Installing renewable energy sources to a residence is very site specific and can be thought of as buying 25 years of energy up-front as opposed to the current pay-as-you-go system we are currently accustomed to. Although there are systems available which allow households to harness sunshine, wind and flowing water ( micro hydro) there are 2 essential elements to consider: On-Grid or Off- Grid?
On-Grid systems allow a house hold to produce it’s own energy with the added advantage of pushing energy back onto the grid. There are 2 kinds of on-grid systems. Grid Intertie without batteries and Grid Intertie with batteries.
Grid Intertie without batteries are the simplest systems. They work just like any other appliance in your home – with the notable exception that they create electricity and push it backwards into the power grid. These systems are extremely scalable and flexible.
Grid Intertie with batteries add storage. These energy systems have reserves that will operate when the grid goes down. They also allow flexibility in terms of buying and selling power at different times of the day (to take advantage of time of use electricity metering).
While the costs to install such systems are still high this will change over time. Many believe the investment now will pay off in the future as energy costs increase. Companies like Energy Alternatives Ltd design, supply or install alternative or complementary power systems tailored to specific sites and clients’ needs.
Check back soon for information on off-grid alternative energy systems.
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