Solar Powered Home

As you’re interested in solar power for your home, have you ever wondered what would be the ultimate solar powered house, if you were to design it from scratch? First, we probably want to agree on what would constitute the ultimate solar powered house. Let’s say that we want to have a house that is cool in summer, that is warm in winter, where we can do all the things that we currently do – use computers, watch television, cook meals, etc., and we want to spend the least we can on conventional energy, if anything. Obviously, in the real world there has to be a trade-off between capital cost and energy saving or convenience, but for the ultimate house we can safely ignore this practicality.

What things are going to be important in designing this house and its solar systems? Ease of use would come high on my list, as I don’t want to have to run around changing the settings of things with any change of weather or other circumstance. I don’t want too much “high tech”, because that gives you more things to go wrong, and it’s harder to find the problem and fix it. I’m also concerned about where the house ought to be. If we put it in Arizona, we get lots of sunshine, but we do have a pretty hot summer (over 110°F), and the nights get cold in the winter, typically having a 30-40°F “diurnal swing”, which means the difference between the peak daytime and lowest nighttime temperatures. On the other hand, if we site the house in Massachusetts, we could be facing a much colder winter, with temperatures barely above freezing.

Okay, enough of this teasing. Take a look around you; do you like what you see? If you do, consider this your (potentially) ultimate solar powered house. No moving, finding new jobs and new schools for the kids, nada. Your own house can also be your ultimate solar powered house; it just needs a little work.

Start by looking at your energy use. Have you changed your light bulbs to compact fluorescent yet? Unlike our hypothetical case, you’re going to have to pay for the solar installation, so you’d better keep down the load and the size. Consider also turning off items that have a “standby” command, as they still use electricity in this mode. If you have an older home, look seriously at the insulation to see if it can be improved, and replace leaky seals round doors and windows. Then just go for it. Review the available information, pick your system, and make sure you qualify for all the rebates and grants. Make your home your ultimate solar powered house!