Recently I have been looking at ways to move towards a more self sustaining lifestyle and in doing so I started to look at alternative energy solutions for my home. The two more common ways of generating your own energy for your home is by either Solar Panels or Wind Turbines.
Solar Panel Systems
My first stop was to look at Solar Panels and how much it would cost to install a complete solar system with battery storage to replace all of my homes electrical needs. In doing so I quickly realized that you can go one of two ways. You can either pay a reputable company to install a complete system OR you can go the “DIY” or do it yourself route and build and install it yourself.
If you choose to install a complete solar system using a professional contractor you have the benefit of a professionally done job that comes with warranties and guarantees. They also handle any permits and work with your local electrical company to tie your system into the grid so that you can feed power back to the grid and get paid for it. This is a good option for most people and as the industry becomes larger the cost for these systems is decreasing.
The other option is to build your system from scratch by purchasing various parts from both vendors on the internet and/or local hardware stores. In choosing this option it becomes more difficult to tie your system into the local grid so often these home made solar systems are operating separately. However, by building the system yourself, you get to start small and scale up your array of solar panels and battery backup as you need it.
Wind Turbines
Wind Turbines seem to be an overlooked option when it comes to residential alternative energy solutions. It may be because of either the cost or maybe it is the overall aesthetics of having a windmill in your backyard. Either way, wind turbines have the possibility of generating enough power to at least supplement your energy needs in your home if not, given the size of the turbine, replace your grid power all together.
Wind power systems work similarly to solar panel systems in that they generate electricity and feed it into a battery storage system for use in your home. Installing one of these systems can be tricky as placement of the turbine is very important. I recommend going with a reputable company for installing a Wind Power system. However, you can purchase a wind turbine yourself and install it with the right knowledge.
Final Thoughts
When I first started looking into Alternative Energy Solutions for my home I was intent on finding the right system to replace my current power supply. As I delved deeper into this topic I have come to the conclusion that having both a Solar Panel System and a Wind Power System is most likely the best option. After all, the Sun doesn’t shine everyday and when the Sun isn’t shining it is usually windy.
I haven’t made a final decision just yet, but when I do, I will be sure to let you know.
