Building Solar Panels Got Cheaper

Wow, I just can't believe how the price of solar cells has come down recently. Two years ago it used to cost around $200 to build a solar panel, 6 months ago it cost ~$150 to build a 72 watt solar panel. I was just checking eBay because I was thinking of building a couple more and it looks like I could build a panel for under $100. Read more »

Insulating Old Windows

Old Windows and the lost heat or air conditioning you lose with them.

When you have an older house and there are drafts around your windows, you'll lose your heating or cooling efficiency.  Sometimes, we cannot replace all our windows with new high efficiency widows and need to find alternative options. Read more »

How You Can Use The 'Smart Grid'

You may at one time or another heard of the new 'Smart Grid'. The utilities solution to allow us to not overtax their systems. It's touted as a must have for electric cars, but for those of us who produce their own energy the smart grid can be utilized in a very different way.

Lately, the majority of people that I talk to are installing grid-tie systems because they can send their extra electricity back into the grid. If you generate enough you could probably just live by the cheques that come in from the electric company. Read more »

Three Years To Energy Independance

 One thing I don't like about media coverage of renewable energy is they talk about the average home installation costing thousands of dollars. Yes, renewable energy is expensive, but it is possible to build it over time. We're going to take a look at how to completely convert your home to be energy independant in 3 years. Read more »

Electric Cars: Worth It Environmentally?

This is a question I've been thinking about for quite some time now. Electric cars are great for the end user, but what impacts do they have that the owner doesn't see? We'll be looking at how the electricity is produced and whether having an electric car is better for the environment.

I'm going to be omitting any renewable energy source since they don't produce any emissions. This includes solar, wind, and hydro. Depending on where you live your electricity may be produced from nuclear or (gulp) coal. Read more »

What Batteries To Use?

A common misconception in renewable energy storage is that you can use any type of battery to store the energy. While you could do this it's not the best way to store your hard earned electricity. There are different kinds of batteries and all are designed to do something different. Read more »

Legislation To Stop NIMBY-ism

If you've installed any renewable energy equipment you might have run into NIMBY. The people who support 'green' energy as long as it's in the middle of nowhere. I've had countless emails about what to do about it, but it seems that the Ontario (Canada) government is doing something about it. Read more »

Introduction to Micro Hydro

If you're one of those lucky people who have a source of flowing water on their property I really envy you. Micro hydro power is the most efficient way to generate electricity (on the order of 60% - 70% efficient). The other great thing about micro hydro is that it's a continuous power source. No wondering whether the wind is going to blow or the sun is going to shine. Read more »

Aluminum Wind Generator Blades

The one thing that's inevitable when using PVC or fiberglass wind generator blades is that they're going to break at one time or another. If you're looking for solutions that are long term aluminum wind generator blades might just be the thing you're looking for. Read more »

Wind Generator Blade Size Calculator

This tool will help you determine the diameter that your wind generator will need to be to generate the power you're looking for. It's quite simple to use and it will save you quite a bit of time. Read more »