| This article is one in a series that examines how | | | | renewable energy, you will not only reduce your overall |
| homeowners can prepare to use solar energy in their | | | | energy usage, but also displace your use of disposable |
| homes. | | | | energy with energy you've harvested on your own. It's |
| So, you're thinking of getting on the renewable energy | | | | also a great way to do your part in protecting the |
| bandwagon and reducing your carbon footprint in your | | | | environment and setting an excellent example for your |
| home. Good for you! Lately, homeowners and | | | | neighbors and your community. |
| business owners have bombarded with positive news | | | | Measure What You Want to Control |
| (e.g., government incentives for implementing solar | | | | For most people, the reason solar home and business |
| technology) as well as negative news (rapidly-rising | | | | costs are on their radar is because they wish to limit |
| energy costs and the long-term effects of global | | | | the financial strain imposed by the rising costs of |
| warming). For many, the idea of transitioning to solar | | | | electricity, oil and natural gas. As our energy |
| power for energy seems more than a little intimidating. | | | | consumption costs rise, our disposable income falls, |
| Do you remember a time when only the rich or | | | | and we may feel the strain as a reduction in the quality |
| excessively nerdy owned a personal computer? I | | | | of our life and lifestyle. Perhaps, as a result, we eat out |
| know this was several decades ago, but the truth is, | | | | less often....or buy a smaller flat-screen TV. We may |
| the rest of us held back until nearly everyone we | | | | claim these as important markers to gauge our |
| knew owned a computer. One day--and it's coming | | | | commitment towards investing in renewable energy |
| sooner than you think--most homes will use a | | | | sources like solar, but there is a much better way: |
| combination of renewable energy sources to supply | | | | Measure what you want to control. By quantifying, or |
| most, if not all, our required home energy. Solar will be | | | | measuring, the benefit we are expecting to receive |
| a big part of this equation. However, where should you | | | | from our investment, we can better control how |
| begin? I'm going to assume for a moment that you are | | | | satisfied we'll be with our decision. Do you know the |
| neither a solar scientist nor thermal engineer, and that | | | | amount of your electricity bill each month? How about |
| your idea of researching solar is to go down to your | | | | oil and/or natural gas? Has the amount changed |
| neighborhood Home Depot and ask the friendly | | | | year-over-year? How much? You need to know such |
| salesperson if they sell solar panels, and which one | | | | data in order to create a baseline; that is, a starting |
| from the bunch they would recommend. Bad idea. First | | | | point from which you can measure your future energy |
| off, Home Depot doesn't sell solar panels. (Not my local | | | | costs and/or savings relative to what those costs are |
| store, anyway). Second, without doing your homework | | | | today. Knowing these costs can help you determine |
| about your own home energy consumption, you won't | | | | such critical factors as evaluating how long it will take |
| be in a position to know what your own personal | | | | for your renewable energy system (e.g., solar panels) |
| energy goals and needs should be. | | | | to pay themselves off in cost savings. |
| Begin With the End In Mind | | | | Action Item: Set Your Baseline |
| Your goal is probably not to impress your friends and | | | | Okay...everything sounds good and you're still |
| neighbors with nice, space-age solar panels on your | | | | committed to going solar? Then it sounds like you're |
| roof. Realistically, your goal is probably to save some | | | | ready to 'set your baseline' by determining your energy |
| money by reducing your current monthly energy costs. | | | | consumption usage for today, last month, a year ago |
| And this can be done in several ways: a) Reduce your | | | | last month, and so on. You'll probably need to gather |
| current home energy consumption; b) produce energy | | | | and organize your old energy bills from the shoebox or |
| from renewable energy sources to displace your use | | | | file cabinet. Once you have your old bills in hand, the |
| of disposable energy sources; or c) a combination of | | | | next step is to conduct a Home Energy Audit which, |
| both. If you're like most, you can probably see the | | | | amazingly enough, you can do yourself. |
| benefit of choice c) a combination of reducing | | | | Do-It-Yourself Audits |
| disposable energy consumption while increasing | | | | If you have five minutes and your last 12 months of |
| production of renewable energy. So, when you begin | | | | utility bills, you can use the ENERGY STAR Home |
| with the end in mind, you'll know your goal and you'll | | | | Energy Yardstick to compare your home's energy |
| know what you have to do to get there. | | | | efficiency to similar homes across the country. You |
| Choice A: Reduce Your Current Home Energy | | | | can even get recommendations for energy-saving |
| Consumption | | | | home improvements from ENERGY STAR. When |
| This one is easy: Turn off the light when you leave the | | | | using the ENERGY STAR service, you will also need |
| room; take warm showers instead of hot; turn down | | | | to enter some information about your home (such as |
| the thermostat when you go to bed; use thicker | | | | zip code, age, square footage, and number of |
| sheets and warm bed covers as needed; don't leave | | | | occupants). If you don't have your bills, you should |
| the water running when you brush your teeth. (How | | | | contact your utility company for a 12-month summary. |
| many more activities can you think of?) Sadly, this is | | | | Professional Home Energy Audits |
| not as popular a choice because most people have | | | | If you prefer to have a professional perform an |
| grown accustomed to--and enjoy--their usual comforts | | | | energy audit on your home, you can consider |
| of home, and many are not willing to adopt a change | | | | contacting a professional Home Energy Auditor. Hire a |
| of lifestyle in order to reduce their carbon footprint. | | | | Professional Home Energy Auditor If you are |
| Choice B: Produce Renewable Energy | | | | interested in getting specific recommendations for |
| This could well be your 'jump in' point--the point at | | | | improving the efficiency of your home, you might |
| which you've decided to explore solar energy as a | | | | consider contacting a professional Home Energy |
| renewable energy source to offset your skyrocketing | | | | Auditor. A professional auditor typically uses a variety |
| water, electric and/or heating bills for your home or | | | | of techniques and equipment to determine the energy |
| business. Assuming you don't plan on building a nuclear | | | | efficiency of your home. These audits are quite |
| reactor in your basement, you have two viable options: | | | | thorough, often using equipment such as blower doors, |
| For consumer-oriented renewable energy, your | | | | which measure leaks in the building envelope, and |
| choices are solar and wind power. (This article | | | | infrared cameras, which can reveal hard-to-detect |
| focuses on solar power, but there have been | | | | areas of air infiltration and missing insulation. |
| numerous instances of families who were able to | | | | Note: Some utility companies offer free or discounted |
| move completely off-grid by integrating both wind and | | | | energy audits to their customers. If yours does not, you |
| solar systems). | | | | might consider hiring a home energy professional, such |
| Choice C: Reduce Current Home Energy Consumption | | | | as a certified Home Energy Rater, to evaluate your |
| While Generating Renewable Energy. | | | | home's energy efficiency. Read additional articles |
| This is a winning formula. By reducing your current | | | | about solar cost issues by visiting The Solar Cost |
| consumption of disposable energy while generating | | | | Guide. |