Sorry, the weather and my bad attitude have stopped work on the solar system for a while. (Can a woman give you PTSD?) I have long had a dream of designing a home that can live on a half acre lot and be completely selfsustaining. Only in Alabama is that possible because you need just the right combination of wind, sun, and water to make it happen.
New developments in Grid Tie Inverters and the price of energy make it more feasible every day.
I could however give you a little background into they what and why of including Photovoltaic Systems to our electricity lineup.
1. There is much interest in zero energy homes. Less than there should be but still, if not much, at least some. I recall the last Habitat home that I was involved in they said "sure we would like it to be zero energy, but it would add $20,000 to the cost." So we are at a place where it is cheaper in the short run and easier to install than making the choice that in the long run is better for everybody. In short it is cost effective to be stupid.
Habitat did build the next home as zero energy.
2. Every part of PV installation can be done by the homeowner except the electrical tie in to the grid. That should be, in fact if one is to obey codes, must be done by a licensed electrician.
3. There is a lot of information out there that is just wrong. Since my job is to stomp out ignorance then it falls to me to make sure we don't graduate ignorant students. At least no more of them than absolutely necessary.
Solar is part of Zero Energy. It is unfortunately the most costly component. Wind is cheaper but it sometimes blows hard enough here to blow down the best of windmills. Conservation helps and must be part of a comprehensive system but a house so tight that cold can't get into is a house so tight that radon can't get out of.
Wind, sun and water fall and fall abundantly on all Alabama homes. We don't have to operate wisely to take advantage of it. We merely need to stop being stupid.
New developments in Grid Tie Inverters and the price of energy make it more feasible every day.
I could however give you a little background into they what and why of including Photovoltaic Systems to our electricity lineup.
1. There is much interest in zero energy homes. Less than there should be but still, if not much, at least some. I recall the last Habitat home that I was involved in they said "sure we would like it to be zero energy, but it would add $20,000 to the cost." So we are at a place where it is cheaper in the short run and easier to install than making the choice that in the long run is better for everybody. In short it is cost effective to be stupid.
Habitat did build the next home as zero energy.
2. Every part of PV installation can be done by the homeowner except the electrical tie in to the grid. That should be, in fact if one is to obey codes, must be done by a licensed electrician.
3. There is a lot of information out there that is just wrong. Since my job is to stomp out ignorance then it falls to me to make sure we don't graduate ignorant students. At least no more of them than absolutely necessary.
Solar is part of Zero Energy. It is unfortunately the most costly component. Wind is cheaper but it sometimes blows hard enough here to blow down the best of windmills. Conservation helps and must be part of a comprehensive system but a house so tight that cold can't get into is a house so tight that radon can't get out of.
Wind, sun and water fall and fall abundantly on all Alabama homes. We don't have to operate wisely to take advantage of it. We merely need to stop being stupid.
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