Are you tired of high electricity bills? Are you in a location where it is costly or environmentally damaging to connect to power? Are you worried about the environmental effects of fossil-fuel energy or wish to reduce your personal impact?
If so, you have come to the right place.
Energy Alternatives has been designing, selling and installing renewable power systems for over 23 years. EA is a licensed electrical contractor and will take your power project from conception through to completion. Our network of trained installers can install and train you in the use of the system or perhaps you want to install it yourself.
Read this first to understand some of the basics of alternative energy.
Power users can be split into two groups - on-grid and off-grid. Which group are you in?
Grid Power is electricity supplied by your local utility through its network of power transmission lines. Users are charged for the power they use. When you are on the grid, you have access to unlimited amounts of energy. The more you use, of course, the more you pay.
Off-Grid customers have power requirements in locations far removed from power lines. These locations may be so remote there are simply no power lines anywhere nearby, in which case options are few . Even if power lines are relatively close, the cost to get power into the property can be comparable to that of an alternative energy system. Alternatives can be more compelling.
For Canadian
On-Grid Customers
Canadians enjoys some of the cheapest energy in the world. Our legacy of large hydroelectric dams and provincial policies have maintained inexpensive, reliable power. This helps keeps our Hydro bills low, but it also discourages conservation and the emergence of clean renewable energy sources.
The average Canadian home uses between 700-1500 kWh per month. A highly efficient home can reduce this to 60-500. How can you realize these kinds of improvements?
If you believe we pay too high a price for electricity, you need to look to other countries, including the United States and Europe, where all forms of energy are much more expensive.
Instead of thinking of electricity as cheap and abundant, we need to understand it as a valuable resource to be conserved. No one would think of leaving their kitchen tap running when they leave their homes, yet unnecessary house lighting and appliances are frequently left on.
As a rule of thumb, every $1 you spend on efficiency will save you $5 in energy generation.
The following steps are ranked in order of least capital cost to highest. Start at the top to get the best bang for your buck.
- Behavioral change: The best way to save money on your home energy
use is to use less power! You can do this in a variety of ways, including
turning off unneeded lights and devices, insulating your attic, walls,
windows and doors, and by converting to more efficient appliances. Cost:
$0
- Turn down the heat or air conditioning temperature. How many buildings
do you go into where the temperature inside is either extremely high
or extremely cold, exactly the opposite of the weather outside? Space
heating and cooling accounts for 54% of the country's energy. The less
energy you use to heat or cool your building, the less it will cost.
Cost: $0
- Consider using a clothesline instead of a clothes dryer. Cost:
$0
- Install energy efficient lighting.
Switching to energy efficient lighting, such as Compact Fluorescent
(CFL) and Light Emitting Diode (LED), will result in fast payback. Cost:
$17.00 each
- Have an EnerGuide
Home Assessment done and act on the recommendations to better insulate
your home and replace draughty windows. Cost: $300-500
- Check your appliances. Measure your energy usage with a Kill-a-Watt
electricity meter and learn how much energy your appliances use.
If you haven't already, invest in EnergyStar appliances. Do you really
need that second fridge? Cost: $$
- Solar hot water is one of the
most cost effective renewable energy technologies. If your location
has a suitable southern exposure on which to mount solar collectors,
you will find this option pays for itself in 3-10 years, depending on
the system. The more hot water you use, the better the return will be.
Cost: $$$
- Wind Generation Systems.
IF YOU HAVE A GOOD WIND SITE, installing a small or medium sized
wind generator may be a good investment. Siting a wind generator is
tricky business. More information...
Cost:$$$$
- Microhydro. If
you are blessed with a good source of running water, preferably with
10' or more drop, microhydro is an excellent technology to consider.
Cost: $$$$$
- Solar Electric systems Most
utilities now allow reverse metering, grid intertie, or net metering.
Generally speaking, the energy that you generate will directly offset
the power you draw from the power grid. If you are creating more power
than you are using at the time, this power will be exported to the power
grid. Cost: $$$$$
For Non-Canadian On-Grid Customers
For our international friends, we recommend that you consult your
local phone book, business directories, etc. and select a local contractor
who can help with your projects. Alternative energy systems are very site
specific and who better to design your system than someone who lives in
the same locale.
If you live off-grid, beyond the reach of the unlimited energy sources that most North American's enjoy, you have a different situation altogether. You initially have two choices - live without power or become your own power provider. Most of us are do not want to go without the comforts of electricity and you don't need to. EA will help you design a system to suit your needs..
The old school of thought was to buy a generator and run it whenever you needed electricity. No generator, no power. While fossil-fuel generators do play an important role in alternative energy systems, generator-only situations are generally wasteful. The generator may remain running to power very small loads which would be better powered by an inverter. A battery and Inverter subsystem allows the generator to run when required for large loads and battery charging, while the inverter powers smaller loads when the generator is off.
When shopping for an alternative energy system, it comes down to your site and the resources that are available for energy generation.
Solar-Electric (photovoltaic) harnesses the sun's energy and converts into electricity. It is the simplest form of alternative energy, and it's also the most expensive.
Wind can be harnessed to produce large amounts of energy. Wind systems are very site specific. If you do not have a good wind site to start with, results will be disappointing no matter what you do.
Microhydro captures the energy in falling water to produces electricity. It is the most cost effective of all alternative energies. If you have a source of running water, you simply must examine its potential.
Most alternative energy systems are hybrid in design - they use more than one charging source, often varying with the seasons. Wind and solar hybrid systems are very common. In the winter months, when the hours of sunshine are low, winds are generally stronger.
The System Design section of the EA website takes you step-by-step through the process of evaluating your site's potential. You can also download our catalogue or request a print copy.
Starting
Smart: Calculating Your Energy Appetite.
From solar to microhydro, in Barbados or Barrow, for a hen house or a
townhouse, every renewable energy system should begin with a load analysis.
This analysis is an assessment
of your site’s electrical use—your electrical “load profile.”
You’ll need to ponder and juggle a lot of numbers in the process
of selecting, sizing, and installing a solar-electric system. A reliable
load analysis is essential to get your calculations off on the right foot.
Resources
Introduction to Renewable Energy - excerpts from EA's 13th edition buyers guide and product catalogue.
Renewable Energy Primer by William H. Kemp.
Renewable Energy Handbook for Homeowners.
Smart Power - An urban guide to energy efficiency
According to the United Nations Development Program, 40% of the world's population is currently without any electric power. Much of the world doesn't even have the infrastructure for reliable power, or clean water for that matter. So count yourself (very) lucky!
