Originally published January 8 2006
More millionaires turning to green power for large estates
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Forbes.com takes a look at the houses of millionaires who have installed alternative energy systems as a means of not only saving money, but also controlling their energy destiny.
Solar power is cheaper than ever for homes, American families are using geothermal heating and cooling systems, and efficient wind turbines make it a breeze to generate electricity without using polluting fossil fuels.
For example, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) estimates that nationwide, average natural gas heating costs increased 7% from last winter to this winter.
The DOE also estimates that nationwide, average heating costs increased 7%, which takes into account Arizona, Florida and other states with year-round temperate climates.
Meanwhile, state and federal incentives can help home owners install renewable energy sources or implement energy-efficient strategies in their houses.
Solar Design's projects include a beachfront estate in Martha's Vineyard, a solar power system for the White House and The Solaire, a residential tower in downtown Manhattan that has solar panels built into its skin.
The system pulls cold water out of the ground and uses it to cool air that is distributed around the house.
And since it's hidden underground, there are no air conditioning units cluttering up the land.
In places with abundant underground hot springs (think Iceland), high-temperature water can be drawn up to heat houses, and steam can be used to generate electricity.
Joe and Carrie Piazza bought their house on No Name Key, Fla., in 1999, spending about $40,000 to install a power system that includes solar panels, controls, batteries and a generator.
Alternative energy systems are very climate-specific, says Vernon McKown, an owner of Ideal Homes, an Oklahoma building company that is trying to create affordable, energy-efficient housing.
For a vacation house on the north shore of Lake Superior in Canada, Solar Design Associates installed turbines that run on wind in the winter and photovoltaic panels that collect the sun in the summer.
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