity to tectonic activity.

Wind Power

• Wind power uses turbines, just like hydroelectric power. This type of power is among the oldest, used to power mills and other early forms of human industry. This energy is costly in terms of space needed to set up gigantic wind-farms in prime locations. One increasingly popular location for wind-farms is in offshore areas, sometimes co-existing with tidal energy turbines.

Solar Power

• Solar Power is the least efficient of these types, mostly because of the newness of the technology. Photovoltaic panels are expensive to build, deploy and maintain, and the real estate they require to be efficient is huge. Innovations such as concentrated solar towers that focus sunlight narrowly onto panels, point to a promising future for solar energy, however