Renewable Energy for Your Home: Using Off-Grid Energy to Reduce Your Footprint, Lower Your Bills and be More Self-Sufficient

Global warming. Rising fuel prices. Dependency on foreign energy. Never have so many Americans been more motivated to invest in renewable energy right in their residence. Leaving the technical jargon and contractor's lingo behind, this book offers clear, practical solutions that any homeowner can put to use right now.

Cutting through the confusing requirements and costs, the book allows average homeowners to find solutions that best fit their set-up, lifestyle and budget by explaining each possible energy solution with clear, practical illustrations and straight-forward descriptions.

From which type of solar panel fits your roof and sun exposure to finding the most efficient part of your yard to set up a small wind turbine to determining if geothermal energy is an option, Renewable Energy for Your Home is packed with hints, tips and do-it-yourself instructions to reduce carbon footprints and save on ever-rising energy bills.

1100336375
Renewable Energy for Your Home: Using Off-Grid Energy to Reduce Your Footprint, Lower Your Bills and be More Self-Sufficient

Global warming. Rising fuel prices. Dependency on foreign energy. Never have so many Americans been more motivated to invest in renewable energy right in their residence. Leaving the technical jargon and contractor's lingo behind, this book offers clear, practical solutions that any homeowner can put to use right now.

Cutting through the confusing requirements and costs, the book allows average homeowners to find solutions that best fit their set-up, lifestyle and budget by explaining each possible energy solution with clear, practical illustrations and straight-forward descriptions.

From which type of solar panel fits your roof and sun exposure to finding the most efficient part of your yard to set up a small wind turbine to determining if geothermal energy is an option, Renewable Energy for Your Home is packed with hints, tips and do-it-yourself instructions to reduce carbon footprints and save on ever-rising energy bills.

16.95 In Stock
Renewable Energy for Your Home: Using Off-Grid Energy to Reduce Your Footprint, Lower Your Bills and be More Self-Sufficient

Renewable Energy for Your Home: Using Off-Grid Energy to Reduce Your Footprint, Lower Your Bills and be More Self-Sufficient

Renewable Energy for Your Home: Using Off-Grid Energy to Reduce Your Footprint, Lower Your Bills and be More Self-Sufficient

Renewable Energy for Your Home: Using Off-Grid Energy to Reduce Your Footprint, Lower Your Bills and be More Self-Sufficient

Paperback(Original)

$16.95 
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Overview

Global warming. Rising fuel prices. Dependency on foreign energy. Never have so many Americans been more motivated to invest in renewable energy right in their residence. Leaving the technical jargon and contractor's lingo behind, this book offers clear, practical solutions that any homeowner can put to use right now.

Cutting through the confusing requirements and costs, the book allows average homeowners to find solutions that best fit their set-up, lifestyle and budget by explaining each possible energy solution with clear, practical illustrations and straight-forward descriptions.

From which type of solar panel fits your roof and sun exposure to finding the most efficient part of your yard to set up a small wind turbine to determining if geothermal energy is an option, Renewable Energy for Your Home is packed with hints, tips and do-it-yourself instructions to reduce carbon footprints and save on ever-rising energy bills.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781569755686
Publisher: Ulysses Press
Publication date: 05/01/2009
Edition description: Original
Pages: 192
Sales rank: 681,278
Product dimensions: 7.54(w) x 9.12(h) x 0.47(d)

About the Author

Alan and Gill Bridgewater have written numerous DIY home books on a wide array of subjects from outdoor stonework to self sufficiency.

Table of Contents

Introduction 7

Getting Started 9

What is off-grid energy? 10

What will it power? 12

Location options 14

Scenarios 16

Urban scenario 16

Small-town scenario 18

Rural Scenario 20

Doing the work 22

Solar energy 24

Basics 26

Solar Basics 26

Advantages and disadvantages 28

What will it power? 30

Scenarios 32

Townhouse scenario 32

Hot-climate scenario 34

Country-cabin scenario 36

Systems 38

A passive-heating system 38

A natural-cooling system 40

A Diy flat collector 42

A Wide-angle collector 44

A thermosyphon vacuum-tube system 46

A small solar photovoltaic system 48

Hints and tips 50

Wind energy 52

Basics 54

Wind basics 54

Advantages and disadvantages 56

What will it power? 58

Townhouse scenario 60

A townhouse wind turbine 62

Country house scenario 64

A Country house wind turbine 66

Farmhouse scenario 68

A farmhouse wind turbine 70

Installing a guyed tower 72

Hints and tips 74

Wood fuel energy 76

Basics 78

Wood basics 78

What will it power? 80

Scenarios 82

Townhouse scenario 82

Country house scenario 84

Farmhouse scenario 86

Systems 88

Installing a wood-burning stove 88

Installing a wood-burning stove with a water heater 90

Installing a wood-burning cooking range for heating and hot water 92

Hints and tips 94

Bioenergy 96

Basics 98

Bioenergy basics 98

What will it power? 100

Composting toilets 102

Installing a composting toilet 102

A country cottage composting toilet 104

Woodchip systems 105

Installing a woodchip furnace 106

A woodchip heating system 108

Biodiesel 110

Making your own biodiesel 110

A biodiesel production system 112

Hints and tips 114

Water energy116

Basics 118

Water basics 118

What will it power? 120

Pico-hydro turbines 122

Pico-hydro turbine scenario 122

Installing a portable pico-hydro turbine 124

Micro-hydro turbines 126

Micro-hydro turbine scenario 126

Installing a hillside micro-hydro turbine 128

Water Wheels 130

Making a prototype water Wheel 130

Installing a Diy water wheel 132

Hints and tips 134

Geothermal energy 136

Basics 138

Geothermal basics 138

What will it power? 140

Country property scenario 144

Installing a horizontal closed-loop system 146

Narrow country site scenario 148

Installing a vertical-loop system 150

Large property with a lake scenario 152

Installing a closed-loop system in a lake 154

Hints and tips 156

Gas energy 160

Basics 162

Gas basics 162

What will it power? 164

Small-country-farm scenario 166

Making a biogas digester prototype 168

Hints and tips 170

Storing energy 172

Insulation 174

Storing wood 176

Storing heat 178

Storing electricity 180

Storing water 184

Glossary 186

Resources 188

Index 190

About the Authors 192

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