When you think about renewable energy for your home, you probably think about installing solar panels. While this is a great option for many, it’s certainly not your only one. If you’re interested in eliminating fossil fuel usage in your home or are just researching small ways you can reduce your home’s carbon footprint, there are lots of ways you can achieve those goals.
Below are just a few simple ways you can incorporate renewable energy into your home.
Residential Wind Power
No, you don’t have to install a wind turbine in your backyard. Most electricity providers already have contracts with wind power companies. All it would take is a quick phone call to switch your energy to wind power instead of the traditional offerings. Most power companies provide this option, making it a simple way to make a big difference.
It might be a bit more expensive now, but the prices are set to fall in the near future as this type of energy becomes more prevalent.
Rooftop Solar Panels
This is the most common type of renewable energy source homeowners use and for good reason. It’s simple to install and sunlight is available almost anywhere. The more panels you have, the more power they can generate for your home.
While solar panels can be expensive, there are government incentives available to help offset the costs. Unfortunately, solar power cannot work at night without a large reserve, so you may have to add supplemental power options to keep your home running at night without fossil fuels.
Solar Ovens
If you’re not ready to power your entire home with renewable energy, there are plenty of options that can make a massive difference, like solar ovens. Traditional ovens use lots of electricity and/or gas, but solar ovens can be used anywhere outdoors.
It might seem like you’re conducting a science experiment, but they have extremely low costs, are free to use, and can eliminate a large chunk of your carbon footprint. Solar ovens are a fantastic short-term solution for incorporating more renewable energy into your daily routine.
Geothermal Heating
Geothermal energy is just a fancy term for harnessing the heat below the earth’s surface. It is a clean source of energy, renewable, and very inexpensive. All you need is a geothermal heat pump and you’ll be able to cut your electrical usage’s carbon footprint down 25-50%.