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Concern over energy supply, costs, and environmental problems are not limited to those prepared to venture into the countryside to an off-grid life. Urban people—now the vast majority in the Western world—share the same fear about what lies ahead. The average North American family will spend over one quarter million after-tax dollars on energy in a lifetime.
$mart Power shows homeowners that using less energy or adopting renewable-energy technologies is not about making drastic lifestyle sacrifices, nor is it expensive. In fact, energy efficiency often improves lifestyle through lower operating costs, a more comfortable environment, and increased disposable income.
Richly illustrated, chapters include energy efficiency, space heating and cooling, community power, energy efficient transportation, photovoltaics, wind and bio-fuels, batteries, voltage regulation and inverters, solar water heating, and backup power.
| Contents | ||
| Preface | ||
| Acknowledgements | ||
| Chapter 1 | Introduction | 1 |
| 1.1 | Introduction | 1 |
| 1.2 | Renewable Energy Eco-nomics | 7 |
| 1.3 | What is Energy? | 16 |
| 1.4 | A Few Words about Energy and Climate Change | 31 |
| Chapter 2 | Energy Efficiency | 35 |
| 2.1 | New Home Design Considerations | 37 |
| 2.2 | Working with what you already have: Updating an Older Home | 49 |
| 2.3 | Appliance Selection | 77 |
| 2.4 | Energy Efficient Lighting | 87 |
| 2.5 | Water Supply and Conservation | 93 |
| 2.6 | A Kaleidoscope of Energy Eco-nomic Ideas for Renters and Homeowners Alike | 102 |
| Chapter 3 | Space Heating and Cooling with Renewable Energy | 107 |
| 3.1 | Passive Solar Space Heating | 111 |
| 3.2 | Active Solar Air Heating | 115 |
| 3.3 | Active Solar Water Heating | 119 |
| 3.4 | Solar Pool Heating | 141 |
| 3.5 | Active Solar Space Heating | 145 |
| 3.6 | Earth-Energy with "Geoexchange" | 153 |
| 3.7 | Heating with Renewable Fuels | 161 |
| 3.8 | Space Cooling Systems | 179 |
| Chapter 4 | Community Power | 183 |
| The Case for Community Power | 184 | |
| Public Outreach | 188 | |
| Local Dealers | 189 | |
| Living in the Community | 193 | |
| Generating Power in the Community | 196 | |
| Chapter 5 | Biofuels | 201 |
| 5.1 | Ethanol-Blended Fuels | 205 |
| 5.2 | Biodiesel as a Source of Green Fuel and Heat | 211 |
| Chapter 6 | Energy Efficient Transportation | 223 |
| Bio and Electric Power | 226 | |
| Mass Transit | 230 | |
| Ultra-Low Fuel Vehicles | 233 | |
| Hybrid Power Systems | 234 | |
| Large Hybrid Vehicles | 239 | |
| Purchasing a Fuel-Efficient Vehicle | 241 | |
| Car Sharing | 242 | |
| The Future of Automobiles | 244 | |
| Chapter 7 | A Primer for Grid-Connected Electrical Systems | 249 |
| Grid-Dependent Systems | 249 | |
| Grid-Interactive Systems | 251 | |
| Regulatory Requirements | 252 | |
| When the Grid Fails | 254 | |
| The Changing Seasons | 259 | |
| Phantom Loads | 261 | |
| Economics | 263 | |
| Chapter 8 | Photovoltaic Electricity Generation | 265 |
| What is Watt? | 266 | |
| PV Cell Construction | 267 | |
| PV Output Rating Caution | 270 | |
| PV Module Lifespan | 270 | |
| PV Module Maintenance | 270 | |
| PV Module Installation Checklist | 271 | |
| Calculate Your Energy Requirements | 271 | |
| Ensure the Site has Clear Access to the Sun | 276 | |
| Decide Whether to Rack or Track | 277 | |
| Eliminate Tree Shading | 281 | |
| Consider Snow and Ice Buildup in Winter | 281 | |
| Ensure Modules do not Overheat in Hot Weather | 281 | |
| Decide on the System Voltage | 281 | |
| Locate the Array as Close to Batteries or Inverter as Possible | 283 | |
| Chapter 9 | The Urban Wind Turbine a.k.a. The Urbine | 285 |
| Home-Sized Wind Turbines - The Myth of Pegasus | 285 | |
| Site Location and Installation | 286 | |
| Noise and Mechanical Loads | 288 | |
| Chapter 10 | Battery Selection | 291 |
| Why Use Batteries | 291 | |
| Battery Selection | 293 | |
| How Batteries Work | 293 | |
| Depth of Discharge | 295 | |
| Operating Temperature | 297 | |
| Battery Sizing | 298 | |
| Hydrogen Gas Production | 302 | |
| Safe Installation of Batteries | 304 | |
| Battery and Energy Metering | 305 | |
| Summary | 308 | |
| Chapter 11 | D.C. Voltage Regulation | 309 |
| Series Controller | 311 | |
| Maximum Power Point Tracking | 312 | |
| Diversion Charge Controller | 315 | |
| Voltage Regulator Selection | 315 | |
| Charging Batteries from the Grid | 316 | |
| Charging Strategy (all controller configurations) | 316 | |
| Nighttime | 317 | |
| Sunrise | 317 | |
| Absorption or Tapering Charge | 318 | |
| Float Stage | 318 | |
| Equalization Mode | 319 | |
| Diversion Loads | 321 | |
| Chapter 12 | D.C. to A.C. Conversion Using Inverters | 325 |
| Inverter A.C. Waveform | 328 | |
| Grid-interconnection Operation (grid-dependent mode) | 320 | |
| Grid-interconnection with Battery Backup (grid-interactive mode) | 331 | |
| Inverter Ratings | 333 | |
| Sine Wave versus Modified Square Wave Inverter Models | 333 | |
| Output Voltage | 333 | |
| Inverter Continuous Capacity | 334 | |
| Inverter Surge Capacity | 335 | |
| Inverter Temperature Derating | 336 | |
| Battery Charging | 337 | |
| Chapter 13 | Fossil-Fueled Backup Power Sources | 339 |
| Generator Types | 340 | |
| Generator Rating | 341 | |
| Voltage Selection | 344 | |
| Fuel Type and Economy | 345 | |
| Gasoline | 345 | |
| Natural Gas | 345 | |
| Propane | 345 | |
| Diesel | 345 | |
| Biodiesel | 345 | |
| Generator Noise and Heat | 346 | |
| Generator Operation | 347 | |
| Other Considerations | 348 | |
| Further Notes on Biodiesel Fuel | 349 | |
| Chapter 14 | Putting It All Together Safely | 351 |
| A Word or Two about Safety | 352 | |
| Electrical Codes and Regulatory Issues | 352 | |
| What Goes Where? | 354 | |
| Direct Current Wiring Overview | 356 | |
| AC/DC Disconnection and Over-Current Protection | 360 | |
| Battery Cables | 362 | |
| Wiring Color Codes | 362 | |
| System Grounding | 363 | |
| Lightning Protection | 364 | |
| Interconnecting the Parts | 366 | |
| PV Array | 366 | |
| Wind Turbine Connection | 369 | |
| Renewable Source to Battery Feed Cable | 369 | |
| Over-Current Protection and Disconnection Devices | 370 | |
| Battery Wiring | 371 | |
| Battery Voltage Regulation | 372 | |
| Series Regulator | 373 | |
| Shunt or Diversion Regulator | 373 | |
| The Inverter | 376 | |
| DC Input Connection | 376 | |
| AC Output Connection | 378 | |
| The Generator | 379 | |
| Energy Meters | 380 | |
| Chapter 15 | Living with Renewable Energy | 381 |
| Solar Thermal Systems | 381 | |
| Solar Electric Systems | 381 | |
| Getting Started | 382 | |
| Grid-Dependent (non-battery based) Systems | 382 | |
| Grid-Interactive (battery backup) Systems | 383 | |
| Up and Running | 386 | |
| What Else? | 388 | |
| Chapter 16 | Conclusion | 391 |
| Appendices | ||
| 1 | Cross Reference Chart of Various Fuels Energy Ratings | 395 |
| 2 | Typical Power and Electrical Ratings of Appliances and Tools | 396 |
| 3 | Resource Guide | 398 |
| 4 | Magnetic Declination Map for North America | 405 |
| 5 | North America Sun Hours per Day (Worst Month) | 406 |
| 6 | North America Sun Hours per Day (Best Month) | 407 |
| 7 | Electrical Energy Consumption Work Sheet | 408 |
| 8 | North America Average Annual Wind Speed | 409 |
| 9 | Voltage, Current and Distance Charts for 12, 24 and 48 Volt generation Systems | 410 |
| 10 | Wire Sizes versus Current Carrying Capacity | 411 |
| Index | 412 |
Overview
Concern over energy supply, costs, and environmental problems are not limited to those prepared to venture into the countryside to an off-grid life. Urban people—now the vast majority in the Western world—share the same fear about what lies ahead. The average North American family will spend over one quarter million after-tax dollars on energy in a lifetime.
$mart Power shows homeowners that using less energy or adopting renewable-energy technologies is not about making drastic ...