Alternative Residential Energy Sources

Solar Energy

Using solar energy to supply heat and power to households is a very popular green energy method. The suns power is exploited with the help of solar collectors which are installed on homes and other buildings. In recent years, the so called "passive solar energy system" is also becoming more and more popular. This is a way of building hoses so they themselves use as much warmth from the environment as possible. The way we collect solar energy is not yet developed to the point when it would be possible to get all the energy we need from it, mostly because it is still very expensive.

Energy obtained from biomass is energy we get from burning things such as animal waste, rubbish, seaweed, corn stalks, woodchips and other waste. The most common form of biomass used domestically is wood and woodchips. In recent years, there was also a visible increase in the use of wood pellets which are made out of compressed waste sawdust. Wood elements are burned in special wood burning stoves, which are installed in homes to take the place of traditional gas or coal heat furnaces.

Home wind turbines are not very commonly used yet, but they are starting to appear in larger numbers. The problem with powering residential areas with wind turbines is the fact they work their best in wide open spaces and can not reach their full potential in urban areas. However, if wind turbines are placed in areas with wind, it has been estimated, they can provide enough energy to power a household on their own. This is why it is predicted more and more households, which are located in less-heavily populated areas, will start getting their power from wind.

Geothermal energy, which is derived from the heat of the earth, is used in residential purposes with the help of ground source heath pumps. These types of pumps are practical as they can be installed under houses of any size and can in the case of already existing houses easily be installed by using the already present duct-work. According to the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency, this type of energy is the most effective and environmentally friendly system.