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Politics : The Environmentalist Thread -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Wharf Rat who wrote (34935)	8/12/2011 12:13:38 PM
From: Wharf Rat	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 36917

How Practical is Residential Solar Power? Forget practicality for a moment, and indulge in a bit of imagining. Picture a 3,000-square-foot home that generates more energy than it uses. Now, imagine that home costs $250,000. Sound too good to be true? Ask the Kenny’s. In December of 2009, the family of six moved into the Bosch Thermotechnology EcoPlusHome, a house built to prove that sustainability can come at an affordable price. For a year, the Kenny family lived comfortably in the home in Bathurst, New Brunswick, Canada, where winter temperatures dip to -31 degrees Fahrenheit. EcoPlusHome (EPH), known for constructing affordable, efficient homes across Canada, teamed up with the thermotechnology division of the Bosch Group for the project. The crew not only wanted to build a home with net-zero energy costs, but one that they could replicate elsewhere—a model for mass installation both in Canada and the United States. Maple Leaf Homes was the builder. The EPH project was delivered in four pre-fabricated sections. A residential solar system covers almost every inch of the south-facing roof. While continuous advances in solar technology are making solar panels more efficient and more affordable, the EPH team wanted to ensure that the test home was completely off -grid and self-sufficient. To get pricing on a cost-saving solar system in your area, click here. The home’s solar energy system and solar thermal system are complemented by a geothermal heat pump, a technology that taps into the naturally-occurring energy stored in the earth. Operating the Bosch geothermal heat pumps costs nothing – the pumps generate more energy than they consume both in heating and cooling modes. The home also included energy-efficient appliances and an insulated basement. The EPH team tracked the Kenny home for a year, carefully monitoring the family’s energy consumption. The totals surpassed their expectations. While the home used 14,234 kilowatt hours over the year, it generated 15,199 kilowatt hours, for a net gain of 965 kilowatt hours. When a net-zero energy consumption home is the goal, solar electricity in combination with other technologies may be the most practical and affordable way to live off the grid. The EPH project was deemed an unprecedented success. More are being built across the region – 12 homes have been pre-sold and are currently in construction. In the United States, 21% of the country’s total energy consumption occurs in residential structures. That number is expected to double by 2050. Homeowners, manufacturers and policymakers will inevitably need to address energy availability and affordability concerns. Perhaps no single technology holds all the answers. The EcoPlusHome is proof that harnessing the power of the sun, earth and wind can provide practical solutions. http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/news/how-practical-is-residential-solar-power/ == Test house: EnerGuide 96 rating Most energy efficient home in Atlantic Canada In 2008 EcoPlusHome and the Bosch Group began the design and development of the EcoPlusHome Test House in Bathurst, New Brunswick. Our goal was to create a smart home environment that would not rely on fossil fuels for electricity or heat. With very cold winters (-35C/-31F) and boiling hot summers (35C/95F), Bathurst offered the perfect test climate. We designed the Test House as a complete system: we placed a well-built, airtight modular home in the right orientation on the right site, then incorporated the best advanced energy-efficiency systems and materials. And it worked. The six-member Kenny family spent 12 months (2009-2010) in the Test House during which time it generated and conserved the energy they needed to live comfortably through the area’s seasonal temperature extremes. In 2010, Efficiency New Brunswick gave the Bathurst Test House an EnerGuide rating of 96, the highest they had ever given. We are proud to have built the most energy efficient home in Atlantic Canada. http://ecoplushome.com/index.php/test-house