| As a homeowner, you may be using renewable | | | | from wood chips, crop waste and other organic |
| energy sources. Let's look at a few of these | | | | material for burning. This is a renewable source of heat |
| important, powerful sources. | | | | through the use of space heating. Modern wood |
| If you use solar powered lights to brighten your | | | | burning stoves are highly efficient, making it a more |
| walkway, a solar cover on your swimming pool or | | | | practical option. |
| hang your clothes out to dry, you are already making | | | | A homeowner can also utilize active solar heating. A |
| use of the sun's renewable energy. There are many | | | | solar water heater can use renewable solar energy to |
| other renewable energy home options you can take | | | | heat water for a house. This would use solar collector |
| advantage of, and by doing so, help preserve our | | | | panels placed on a roof. Water runs through pipes |
| environment. | | | | under these panels and is heated by the sun. The |
| The most practical of renewable energy options for | | | | water travels to a water tank in your home for your |
| the home consist of space heating and domestic hot | | | | use. Electricity can also be produced for a home using |
| water. This is over 50% of a household's energy | | | | the photovoltaic technology. This runs on the same |
| usage. In using renewable energy we can experience | | | | idea as a solar calculator. Solar electricity is ideal for |
| cost saving benefits. | | | | rural homes where it would be difficult to run an |
| Perhaps the best way to take advantage of | | | | electric line to. |
| renewable energy home options is when designing a | | | | Geothermal heat pumps use the heat from the Earth |
| new house. A southern wall taking advantage of an | | | | to move heat from one area to another. This system |
| appropriate amount of windows can take full use of | | | | uses a series of underground pipes to move a heat |
| the low sun in the winter. Adding a roof overhang over | | | | exchange fluid. The heat pump moves this fluid, heated |
| these windows allow the higher summer sun to be | | | | from the earth and transfers it to buildings for use. Initial |
| blocked. Also, on a cool day you can open your | | | | installation costs are much the same as traditional |
| windows to let a breeze cool off the house and make | | | | heating systems, but operational costs are lower. |
| use of wind energy. You have achieved adding heat in | | | | If you live in a windy part of the country and have |
| the winter and coolness in the summer, thereby | | | | quite a bit of land, wind can power a wind turbine to |
| lowering your heating and cooling costs naturally. This | | | | produce electricity for your household. But your location |
| is called passive solar heating since it is integrated with | | | | must be ideal to catch wind and you must be able to |
| no extra costs. You can also do day lighting by taking | | | | capture a certain amount for this to work. |
| full advantage of the sunlight during the day to take | | | | These are some home options for renewable energy |
| care of your daytime lighting needs. | | | | sources. By trying to utilize some of them we are |
| Wood stoves can also be advantageous, if using only | | | | preparing for our future by using clean energy that |
| dead wood, diseased wood or small pellets made | | | | does not affect air quality or harm the environment. |