Renewable Energy

Many think of wind, solar and geothermal at the mention of “renewable energy”, as indeed they are, but very often the cheapest renewable energy is actually efficiency—the energy you no longer need because you’ve insulated, changed to better windows, lights and appliances, and/or reduced your energy appetite just by paying attention. We have to urge you to first find those easy ways to energy independence—reducing demand—before you look at the various ways to provide onsite energy supply. Many who do find to their surprise that adding solar panels (for example) is neither the green nor the financially smart thing to do. If that might be you, it might help to look at the other sections of this site on doors & windows, insulation, appliances, and lighting/electrical.

With that said, there are many ways to tap sun, wind and underground heat to directly provide your home with electricity and/or hot water. Some of those methods remain a bit expensive, but the technologies are rapidly evolving, bringing down the prices. Also, government at every level, as well as utilites, are increasingly offering incentives and low-cost financing to assist homeowners towards energy independence.