Energy Star is a program run by the U.S. government’s Environmental Protection Agency that is dedicated to helping consumers improve their energy efficiency. The program has many facets, but there are four main areas it addresses:

1. Consumer products. Any new product that you might buy that uses electricity, from light bulbs to dryers, has an estimated energy usage guide on it. This guide is written by Energy Star and is intended to help consumers choose products that are the most efficient.
2. Home improvement. Energy Star promotes improved home efficiency and provides consumers with a list of professional contractors for home remodeling projects that can evaluate and improve your home’s energy efficiency. Energy Star also created a point based system that allows you to rate your home’s energy efficiency and see how it measures up against other homes in your area.
3. Home builders. Energy Star rates new home builders and recommends builders who adhere to green home building guidelines.
4. Commercial and industrial buildings. Energy Star also provides guidelines, building contractor recommendations, and energy efficiency consultants for commercial and industrial buildings and construction.

It is important to compare the energy efficiency ratings of different washers before purchasing a new one. Dryers vary little on energy usage, although some use natural gas rather than electricity, and electric dryers are much better because the fuel they use to operate is much cheaper. For washers, front-loading units are better than top loading because they use less water (especially hot water) and spin more effectively. This means your clothes will be drier when you put them in your dryer and they will take less energy to completely dry.

The best washers don’t use a central agitator (the round thing with fins on it in the center of the tub of most top loading washers) but rather tumble your clothes through a reduced stream of water to clean them. This saves you having to fill the tub of your washer with warm water every time. The savings can be significant - up to 40 percent more energy efficient than a traditional tub washer.

For dryers, get one with a moisture sensor that shuts down the unit when your clothes are dry. Alternatively, air dry your clothes whenever possible and save yourself the energy usage of a dryer completely. Dry your clothes outside, however, to avoid raising the humidity level in your home, which increases your air conditioner’s energy usage.

Energy Efficiency Tips For Your Existing Washer and Dryer

1. Use cold water or warm water cycles in your washer. Hot water does not get your clothes cleaner and uses an unnecessary amount of energy. Use a cold water detergent and keep your washer on the cold cycle whenever possible.
2. Only wash full loads, but don’t over stuff your washer. Putting in too much laundry wears out your washer faster, but doing tiny loads reduces energy efficiency. If you must do a small load, adjust the load size knob on your washer.
3. Try to do laundry on weekends or later at night when the overall electricity grid use is lower, as some utility companies charge lower rates during off-peak hours.
4. Use the moisture sensor in your dryer, if it has one. This sensor turns off your dryer when the clothes are dry, helping you to conserve energy.
5. Clean the lint filter after every load to make your dryer operate more efficiently and check the vent for blockages.
6. Separate heavy cottons like towels and dry them separately from lighter items like T-shirts.
7. Don’t use your dryer at all - hang dry your clothes outside if possible. This is the most energy efficient option around.

There are three types of solar cells: single crystalline, multi-crystalline, and amorphous silicone. Single crystalline cells are the most common and most efficient type of photovoltaic (”PV”) solar energy cell. These PV cells are guaranteed to produce at least 80 percent of capacity for 25 years. Solar power cells will continue to produce energy well past their warranty, but at a steadily declining efficiency rate.

Amorphous silicone solar power cells are actually a thin film that can be used to coat a variety of surfaces including glass, plastic, and roofing tiles. It is less efficient than a single or multi-crystalline solar cell but is much more durable and portable, and in many cases is incorporated in green home building on surfaces that receive a lot of sunlight.

Some things to consider when purchasing a home solar energy system:

1. Location. To maximize the efficiency of your solar power system, it must be located in a brightly lit area with no shading. Even if only one solar cell on a whole panel is shaded, that affects the electrical output of the whole unit, since all solar panels are a continuous circuit of multiple solar cells. Since crystalline-style cells are fragile, they are typically mounted in a metal frame and covered with glass or other protective material; therefore, you will need a large area that is shade free to accommodate a whole panel and frame.
2. Temperature. Heat actually reduces the efficiency of a solar power panel; however, you can purchase solar panels with colder or warmer temperature ratings that will maximize the efficiency of the panel based upon your local climate.
3. Region. Different regions receive different amounts of sunlight in an average year, affecting the electrical output of your solar power panels. In order to effectively estimate the potential output of solar power panels in your area, consider the average output of sunlight. In general, the Southwestern U.S. is the best, and the Upper Midwest and Northeast are the worst when it comes to solar energy output, with varying degrees in between.
4. Energy Usage.  In order to maximize your solar power investment, you should first minimize your home power usage through greater energy efficiency, that way you can greatly reduce or even eliminate your non-renewable energy usage. For more tips on improving home energy efficiency, check out Save Money With Easy Energy Conservation.

Off-Grid vs. On-Grid Solar Energy

Today the most common type of solar energy is off-grid, meaning the home is located in a rural area and has no other electricity source. That is changing quickly, however, as solar cells become more affordable and traditional power becomes more expensive. An on-grid solar energy system, meaning your house is connected to the power grid, can make your meter run backward by dumping excess energy produced by your solar cells back onto the power grid. Increasingly, utility companies and the local, state, and federal government are offering tax incentives and rebates to install a home solar power system. The Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (”DSIRE”) website contains comprehensive information on state, local, utility, and federal incentives that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Passive Solar Energy

Another approach to using the sun’s energy for your home is passive solar energy: using smart home design to maximize solar heating in your house. Skylights, south facing windows, and solar thermal water heaters are all examples of passive solar energy. The more direct winter sunlight you use in your home, the less heating you have to do, especially in northern climates. South-facing windows are especially effective because they receive the majority of the sun’s light during the day, although west-facing windows also do very well. Solar thermal water heaters use the sun’s energy to heat your water and are typically more effective in warmer climates.

There is an impressive array of alternative fuel and hybrid vehicles currently on the market and in development. They fall into the following categories:

1. Flex-Fuel Vehicles
2. Propane/Natural Gas Powered Vehicles
3. Biodiesel Powered Vehicles
4. Hybrid Electric Vehicles
5. Fully Electric Vehicles
6. Fuel Cell Vehicles

Each type has its own unique advantages and disadvantages that should be considered before you buy an alternative fuel or hybrid vehicle. These factors are discussed below.

Flex-Fuel Vehicles

This is the most common type of alternative fuel vehicle on the road today. A flex-fuel vehicle can run on normal gasoline or E85, an 85 percent ethanol 15 per cent gas mix available at many fueling stations across the country. In the current climate of high gas prices, E85 sells for up to $2 a gallon cheaper than normal gasoline. Many consumers don’t even know if their current vehicle is a flex-fuel vehicle or not. Check your owner’s manual if you are unsure. Converting your current vehicle to flex-fuel is possible, but consider that for saving $1.20 a gallon (the price of ethanol E85 vs. normal gasoline), you’d have to put on quite a few miles in a year to justify the $5,000 - $10,000 expense. Consult with your mechanic to find someone who can do a conversion, and make sure they are officially licensed by the Environmental Protection Agency (”EPA”) to do conversions.

Also consider emissions before you buy a flex-fuel vehicle or convert to flex-fuel. While ethanol blended gasoline emits less carbon monoxide, a major contributor to global warming, studies have shown that toxic aldehyde emissions are greater. Some major periodicals, such as National Geographic, have postulated that the emission balance is the same for an ethanol burning vehicle as it just emits a different type of greenhouse gas, and when you consider the petroleum used to produce corn (fertilizer, tractor and transportation fuel), net ethanol emissions are actually higher than normal gas. This is still an open debate, however.

Propane/Natural Gas Powered Vehicles

Propane and natural gas powered internal combustion engines first became popular in the U.S. during the 1970s, the last time we had an oil crisis in this country. Since then, the price of natural gas has skyrocketed, making an alternative fuel that was once much cheaper than gas about as expensive or even a little more so.

The primary advantage of natural gas vehicles is reduced emissions. They produce 90 percent less carbon monoxide and 25 percent less carbon dioxide than traditional gasoline powered engines without sacrificing power or acceleration. Converting your current gas powered vehicle is relatively easy. In general, a natural gas powered vehicle is ideal for those whose primary concern is air quality and emissions, since the primary fuel, natural gas, is not any cheaper than gasoline these days.

Biodiesel Powered Vehicles

The beauty of biodiesel as an alternative fuel is that it doesn’t require any modifications to your current diesel engine. The only thing you may want to do is change the fuel filter after the first 1,000 miles after switching to biodiesel. Biodiesel is rendered from vegetable oils and animal fat and is produced domestically in the United States. It burns much cleaner than normal diesel and in some instances may be cheaper as well. The hardest thing is finding a fueling station that sells biodiesel.

Hybrid Electric Vehicles

Hybrid electric vehicles run on a combination of electricity and gasoline, greatly increasing your fuel economy. The gasoline engine is used to recharge the car’s batteries when they are depleted, and the electric engine is used to save gasoline when the car is moving slowly or idling. They typically have the same power and range as a traditional diesel or gas powered vehicle. There are several hybrid models on the market currently, with many more in development, including plug-in hybrid electric cars that will allow you to recharge the vehicle’s batteries directly from the power grid, thus increasing fuel efficiency even more.  Before investing in a hybrid vehicle, consider the costs and benefits.  Hybrids are typically $3,000 to $8,000 more expensive than the normal gasoline powered model. Also keep in mind that many improved models are going to be available in five to ten years.

Fully Electric Vehicles

Fully electric vehicles produce no emissions, though producing electricity does, so they are not 100 percent clean. Even so, they are far cleaner and cheaper to operate than any other alternative fuel or hybrid vehicle out there. The main disadvantages of an electric car are reduced range, acceleration, and power.

There are several types of Low Speed Vehicles (LSVs) that are fully electric and available for purchase, including the Zenn electric car. These vehicles are designed for neighborhood or urban environments and are a great alternative if you need cheap transportation where the speed limit is generally 30 miles per hour or less.

There is no mass produced fully electric vehicle that can match the range, acceleration, and power of the modern gasoline powered vehicle currently available on the market. Several are in development and will be available in the coming years. An exception to this is the 2008 Tesla Roadster, a high-end sports car that is fully electric and will be seen on the streets (probably mostly around Hollywood) in 2009. The engineering on this car is really impressive, with a 220 mile range, 0 to 60 miles per hour acceleration in 3.9 seconds, and all the bells and whistles of a Ferrari or Porsche. However, this vehicle starts at $160,000 (after your $5,000 rebate), so mass production is unlikely. Truly affordable fully electric vehicles will still encounter the disadvantages stated above for the forseeable future. That does not discount their value once they become available to the average American consumer.

Fuel Cell Vehicles

Vehicles using a hydrogen fuel cell are still in the early stages of development and are therefore a long way from becoming available on the market. Not only does the technology to power the vehicle need to be perfected, but the required infrastructure, namely a network of refueling stations, must be developed.

Hydrogen fuel cells use hydrogen to produce electricity that powers the vehicle. They are truly zero-emission since not even the electricity used to run the vehicle is produced with a fossil fuel. The only byproduct of a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle is water.

When considering how to improve home energy efficiency through landscaping, the first thing to take into account is your regional and local climate. Four regions occur in the United States: temperate, hot-humid, hot-arid, and cool:

The second factor affecting the climate surrounding your home is microclimate.

Many things can affect the local climate, but some common factors include sunny south-facing slopes, large bodies of water, large natural shading obstacles like canyons or mountains, and large valleys. These features immediately surrounding your home can alter the climate considerations when considering plant selection and location. For instance, a home on a sunny southern slope in a cool regional climate may be much warmer than average for that region. Carefully consider such factors when planning your landscaping features.

Shading and Windbreaks

The two most important things trees and shrubs can do for your home energy efficiency are shading your home from heat and shielding it from wind. Depending on your region and microclimate, you may want to maximize one or the other or both.

In general, landscapes in hot climates should use large shade trees for roofs and windows and shrubs or vines for walls, sidewalks, and foundations. If the home is primarily air conditioned, windbreaks for hot summer breezes will also help your energy efficiency. Also make sure you shade your air conditioning unit, which can improve its efficiency by up to 10 percent. If the home is naturally cooled, windbreaks should be eliminated to allow breezes into the house. Leave at least a foot of space between all shrubs and vines and the walls of your house to encourage water evaporation.

For temperate and cool regions, solar heat is an important factor when locating trees around your home. In general, leave the south and west windows exposed to the sun to maximize solar heat. Alternatively, use deciduous (leaf-bearing) trees to shade your home in summer but still allow solar heating in winter when the leaves have fallen. For west windows, you may want to use low-crown (shorter) tree species to block late summer sun as opposed to taller trees.

In general, it is best to use evergreen trees for windbreaks since they are denser than deciduous trees, especially in winter. Also consider planting shrubs in your windbreak to ensure wind blockage from the ground all the way up to the treetops. These shrubs can also act as a snow fence if planted on the exposed side of your windbreak, in addition to protecting young trees in a new windbreak.

Water Conservation

The most important aspect of an energy efficient landscape is limiting the amount of water you have to use to maintain it. If you plan your landscape according to your home’s regional and microclimate, as described above, then you will have already selected grasses, shrubs, and tree types that are ideal for your location. Many species available for landscaping can provide beautiful greenery and use water efficiently, thus allowing you to maximize the benefits of your lawn. The concepts of xeriscaping go more in depth into conserving water.  Primarily used in the arid Southwest, xeriscaping uses several water saving strategies that can be applied anywhere:

1. Plan according to your house’s climate and microclimate, as discussed above. Plant grass, trees, and shrubs that do well according to your home’s climate, and, wherever possible, use plants that are drought resistant and/or require less water.
2. Limit the amount of dense turf in your yard. Use stones, shrubs, and or naturally occurring plants to reduce the area you must water frequently.
3. Improve the soil before planting grass seed or installing turf to encourage well rooted grasses that require less water and reduce erosion.
4. Water more efficiently by avoiding over watering and using multiple techniques for each landscape feature.
5. Use mulch wherever possible to help retain moisture and reduce erosion.
6. Maintain your yard. Fertilize, prune, weed, and use pest control to maximize plant health, which helps reduce water usage.

Properly landscaping the areas around your home can realize significant energy savings in heating and cooling, and when combined with other energy efficiency practices, combine to make a truly energy efficient home.

The cheapest and easiest way to improve your fuel economy is to change how you drive your existing car.

1. Air conditioning. As a general rule, if you are driving under 40 miles per hour (MPH), it is more fuel efficient to turn off the air conditioner and roll down the windows. Above 40 MPH, however, the drag on your car created by the open windows causes you to use more gas, so turning on the air will actually improve your fuel economy.
2. Acceleration. When accelerating, do so gradually. Stomping the gas pedal at every traffic light or stop sign causes your engine to suck fuel to meet the heavy load you are putting on it. A more gradual approach can significantly improve fuel economy.
3. Deceleration. Let off the gas well before a stop sign or traffic light and allow yourself to coast to a stop while gently applying the brake. Accelerating all the way to the stop and then slamming on the brakes not only wastes gas, it uses up your brake pads more quickly.
4. Speed. For every ten miles per hour you decelerate, you can save up to 5 miles per gallon (MPG). So if the speed limit is 65 MPH and you drive 55, you can increase your MPG by 5 miles.

Car Maintenance

In addition to improving your driving strategies, use the following car maintenance tips to maximize your fuel economy:

1. Tire inflation. Make sure you keep your tires properly inflated at all times. This not only lengthens the life of the tire, it will help your fuel economy. By and large, the standard inflation for most car tires is 35 pounds per square inch (PSI).  Some mechanics may recommend inflating your tires to 30 PSI to improve riding comfort, which is true, but with gas prices the way they are the best thing to do is maintain proper inflation. Please make sure you check with either your tire dealer or the tire owner’s manual for proper inflation instructions.
2. Fuel grade. Mountain West states (New Mexico, Colorado, Montana, etc.) offer 85 octane fuel, whereas most other states offer only 87 octane and up. Check your owner’s manual, since some models have a minimum octane requirement. Using a lower octane fuel than what your vehicle has been designed for drastically reduces fuel economy. Also, it does not improve your gas mileage to use a higher octane fuel than the minimum requirement for your car.
3. Alignment. Most cars need an alignment every three to five years, although your mechanic will recommend you do it more often than that. A simple test of your alignment is to briefly release the steering wheel while cruising at least 55 MPH on a straight stretch of highway. Please make sure there is no oncoming traffic and that it is a calm day! If your car veers immediately to the left or right, have your mechanic check the alignment. Alignment problems affect your fuel economy and wear your tires down more quickly.
4. Tire rotation and balance. Have your tires rotated every 5,000 miles.  This not only improves their life span but also causes them to wear evenly, meaning improved fuel economy for you since they ride more smoothly. Your tires should be balanced when they are first installed, and in general they should not need another balancing. Regularly check for the wheel weights mounted on the rim of each tire on your vehicle. These will be oblong metal pieces clipped to the rim, one per tire. If you don’t see one on your tire, ask your mechanic to balance the tires when he rotates them. Most tire dealers that sell you your new tires will rotate and balance those tires for free.
5. Tune ups. Check your owner’s manual for the recommended life span of your vehicle’s spark plugs, plug wires, and coils. In general, spark plugs should be changed every 55,000 - 75,000 miles and plug wires every 100,000 - 120,000 miles. If your engine idles very rough, or cuts out easily, have your mechanic check the coils. Also make sure to change out your vehicle’s air and fuel filters regularly.  All of these parts affect your vehicle’s fuel economy.

Buying A New Car

When considering purchasing a new car, remember that the miles per gallon estimates posted on new cars are always very optimistic. Those estimates are generated by operating the car in perfect driving conditions, as in 55 MPH on a windless day at sea level on flat ground with the windows rolled up and the air conditioner and radio off. Typically your actual miles per gallon will be two to five gallons less than the estimate.

Go smaller! Technology has improved to the point where many smaller vehicles have high safety ratings and perform very well in adverse driving conditions. Remember that if you spend a little more on a smaller car with posi-traction as opposed to a bigger lunk with four-wheel drive, savings will be realized in improved fuel economy down the road. And you don’t have to put the thing in four-wheel drive, it will do so itself!

Go hybrid if you can. Some very important factors to remember: hybrid and electric car technology is skyrocketing right now, so the vehicles that come out in five to ten years will show enormous improvements over the ones available today. If you have a lot of disposable income and buy a new car every three to five years anyway, go buy a hybrid today. If you are not that lucky, follow the tips above to maintain your current vehicle and tough it out until the car companies can bring to market all the technology in development right now.

Before starting your home remodeling project, it’s a good idea to evaluate your current energy use so that you can identify the areas that need efficiency improvements. You can perform your own energy audit or you can hire a professional contractor to help.

If you are going to audit your home’s energy use yourself, start by collecting the past year’s energy bills, including electric, gas, and water. Evaluate your monthly averages and identify peak usage times and then compare that with your regional climate. For instance, if you live in Phoenix, you would expect to use more energy in July, or if you live in Montana, you would expect to use more energy in January. If you spot irregular peaks in energy usage, then try to identify what is causing the unusually high bill. Next, compare your energy usage per month to other homes of roughly the same size, age, and location. You can do this by contacting your utility company and requesting monthly averages for different house categories.  The purpose behind the home energy audit is to see how your home compares to others like it in energy usage and also to begin isolating energy problems. This way you can also evaluate cost effectiveness. If you know you spend X dollars a month heating water, and it costs Y dollars a month to install a solar water heater, and Y is lower than X, then it makes good economic sense to invest.

Before hiring your own contractor, check with your utility company, as many offer free or discounted professional energy audits of your home. When weighing whether to do it yourself or contact a professional, keep in mind that a contractor will be able to apply special tools when auditing your home, like blowers to test duct, window, and door leaks and infrared cameras to identify insulation problems. Inevitably you are going to get more accurate information with these tools at your disposal.

The Whole House Approach

To maximize energy efficiency when remodeling your home, it is best to take a “whole house” approach, meaning that you analyze and improve multiple factors that contribute to your home’s energy usage. The following list is not complete but includes the most important factors:

1. Insulation. Improving your home’s insulation is cost effective and can drastically reduce heating bills.  Depending upon the age of your home, you may have little or no insulation.  Particular areas of concern are attics, around chimneys, and around windows and doors.  Not only does insulation improve your home’s heat/cooling retention, it helps keep all rooms and equal temperature and even deadens outdoor noise, making your home quieter.  If you have problems with one or more rooms consistently colder or warmer than others, then insulation is likely the answer to your problem.
2. Duct sealing. You can reduce heating and/or cooling bills by as much as 15 percent just by sealing your home’s ducting. The ducts are the metal box-shaped tubes that carry hot or cold air from your furnace or air conditioning unit to the floor and wall vents throughout your home. Holes and leaky joints in this duct system cause you to lose the air you just spent money heating or cooling before it ever gets to its destination. Also consider vent locations. Some homes, built by a contractor trying to cut corners, locate only a few vents in corners of large rooms. Consider adding more vents, and make sure they are located in the floor or baseboard.  A heating vent in a room with a vaulted ceiling located six feet off the floor does you absolutely no good, since all you heat is the empty space above your head.
3. Windows and doors. These are the primary culprits of home heating or cooling loss. Seal existing windows and doors effectively, or better yet, install new energy efficient windows and/or doors.
4. Install energy saving lighting. Also consider adding more natural lighting with new skylights or expose existing windows to solar energy by replacing overhangs and awnings and removing landscape obstructions.
5. Buy new energy efficient appliances. Furnaces, air conditioning units, and all your household appliances, especially if they are over 10 years old, can be replaced with a much more efficient newer model.  For tips on how to make your existing appliances more efficient check out the links on this Energy Efficiency Advisor post.

Add Renewable Energy

Now that you have spent the time and the money to remodel your home and maximize energy efficiency, the time is ripe for investing in renewable energy. An energy efficient home means that you can support all or most of your energy needs with a home solar or wind energy system, or a combination of the two. Depending upon where you live, you may even be able to turn your meter backwards by dumping extra energy produced by your home back onto the power grid, meaning your home is working for you while you are away.

Tax Incentives and Rebates

Also, you may be eligible for a variety of tax breaks, rebates, and special rate mortgages to finance your energy efficient home remodeling project.

If you are considering building a green, energy efficient home within an existing community, contact your local government or the Environmental Protection Agency (”EPA”) to locate local “greyfield” or “brownfield” sites for your home.  A greyfield site is one that has been previously developed as light industrial or commercial property but is no longer in use.  A brownfield site is one that has not been previously developed, but has been cleared of its natural habitat and wildlife.  Locating a home in these areas saves “greenfield” sites where wildlife and their natural habitat remains intact, thus minimizing your home’s environmental impact.

Avoid building on steep slopes, or at the very least minimize slope destruction by analyzing soil and sediment conditions and using erosion control methods like retaining walls and minimum disturbance landscaping. Also avoid starting construction in high precipitation months when water erosion is at its worst and your home site is freshly disturbed.

Minimize your home’s footprint by saving existing trees and natural wildlife habitat on the site. If you are building in a fire prone area, especially in Western states, fireproof your home. Fireproofing includes using fire resistant paint and glass, screening house openings such as vents and chimneys to prevent ember intrusion, and minimizing trees immediately around your home. Check your local building codes and get your home certified fireproof.

Maximize the natural resources of your home site. Make sure you have clear and sunny west and south facing windows if you live in a colder climate, or large trees or obstructions to the south and west if you live in a hot climate. Use the natural topography to shelter your home from prevailing winds (hills and outcroppings make a great windbreak), provide late afternoon shade (leaving large existing trees or building just far enough from a hill or outcropping so that you are only shaded in the afternoon), or to quickly drain stormwater (if building in a valley or river bottom, locate your home above the high water flood mark and use your landscaping features to direct water into naturally existing drainages).

Building Materials and Design

Make sure you use wood that is certified renewable, meaning that it comes from farmed forests or reclaimed ones, not from an old growth forest.  This is especially true for redwood and Douglas fir; most of the wood harvested from these two types of trees is from irreplaceable old growth forest. Design your home in two foot increments so that you can use pre-fabricated frames and trusses, which use less building material more efficiently. Recycle extra wood and other materials used on your new green home by using them for planned outbuildings like a storage shed.

First of all, bigger is not better.  Reduce the square footage of your new home’s rooms so that you don’t have to spend the rest of your life heating and cooling large areas that you don’t need.  Of course, maintain functionality and comfort when calculating the square footage of your house, but remember that green building guidelines recommend a 30 percent reduction from the average home’s floor plan square footage.

Stack the “wet walls” (walls that carry water, drainage, and heating and cooling ducts) of each floor on top of each other and locate them on an inner wall. This minimizes the amount of piping and ducting you use, saving you money in building materials and money in the future with increased home efficiency. Make sure you have a detailed floor plan before you start building to minimize mistakes that result in having to use more building materials.

Use Energy Efficient Appliances and Lighting

Nothing makes a home greener than filling it with energy efficient appliances and lighting. When purchasing new appliances, make sure you evaluate their energy usage and compare different brands and models to find one that meets your energy and price range needs. When considering new home lighting, use condensed fluorescent lighting (”CFL”) and maximize natural lighting to reduce your energy usage. For great tips on increasing home energy efficiency, read more in the Energy Efficiency Advisor. 

The only option really available to you when it comes to home wind power is a wind turbine. Wind turbines are a very efficient way of generating home electricity; however, not all locations and regions are windy enough to justify wind turbines. Consider these factors before buying a wind turbine:

1. Region. Not all regions are created equal, and your location will determine whether home wind energy is an option for you. Measure the average wind speed at the potential location of your wind turbine. You can do this by purchasing a home weather station with an anemometer (wind meter) and wind direction indicator; these are available at most hardware stores. In general, your potential wind turbine site should average at least 11 miles per hour of wind speed per day to make it a cost effective wind turbine site.
2. On Grid vs Off Grid. Most wind turbines in use today are for powering homes built off the existing electrical power grid. These homes usually use a battery system to store wind generated energy and a converter to convert direct current (”DC”) battery power to alternating current (”AC”) to power home appliances and lights. If you want to install a wind turbine and your home is on the power grid, contact your utility company to see if they will rebate you for the extra power your wind turbine puts on the grid.
3. Location. The higher your wind turbine, the better average wind speed you are going to have. You can achieve a higher altitude for your wind turbine by using a combination of buildings and topography.  Use hills and outcroppings coupled with a tower for your wind turbine to maximize altitude. In flat areas, your best bet is either to use your home or another structure to give your turbine height. Also locate your wind turbine at least 100 feet away from any obstructions, like trees or buildings (unless you are locating your turbine on top of your home), since these will cause wind turbulence and reduce the efficiency of your wind turbine.
4. Rebates and incentives. If your wind turbine is on the power grid, you may be eligible to save money from extra energy it puts back onto the grid. You may also be able to get tax rebates or breaks in some areas. Check out a complete list of tax incentives or contact your local utility company.
5. Home energy efficiency. To make the most out of your investment, maximize your home energy efficiency so that you need little or no additional power apart from your wind turbine. Check out the Save Money with Easy Energy Conservation post for more tips on how to increase home energy efficiency.

Renewable energy is electricity generated from renewable resources like sunlight or wind. Most of our current electricity supply comes from finite resources like coal. Renewable energy is not only more environmentally friendly, but can also be more energy efficient because it costs much less over time to generate and ship it to your home.

Renewable energy comes in many forms, and many new technologies are still being developed, but for the homeowner there are two primary forms: wind energy and solar energy. Also, don’t forget that in some areas you can purchase renewable energy directly from your utility company without having to invest in your own renewable energy system. Contact your local utility and ask them if they provide renewable energy to their customers. While renewable electricity is typically more expensive than traditional electricity, you can take comfort in the fact that you are not contributing to CO2 emissions and investing in renewable energy resources. Some states may even offer a green rebate for purchasing renewable electricity.

Home Solar Power Options

Solar power can be generated by your home if you install photovoltaic (”PV”) cells on your roof or in your yard. These cells absorb the sun’s energy and convert it into electricity. If your home is off the power grid, you can connect your PV system to batteries and, depending on where you live and how much electricity you use, run your home almost entirely on PV solar energy. If your home is on the power grid, you can use a direct PV system. This option doesn’t use batteries and instead just dumps the energy produced onto your homes electrical system and the greater power grid in general, so energy you don’t use is put out there for others to use. Depending on where you live, your utility company might even pay you for the electricity your home generates. Learn more about tax rebates and incentives for installing a home solar energy system.

Home Wind Power Options

Investing in wind turbines can make sense for your home under certain conditions: 1) You have already made your home as energy efficient as possible, 2) Your region averages at least 11 MPH in wind speed, and 3) You have at least one acre of property. If you meet these requirements, then investing in a wind turbine or two makes sense.