The Homeowner's Guide to Renewable Energy: Achieving Energy Independence through Solar, Wind, Biomass and Hydropower PDF
Preview The Homeowner's Guide to Renewable Energy: Achieving Energy Independence through Solar, Wind, Biomass and Hydropower
AdvancePraisefor The Homeowner’s Guide to Renewable Energy DanChirasstrikesagain!Withthislatestadditiontohisalreadyimpressivelist oftitles,Danmakesitaseasyaspossibleforyoutoeffectyourowntransition awayfromfossilfueldependence.I'veneverseenamorecomprehensive,better written,orbetterorganizedprimeronthissubject.Whenyouneedpracticaladvice fromawarm,smartandinformedhumanbeing,DanChirasistheonetoturnto. —BruceKing,PEDirector,EcologicalBuildingNetwork,andauthorof BuildingsofEarthandStrawandMakingBetterConcrete TheHomeowner’sGuidetoRenewableEnergymakesabundantlyclearthe predicamentthathumankindhascreatedregardinghowweprocureanduse energy.Waysthatwemightextricateourselvesfromthispredicamentareplaced squarelyontheshouldersofrenewableformsofenergy,ratherthanfossilfuels. Thisbookshowshowwe,asindividuals,havethepowerandtechnology availablenowtoembracerenewableenergyforabrightfuture. —KellyHart,www.greenhomebuilding.com Whosayshomeenergyimprovementshavetobecomplicated,orboring? DanChiras'TheHomeowner'sGuidetoRenewableEnergywaltzesthereader gracefullythroughvariousefficiencyupgradesthatputhouseholdheatand coolnessintheirproperplaces,thenexpertlyjazz-dancesthroughstate-of-the-art technologieslikesolarelectricity,heatpumps,andbiodieselfuel.This easy-to-understand,timelybookshouldbedistributedbylocalgovernments andutilitiestohomeownersthroughoutthecountry.Imaginehowmuch lessdependentwe'dbeonuncertain,expensivesuppliesofoilandnaturalgas! —DaveWann,coauthorofAffluenza:TheAll-ConsumingEpidemicand Superbia!31WaystoCreateSustainableNeighborhoods DanChirasisoneofthemostauthoritativewritersinthefieldofrenewable energy.Hismultipleotherbookscreateacomprehensivelibraryforhomeowners lookingtolivealifestyleinharmonywiththeirvalues.Notonlyishisstyle accessibleandeasytoreadbutisthoroughinwhattodo,howtodoitandwhy. Danwalkshistalklivinginasolar,greenhomeanddevotinguntoldhoursto sustainablelivingcauses.Heistrulyoneorournationalheros!!! — DavidJohnston,What'sWorking:VisionarySolutionsforGreenBuilding,and authorofGreenRemodeling:ChangingtheWorldOneRoomataTime DanChirashasdoneasmuchasanyoneinAmericatopromoteandpopularize theuseofrenewableenergy.HeworkshismagicagaininTheHomeowner'sGuideto RenewableEnergy.AsPeakOillooms,thelucidityandclearthinkingofDanChiras becomesourfirstlineofdefense. —StephenMorris,publisherandeditor, GreenLiving:APracticalJournalforFriendsoftheEnvironment Ifyou'rethinkingaboutinvestinginarenewableenergysystemforyourhome,Dan Chiras'TheHomeowner'sGuidetoRenewableEnergyhelpsclarifythedecisionmaking process.Afterbeginningwiththeallimportantdiscussionaboutenergyefficiencyand conservation,Danguidesyouthrougheverythingyouneedtochoosewhichrenewable optionstointegrateintoyourlifestyle.Agreatadditiontomybookshelf! —MickSagrillo,SagrilloPower&Light Books for Wiser Living from Mother Earth News Today,more than ever before,our society is seeking ways to live more conscientiously.To helpbringyoutheverybestinspirationandinformationaboutgreener,moresustainable lifestyles,NewSocietyPublishershasjoinedforceswithMotherEarthNews.Formorethan30 years,MotherEarthNewshasbeenNorthAmerica’s“OriginalGuidetoLivingWisely,”creating booksandmagazinesforpeoplewithapassionforself-relianceandadesiretoliveinharmony withnature.Acrossthecountrysideandinourcities,NewSocietyPublishersandMotherEarth Newsareleadingthewaytoawiser,moresustainableworld. Dan Chiras N S P EW OCIETY UBLISHERS CataloginginPublicationData: AcatalogrecordforthispublicationisavailablefromtheNationalLibraryofCanada. Copyright©2006byDanChiras. Allrightsreserved. CoverdesignbyDianeMcIntosh.Photos: Houseimage:RussellIllig,PhotodiscRF;windturbine:JohnIvanko InteriorillustrationsbyJillHaras,unlessotherwisecredited. InteriorphotosbyDanChiras,unlessotherwisecredited. PrintedinCanada. SecondprintingAugust2006. PaperbackISBN13:978-0-86571-536-3 PaperbackISBN10:0-86571-536-X InquiriesregardingrequeststoreprintallorpartofTheHomeowner’sGuidetoRenewableEnergyshouldbe addressedtoNewSocietyPublishersattheaddressbelow. To order directly from the publishers, please call toll-free (North America) 1-800-567-6772, or order onlineatwww.newsociety.com Anyotherinquiriescanbedirectedbymailto: NewSocietyPublishers P.O.Box189,GabriolaIsland,BCV0R1X0,Canada 1-800-567-6772 NewSocietyPublishers’missionistopublishbooksthatcontributeinfundamentalwaystobuildingan ecologicallysustainableandjustsociety,andtodosowiththeleastpossibleimpactontheenvironment,in amannerthatmodelsthisvision.Wearecommittedtodoingthisnotjustthrougheducation,butthrough action.Weareactingonourcommitmenttotheworld’sremainingancientforestsbyphasingoutourpaper supplyfromancientforestsworldwide.Thisbookisonesteptowardendingglobaldeforestationandcli- matechange.Itisprintedonacid-freepaperthatis100%oldgrowthforest-free(100%post-consumer recycled),processedchlorinefree,andprintedwithvegetable-based,low-VOCinks.Forfurtherinforma- tion,ortobrowseourfulllistofbooksandpurchasesecurely,visitourwebsiteat:www.newsociety.com NEW SOCIETY PUBLISHERS www.newsociety.com This book is dedicated to the founders and hard-working staff and volunteers at Mother EarthNewsandHomePowermagazine,SolarEnergyInternational,theMidwestRenewable Energy Association, the Colorado Renewable Energy Society, The American Solar Energy Society,theIowaRenewableEnergyAssociation,theAmericanWindEnergyAssociation,the SolarLivingInstitute,theNationalRenewableEnergyLaboratory,theGreatLakesRenewable EnergyAssociation,allof theremainingchaptersof theAmericanSolarEnergyAssociation, and last but far from least,the Institute for Sustainable Energy Education.Many thanks for theirdedication,hardwork,andperseverance. Contents Acknowledgments..............................................................................................................................XIII Introduction............................................................................................................................................1 RenewableEnergyandMe...........................................................................................................3 WhySwitchtoRenewables?........................................................................................................5 AnotherReasonforSwitching....................................................................................................6 AvertingGlobalWarming..........................................................................................................10 IsThereHope?.............................................................................................................................10 KeepingYourEyeonthePrize .................................................................................................13 OrganizationoftheBook...........................................................................................................14 Chapter1:RenewableEnergy–Clean,AffordableandReliable.............................................17 MakingWiseChoices.................................................................................................................18 UnderstandingEnergy................................................................................................................21 WhatisRenewableEnergy?.......................................................................................................27 TheProsandCons......................................................................................................................28 ProspectsfortheFuture..............................................................................................................32 Chapter2:ConservationRules–TheCornerstoneofYourEnergyFuture.........................35 WhatisEnergyConservation?..................................................................................................38 BenefitsofEnergyConservation...............................................................................................42 HomeEnergyUse.......................................................................................................................43 RetrofittingYourHomeforEnergyEfficiency.......................................................................45 TheSilverLining.........................................................................................................................68 IX
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