Energy Audit

It's been a couple of months since I've blogged but during that time I've found out a few things that I'd like to share.

I've had my energy audit and along with what I had figured (adding insulation in the attic and basement, sealing around windows and hatch to the attic), I found that there are some very lucrative rebates available for ground and water source heat pumps. The heat pumps are in used in conjunction with a radiant heating system and can provide both heat and hot water. Doing some research, it's recommended to size them to provide 70% of your heating and hot water needs to be cost effective.

Where I live next to a lake, the water source option seems like the better option. I don't have quotes but they can be as much as 14k (although I don't have pricing)

There are some other rebates available for solar hot water heaters as well. Of the glycol and evacuated tube systems, apparently the evacuated tube systems are more efficient. However upon pricing them, evacuated tube systems are MUCH more expensive (roughly 40% more or 6k based on the quotes I've received from local suppliers).

It was mentioned that I could possibly get off oil with both the heat pump and solar water heater but I am skeptical.

I did ask about the Cansolair heater and it was mentioned that they are very effecient at heating your home but of course the sun has to be shining.

I've picked a woodstove option, a Napoleon 1150 Wood Gourmet. At least if the power does go out during the winter (as it has on numerous occasions since Hurricane Juan) we'd be able to cook indoors instead of having to fire the barbeque up in the middle of a blizzard in February.

Once I get quotes on the water source heat pump I'll be making my final decisions. It will be entirely based on payback. It's becoming clear to me that the ultimate solution will be a combination of options with the first step being reducing heat loss and other sources of wasted energy.

Electric Cars

I've been doing a little reading about electric cars lately. The two that caught my attention were the Zenn and Tesla Roadster.

The Zenn is under $20,000, produced by a company in Quebec and has been approved for sale in Canada by the federal government. (Note: Provincial governments are responsible for licensing and registering vehicles). The top speed of the Zenn is 40km/h (25mph) and is designed for city driving. I live about 25km outside the city, so this vehicle would be useless to me.

The Roadster is produced in the US and to my knowledge has not not been approved to sell in the Canadian market. It's base price is $109,000. The Roadster goes from 0-60 under 4 seconds and has a top speed of 125 mph.

Now if only someone would produce a practicle vehicle, priced for the average person / family that had reasonable performance and was designed for highway as well as city driving. If they did, there would be a market for it, guaranteed.

Investing in alternative energy

It's the old adage, "money talks". Problem is that right now it's not talking loud enough. If a company marketed an alternative, whether it be solar, wind or a combination that was priced reasonably ($5,000 for a water heater that only gives you 2/3 of your hot water needs and won't heat your house, is not reasonable).

I was surfing the internet last night and starting reading about fresnel lenses and how they can concentrate sunlight to such intense heat that it can melt metal. That kind of energy can easily be used to generate electricity in a steam boiler, provide hot water and space heat if someone can figure out how to harness it and price it reasonably.

It can be a gamble to invest in alternative energy
USA Today - USA
But the prospect of $4-a-gallon gas has focused Wall Street's collective mind wonderfully on alternative energy. "When gas gets dear, it doesn't take long ...
See all stories on this topic

EnCom

Found another company that sells solar and wind energy systems, EnCom. There solar water heating solution involves panels with evacuated tubes that heat fluid (i.e. glycol) to heat water. The vacuum results in lower heat loss and claim to perform better in colder weather than solar thermal collectors. In warmer climates or hot weather they can also overheat water and require a different design that those with thermal collectors.

These may be a viable option. From I've been reading online, the solar thermal collectors can provide 90-100% of hot water requirements in the summer but only 10-20% in the winter.

There's no claim as to performce on EnCom's website.

I checked the company out at the NS Registry of Joint Stocks to see how long they've been in business, about 3 years. I've always been a little leary about companies that have not been around for very long, particularly with there after sales service but it's worth a phone call.

Great book on alternative energy

I just finished reading "Power with Nature" by Rex Ewing. It goes over wind, solar, geo-thermal and micro hydro systems, components (batteries, charge controllers, PV panels, invertors, wind turbines etc.) and what to consider when sizing and selecting your system.

From the reviews on Amazon, not everyone shares my opinion, but I thought it was a very informative read.

Ethanol as a fuel source

Ethanol seems to be getting a fair bit of attention lately as a potential replacement for gasoline. I seem to recall, from more than one documentary or news story that ethanol is not as efficient a fuel as gasoline but it is more expensive and requires more energy in it's production.

Personally, I don't believe there will be any one "magic bullet" in terms of an energy source as a replacement for oil that will be commercially viable in the next 20 years. There will be a period of weaning off where a multitude of energy sources will be made commercially available and then a period of consolidation but it will take 50 years or more.

I equate to the Betamax or VHS "war" of the 70's and early 80's both of which were eventually replaced by laser tecnology.

Green With Envy: Food prices highlight need for alternative energy
By Ashley Luthern
In the United States, about two-thirds of oil used goes toward the transportation sector, but about 25 percent of that goes toward transportation that isn't the cars we drive domestically to get around town, according to the Energy ...
The Post :: All Stories - http://www.thepost.ohiou.edu/

Home energy options

I did a calculation recently about how much I spend to heat my home and hot water (using oil) and for myself and my wife to get to work and I estimate the bill to be roughly $6,500 annually. A figure that has doubled in the last few years.

With that kind of money, we don't have a choice but to consider alternative means of energy. But that's only half of it, for the energy that is consumed, we have to make sure it's used in the most efficient means possible.

All of the internal and external lighting as been switched over to compact flourescents. CF's have been getting a fair bit of attention lately as they contain mercury and have to be disposed of accordingly but they do last for years. In addition, digital thermostats control the temperature in every zone of the house and are set to drop the temperature overnight and during the week while we're at work. Additional insulation will be the next item on the list.

My personal preference is solar energy although I'll admit I have not given wind it's fair shake. Luckily, the front of our house is a southern exposure (south south east actually). On a sunny day the house can approach 78-80 degrees in some rooms but the air circulation isn't that great, rooms on the other side stay at a cool 67-70. We also live in an area that get's it's fair share of wind on a regular basis and have enough land to put in a wind turbine.

A few produts that I'm looking at right now are:

1) Photovoltaic shingle by Uni-Solar, given that I'm going to have my roof done either this year or next - why not.
2) Solar Boiler, a local company, Thermo Dynamics, has one but I find it a little pricy.
3) Radiant in floor heat.
4) Woodstove (never said I was going green)

We currently have hot water baseboard heat and I've read articles that using solar to heat water to be incorporated into a baseboard heating system would not work as the water temperature would not be high enough. I'm not sure I get that; converting to radiant is pretty expensive and if water can be heated to a temperature to supply up to 2/3 of a homes hot water needs then why couldn't it be pre-heated to circulate through a closed system with oil as a supplementary source if needed? No one I've asked has been either able or willing to answer that question.

For the PV system, what what I'm looking for is a system that at the very least can power the my furnace (heat and hot water) water pump, selected lighting, fridge during an emergency but is scalable so that I can add additional PV units to it.

For the gas, other than carpooling, driving a more energy efficient vehicle (I drive a Corolla) there's not much that can be done. I've got a few years left in the one and I have, for my next one I'm thinking a Prius.

Energy News - April 26, 2008

Lautenberg: Pressure Bush, GOP to change energy policy
The Associated Press -
WASHINGTON (AP) — The public should pressure President Bush and his Republican allies in Congress to change energy policies that have led to record gasoline ...
See all stories on this topic

Revive nuclear energy program
Inquirer.net - Philippines
By FG Delfin Jr. NOW IS THE TIME TO REVIVE THE COUNTRY'S nuclear energy program. In the face of oil prices nearing $120/barrel, the demand to reduce ...
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Alma energy park backers promise a new kind of coal plant
MLive.com - MI,USA
by Paul Wyche The Saginaw News That's the mantra of alternative energy entrepreneurs vying for customers in Michigan as lawmakers mull legislation that ...
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Why energy must be our top priority
Belfast Telegraph - United Kingdom
There is no doubt that climate change and energy supply are two of the greatest dangers facing humanity. Experts around the world are screaming stark ...
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