The Grid: Getting Off It (Step One - Research)

[hsifeng]

Well kids, I think it is time for me to look into this more seriously. We wanted to wait until we put in the garage (so that the solar panels could go there instead of on the house) but I don’t know if that type of esthetic consideration is realistic anymore. I only hope they can put them on the BACK of the house so that they aren’t so nasty looking in the front.

 

Our friggin electric bill was over $450 in the middle of the summer this year and over $650 in the middle of the summer last year. Nach.

 

I understand there are companies in my area that are doing solar leases as well. Other ‘off grid’ items I would like to look into.

 

1) Home gardening: Seems we might be doing a bit of a ‘community garden’ since we have oodles of yard spacetristinmorgan andsaoirse42 are interested in pitching in.
 

http://www.hgtv.com/gl-wildlife-other/no-work-garden/index.html

http://www.americanprofile.com/article/562.html

 

2) Reclaiming Rainwater: A great way to water your garden, and with a mulched garden it takes even less water!

 

http://www.watercache.com/

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/natres/06702.html

Any other great resources folks would like to point me towards?

Comments

[bedpimp.livejournal.com]

The trees on the east side of the house will need to be topped or removed for solar to be really effective. If we could make the plastic roof over the laundry room load bearing it would give us another 15%, give or take.

[hsifeng.livejournal.com]

The cost of that type of tree work is prohibitive (thousands of dollars). Perhaps we should look at a ground installation adjacent to the shed instead.