Wind and solar power are great renewable energy resources that have no detrimental effects on the environment. Due to the adverse effects on the environment of our current methods of obtaining fossil fuels and disposing of their waste by-products, wind and solar power are excellent forms of alternative energy.
The sunlight available to the globe is more abundant than the energy that can be consumed by all the people living on the planet. Locations that receive high concentrations of sunlight (meaning less cloud cover and light blocking from the mountain range) would be a great place to start. There should be solar energy education for people in these areas, such as desert regions and apparently arid but developing countries, so that they can make the most efficient use of the sun’s rays.
Wind renewable energy also has prime locations where it can be used. As T. Boone Pickens informed us a couple of years ago, there is a huge wind tunnel stretching from Texas to the Canadian border where wind can be used as a major energy resource. This quantity and quality of wind speeds led him to call the United States the Saudi Arabia of the wind.
In any case, if your property is applicable, wind and solar energy can be used for various household needs, such as heating water and certainly generating electricity. This is true wherever the house is located.
The most attractive option for many people is solar energy. Although this is a more expensive initial energy option than other sources, people are realizing that the use of alternative energy is greatly advantageous for the user and the environment.
For people considering wind and solar power, there are subsidies and tax breaks available in some states to offset start-up costs. The local utility company can also help those interested. If new power generation facilities provide more than a household can use, the excess could be sold to the utility provider as credit.
The beauty of solar power installations is the immediate impact it has on your monthly electricity bill and how much lower it will be. If enough equipment is installed to use sunlight, you may never have to pay an electric bill again.
Another benefit of wind and solar energy installations is the impact it has on the value of the house, in case it is decided to sell it. If you’re interested in what your home would fetch on the open market with renewable energy facilities, call your local real estate agent. They should be very familiar with the going prices in the neighborhood and the value of the improvement, and this should help them provide you with an estimate.
People are willing to pay more for houses that have wind and solar power generators installed. This causes a significant increase in the value of the home. The National Association of Real Estate Appraisers has said that every dollar saved by using renewable energy increases the value of the house twenty times.
To optimize the efficiency of green renewable energy sources used in the home, the home must be audited for its energy demand and what can be done to reduce it. Are indoor climate, lighting and hot water demands under efficient control? Is there proper sealing and foam insulation around all closed windows and doors? Are the walls, attic, and basement properly insulated?
It is not necessary to know the energy consumed if measures are not taken to ensure that energy use can be reduced. Energy demand can be reduced by choosing the highest rated Energy Star appliances. Improvements in all of these areas will provide lower power demand, and this value will be more easily met by wind and solar power generators.
Increasing the energy efficiency of the home will lead to a home that consumes much less energy. The immeasurable rewards of a greener world and larger bank account come from these energy efficiency improvements, combined with the installation of wind and solar energy technologies.
