New Green Energy Bill

Is it possible to operate a small house solely on solar power in New England?

I’m hoping to build a 950-square foot A-frame in New Hampshire and am wondering….would it be possible to have it completely powered from solar power? I admit, I’m a moron when it comes to things like this. I’d actually be open to any “alternative” energy source that I wouldn’t be paying a monthly bill for…geothermal, wind-power, etc and would be open to supplemental heat in form of wood through the winter. I guess my bottom line is would it be possible to build a small “green” home in New England that doesn’t require a monthly oil/propane bill or a monthly electric bill?!
Up-front cost is not much of a factor for me…as it will save me $$ in the long run when I won’t ever have to pay an electric or heating bill.

Yes, it is possible, but you are better getting a grid-tied system for times when the panels may be covered by snow, or when there is bad whether such as rain. With a grid-tied system, you can use state-incentives which will significantly reduce your cost, and you won’t have to worry about paying more for batteries or a back-up generator.

With a grid-tied system, you will produce a lot of electricity during the day. The excess that you produce will go back to the grid, and you will be credited for this. Then at the night, when the panels are not producing anything, you will draw from the grid. If the system is sized correctly, you should have a net bill of zero from the electric company. It is possible that over the whole year, you may even produce more electricity than you need, and you will get a check from the utility…doesn’t that sound better than just having a basement full of batteries?

For state incentives, you can look here: http://www.dsireusa.org/

The other responder is right, you can start by building an extremely energy efficient home from the start, which reduce the amount of panels you need in the first place. You will also need to choose a site that gets plenty of sun. Look at the trees near by–your house needs to be three times as far from the trees as they are tall, especially on the southern side. That’s a long way, so you may need to cut down a lot of trees. But it will be worth it for the amount of renewable energy you will produce year after year.

Your best route is to start calling local solar installers and get quotes and advice on a “new construction” system. If you choose an installer ahead of time (you will need a professional installer to use state incentives), they can wire the house as it is being built, so that you won’t see conduit running on the outside of the house.

Do not be dismayed by anyone who says that New England does not get enough sun. If you don’t have tree shading, you will get PLENTY of sun. By installing a grid-tied PV (photovoltaic) system, you could have $0 electric bills and all of your electricity covered.

Start calling local installers and getting quotes. Choose an installer that has a competitive rate, lots of experience, is close to the site, and will give you a quote for free.

To learn more about solar energy in Connecticut, NY, Massachusetts, or Rhode Island, click here: http://sunlightsolar.com/

To learn more about grid-tied PV systems, go here: http://sunlightsolar.com/learning/solar-basics/pv-systems/

Bill Clinton at the Clean Energy Summit at UNLV

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