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Every day, more people are wanting to know how to generate renewable energy, and the options open to them grow more numerous and effective each year.

Whether you are interested in wind, solar, or biodiesel, avenues to accomplishing your environmentally sound goals lay just around the corner. The following will give a general idea of what you are in store for, mechanically and financially, if you plan to learn how to generate renewable energy.

As far as wind turbines are concerned, they are a relatively long-term investment to generate renewable energy that depends fairly heavily on your local conditions.

Wind speeds of at least 10 Mph are suggested, and if energy costs less than 10 cents/kWh where you live, you may not profit much any time soon from one. Small turbines run from $5,000 to $20,000, create about as much noise as a washing machine, and take up enough space that you don’t really want one in the suburbs. If your local wind speeds are high enough, you will be covering your home energy costs by 50 to 90% and helping the environment to boot.

Are you wondering how to generate renewable energy with the ever popular solar power solution? Solar power is the predominant residential upgrade at this time, for a number of reasons. Whether you do-it-yourself for a couple thousand dollars, or pay up to $30,000 for a serious, high quality installation, the government will defray your costs, sometimes covering the entire cost depending on what state you live in, and you can actually make money selling renewable energy credits back to the utility company.

A simple application of logic, observing your house’s location and exposure to the sun, can be all you need to determine if a residential solar power kit would be a cost-saving decision for you.

Also called biofuel or bioheat, biodiesel is a fast-growing alternative to common fossil fuels.

If you’re interested in how to generate renewable energy using biodiesel, the amazing fact is that you can actually use it in your existing old oil furnace! By slowly blending in larger and larger percentages of biodiesel, in order to not clog you fuel filters and lines with old built up oil sludge as the biodiesel cleans it out, you will soon be burning cleaner and cheaper.

wondering what is homes off the grid? in this article you’ll get a clear definition and how to turn your home to be “off the grid” too.

If you’ve been to Alaska, Hawaii or any of the truly remote areas of the world, there is a good chance you have encountered homes off the grid. Be it by choice or because there are no commercial power providers in the area, many people end up with their homes off the grid and have to provide their own electricity, water, sewage etc.

Homes off the grid, or OTG, are able to operate completely independently from the utilities that the average person has usually come to expect and take for granted.

Electricity, heat and water can often be provided by creative applications of alternative energy sources.

Wind turbines and solar panels can provide electricity to heat, light and pump water into a home.

A windmill can also be used for direct mechanical force to pump water into a raised water tank for a house to be used at will. Rainwater can be harvested for the same reasons.

In some locations, homes off the grid may even be able to take advantage of geothermal energy for any number of uses, such as heating the home, water, and creating steam power.

Living off the grid does not necessarily mean that these alternative energy and utility solutions need be applied at all. Water may come from a lake or stream, while light and heat could be provided just using a wood burning stove and candles.

If electricity is desired, these same streams can provide hydroelectric energy using small generators, a setup not so different from the windmills used to grind corn into meal in ancient times.

Many people are trying to build homes off the grid in order to be more environmentally friendly. In an age where fossil fuels are being consumed at an alarming rate that is causing any number of different devastating effects on the environment and climate, homes off the grid using the various alternative and renewable energy sources and construction methods available today are doing their part to insure a cleaner, healthier tomorrow for the rest of us.

Regardless of the impetus to build them or live in them, homes off the grid are an amazing exception to the norm, and a valuable source of ideas and constructive creativity for anyone interested.

1. 1. What is solar energy?

Solar energy is the use of the sun’s rays to generate either heat or electricity.

1. 2. How do solar photovoltaic cells/panels work?

Using a semiconductor material like silicon and added elements of boron and phosphorus, a solar cell creates a conductive environment that allows electrons to move across it when activated by energy from the sun’s rays.

1. 3. How much can I expect to spend installing a solar power system in my home?

A system that provides 2000 Watts can cost around $20,000. That is without a battery bank, and including the panels, mounting and inverter. Remember that there are various Federal and State tax breaks to offset and sometimes completely absorb this cost.

1. 4. How much money can a solar power system save me?

Not only can you save 60-100% of your utility bills (based on your home’s electricity usage, system setup, location and season), but selling renewable energy credits through a broker to your utility company can actually make you money!

1. 5. Will my solar power system require regular maintenance?

No. The only necessity is insuring that your solar panels are free of any obstruction from the sun, such as leaves or snow.

1. 6. Are there any special permitting or insurance requirements for installing a solar energy system?

You will need a building permit to install your system, and following electrical, plumbing and building codes, as always, will be required. Also, you will probably have to sign an interconnection agreement with your utility company.

1. 7. Can I install my solar photovoltaic panels and system myself?

Absolutely. There are a lot of resources out there to help the average homeowner upgrade their home to benefit the environment and their wallets. For starters, National Electric Code Article 690 will inform you of the legal standards that need to be met.

1. 8. What are the components of an average residential solar panel kit?

A solar power system is comprised of the solar photovoltaic panels themselves, whatever mounting equipment is required depending on your mounting method, a voltage inverter and a net meter that will keep track of how much power you are using or feeding back into the grid. This is assuming you are on the grid; a system off the grid will not need a net meter. It will, however, require an array of batteries, as will any system that is intended to run when there is a power outage on the grid.