In the modern world, environmentalism has become a raging topic, permeating both residential and commercial sectors.
While entrepreneurs and businesses are working hard to integrate green solutions into their companies, homeowners are also doing their best to optimise their homes for minimal resource wastage and increased financial savings.
Here are some ways you can optimise your home for maximum energy efficiency using renewable resources, and make long-term financial savings in the process.
Solar air conditioning
Air conditioning is no longer a luxury amenity. Rather it has become an essential part of every home due to the rising temperatures around the world. Unfortunately, your air conditioning might just be the most wasteful appliance in your entire home, sucking up substantial amounts of energy on a daily basis in order to keep the house cool.
Investing in solar air conditioning is a prudent way to decrease the temperature inside the house at no cost to the environment and more importantly for you, it should help you save on your energy bills.
Installing a wind turbine
While you might only ever come across a wind turbine while adventuring through the countryside, you should know that it’s possible to install one right in your backyard (provided you have enough real estate to make it happen) to power your home.
However, you might refrain from buying one if you cherish the view from your window because they tend to disrupt the outdoor landscape with their bulky, mechanic appearance. They can also make plenty of noise, and they do require a sizeable property.
For these reasons, you should think of your neighbours and whether a wind turbine will disturb their view and peace too. Nonetheless, they are an excellent source of renewable energy.
Harvesting solar energy for the entire household
One of the most powerful and widely accepted long-term solutions for residential areas comes in the form of a solar panel. Or rather, several square feet of solar panels spread across your roof. While a roof is the typical place to install them, you can also install panels in your yard if that is more convenient.
There are plenty of solutions and systems to choose from, ranging from a single kilowatt to five-kilowatt systems.
Depending on the size of your household and your family, as well as the orientation and latitude of your panels, you can expect to consume at least one kilowatt of power.
For instance, a solar system of 5kW is an excellent choice for most growing families with high electricity requirements.
Using solar batteries
Indeed, solar panel systems can be a significant renewable energy solution for homes and other residential properties. Their ability to generate solar energy can be a perfect addition to your home’s valuable devices.
However, it’s essential to know that solar panels can only produce electricity when the sun is shining, and the weather is good.
However, when there is little to no sunlight, these devices may be unable to generate the power your home requires to function, particularly at night. This is where solar batteries come into play.
Generally, solar batteries are electrical devices that are used to store the electrical energy generated by solar panels. As a result, they can be utilized on cloudy and rainy days or at night when the sun is sleeping.
Solar batteries, also known as photovoltaic batteries, have a longer service life of about ten years, depending on temperature and frequency of discharges. However, you may wonder whether solar batteries are worthwhile, primarily since your solar panel system can only function adequately when the sun shines.
Given the meteoric rise in popularity of these batteries and the steep spike in electricity rates, it’s safe to argue that solar batteries are significant and should be part of residential homes’ renewable energy solutions. But if you want a more in-depth explanation of why solar batteries, such as those from Plico Energy are worth it at this age and time, you may check some reliable information online. This way, you’ll know whether these devices can revolutionize energy in your area.
Hydropower for riverbank homes
If you were so lucky as to build your home next to a river or any source of flowing water, you have the unique opportunity to convert the stream into a source of energy for your home.
You can divert part of the stream or even the entire brook to flow through a turbine and generate power.
To do this, you will need to assess the largest vertical distance the water travels, and divert that water to flow through a turbine. Unsurprisingly, you will be able to produce ample amounts of power this way, relative to the vertical distance and the amount of water flowing through the turbine.
Much like for the solar system, you will need to let a professional team handle the installation of a hydropower generator.
Solar water heating
Using the same principles of harvesting solar energy for the purpose of supplying your home with clean electricity, solar water heaters are used to warm up a tank of water, which you can later pump into your radiators, faucets, or showerheads. If you are looking to get into the renewable energy game, this is a great way to start.
Traditional water heaters waste plenty of energy, but with a solar heater, you will be able to dial down your bills substantially. Combining a solar water heater with solar air conditioning and solar panels for clean electricity is one of the best long-term solutions currently available for homeowners.
Going green in your home is an excellent way to lend a helping hand to our planet, create a healthy living environment and make substantial financial savings in the future. Be sure to consider these contemporary solutions and you will have no problem optimising your home for maximum energy efficiency.
