Originally published November 28 2005
Maine residents actively seeking sources of alternative energy
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
The Northeast Sustainable Energy Association's annual Green Building Open House showcased 500 green homes across Maine.
Amid growing concerns over the price, availability and impact of fossil fuels, Maine homeowners are searching for alternative energy sources, and many who have brought sun power into their homes argue that sustainable energy sources such as solar power can power a typical modern house without affecting individual life styles.
Within the past few years, both Rufus Wanning and Margaret DeRivera of Orland and Frank John of Brooklin chose to convert their homes in order to use the sun's power to generate electricity.
Both decided on a photovoltaic system using an array of solar panels that produce the power they need to run their homes and allow them to remain connected to their regional power supplier.
In both cases, the homeowners had to design their systems around the existing landscape.
Wanning and DeRivera installed two arrays of solar panels in their backyard in order to lessen the effects of shade from a large oak tree.
Concerns about carbon dioxide emissions, a desire to understand the technology behind solar power and concerns about the reliability and sustainability of the power grid all combined in John's decision.
From the batteries, stored in a utility room inside the house, power goes through an inverter at the control panel, converting it to AC 120 for use in the house.
Both have stayed connected to the grid, and both are producing excess energy, but for different reasons.
"That's by design; I'm optimizing the battery life versus the usage."
John's system also produces more power than the family is using, but, instead of banking the extra kilowatt hours, he uses that power to pre-heat the water before it goes into the hot water tank.
Wanning and DeRivera invested in energy-efficient appliance before switching over to solar power.
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