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First of all I want to tell you that this is not an article about global warming, or as they call it now global climate change.  Man made global warming is a crock and a scam to bilk the people out of billions of their hard earned dollars to line the pockets of a few.  If one volcanic eruption can generate more greenhouse gasses than the whole human race throughout all time has generated then the effect that humans have on greenhouse gasses must be minimal.

That being said, the more we can do to help keep our environment clean for ourselves and our children the better off we will be.  A clean environment promotes a healthier mental state, a healthier physical state and a feeling of general overall well-being. We all want to do the best we can for ourselves and especially our children.  By using renewable energy sources you will save money every month on your electric bill and may even generate enough electricity so that the power company needs to pay you money. Also the federal government and many state governments have tax incentives for people who utilize renewable energy. I don't know about you but saving money always helps my general well being.

I know what you're saying, «That's great Geoff but how do I get started and how much will it cost me?»  Great questions, let me see what I can do to answer them.  First we need to determine what «Renewable Energy» is. Then we need to determine which solution or solutions will work best for our situation. Next we will need to find people to get the products for us and install the system or decide if we want to do it ourselves. 

What is renewable energy? It is energy generated from sources that are readily available, non-destructive to the environment and that can be used over and over again (renewed). The most recognized sources of renewable energy include: solar power, wind power, hydro electric power, biomass (bio-diesel) and geo-thermal. Less well known and not as available to the masses is ocean generated hydro or tidal power.  Also depending on the fuel source hydrogen fuel cells can also be renewable energy.

The renewable energy source(s) that you use will in large part be determined by where you live. After that it will be determined by the amount of investment you want to or can afford to make. And then by what you would like aesthetically. If your property has a stream or river that has a good rate of flow you may seriously want to consider a micro-hydro-electric solution.  One of the huge benefits of this is that it generates power 24 hours a day 7 days a week and directly generates alternating current (AC). This reduces or eliminates the need to store power on site.  In just about every part of the country you can use solar power to generate electricity. Depending on where you are and the time of year you will need more or less solar panels to generate enough power for your home. If you decide to use solar power you will need to decide whether you want to be completely off the grid (you'll need battery storage), whether you want to be directly tied to your electric panel (on-grid) or whether you want a hybrid system. If you live in a part of the country where you have wind on a regular basis then a wind turbine may be the solution for you.  Almost everywhere you can find restaurants with waste oil. Mix that with simple ingredients that everyone can get and you can make your own bio-diesel that can be used to power your oil fired furnace or your vehicle.  In order to use a geo-thermal solution you will need to hire someone to do a feasibility study to see if it will work for your home. If it will it is a great way to save on the heating and cooling costs for your home.  If you live on the ocean and actually own part of the waterfront you may be able to employ a system that uses wave power to generate electricity. Fuel cell technology while still in it's infancy has come a long way in the last 10 years, is rapidly progressing and will be available to people all over the globe.

If you purchase commercially available products all of these renewable solutions, except possibly micro-hydro, will require a significant investment and will require several years to realize a financial return on your investment. However you will immediately realize an environmental return and you will feel good about what you are doing to help the planet. Fortunately for several of these solutions there is the capability to build the products at home and get huge savings over commercially purchased products.

If you decide to use commercially available products please be sure to select analysts and contractors who are reputable because there are many out there that will try to cash in on «green energy» without any regard for the homeowner or the environment.  If you are interested in pursuing creating your own solution I've provided some sources below that can help you achieve you energy independence.

And again, energy independence and renewable energy are not about global warming. It is about doing the right thing to pass a clean planet to our children and grandchildren. And, most of all,  to help you save money.  Happy building!

Renewable Energy Resources: (All links will open in a new window)

Solar
Determine what you'll need for panels Click Here.
Build your own solar panels cheap - Click Here
Save on storage - recondition batteries Click Here.
Build a solar water heater Click Here.

Wind
Build your own generator Click Here.
Another good site for wind generators Click Here.

Geothermal
Install a geothermal heat pump Click Here.

Home Electricity
Using Bio-Diesel in your home Click Here
Magnets for energy Click Here.

Reducing Auto Fuel Costs
Convert your car to electric Click Here.
Reduce your fuel costs with water Click Here.

Hydropower
Water Turbine Products Click Here.
More information about micro-hydro Click Here.
How much power will your stream generate Click Here.

As I come across more good resources I'll be sure to pass them along. If you find any please let me know.

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