Subject: House Entirely Powered by Solar

From: Thomas Jaeger <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 12 Aug 1996 08:08:01 -0600

Hi!

Is it possible to power an average residental home with nothing but
solar power? If so, how much would such a project cost? How many actual
solar panels would be needed. Would covering the entire roof be enough?

Thanks.

-- 
Thomas Jaeger
CZAR Software
http://www.execpc.com/~czarsoft

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From: "Thomas W. Elliot" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 18 Aug 1996 18:41:38 -0600

> solar panels would be needed. Would covering the entire roof be enough?

I don't know what you mean by "average" residential home.  My wife and I 
power our 2200 sq ft home completely with a hybrid PV/wind system (no 
backup gas generator).  We have 6 100 watt 24 volt solar panels and one 
Air 303 wind generator.  We live in Colorado, which has excellent solar 
and wind and we run all the usuals, an efficient electric fridge, 
satellite TV, home entertainment system, computer system, lights, all on 
AC electric power from a Trace 4024 inverter.  Our system cost $10,000 
but would cost a little less today (2 years later).  The trick is to be 
efficient in how you use the energy.  If you are looking for an excuse 
to be wasteful, then stay on the grid.  If you are willing to conserve a 
little, going off the grid is practical.  We haven't gotten to 
participate in any of the recent large power outages...darn  =:-)

Tom

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From: [email-masked] (Nick Pine)
Date: 20 Aug 1996 09:37:11 -0400

Thomas W. Elliot <[email-masked]> wrote:

>...My wife and I power our 2200 sq ft home completely with a hybrid
>PV/wind system (no backup gas generator)...

How do you heat your house?

How do you heat your water?

How do you cook?

Nick

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From: [email-masked] (PGOSUN)
Date: 23 Aug 1996 13:33:17 -0400

Hi,

I have designed and had built  a number of houses entirely off the grid
and am right now working on designing a horse ranch.  A lot of the
questions you have will depend on your specific climate. 

Pamm McFadden

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From: "Thomas W. Elliot" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 25 Aug 1996 18:49:08 -0600

> How do you heat your water?

Nick,

OK, OK, so I made a bit of a semantic blunder.  We provide all our 
electrical power from the sun and wind.  The house itself it passive 
solar with a woodstove for backup.  We heat our water and cook with 
propane.  However, both can be easily converted to wood if we needed to. 
 I took the question to mean electricity.

Tom