Some Cheap Ways to Produce Electricity at home:
Renewable energy is the future. We can’t keep destroying the planet at this unprecedented rate, but solving climate change isn’t an easy solution, especially on a personal level. It may seem like your efforts to ‘go green’ are futile in the grand scheme of things, but 12% of the greenhouse gasses released by Americans in 2018 were from their homes. As more and more renewable energy options are available, everyone can do their part to cut down on the use of fossil fuels.
Renewable energy
sources are the answer:
The sun, wind, and the natural flow of water can help modern society moves beyond harmful energy sources. Renewables potential to create electricity could be the path to immensely cutting down our carbon emissions especially if more people move to driving electric cars.
Cutting down your
electricity bills:
For the DIY homeowner, there are many options available to cut emissions and electricity bills. Becoming self-sustainable doesn’t just make sense environmentally and economically, it feels good to not rely on others for your basic needs.
The Covid-19 pandemic and social unrest in 2020 has caused many people to become more sustainable. Our society is fragile, having a backup plan is a good idea, especially in these uncertain times.
Some cheap ways to produce electricity for DIY homeowners:
1) Solar Panels – Effective but little Expensive:
Most people immediately think of solar panels when they look to renewable energy for the home. The sun can be an amazing source of energy. Depending on where you live and how much energy you consume, solar panels can power your entire home and electric vehicles.
The problem with solar panels is that they have a high initial cost. Solar panels are getting cheaper and more efficient, but they still will cost tens of thousands to get started. Once they are paid for and installed, there are also costs in maintenance.
While solar panels are expensive, they will eventually pay for themselves. However, many people don’t have the luxury of paying the upfront fees to get started.
The energy being captured by the solar panels are stored in
batteries capable of holding a large amount of energy. You need at least 10 -
12 hours of sunlight to adequately recharge your house batteries. Some days you
may get more or less, depending on the time of year. In the winter you may only
get 4 hours of sun per day.
If you’re considering solar panels and want to know that your roof is good for solar panels then visit Google’s Project Sunroof.
Luckily there are options for the DIY homeowner that don’t require installing huge, expensive panels on your roof.
2) Wind Energy
The US department of energy predicts that wind will make up 35% of the country’s electricity. It is debated, but many regard wind as the most efficient source of renewable energy. Massive turbines aren’t the only way to utilize the wind as a form of electricity. Small turbines can be installed by the average homeowner for a fairly low initial cost and bring in a steady flow of free electricity.
DIY wind turbine for
homeowners:
Getting a DIY wind turbine purchased and installed is much less expensive and complicated that one may think. There are a range of products that cost under $500 online. However, if you are looking for more juice, a wind turbine can cost up to $4,000.
A small turbine that is reasonably priced can power small household devices such as TVs, computers, and lights. If you are looking for supply electricity for your entire home, a wind turbine may not be powerful enough, especially one coming in under $500.
Wind turbines can produce power using winds as low as 5mph. While they may not be able to power your washing machine or water heater, using a DIY wind turbine to generate electricity at home can still decrease into your monthly power bills.
3) Solar Powered Lights and Cameras:
Installing solar panels on your roof isn’t the only way to utilize the sun as a source of electricity. There are many outdoor lighting options that don’t require a huge initial cost to start generating free power.
Security cameras and
systems:
There are some impressive security systems using the latest technology that run 100% by the sun. Equipped with their own small panels and batteries, lights and cameras can be installed anywhere that gets sunlight during the day. These products store plenty of power to make it through the night and even weeks of overcast.
Solar powered security cameras give the home or business owner more options because they don’t require a power cord. Your video is uploaded to the cloud and can be viewed on your mobile device why pay for electricity companies to run your security system when you can utilize the sun.
4) Solar Powered Water Heater
If you are looking for a more challenging DIY project, look no further than setting up a hot water heater powered by solar.
There are hundreds of videos online with detailed instructions on how to heat your water using solar power. All you need is a place to store the water and a way to capture the heat generated from the sun’s rays. Some people use solar panels others use hoses or metal piping to heat the water.
mit solar tower can save you traditional solar panel costs and energy.
Renewables are the Answer:
If you are looking to cut costs on electricity and become more self-sufficient, there are so many ways to generate power from renewable sources. YouTube and Pinterest are great places to get ideas for DIY projects perfect for homeowner who wants to save some money on their bills and help out the environment.