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from Natural Life magazine,
November/December 2008 Q: Due to the high cost of energy, my husband and I would like to consider converting to solar. Could you please give us an overview of how it works, how much it costs and whether it’s feasible? A: There are two main ways to use the power of the sun to reduce energy costs in your home. You can use the heat from the sun’s rays to heat your home or your domestic hot water, or to produce electricity to power lights and appliances. Other people have written some very good books about using solar energy in both renovations and new construction of homes. (See the list at the end of this article for some good ones.) So in the small amount of space available here, we’ll give you the very basics as well as some things to think about.
Rather than spreading energy payments over a long period of time, as with natural gas or electricity, a solar system places all the costs up front. However, once the system is paid for, the sun doesn’t charge for its energy, so the pay-back begins. The initial costs (and, hence, the pay-back timeline) will depend on the purpose, type and size of the solar system you choose. And that will depend on your budget, as well as the size of your family, your lifestyle, your geographic location and the way your house is situated. However, an increasing number of governments are offering financial incentives to encourage homeowners to switch to solar, so you’ll need to research what’s available in your area. Heating Hot Water You are probably looking at a relatively high initial cost to retrofit your home with a thermal space heating system. But just about anyone whose house or yard is exposed to continuous sunlight can preheat their hot water using solar energy, so that might be a good place to begin your solar adventure. The initial cost is.... To read the rest of this article, subscribe to Natural Life's digital edition, which includes access to this and other back issues. |
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