Energy Efficiency Companies Keep Innovating
15 startup companies pitched their energy saving and management innovations at the PG&E hosted Emerging Technology Open Forum on July 24, 2012. I found three of them particularly interesting and useful to homeowners. Verdigris Technologies – Their product and service can tell you detail electric usage down to every single piece of appliance, including each […]
Solar PV Module Shading Problem Getting A Clearance
You may have heard that shading can reduce the electric production of solar electric modules (panels). The major cause of the lower output is because traditional solar PV systems use string inverters which convert the module output into usable house electric current. A string inverter is a separate unit that generally serves between 8 to […]
More Water Conservation Products Making Their Way to Homes
Last week I attended the PCBC Exhibition in San Francisco. This year there are more exhibitors and attendees than last year, which is good. Many products have been shown before, but two caught my eyes as particularly useful to help conserve water. The first were faucets with sensors. These products have been used widely in […]
Easy Steps to Reduce Energy Use before Renewables
Distributed renewable generation systems such as solar electric and solar hot water systems are great ways to get clean energy. The price of these systems, in particular solar electric systems, has come down in prices so much in recent years that homeowners may want to consider installing them. While the energy generated is clean, the […]
Solar PV: Costs and Financing Options
The Solar Event, sponsored by the City of San Ramon and Sustainable San Ramon had a very good turnout at the San Ramon Community Center on June 5, 2012. The presentation of the event, targeted for the homeowner audience, focused on current information about costs of solar electric (also called solar photovoltaic or solar PV […]
What to Look For When Greening Your Bathroom Remodel
For a green bathroom remodel, you may want to consider the following: Replace
10 Steps To Off-Grid With Solar PV Panels
This is like rehab, getting off of the power grid, but its not a 12-step to recovery – it’s only a 10-step toward power independence. Determine your historical energy use from your past electric bills. Pay attention to the difference between summer and winter power usage. Determine your roof area available for photovoltaic panels. the […]
4 Tips for a Low Budget Green Kitchen Remodel
Reuse is the gold standard in green remodeling. It saves you money while applying sustainable practices. Kitchen is the most used area in a home. They do get worn out after years of use. If your kitchen still functional, you may want to consider these 4 easy steps to give your kitchen a new look. […]