CABOT, Vt. — This will be the last post on the Energy Family blog, so I’ll take a moment to thank everyone who has read and commented. Since this space was originally conceived as a forum to discuss my family’s adventures with off-grid living in northern Vermont, it seems fitting to close with a final update on our solar home.
Our 2,200-sq.-ft. house here continues to hum away on 100-percent renewable power. We haven’t run our generator since January 16, and it’s very unlikely at this point that we’ll need to run it again before November. Much credit goes to our Whisper 100 windmill, which does not produce nearly as much power as our Evergreen Solar/Wattsun solar PV array, but is a critical contributor. That’s because the Whisper makes power primarily during times when our PV system is dormant. Frankly, much of the power we make with our solar panels is wasted; we just can’t use enough. But that’s not the case with the Whisper. The lesson: Solar and wind are great companions, at least here in Vermont.
I’m also really pleased with our Thermo-Dynamics solar hot water system, and I continue to hammer home the point that solar hot water presents your best bang-for-the-buck in alternative energy. I field a lot of questions about alternative energy, and most people are far more interested in PV and wind power. That’s great, but I’m always quick to remind them of hot water.
Since we began our project, the alternative energy climate has really shifted. That’s due in part to a broader recognition of the shifting in our real climate, and in part because carbon-based energy prices continue to climb. As I write this, gasoline is already over $4/gallon in parts of California, and we haven’t even hit the driving season.
People ask about the payback on alternative energy, and I always feel compelled to answer honestly: At current electricity prices, it’s hard to realize an actual financial payback (although one could argue the environmental payback). But I’m also compelled to remind everyone that conventional power sources are not getting any cheaper, nor are they replenishing themselves. It’s very unlikely that fossil fuels and the electricity they generate are going to come down in price, or even stay where they are. Given that, renewable energy can be seen as a “hedge” of sorts against the likelihood of steep price increases in the years to come.
That doesn’t make it any easier for someone making $8/hour to afford a rooftop of solar panels. But for those on the fence of investing, it might provide some motivation. For everyone else, let’s hope that prices continue to come down as technologies improve and production scales up. It’s our best hope for green energy that everyone can participate in. —Ben Hewitt
READ MORE ABOUT BEN HEWITT'S OFF-THE-GRID HOME:
Part One: Kicking the Oil Habit
Part Two: Harnessing Winter
Part Three: Making a Solar Water Heater
Part Four: Tapping into the Wind
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