| With the growing interest in alternative energy | | | | source and the more advanced inverters even |
| technologies, many homeowners are turning to wind | | | | provide connections for a wind turbine that can |
| and solar power to generate their own electricity. | | | | supply even more of your homes power needs. |
| Both of these solutions offer a cost effective option | | | | Wind power systems are another great alternative |
| for many homeowners and can help you lower the | | | | for generating electricity for your home. The newer |
| amount of power you'll need to purchase from the | | | | wind turbines are smaller and more efficient than |
| local utility for your home. Modern versions of these | | | | older models and less expensive as well. They are |
| systems will easily generate enough power for the | | | | also specially designed to accommodate the lower |
| average sized home, and can be installed in about a | | | | velocity winds that are typically found in a residential |
| weekends worth of time. | | | | setting. Even though they generate less power on |
| Solar power has matured in recent years and the | | | | average than their larger commercial counterparts do, |
| current technology enables the average residential | | | | they are actually spinning for more hours of the day |
| home to generate large amounts of power from the | | | | and can supply a large portion of the power an |
| sun using a few solar panels and a little bit of roof | | | | average home needs. Because they are smaller than |
| space. Solar technology has improved tremendously | | | | older models they are also easier to mount and some |
| in recent years and today is less expensive and more | | | | of them are actually designed to be mounted directly |
| efficient than ever before. The solar panels used for | | | | on the roof of the home. This makes them easier to |
| converting the sunlight into current are more than | | | | service and also eliminates the cost of a tower. |
| twice as efficient as older panels and are more | | | | Another key development that has helped accelerate |
| durable as well. These modern solar panels can easily | | | | the adoption of these alternative energy solutions |
| last 20 years and will supply power to your home | | | | are the recent upgrades to the local power utilities |
| with very little need for maintenance. They are also | | | | ability to purchase any excess power your home |
| easier to install as well and will mount to most roof | | | | generates. This is critical for the success of any solar |
| surfaces. These newer systems are designed to be | | | | or wind system since these systems are designed to |
| expanded over time and will allow you to start with a | | | | generate more power than the home is using during |
| smaller number of solar panels and add more of them | | | | the day. This excess power is then sent back up the |
| as your budget allows. | | | | power lines where it generates a credit for the |
| The interconnecting and conversion equipment has | | | | homeowner. At night when the solar or wind power |
| also gotten easier to use and more efficient as well. | | | | system is inactive, the home can buy back some of |
| The newer inverters can support a wide range of | | | | this power from the local utility to satisfy their needs |
| solar panels and make it easy for the average | | | | and use the credit they generated during the day to |
| homeowner to simply expand their system as | | | | offset the cost. If a system is sized correctly, this |
| needed. Some of the inverters will also support a | | | | back and forth movement of power will eliminate the |
| battery bank that can be used as a backup power | | | | home's monthly electrical bill completely. |