Getting off the grid

Getting off the grid is a daunting task given that moving to alternate energy sources can be expensive. Upon doing some initial research, I asked myself, “Why don’t more people use alternative energy?”  The answer can be as simple as economics.

Having someone install a solar energy system can cost an average homeowner $30,000. The old life expectancy was 25 – 30 years with depletion in power due to the aging solar panels. The new panels may last 40 years. When comparing the cost of a solar energy system to the cost of the electric bill every month; there seems to be little incentive to spend a large sum of cash when convenience is equally priced.

However, if one is serious about getting off the grid and saving money, one can save a considerable amount of cash by building your own solar panels as instructed in the publication “Make your own Solar Panels and save $$$$”.

When speaking with a friend about his new housing project, he mentioned that he will be using solar energy to power his retirement home. He said that he searched for the best solution given that his home is located in the middle of nowhere with no power lines. He wanted to keep the rugged scenery untouched, so he built his own solar panels and installed the alternative energy system for around $3,000.

Did you see that? That’s right, for those of us who are handy and willing to follow instructions we can build and install our own solar energy system economically, enabling us to get off the grid. One can anticipate spending about $220 - $250 for each panel. My frugal friend, of course spent about $200, and said that once he had the first panel built, the remaining panels were easy.

Panels are about half of the cost associated with a solar energy system. One would also need to determine how to get the electricity into the home. You must decide which converters to install based upon your own personal preferences and whether or not to sell the excess electricity to the local power company.

For those of us still on the grid, selling the excess electricity back to the power company may help off-set the cost of having to purchase electricity when the solar energy system is unable to produce power.

Indeed, this is a daunting task, but one well worth the investment if you can make the change reasonably.

There’s a new energy in town

There’s a new energy in town! This past week at the energy conference held in Rockford, Illinois, some 156 attendees learned of a new bio-mass furnace which will produce electricity. The conference became a common meeting ground for green energy enthusiasts where they could share ideas and explore new solutions to old problems.

Chip Energy’s bio-mass furnace will go on line this month. It will warm sewage eating bacteria which will cause the bacteria to produce methane gas to produce electricity. The remaining waste, biochar can be used to improve land. (Leaf 2010)

The bio-mass furnace is currently used at the municipality of Höör in Southern Sweden to produce 85% of heat used by the network. (Unknown)

With innovations such as this and working together toward green energy, we may soon find bio-mass furnaces popping up across the country positively reducing our waste and creating renewable green energy.

References

Leaf, Brian (2010, October 10) Displays, demonstrations at show nurture new green ideas, (article) Rockford Register Star (The) (IL)

Unknown, Low Emission Biomass plant in Höör Sweden, (article) http://www.aboutbioenergy.info/Hoor.html, last accessed October 14, 2010

From tin cans to green energy

Ahead of their time, that’s what I thought some 30 years ago. Solar Panels installed on houses in Lake Summerset seemed to be of something from science fiction, but today, they are to be installed on the White House. (Cappiello, 2010)

Doing some research, one can find any number of resources about Solar Energy on the internet. You can even find information about building your own solar panels.

When I researched this topic as a high school student, I found sources which used tin cans installed on rooftops to collect solar heat. While I thought the topic I choose would be dry, I found it intriguing.

Can you imagine a world without electric wires? And the savings doesn’t stop with your energy bill. Legislation was put in place in 2009 to offer a tax credit of up to 30% for using green energy. You will want to check with your local tax preparer.

Green energy, what does it mean to you? Will you perform some science experiment because it’s really cool?  - or-  Will you choose to install solar panels on your home?

Why not put some green back in your wallet?

References

Cappiello, Dina, October 5, 2010, Solar Panels on the White House: Obama to install Solar Panels in 2011, (article) Huffington Post, The, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/05/solar-panels-on-white-hou_n_750525.html, last accessed October 8, 2010

The Cost of a Light Bulb – is there really a savings?

While thinking about green energy and what impact it would have on my electric bill, I decided to go to the local hardware store and investigate the cost of a light bulb. I wondered, “If everything was equal, what is the real cost or savings of a light bulb?”

On display I discovered various lighting options from the regular light bulb to the Energy Saver options. I settled in on a 60 watt bulb. A 60 watt bulb if left on for 24 hours continuously will use about 43.2 kwh in a 30 day period. Using a calculator I multiplied that by what our average cost per kwh was over this past year and discovered that a 60 watt bulb would cost us $5.48.

So . . . I then looked at the poplar Energy Smart Bulb equivalent which uses 13 watts of electricity. Same scenario, if left on continuously this bulb will use about 9.36 kwh or would cost $1.19. And then an LED bulb which uses 5 watts of electricity would use 3.6 kwh or cost $0.46.

Using this information, you can definitely see the savings you would realize each month by going green. But, all light bulbs are not created equal. This is obvious when you look at the life of the bulb you purchase.

I decided to compare the life expectancy of a 60 watt bulb and equalize the price. When doing so I discovered an additional savings as demonstrated by the chart below.

So how much are your light bulb(s) costing you? Why not put a little green back in your wallet and save on your monthly electric bill too?



Gre-newable Heat – Defrosting the corn stove

The wigwams still dot the town to remind us that we are all responsible for green energy. As I pull up to Oregon Lawn and Farm, Oregon, Illinois, the owner begins his day by setting out displays. I follow him inside to find the smiling gentleman behind the counter eager to help me. I walk past the wood and corn burning stoves, which sport ample product information displayed upon the tops.

Behind the counter I notice a picture of his friend from Milledgeville, Illinois, who recently built an electric car. The owner of this small business is no stranger to green energy as he explains that he also built an electric car in the 70’s. Though he no longer has the car, he still has a photo of his accomplishment. He admits that he has moved on to other things.

He explains that the corn stove he installs has a long-life. In fact, he displays and uses a model which is 25 years old and currently has no issues so his customers can see the quality. The owner explains that if you perform proper maintenance, you will not have many issues with this brand of corn stove. He also offers to install a battery backup system, which comes in handy during the cold winter months of Northern Illinois.

He explains corn stoves currently do not offer a battery back-up system of their own so he and his son have engineered one, as an add-on item. Having experienced power outages during the winter, this is a nice option to have when the thermometer reaches sub-zero and the lights go out.

The owner also explains the difference between a corn stove and a pellet stove which can burn corn. The recommended fuel for a pellet stove is pellets, he explains. If the stove says it can burn corn as well, it is in fact suggesting that you mix corn in with the pellets as opposed to just burning corn in a pellet stove which can cause some issues and possible costly repairs.

He recommends that when purchasing a renewable energy furnace, that you consider the cost of your fuel source. For example, if you have wood in abundant supply you should burn wood and if you have corn, corn, otherwise you defeat the purpose of saving money on your heating bill.

On my way out of town, I stopped by the dam to listen to the cool water falling. The tranquility of the park made me wonder if the hydro-energy station in Dixon was still in use. I can’t wait to discover this hidden treasure.

You may contact Oregon Lawn and Farm at www.olf1.com or by email at olf1@verison.net.

Backup electricity when the lights go out

The fog hasn’t completely burned off the Rock River as I drive along the picturesque banks toward Oregon Illinois. I am anxious to discover the answer to my burning question, what is it’s fuel source?

A couple days ago while I was surfing the net, I discovered an idea I hadn’t really considered before, backup house generators. I was excited about the one made by GE, but the website didn’t specify the power source.

When the lights go out, it would be nice to have backup electricity, wouldn’t it?

When I arrived at Oregon Lawn & Farm, Oregon, Illinois, I was expecting to see a display of the item the GE Website pointed me to. Instead, I was surprised to learn that, while they didn’t have a generation system on display, it only takes a couple days to get one. The model they install is the Briggs and Straton Home Generator System.

After speaking with Bob, the owner, he suggested “When considering installing a backup electricity generation system, you need to consider which items you deem essential when the lights go out. This will determine which model you install.”

These generators work on a system similar to GE in that they come on when the lights go out. These models are available in either propane or natural gas.

While this isn’t the brand of a backup electricity generator I was seeking, it is still a good option for short term use.

Living in the shadow of a nuclear power plant

This past week I glanced at an article in a local paper which displayed pictures of crazy malformed vegetables. Then a friend pulled out an ear of corn from her freezer which had two ears growing from the same stem and made the comment that in all of her 80+ years she had never seen such a thing. In fact, neither have I. I quickly teased that it was from the years of radiation leaks from the power plant that made dysfunctional corn grow. Quite honestly, it could have been the wet season last year and the abundant rain this year. As my grandma always said, you are more likely to find a four leaf clover during a wet season, indicating that the extra leaf was caused by excess rain. I really don’t know.

When I sit upon my deck and look to the south I can tell which direction the wind is blowing by the direction of the steam clouds which hover over the towers. Living in the shadow of a nuclear power plant has not caused me any need for concern until recently when several hundred fish died suddenly in the local river from an unknown cause. (Rockford Register Star, 2010) Having driven by the spot in the river where the warm water from the plant runs in during the winter, I wonder if there may be some kind of connection.

While we are assured that the power plant is safe and that the utility takes measures to insure safety, I am feeling a little unsettled when I remember a friend, who formerly worked in the plant, now literally “glows in the dark”. Some episodes from the popular television cartoon series “The Simpsons” poke fun at malformed fish and glowing objects because of the fictional power plant that Homer Simpson works in.

And what about the nuclear waste these power plants produce? The material glows for years. How safe is that anyway?

Is there a safer, more economical solution out there to power our homes and our lives? The race is on to reduce emissions and pollution to save our planet. The auto industry has been the primary target of this for years. Our power plants have reduced the use of coal. We are implementing the burning off of emissions from our garbage dumps to create power. Some of the larger farming operations use a digester in their pits to help compress the methane gas to create energy and wind farms are popping up all across the county.

100 years ago Nikola Tesla, worked intently on giving us other sources to generate electricity. His ground laying work gave us the knowledge for creating microwaves and lasers. In fact, many of his ideas have lead to a great deal of today’s technology. Today, more than ever, Follow me as I investigate electricity and alternative resources to generate power.

we have the tools necessary to create a free ample supply of electricity to power our lives.

References:

Unknown, (2010, January 2, 2010). Cause of fish kill still under investigation. Rockford Register Star, The (IL)