With the resurgence of interest in self-sufficient living, the number of households seeking to power their homes with alternative sources has increased. While solar power remains the most popular choice, with its many benefits, other forms of energy such as wind and water are also gaining popularity.
Here’s a look at how you can use renewable energy sources to power your home.
Off-Grid
If you live in an area where power lines are not readily available, you will need to explore alternative methods of generating electricity. Off-grid power generation means you will have to create your own power supply. The most popular form of off-grid power is solar energy. However, you can use a number of different energy sources including wind, water, and even natural gas. The key is to find a way to store enough energy to cover your basic household energy needs. Fortunately, this can be done simply by combining a number of renewable energy sources. For instance, you can generate electricity using a wind turbine and a rechargeable battery system.
On-Grid
If your home is close to a power grid, you have an option of generating electricity using an on-grid power system. This type of system is connected to the grid and can tap into the power supply whenever needed. The advantage of this type of setup is that you can turn on the juice whenever you want without having to concern yourself with storing energy. The disadvantage is that the price of electricity is likely to be higher than that of alternative power sources.
Smart Meters
With the rise of the sharing economy, more and more households have installed smart meters. These are appliances that track the amount of energy you consume in real-time and allow you to be aware of your energy use. Furthermore, having a smart meter makes it much easier to be eco-friendly because you can easily monitor your energy consumption. Although smart meters are convenient, they are not a complete solution. In order to get the most out of this type of system, you will need to have advanced knowledge of energy efficiency. You will also need to be sure that your energy provider offers eco-friendly solutions.
Wanted: Flexibility
If you plan on using alternative sources of energy to generate electricity for your home, you will need to be sure that you have enough flexibility in your energy supply. As the name suggests, alternative power sources are not always available when you need them and it is not always easy to predict how much energy you will need at a certain time. The best course of action is to have a reserve source ready to go whenever you need it. The wanted flexibility in your energy supply can be acquired by investing in a storage system, such as a battery or a capacitor. These items can be purchased and installed once and they will provide you with endless amounts of energy whenever you need it. The choice between a capacitor or a battery depends on your personal preferences. Batteries are simpler and cheaper but capacitors allow for larger power reserves.
Insight
In order to use alternative power sources effectively, you will need to be well-informed about your environmental impact. If you use fossil fuels in your power generation process, you will be contributing to climate change. Although alternative power sources avoid this problem, you will still need to be aware of your energy consumption. Using less energy means producing less negative impact on the environment. In order to become more energy-efficient and eco-friendly, you will need to monitor your energy usage regularly.
If you decide to explore alternative sources of energy for your home, you will need to consider a variety of factors. In addition to having the flexibility needed to cover your basic energy needs, you will want to ensure that your power supply is eco-friendly and that it does not contribute to climate change. Luckily, with these tips, you can generate your own power anywhere and whenever you need it.