Green Energy Options You Can Use in Your Own Home
Green energy is the future of civilization. There is no way for us to continue our current energy usage using non-renewable resources. Fortunately, there are things that you can do with your own home to help with this problem. This article will teach you several of the options at your disposal. You can find the perfect solution for you.
One of the most common home applications of green energy is solar panels. They require a significant investment, and are only now reaching a point where they will pay for themselves. Your decisions on the installation, things like how many panels to install and what quality, will make a big impact on how much money you will save. A large, high-end installation will cost more up front, but if you make smart purchasing decisions you can turn a profit by selling excess power back to the electric company. It is vitally important to do a good amount of research before you get started.
If you have a source of running water on your property, you can use it to produce hydro energy. Hydro power is one of the oldest forms of renewable energy. Water wheels have been used for thousands of years to help with mechanical labor. With only a few modifications, this ancient technique can be used to generate electricity. Regardless of whether you make your own turbine or buy one, do some research about your particular stream. You need to make sure it will generate enough power to pay for your investment in a turbine. It does not matter how efficient your turbine is, it won’t do you any good if the water can’t push it fast enough.
If local ordinances allow you to have a wind turbine you can add that to your home to generate electricity. Most places will have regulations on how high your tower can be or how fast the blades can turn. If they are allowed you still need to ensure that the wind is steady and strong enough to warrant this investment. Once you have all your research done you can decide whether this method will work for you.
One of the rarest forms of green energy in homes is geothermal. Only certain locations are suitable for this form of energy, and retrofitting a home to add it is rarely worth the investment. This is something to consider if you are buying or building a new home. It will definitely add to the cost of the build, but you will have access to unlimited free heat. In especially good spots that heat will be good enough to power a generator as well as providing heat for the house.
As you can see there are many different ways to generate electricity. Which one will work best for you will change greatly depending on your location. Do some research into which one will work best for you. You can power just about any home through a renewable energy source.