Learn about the advantages and disadvantages of solar energy for your home in this guide from MCity. bit.ly

Solar Panels On A Manufactured Home Budget

Solar panels and manufactured homes are not usually discussed in the same conversation. Solar energy companies cater to the high-end clientele, those who can afford the high upfront cost of solar panel installation.

Soon, solar panels and other renewable energy resources will be available to those on a manufactured housing budget.

Thanks to the work of Clayton Home of Maryland, Tennessee, an attractive i-house has entered the manufactured home market.

The i-house features energy efficiency consistent with responsible stewardship of the earth’s resources.

Keep an eye on i-house developments at the i-house news release site or their blog.

Watch a video about the i-house.

Go ahead. Take a virtual tour of the i-house www.claytoihouse.com and see what you think.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Eco-friendly Clayton iHouse on sale, coming to a highbrow trailer park near you (engadget.com)
• Clayton Homes’ iHouse a PR Score for Warren Buffet (businesspundit.com)
• ‘i-house’ is giant leap from trailer park (msnbc.msn.com)

Renewable Energy Roundup 2009

Would you like to actually see a solar panel? Have you wondered how a solar water heater works? How about a solar powered air conditioner?

There is a great event coming where you can learn how to use solar energy in your home. The 10th annual Renewable Energy Roundup 2009 is coming September 25-27, to Fredericksburg, Texas.

Free workshops, speakers, and exhibits cover topics such as:
·    Solar
·    Wind
·    Geothermal
·    Transportation

If you’re anywhere near Central Texas in September, plan to stop by. You enjoy hanging around a group of renewable energy enthusiasts.

Where to Get Solar Energy Information

Do you want to use solar energy in your home? Given the current environmental conditions, most people are ready for renewable energy sources. But going solar requires more than flipping a switch.

Going solar requires correct information for your particular climate and circumstance and reliable solar installers.

One of the best ways to educate yourself and find reputable solar installers is the American Solar Energy Society (ASES).  Find a regional chapter of the ASES and join in.

Jumpstart your solar education. Join a local ASES chapter today.

Before you purchase that solar power system, you need to know how many panels you need to support your home energy use.

Soon after you begin the energy discovery process you learn about invisible critters called “phantom loads”  that haunt your home.

It’s hard to see evidence of these little devils but here’s a way to get visual evidence.

Make sure all the heavy electric energy users are off, like your heater or air conditioner and hot water heater and all your lights. Then go take a look at your electric meter.

I did this the other day while enjoying some free weather. The windows were open, our hot water heater was off, and I didn’t hear the refrigerator running. The house had this moment of unusual quietness.

So I went outside to take a look at the electric meter. And it was spinning! While it seemed all was off inside the house, the electric meter still indicated the house was using energy!

It was a visual reminder that those little phantoms were alive and well inside even though I couldn’t hear them.

The computer, (even when switched off), the microwave, the coffee pot (with its digital clock), all the digital clocks in the house, my sewing machine, etc, were all running as quietly as ever.

If you need evidence, watch your own electric meter.

Then go get yourself a few power strips!

Solar Energy Grant Search

Are there any home owners out there searching for grants for solar energy?

The Alternate Energy Sources site may help. There are links to various helpful sources whether you want an energy efficient home or want an alternative fuel car.

Check them out here.

Make Solar Energy More Efficient and Less Expensive

No matter how you look at it, solar energy carries a huge initial price tag.

Even with state and federal tax incentives and municipal solar financing, it’s a major home improvement project.

The economy being what it is these days, none of us really wants to take out another loan, at least not a big one.

The best way to make solar more affordable is to:

•    Practice energy conservation
•    Implement as many efficiency measures as applicable to your home

These steps make sense for two (2) reasons:

1.    The less energy you use, the less your solar system will cost
2.    It’s irresponsible to use waste energy, even if it’s a renewable energy.

Jessop Petroski does a great job of explaining why you should go the energy efficiency route first, BEFORE going solar.

Read his excellent article for yourself.

Leave a comment and let us know what you think.

Ready to start conserving energy? Join the Home Energy Conservation Challenge now.

Solar Power – Is It Right For You?

Do you want a solar powered home? I sure do. Although technology improves and solar panel prices fall, going solar can still be a daunting process.

Have you ever wondered if solar power is right for you?

Well, Mother Earth News has a great article to help you with this question.

The article helps guide you through the three (3) main question:
1.    Do you have a south-facing space (not necessarily a south facing roof!)
2.    How much will your solar-electric system cost for your needs
3.    Will solar power save you money in the long-term.

Personally, we are working on question two (2). Reducing our electric needs – that is how much electricity we use – will reduce the cost of our solar-electric system.

If you want to work on that with us, join our Home Energy Conservation Challenge.

Here’s a quote from the Mother Earth News article:

if you’re considering solar power, it’s a good idea to start thinking about your own daily habits. “It’s very important to understand how your electricity is being billed and what your electric usage is. There might be ways to minimize your charges (are you running appliances during peak hours?) and minimize your usage (are you already using energy-efficient light bulbs?) so that you don’t need as big of a system.”

Want to reduce the initial cost of your solar-electric system? We invite you to join our energy challenge!

Solar Energy Find of the Week

I want a solar powered home. Although my home is not yet ready for solar panels, it’s fun to find small, simple ways to incorporate solar energy into daily life.

Take this solar iPhone charger from Sollight, for example. If you’re hiking or traveling with your nifty little iPhone, this could come in handy.

Here’s the quick list of features from the sollight website:
•    Solar-powered!
•    Works with both original and 3G iPhone
•    Plug the SOLiCharger into your iPhone or iTouch to automatically charge your iPhone or iTouch battery
•    Built-in solar panel on the back side that will fully charge it in just four hours of sunshine
•    Weighs only 1.4 oz.
•    Charges quickly in one of four ways:
o    Directly from the SUN! Free solar power!
o    Directly from your computer via the Apple/USB cord
o    Directly from the 110v Apple® USB charging cord
o    Directly from any 12v Apple compatible car charger

Voltaic Solar Panel Backpack

While installation of solar panels on my roof will have to wait have to wait a while, here’s a great way to incorporate solar energy into the smaller, everyday living of life.

The solar panels on the pack charge a battery which stores the energy till you need it. And it charges while you’re on the go, shopping, biking, hiking, or just running those everyday errands.

This solar backpack provides you with energy to charge you cell phone, iPod, digital camera, and more…but it won’t charge your lap top.

From the Amazon site:

Product Features

* High density padding in the shoulder straps and back panel for comfort
* Nylon mesh backing material for better air flow
* The solar panels provide protection for fragile items inside the front pocket
* Wire channels throughout the bag take power to the shoulder strap and for headphones etc.
* Adjustable phone / MP3 pouch on the shoulder

Product Description

*Second lined MP3 / sunglasses pouch inside,
*Optional clip in padded laptop sleeves,
*Bladder pouch and channels to run the tube to the shoulder strap,     *Includes a 2,200mAh Li-Ion battery pack with 3 voltage settings to store solar power,
*When not in the sun, the battery can be charged using the AC travel charger or DC car charger,
*Comes with 11 standard adaptors including a car charger socket and USB adaptor so you can always use a standard charger for your device, Includes adaptor plugs in universal sizes for common cell phones, which eliminate the need to use a car charger for common devices,
*The three solar panels are tough, light weight, waterproof, and generate up to 4 watts of power.
*The Voltaic Backpack is built tough for use as a weekend hike bag or as a large daypack.
*There are pockets and wire channels for multiple electronic devices and 1,850 cubic inches of storage space.

If you have used on of these, leave a comment to let us know what you think of it. Thanks!