These days everyone wants to be greener. By now some of us are driving more fuel-efficient cars or even hybrids or electric vehicles. We may have started car-pooling, cycling or walking to work. Many of us are recycling and composting and have installed energy-saving light bulbs in our homes. So what’s next for those who want to be really eco-friendly?
There are two major improvements you can make to your home that will reduce your toll on the environment and help you save money too. And you can do all that by harnessing the earth’s natural resources: the sun and the wind.
Solar Power for Your Home
Despite alarming science fiction tales, at the moment there’s more than enough sunshine to go round, so why not use some of it to power your home. Solar PV panels harness the sun’s energy and store it, distributing it as needed to run all your electrical items. All you need is a qualified electrician to install the system.
The government offers incentives for homeowners who want to go green, so you will probably benefit from discounts and rebates. More importantly, most of these systems generate far more electricity than your family will ever need, so you get to sell this back to the National Grid. Not only will you completely eliminate your electricity bill, but you will actually make money on the deal.
In some countries, homeowners use a different kind of solar panel linked to a water tank to provide hot water for washing and bathing. While this kind of system won’t put money in your pocket, it’s still a useful way to use a renewable energy source.
Wind Power for Your Home
Let’s not forget about wind power – another clean, renewable energy source. There are government incentives for those installing wind turbines at home. The newest models generate a lot of electricity and make very little noise. Just as with the solar panels, most people who install a wind turbine end up selling electricity back to the grid. That means the turbine pays for itself in a short time and then it’s pure profit. Of course, these only make sense in extremely windy areas, while solar panels can be used pretty much anywhere. If you are in a windy area, make sure that the turbine you choose is suitable both for the usual prevailing wind speed and the amount of electricity you need to generate.
The sun and wind provide a greener way to power your home. The fact that you can also make money is a welcome bonus!
Joel writes for Traditional Roofing & Building Ltd, a roofers Edinburgh firm who install solar PV systems.