New construction is becoming more environmentally friendly, but very slowly. While I would be overjoyed to proclaim that powering your home with alternative energy would save you big money, the truth is it won't at this point in technology development. The road blocks associated with alternate power are considerable.
Solar Radiation
Solar power is generated when an array of cells containing photovoltaic material convert solar radiation to electricity. These are the manufactured cells that sit on the solar panels and actually do the active work of making use out of light rays. The sun is free. Especially in steamy Texas. It seems reasonable to harness it's power and make that big orange ball do the work without paying a ton to regulate the indoor temperature.
Let's take a deeper look to see how much money and energy this process actually saves. The average house in North America uses 14,400 watt-hours per day. Given the amount of energy that a solar panel can generate (in sunlight) you're looking at 285 square feet of panels. But you'll also need an array of other installations because the sun doesn't shine all day. The grand total of this alternative energy, not including substantial repairs needed, is $32,000. Very green, very not frugal.
Don't forget to take into account the amount of energy needed to create a solar cell. In another two decades when production is more efficient and the panels last longer we might have a much better option. Until then, you might consider leasing solar panels instead.
Wind Power
The American Wind Energy Association estimates that it costs between $6,000-15,000 to install a residential wind turbine that would completely power a home. They say that you won't have to rewire anything and that the initial investments will cut your energy bill by 50-90% and be refunded with 15 years. Wind turbines are more feasible in the north where air conditioning isn't a heavily relied upon. Most homes are serviced simultaneously by both the turbine and local utility company. The higher the wind speed, the lower your bill.
If your house is in a wind blocked area your savings probably won't be that great and you'll pay more to the utility company, which severely hampers return on your investment. Plus several health problems have cropped up as a result of the ultrasonic waves emitted by the turbines. Not enough evidence exists to solidly determine the effects, but there is a strong suspicion that the turbines cause headaches, insomnia, and tremors, especially in areas with large numbers of units.
Landfill Gas
After your rotten bananas and dirty diapers have been whisked away to the city dump they begin to decompose. This decomposition releases methane gas which can be converted to alternative, renewable energy. We like our trash and make a lot of it, but is it a perfect solution? A big snafu in this scenario is the dangerous gases, dioxins, emitted along with methane. And this is among the most expensive of alternative energy options out there right now. Unfortunately we can't stash our trash in the backyard and live off the methane. It's way too complicated and stinky.
So if we evaluate all our options through green and frugal lenses we find ourselves stuck. Powering the home with renewable energy sources is pricey and definitely not within arms reach for folks trying to pinch a penny. Plus the current state of processes needed to create solar panels and wind turbines won't necessarily cut back on energy usage anyway.
As these options become more popular and more efficient price will come down. But until that point, there's no guarantee you'll ever see a complete return on your investments. So instead of signing away your first-born's college tuition, there are several valuable lessons we can learn from homes built to host alternate energy sources.
Because solar energy obviously fluctuates with our twirling planet, the first thing builders try to accommodate is designing a super efficient home. Most houses built with the intent of installing panels are highly energy efficient in the first place—very well insulated with smart designs and Energy Star appliances. If you are customizing a home it is well worth the money up front to do the same. Build a home that requires less energy and you'll save money, whether you use solar radiation as your power or otherwise.
