Installing PV Systems to Offset

the Most Carbon Pollution

When you install a large PV solar system, you cut out a tremendous amount

of pollution because our electrical power grids are extremely inefficient.

For each kWh of energy you create with a PV system, you save three or four

times that much utility-generated power, most of which comes from coal-

fired plants in North America. PV systems allow for tremendous environmen-

tal leverage, and that will never change.

Strictly from a monetary standpoint, PV systems are becoming more compet-

itive, and as energy rates rise, they will become better investments. But even

if you pencil out the investment and it doesn’t look too good (because your

power bills aren’t that high, or you don’t get all that much sunshine), you can

use a technique that I present in Chapter 6 to modify your financial analysis

with a valuation of pollution mitigation, and you’ll probably come to the con-

clusion that a large PV system makes sense.

In addition, when you install a full-scale PV system, you lock in your energy

rates for a long time, namely at zero. If you think energy rates are going to

rise precipitously, PV is almost always a great investment. And really — what

else is going to force America off its oil addiction than high energy rates?Lighting Your Yard All Night Long

For little cost, you can put a range of fun and interesting lights around your

yard. They charge during the daylight hours and come on at night. They need

little sunlight, given the amount of light they put out.

The alternatives are awkward, clumsy, and demanding. Utility powered, low-

voltage systems have thick-gauge wires that you need to run around your

yard, tripping people and getting chewed up by the dog. And the lengths of

runs you can get away with are limited because the wire is so expensive.

Putting in solar lighting is as simple as one, two, three. And if you don’t like

the way things look, changing the layout is as simple as four, five, six. Try

both static lights and the changing-color decorative lights. You can get a

whole range of different mounting schemes, so you can place the lights any-

where. (Chapter 8 has more info on solar lighting.)

My experience is that the lights don’t even need to be in direct sunlight. Put

them under a tree, and they’ll work. You also can get ones that have the PV

panels connected to the light by a wire, so you can put the PV panel in direct

sunlight and the light under your porch roof.Redecorating for Functionality

and Appearance

Window blinds make a big difference in the overall look and comfort level of

your home. Windows attract a lot of attention (they break up walls, which are

monotonous), and they’re a source of natural sunlight. The eye is naturally

drawn to a window, particularly a big one in your family room or living room.

The fact is, windows are a major source of heat transfer. In the summer,

windows let in too much heat energy by both radiative sunlight and conduc-

tive heat movement. In the winter, windows allow a lot of heat to escape by

conduction. Your house would be much more energy efficient if it didn’t have

any windows at all, but this is absurd. The solution? Put in window blinds

that have good insulation and reflective properties.

With the right blinds, you can significantly reduce heat transfer as well as

reflect most incident sunlight. The functional effect is dramatic. The aesthetic

is even more so, if you choose the right ones. (Chapter 9 has suggestions

on what sorts of blinds to hang where.) Large windows in family rooms and

living rooms are the best candidates for installing blinds. You get the most

bang for the buck when you cover these large areas of glass.Putting Up Overhangs to Make Your

Home More Comfortable

By using overhangs to shade your southern windows appropriately, you

can increase natural warming in the winter and prevent overheating in the

summer. You also can improve the natural light in your home by increasing

the amount of sunshine you let in during the winter, when you want as much

light as possible (it makes you feel warmer, and perception is half the game),

and by decreasing it in the summer, when a lot of light makes you feel hot.

Controlling the sun as it shines into your house lets you regulate the tem-

perature variations. Nobody likes a home where the temperature swings

wildly over the course of a day. And temperature variations tend to make

materials swell and shrink, which causes cracking and premature wear. When

you install a well-designed overhang over a porch or sunroom, you minimize

temperature variations.

Overhangs are very reasonable do-it-yourself projects (Chapter 8 has more

details). You don’t need electrical experience or plumbing know-how. There

are usually no extraordinary weight requirements that entail consulting a

professional engineer. And if you keep things modest, you don’t need to get a

county building permit or permission from an association design committee.

Increasing Your Living Space

You can add a solar room onto your home for far less cost than a conven-

tional room. You can put in nearly any size you want, and do-it-yourself kits

are straightforward and well designed. You can build a solar room out of

aluminum or wood, and you can put in however many and whatever size win-

dows you want. You can incorporate a concrete floor (for maximum thermal

mass), or you can use an existing wooden or synthetic deck.

If you do it right, you can build a solar room without getting a building permit

(forego electric power and don’t connect it permanently to your house).

You can build a solar room out of plastic corrugated materials that cost very

little. You can grow plants in a greenhouse year round, or if you want to get

really exotic you can grow fruits, flowers, or vegetables. If you choose to

build a sunroom, you can use it as extra living space when it’s not too hot. If

you insulate it well, you’ll have a family room for about one-tenth the cost of

adding to your house.