| There are several ways to harness your own | | | | gold) are General Electric, Kyosera, Evergreen |
| electricity and you're free to mix and match in | | | | Spruce, British Petroleum, Sunteck, and Sharp. |
| order to reach your energy freedom goals. No, | | | | These companies are very competitive so the |
| I'm not recommending that you do any strip | | | | pricing structure is fairly level. As a baseline, for a |
| mining for coal in your backyard or install a nuclear | | | | panel that converts the sun's energy into 200 |
| reactor. | | | | Watts will run you between $800 and $1000 plus |
| Choices for Alternative Energy Sources | | | | your labor. |
| When it comes to providing some or all of your | | | | One of the upsides of this is that once it's installed |
| own energy sources you have options, and the | | | | you won't see it on the local power company bill. |
| viability of these will vary according to where you | | | | The other upside is that you will qualify for state |
| live. Live out on the open plains? You're a good | | | | and federal government tax deductions. Be sure |
| candidate for windmill type power (wind energy). | | | | to check your local details. |
| If you live in the sun belt (below the Mason-Dixie | | | | Using Running Water as an Energy Source |
| line), solar power is your ace in the hole. Ideally, | | | | OK, granted that this option isn't much used by |
| you can use a little of all of these to meet your | | | | any but the most adventurous DIY homeowners. |
| energy demands. | | | | But if you're handy, you can put this together. |
| If you happen to have a stream or fast-moving | | | | You'll need a paddle wheel and you'll have to |
| river in your backyard, you might just be able to | | | | attach it to to a turbine, similar to the one used in |
| harness that power to run your air conditioner, | | | | wind energy generation. |
| juice up your microwave, and heat your water. | | | | You've likely seen plenty of these kind of set-ups |
| Let's look at these energy sources in more detail. | | | | in movies, but used to grind grains rather than |
| Electricity From Wind Energy | | | | turn a turbine. But the basic concept is basically |
| Wind is a great energy source because it's almost | | | | the same. |
| always in motion to some extent. And once | | | | How Does it All Work? |
| you've got those big wind turbines set up and | | | | Your system will generate the electricity and |
| spinning, you're money ahead. Take that, electrical | | | | store it in wet batteries. As you know, wet |
| company! | | | | batteries are a direct current (DC) storage |
| This kind of power is generated using blades, like | | | | medium. Homes run on alternating current (AC), |
| a fan, mounted on a pole, and incorporated with a | | | | so something must be done to make the |
| wind turbine. The rotational power turns the | | | | conversion. |
| turbine and converts this energy into electricity. | | | | You'll need a converter, or more properly called, |
| To be most effective, many turbines are | | | | an power inverter. Kyrosera does market one |
| connected together on a "turbine farm." | | | | with their panels as a selling point. The batteries in |
| Location of Wind Turbine Farms | | | | the system are called deep-cycle batteries. This is |
| These farms are usually situated on plains or | | | | unlike your car's battery which is a shallow-cycle |
| beaches. Recently, plans have been made to install | | | | battery. |
| floating farms in the gulf of Mexico off the Texas | | | | The difference here is that a deep-cycle battery |
| coast. But for you, just stick them in your | | | | provides a steady low output of electricity |
| backyard. If anything, you might catch some flack | | | | whereas your car's battery needs a big jolt when |
| from your homeowner's association. | | | | starting and then charges steadily as you drive. |
| Although wind power is "free" as far as the raw | | | | Can You be a Stand-Alone Energy Provider for |
| material fee goes, there are still construction and | | | | Yourself? |
| operating costs involved. And, since a wind turbine | | | | Probably not. Whether you use wind, water, or |
| presents a pretty large target, it is considered to | | | | the sun to provide raw material for electricity, |
| be a vulnerable asset during a hurricane or | | | | nature itself is not going to be as consistent as a |
| tornado. | | | | power plant burning gas or coal. The solution? Tie |
| Using Solar Power for a Residential Energy Supply | | | | into the local power grid. |
| Solar energy is an even more predictable source | | | | When you have less power than you need, buy |
| of energy than wind. Even in the dog-dead still | | | | some. When you have more, sell some; although |
| days of summer the sun shines, and even in the | | | | they won't give you the same price they charge |
| winter when the mercury drops, light energy is | | | | you. |
| light energy. Solar panels also offer a smaller | | | | You'll have to ensure the power company that |
| footprint than wind turbines. | | | | you're power is compatible with theirs. It's |
| They can either be mounted on a pole outside | | | | important to be compatible with both their |
| your home or simply laid on the roof of your | | | | frequency and sinusoidal waveform. You will also |
| home. And who sees it there? It might even | | | | have to be sure that when conventional power in |
| keep some of that heat from entering your attic. | | | | your neighborhood is experiencing an outage, |
| The Cost of Solar Power Panels | | | | you're not feeding electricity into the lines. You |
| Solar panels may sound expensive, and believe | | | | might fry a lineman working on the system! |
| me, they are, but when all things are considered, | | | | Copyright 2007-2008 Kelly Smith All rights |
| the bite isn't really as bad as the bark. The main | | | | reserved. This article may be reprinted by |
| manufacturers (which you should use because in | | | | notifying the author. |
| this case, a good track record and reputation are | | | | |