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Zusatztext "A must for those who want to live off grid or simply want to use less energy or live more sustainably." Informationen zum Autor PaulScheckel is an energy auditor and consultant who has visited more than 3,000 homes, educating people about energy efficiency, cost-effective improvements, and indoor air quality. His articles have appeared in such publications as Mother Earth News, Home Power, and Vermont Life, and he contributes a monthly energy and environment column to two state-wide newspapers. A frequent radio guest, Scheckel has also appeared as a guest expert on the acclaimed television show “Ask this Old House”. He lives off-grid in northern Vermont with his family in a solar- and wind-powered house. Klappentext Make and Conserve Your Own Energy With practice advice and a working plan, you can reduce or eliminate your dependence on fossil fuels. Energy-efficiency expert Paul Scheckel shows you the value of producing your own renewable energy -- from sun, wind, wood, water, or biogas -- and then points the way to personal action. Reduce your use, then produce! Begin by doing an energy audit to boost your home's efficiency, and then explore the opportunities. From investing in basic retrofits to going completely off the grid, your energy future is up to you. Scheckel includes step-by-step plans for building a biogas generator and four other energy-producing projects. Zusammenfassung Are you looking for creative ways to lower your energy costs, generate more of your own power, or become less reliant on the grid? This title offers practical solutions for adapting solar, wind, wood gasification, biogas, and micro hydro power systems for home use. Inhaltsverzeichnis Introduction Part One: Home Energy Efficiency1 Getting Ready for RenewablesThe Big and Little Energy Picture * Basic Considerations * Systems and Planning * Renewable Habits * The Value of Electricity * Energy Action in Cuba * Build a Bicycle-Powered Battery Charger 2 Do Your Own Energy AuditGetting Started * Electricity * Hot Water * Heating and Air Conditioning * Thermal Envelope * Windows * Prioritizing Your Improvements 3 Insulating Your HomeHow Heat Moves * Measuring Insulation Value * Insulation Inspection * How Much Insulation Do You Need? * Choosing and Installing Insulation * Stopping Air and Moisture * Roof Venting * When "High Performance" Doesn't Perform 4 Deep Energy RetrofitsLooking at the Big Picture * A Team with a Plan * The Basement * Above-Grade Walls * Windows * The Roof * Air Leakage * Ventilation * Heating and Air Conditioning * Hot Water 5 Home Energy MonitoringElectric Energy Monitoring * Gas Monitoring * Environmental Monitoring * My Hot Water Heating Story Part Two: Renewable Energy6 Solar Hot WaterTypes of Systems * Solar Hot Water Collectors * Hot Water Storage * Additional System Components * Sizing the System * Maintenance * Homemade Hot Water * Build a Solar Hot Water Batch Heater 7 Solar Electric GenerationSolar Power Potential * Planning for a PV System * PV System Wiring * Orientation * Racks and Tracking * Economics * Safety * Living with Solar (and Wind) Power 8 Wind Electric GenerationUsing Wind Energy at Home * Estimating Energy in the Wind * Estimating Wind Speed * Efficiency and Power * Wind Machines and Controls * Towers * Foundations and Anchoring * Maintenance * Safety * Wiring and Grounding * Wind Wisdom from an Expert 9 Hydro Electric GenerationHome Hydro * Calculating Hydro Energy * Measuring Flow and Estimating Power * Intake Site Selection * Penstock Pipe Selection * Turbines * Power Generators * System Efficiency 10 Renewable Electricity ManagementGrid-Tie vs. Off-Grid * Definition of Terms * Electrical Wiring * Balance of System Components * Batteries * Mapping Motivations ... and Watts 11 BiodieselVenturing into Biodiesel * What Is Biodiesel? Benefits and Drawbacks * Essential Ingredients * Equipment Needs * Safety * Basic ...
