In recent years, the increasing energy demand, coupled with the growing impacts of climate change and aging infrastructure, has led to a heightened risk of blackouts. Due to this, securing transmission networks has increasingly become very important. Unfortunately, these networks are increasingly being affected by floods, wildfires, and extreme heat.

While high-voltage transmission networks are essential in delivering electricity over long distances, they are vulnerable to climate-related threats. These networks should be reinforced through advanced technology, engineering upgrades, and strategic planning.

Access various energy sources and use smart grid technologies

A main advantage of a reliable transmission network is its ability to transmit energy to different regions using diverse energy sources. For instance, during extreme heat, there is an increased demand for electricity driven by increased air conditioning usage. By integrating several geographic areas with various energy sources, power generation can be diversified, ensuring a more stable energy supply during peak periods. This also ensures that the weather or other sources of disruptions do not affect the whole grid.

Coupling transmission infrastructure with smart grid technology is crucial for managing demand and supply, especially during heat waves. With smart grid technologies, you’ll not only monitor electricity in real time but also be able to identify any challenges and redistribute electricity efficiently. Additionally, optimizing load distribution and minimizing energy wastage can help prevent blackouts and make the grid more reliable.

Physical hardening and data-driven risk management

Another way to secure transmission networks is by replacing the old poles with storm and fire-resistant materials. The industry should also avoid burying cables in high-risk floods or wildfires. Elevating substations and control centers above flood levels is another important measure.

Additionally, grid infrastructure dataset – such as supervisory control and temperature monitoring – allow operators to identify vulnerabilities more accurately rather than relying on historical assumptions. Using metrics like risk spend efficiency (RSE) helps balance costs and benefits when planning upgrades.

Regional cooperation and resilient design

A well-connected transmission network allows regional cooperation and grid coordination among regions and companies. For instance, when there is a widespread demand due to heat waves, coordinating the response strategies and sharing resources can significantly help balance the load. This collaborative, unique approach not only boosts stability but also reduces the risk of blackouts in individual areas.

Designing looped transmission paths and building microgrids capable of operating independently during main grid failures further enhance resilience. Investment in interregional transmission lines and grid-scale batteries supports supply balancing during extreme weather or outages.

Smart innovation and community engagement

Making grids smarter by installing sensors that detect weather conditions allows for immediate action – such as isolating affected grid sections to prevent widespread disruptions. Other adaptation strategies include nature-based solutions such as building temporary flood walls to protect the substation.

Finally, the industry and other stakeholders should invest in research and support the development of new technologies that can improve the resilience of transmission networks. This includes using energy storage solutions, smart conductors, and innovative grid management techniques that help in asset monitoring services.  More so, public awareness should be created about the role of transmission networks and the importance of climate resilience in providing reliable energy. This can involve using educational programs, public forums, and other community engagement meetings.

As climate concerns grow more urgent, transitioning to clean energy is necessary. Using smart grid technologies and comprehensive strategies involving design, data, innovation, and investment will improve grid resilience against external threats and extreme weather. This requires collaboration between energy utilities, governments, and other stakeholders.

The post How to secure transmission networks in an unstable climate appeared first on Green Prophet.

Ready to give up access to electricity? Given the rising costs of conventional utilities, it’s a lifestyle more people are willing to try. Embracing an off-the-grid lifestyle is also driven by a desire to reduce carbon footprints while reducing dependence on utility companies.

But like most aspirations, you need practical tools and implementation to make an off-the-grid lifestyle possible. Knowing what your options are to achieve your goal of greener living helps determine which path you need to take. Rechargeable lighting plays a key role in environmentally sustainable lifestyles. And here are some of the options you can take advantage of.

Battery Power

Yep, batteries don’t need to be connected to an outlet to provide reliable power. While some rechargeable batteries “refuel” by storing electricity, others recharge using renewable energy sources. Solar-powered rechargeable batteries are a good example.

Lighting sources that use rechargeable batteries include an LED flashlight, a generator, and an outdoor solar light fixture. Flashlights are some of the more versatile lighting choices, since these devices offer various sizes and brightness. Brightness capability is also known as lumens. If you need strong lighting, choose a device with a higher lumen output.

But if you want something for everyday use, you might go with the lower end of the lumens range. Plus, flashlights come in smaller sizes, with some even fitting on a keychain or lanyard. Choosing a rechargeable device means you’re reducing the waste and cost associated with frequent battery replacements.

Solar Power

With solar panels, you can generate enough electricity to run the lights and then some in your home. The adoption of solar as a renewable energy source is growing, with installations expected to triple by 2034. Furthermore, solar is projected to be the largest source of energy fueling the U.S. grid by 2050.

But you don’t have to use lights connected to the grid to harness the power of the sun. Cabins can run off solar-powered generators. Lights, from outdoor fixtures to portable lanterns, can also use solar as a fuel source.

You can take lanterns with you, whether you’re hiking or sitting outside on your porch. Outdoor solar-powered fixtures can illuminate the exterior of your property, supporting your safety and security. Solar-powered lights usually don’t require much work, either. These devices are long-lasting without the need for a ton of troubleshooting or maintenance.   

Wind-Ups

If you’re not afraid of a little elbow grease, wind-up lights can be a way to embrace a greener lifestyle. These lights are usually portable and run off an internal capacitor or battery. The difference is that these devices have a crank you turn to generate energy.

By winding up the light, your actions create the energy the device needs to emit light. Although wind-up lights reduce dependence on traditional power sources, they won’t necessarily light up a whole room. These devices work best in situations where you need a reading lamp and want to illuminate a smaller space.

Wind-up lights are also sustainable solutions for campsites, RV travel, and other outdoor adventures. They’re typically small enough to pack and take with you on the trails. As long as you’re prepared to be the energy source behind these lights, they can be a viable choice.

Gas Lanterns

Before the grid existed, people used gas lanterns to light the way. Some communities still use traditional gas-powered lanterns, which rely on fuel like kerosene. These lanterns contain a smaller amount of fuel in a base. You switch on the lamp when you need light, burning a bit of the fuel at a time.

Gas lanterns are convenient because they’re also portable. While they do require some maintenance and safety considerations, you can use them at home and off the beaten path. Gas lanterns tend to emit a bright, white flame as long as there’s enough fuel to burn.

Besides kerosene, propane, butane, and natural gas are other fuel options. You can usually find gas lanterns at home improvement stores, sporting goods retailers, and online. Options include the more well-known portable lamps and decorative outdoor fixtures for homes.

Candles

Another traditional source of light that doesn’t require electricity is the candle. You can light them with a match or a lighter if matches aren’t your thing. Like gas lanterns, candles require a few safety considerations.

You may need a base to hold the candle steady. You’ll also want to be mindful of wind, which could cause the flame to spread to nearby objects. It’s also important to extinguish candles before turning in for the night or lying down for a nap.

If kids are in your household, teaching them about fire safety and proper candle use is an additional must. However, there are flameless candle options for those who don’t want to deal with the caveats. These are battery-powered devices that emit a soft glow. You simply turn them on and off as you need to use them.

Living Off the Grid

Supporting a greener lifestyle does mean making conscious choices about what tools and energy sources you use. You still need lighting when natural sunlight isn’t available. Devices that use rechargeable batteries, solar power, human energy, and non-electrical fuel sources can keep your surroundings bright. When you want to live off the grid, know there are sustainable ways within your reach.                 

The post Off-the-Grid and On Point: Rechargeable Lighting That Supports a Greener Lifestyle appeared first on Green Prophet.

If you picture an eco-village, you might imagine a simple dwelling with permaculture gardens and a very slow, rural pace of life. While often true, this rustic image undermines the technology that is increasingly being used to achieve their sustainability – technology that we shouldn’t be frightened of or avoid, but use to harness a greener way of life.

Energy solutions

Energy independence is a big part of eco villages. While solar panels are the visible, sung heros here, the real magic lies in integrated systems underpinning them. Smart microgrids are used to manage locally generated power from diverse mix of sources like solar, micro-hydro, or even wind. They balance loads and incorporate battery banks for storage, which reduces the reliance on external grids. 

Advanced solar integration can be expressed through Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV), in which the solar cells become part of the building fabric itself. The real MVPs, though, are the energy efficiency monitoring systems, such as smart meters and community dashboards, which can track both generation and consumption. Through finding patterns, or possibly using machine learning, it’s possible to better align the two so there’s no waste (this is even more important when many dwellings share energy).

Intelligent water management systems

Water is life, and eco-villages treat it as such through age-old conservation and reuse techniques. Rainwater harvesting isn’t just barrels, it means having integrated roof catchments feeding into systems with first-flush diverters that automatically discard the initial, most contaminated runoff. Water then passes through staged filtration, like sediment traps, then by sand or gravel, before collection in large cisterns. Again, IoT sensors are often used to help determine and notify of capacity and cleanliness levels.

For accessing this water, particularly for irrigation, choose a submersible pump for its efficiency – this can quickly transfer water in a reliable way. Further along the cycle might be constructed wetlands, which are carefully designed shallow beds. They’re planted with aquatic vegetation and use natural microbial processes within their gravel and sand substrates to purify greywater (sometimes even pre-treated blackwater), making it safe for irrigation with minimal energy input.

Waste not, want not

“Waste” is a resource that’s awaiting transformation. Composting techniques like vermicomposting (using worms) or Bokashi (fermentation) help process organic matter into rich soil amendments. Of course, these are old techniques that don’t require much technology.

However, investing in some innovative technology can open more doors to transformation, as not all transformation can be naturally captured. Some communities employ anaerobic biogas digesters, which are sealed tanks that break down food scraps and animal manure in an oxygen-free environment. This produces methane gas for cooking or heating as well as a nutrient-rich liquid fertilizer. IoT sensors, again, can track microbial activity to help boost gas yields.

Technology as the invisible foundation

Energy, water, and waste are the three flows that need to be managed by intelligent technologies. This infrastructure is frequently “unseen” because it’s designed to be integrated and harmonious with natural systems, rather than intrusive (it’s not consumption-led). Harmony between dwellings can be difficult, and this is where integrated systems can communicate. It goes to show that such communities are not anti-technology, but instead are simply selective about only using technology that benefits them and aligns with their values. 

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Early April in Northern Ontario, Canada and finally a few dry spots to test the MoonCool e-bike. This was my first attempt at putting together and riding an e-bike. First off if I had looked at the video online I would have opened the box in a few seconds. I hadn’t so 1/2 hour later I managed to open it. I needed a stronger arm to unfold the frame.

Everything fits easily according to instruction manual except for the front light wire. I had to redo that part to make it fit (kind of short). I charged the battery in November when it arrived. It snowed the next day do had to wait till now, April to test it. The battery, which I kept in the house over the winter, held its full charge for 4 months.

Today I locked the battery in position with the key. It took  a few readings of the instructions to realize that there is an on/off switch on the battery itself before the power activates the display.

Raven in her forest in the summer

Mind you I am a senior putting all this together and the excitement of finally being able to go for a ride between mud & ice spots might of made me a bit inattentive while reading the instructions.

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Even die-hard skeptics now find it impossible to deny the presence of climate change. This is the very same reason why a growing number of businesses have decided to adopt a “greener” approach to their everyday operations. So, what can individual consumers do to lower their environmental footprint? One strategy involves what is commonly referred to as “off-grid” living. Let’s examine this concept in slightly more detail to appreciate the potential benefits that it can offer.

Is Off-Grid Living Truly Off the Grid?

The answer to this question can vary from person to person. For instance, one individual may employ a third-party service offering generator hire during power outages. Another might rely on solar cells to produce electricity. The main point here is that sustainable practices do not always have to be associated with entirely off-grid solutions. They are instead intended to reduce the consumption of traditional fossil fuels, and to mitigate carbon emissions.

How Realistic is Sustainable Living?

This is another question that should be addressed before moving on. Is the notion of sustainability a myth, or could it represent a reality? The answer partially involves the commitment of the individual (or family). We need to remember that developing environmentally sustainable solutions requires time, and a financial investment. Some methods can be rather expensive. For instance, installing solar panels on the roof of your home could require a significant amount of money. The good news is that these one-off costs will be offset by the long-term return on investment. In other words, sustainable practices often pay for themselves over time.

Unique Off-Grid Hacks to Consider

Although sustainable living techniques will frequently vary between different locations, there are still some sure-fire practices to consider. For instance, rental services such as Boels can provide efficient sawing and cutting tools; reducing the amount of energy required to complete a project, and limiting waste materials. Those who live in areas prone to inclement weather could instead create a rain catch that can be used as an additional source of water. Some other interesting suggestions include:

• Installing a ground source heat pump
• Harnessing wind energy in the form of a turbine
• Using double-glazed windows to reduce heating and cooling costs.
• Growing food in a garden as opposed to relying solely on supermarkets

Do not hesitate to perform additional research, as there is plenty of information available online.

The post Off-Grid Living: The Role of Sustainability in Modern Times appeared first on Green Prophet.

During the hours of COVID boredom (and isolation fantasies) we stumbled across the Forest to Table eco retreat in Sweden, called Stedsans. We feel in love with their floating sauna, but also their lopsided off-grid cabins. And obviously we fantasized about being their eating foraged everything, running around with fragments of moss between our toes.

Stedsans is an off-the-grid forest resort in Southern Sweden (2 hours from Gothenburg/Malmö and less than 3 hours from Copenhagen) with a regenerative farm, a restaurant that goes deep into the flavors of seasonal ingredients, 16 simple wooden cabins, campsite, and a floating sauna on the lake.

The vision was started by a Swedish chef who moved her passion to the forest where people could book a cabin and a lovely communal meal created by findings from the forest and hyper local suppliers nearby. But every vision and creation, when done well, has a lifespan.

They are selling: “After 8 years in the forest it is time for us to hand over our beautiful project to someone else. Our decision to let go of this very special place has not been easy. We have poured our hearts into creating a little slice of paradise on Earth, and we hope and expect to find new owners who will take well care of it and all of the potential it offers.”

Stedsans is now a popular restaurant and forest resort with it’s own permaculture farm, but it may very well become something else, they suggest. “Maybe a retreat center, a conference space for a forward-thinking business – or a private home, maybe even a little village, with amazing development potential. Whatever dream you carry in your heart, we will be happy to show you around and give our feed-back to ensure we find a really good match for this place and business.”

Link to Stedsans for more, below.

::Stedsans

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As promoters of sustainable living and solar energy, we get this question all the time. Should I go solar? And if you look around solar panels are everywhere today. You can even find them at Costco along with a riding lawnmower and a she-cave.

Solar panels mean light or darkness to a family living in Africa or a family living off-grid in Texas or California. But since Covid-19, we’ve all started thinking a little bit about contingency plans. There is definitely new momentum for being self-reliant and sustainable and we all come to the question of solar panels for our own reasons –– even if we are not treehuggers. Some of us want to save the planet by using endless clean power from the sun, some want to save a lot of money on monthly power bills and earn attractive 30% federal tax rebates. Some just want reliable electricity for living off the grid. 

Solar panels sound like an amazing idea for a home or cottage. And it can increase the resale value. But Can I install the solar panels myself? The easy answer is, yes you can in the United States, but no if you live in Australia. The bigger question you need to ask yourself is Am I willing to take the risks? And — are you planning on feeding into your local energy grid? Will you live in your home all year long –– and how much electricity do you estimate you will need? 

Along with academic experts from a research paper writing service, we created a DIY solar panel guide pros and cons to help you through the early decision-making process. Once you read this, it will be worth going to a company that offers a solar calculator to help you assess your power needs and how much a system will cost with and without installation costs. 

So if you’ve come looking for a bit of solar advice without all the talk of kilowatt hours that make your head spin, we’ve put together some of the basic pros and cons of DIY –– or doing it yourself solar panel installation. We are going to use 2 case studies of friends we have in Canada who installed solar panels on their own homes and tried to maintain these solar systems on their own, and what can happen if you do it alone.

Before you jump on the wagon of installing a single solar panel on your home consider speaking with a local professional to understand all the legal issues and zoning laws before you build, plug and connect. 

Will you live in your home all year long –– and how much electricity do you estimate you will need? Solar panels can be easily scaled up by adding more panels, versus something like a gas generator which is limited by the average gas tank size.

Not every home-owner has the same needs and family situation. Some home owners will want enough power to power a few lights and charge cellphone batteries at night. Other homes might have more power needs that run dishwashers, televisions and refrigerators. Some homes will be occupied year round which helps cycle through the battery, while other solar panel systems will need to be maintained in a special way if the home isn’t being used continually. Will you want to rent out your property with VRBO or AirBNB? Would that work if you are the only person who can run the solar system? 

7 steps to DIY solar panels

1. Design your system based on your energy needs
2. Buy your solar system equipment: solar panels, inverters, racks
3. Install a physical mount for your solar panels on a roof or in your garden
4. Connect the solar panels
5. Install and connect the solar inverter and battery 
6. Connect to your main electrical board
7. Notify the local utility and request for PTO (Permission to Turn-On and connect to the grid – if applicable)

DIY solar PV panel installation – Pros

A case study: my friend R. runs a small solar panel system to power lights, her cellphone and a laptop battery in Ontario, Canada. Her fresh spring water is brought to the home and she uses compost toilets, so no need for power to run pumps. When her partner died she was worried about maintaining the DIY solar system her partner had built and maintained over the years.

Some days she was running around the property looking for the energy hog (an unplugged light draining the battery?) and she needed some battery education from some local friends. In the end she was really pleased that she could maintain the system herself and be self-reliant, all on her own. 

Saving money: 

The do it yourself (DIY) solar PV (photovoltaic) panel kits can potentially save you a meaningful amount of money as panel installations cost between $2,000 to $5,000 in the United States, or even more like $10,000 when you are working with large solar panel installations. This number can vary widely depending on where you live.

Less time investment:

The DIY solar kit solution you might find at a local hardware store or online is ideal for people who have a seasonal property as you can buy a less complex system and battery and have it running quickly. Just make sure it has a warrantee. 

You become self-sufficient:

Installing a solar system can give you a great amount of pride and when something goes wrong you can learn about what works and how to fix it. Your skills can be traded or donated to other people in your community and when you have children you can pass this important life skill to them as well. 

Put solar panels on your outhouse! 

Want a sun powered toilet? Some power in an old barn or toolshed?  If you are installing the panels yourself you have more freedom to choose unusual locations. Maybe on an RV roof? Your boat? Solarpunk up your chicken coop? 

DIY solar panel installation – Cons

A case study: My friend Finn bought a DIY solar energy system for $20,000 to power his off-grid old lodge that he purchased in a forest in Canada. There was no other source of power and he wanted power for water pumps, lights, small appliances. Finn decided that he could install, run and maintain the solar system himself. That worked for the first summer he and his wife was at the lodge. After a winter away Finn realized that he had not cycled through the batteries correctly before the winter and his entire system was fried needed replaced. That was a painful lesson. And it happened twice. 

Risks of electrocution, damaging home, falling from heights: 

Solar panels produce electricity and for that reason can put you and your property at risk from faulty circuits. Most systems need to be installed as a roof mount or ground mount and installing them at certain heights needed to collect the sun can be dangerous if you fall or if something falls on you. In some countries, installing your own system is illegal. 

Knowing where to install:

Every mount needs to be directed to collect the most sun, most of the year. Unless your mount can rotate you better make sure you know how a sundial works before you choose the location of your roof and backyard. You want to collect most of the solar rays during most of the year. 

Poorer quality PV panels:

If you buy one of the systems on Amazon or your local Costco, chances are the consumer brands aren’t as robust as the systems purchased by solar panel installation companies who can buy better, in bulk. If you want your system to last for a decade or a bit more this solution is probably fine. The more robust systems are expected to last up to 30 years.

Need to know some engineering:

If you think an AC/DC current is a rock band from the 70s you might want to ask for professional help.

You have high energy needs:

If you have high or erratic energy needs such as washing machines, refrigerators, or televisions, consider that increased energy needs – especially in winter – calls for a more complex electrical system. Consider hiring a professional who can help you manage storage needs and cycle your battery properly when your energy needs vary.

Limits on tax credits, feed-in tariffs:

If you buy the DIY solar panel solution, you will limit your ability to connect to the electricity grid company near you. This means you won’t benefit from tax credits or earn passive income by selling your unused power back to the power company. If that’s not an option for you anyway, then you are good to go. 

Vacation properties:

We rented a house that was running on solar power and the instructions for using it were complicated and uncertain because it was a home-built system. There were some knobs behind the coffee machine on the wall and we were never sure if they were at the right settings. Professional builds might give unfamiliar end-users more confidence that they are in a safe and well-run AirBNB or VRBO home rental and that they will be able to enjoy the creature comforts that they expect, minus the air conditioning –– because, solar! On that note your solar powered home might be a great filter for the kind of eco-clients you want to come and stay in it. 

Paperwork:

Unless you are operating a small system in a cozy cabin in the woods (well in the open area of the forest to catch the sun!), you will need to file some paperwork for the local authorities. Solar panel companies who do this daily can file paperwork when they are sleeping. You, probably not. Look into what this means for you and the state where you plan on installing the solar panels. 

Paying inflated prices for labor:

If you look at a residential solar installation teams are sent in on build days. Look online and do the math. While solar installation companies say they only charge 10% for labor, in many instances the labor is priced on par with the cost of the equipment. Do your due diligence. Then again, it’s not a bad thing to create some local jobs. 

Takeaways on DIY solar pros and cons ––  should I install the panels myself?

• A DIY system is possible and it will come at a much lower price than a professional solar panel installation 
• Going the DIY route means you will need to learn a lot and file some paperwork, likely
• If you are a handy kind of person or fancy yourself as someone who wants to be and you have the time and energy, go the DIY solar panel route
• If you are looking for a good solution for a residential home, we suggest you contact a local solar panel company for a quote. You will earn feed-in tariffs and get tax credits which will pay for your system in about 10 to 15 years

This article was updated June, 2024

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I grew up as a Dutch girl in Canada. Among part of our family’s storytelling and legends was the tale about the Dutch boy who plugged a dyke with his thumb to save his town, the country, the world? from an encroaching sea. The flatlands people of Holland or The Netherlands as you might call them are at home with the idea of climate adverse consequences.

The national psyche is built on man against nature or man with nature, and for that the Dutch people have been reasonably doing unreasonable things against climate change and for helping the environment. See our article on the extraordinary city of Rotterdam, the home to one of resident writers, or Boyan Slat, who boldly plans to clean up the seas with his plastic-corralling invention.

While Americans might rather escape to Mars with Elon Musk, the Dutch are battening down the hatches and are offering more reasonable approaches to dealing with Mother Nature, or an angry Mother Nature. It was an ongoing fantasy in my home that if we won the lottery we would invite all our family and rent a boat and take them all on Caribbean yacht charters. We didn’t know about this luxury houseboat option then. Consider the Dutch firm who has designed a solar powered yacht that can lower stilts for a more permanent mooring.

Like the modern trailer also known as the #tinyhome or #vanlife, this yacht appeals to a certain eco personality that might also want to settle like the barge dwellers in Amsterdam. It is not your father’s houseboat.

The solar powered boat is created by the Dutch architecture studio Waterstudio.NL for the yacht maker Arku in Miami, with an option of it becoming an off-grid home.  

The craft is 75 feet long, is fully solar-electric, mobile and self elevating. This turn-key vessel is furnished and decorated in style by the acclaimed Brazilian furniture company, Artefacto.

The first one is for sale at a cool price of $5,500,000.

Arkup is a Miami, US-based company founded in 2016, to pioneer next-generation floating homes. The company rethinks life on water with its fully solar-electric, mobile and self-elevating livable yachts they call “future-proof blue dwellings.”

Weather and future proof, rain harvesting too

These livable yachts feature zero emission and silent electric propulsion which provide mobility and maneuverability. An automated hydraulic lift system, allowing the vessel to put down a stable foundation in up to 20 feet of water, ensures stability and hurricane resilience.

The livable yacht has four bedrooms in 2,600-square-feet of indoor space, with 4,350-square-feet in total, including its terraces and balconies. To achieve its sustainability objectives, the Arkup design is 100 percent solar-powered and has systems for harvesting and purifying rainwater, for complete independence.

With Covid and potentially other climate change disasters facing us, let’s start saving? The other option might be our collective thumbs in the dyke.

The post Solar powered yacht – sails and moors for off-grid escape appeared first on Green Prophet.

There is something romantic about living off the grid and off our own devices. Every summer I go to Northern Canada with my kids and experiment with off-grid living ideas and applications. While we own 200 acres and the last home on the grid for miles and miles, it is tempting to cut off from the polluting power industry and power our own needs from the sun and Mother Earth. 

Maybe you have been reading the books about Hassan Fathy (and his vision for vernacular architecture in the Middle East – the opposite of what we see in Abu Dhabi and Dubai today)or are following people who want independence from the rat race, like this English woman who built an off-grid home in Turkey for less than $4000. 

Some of my off-grid friends use solar panels. Some have been too ambitious and too inexperienced and ended up wasting $20,000 on solar energy systems when they didn’t drain the batteries correctly in the winter when they weren’t using them. If you are planning on generating clean energy and then selling it back to the grid because you are still on it and want to make the system better, make sure you do a lot of research first. Look for companies like this Texas-based First Choice Power. Not all electric companies are transparent and not all will agree to buy back your power. This is important to know if storing it is a limitation for you. 

Using Off-grid Wind Power

If you live in area that is close to a large lake, sea or open space, home wind turbines might be an option for you. I have seen small installations on rooftops in cities like Tel Aviv, and even in dense urban areas there is still energy worth collecting. Maybe it’s enough to power a lightbulb, but like turning off the tap when you are not brushing your teeth, every drop counts. 

Using Off-Grid Solar Energy

As much as I’ve learned up until now, home solar panels require quite a bit of electrical know how. So try to find a local handyman or woman who can help you if you can’t install or operate the system yourself. Running home solar panels (systems running as low as a few hundred dollars to several thousand) does require a constant state of awareness especially if you have a small system and can expect cloudy or rainy days in your future. A friend of mine was stumped as to why her battery kept draining. By the end of the day she didn’t have enough power to light lights in her living room. By chance we stumbled on a light left on in one of her cottages! That was after she did a thorough electrical overview with her specialist friend. 

But as much as work as it might be and the hassles that come with it, even when you make mistakes, you learn something from it. A friend of mine once said that energy from the sun and energy we collect from nature is the best vibrational energy out there we can collect. Why not? It’s made just for us. To think about us damming rivers, burning coal, burning oil and even natural gas — all limited resources, it just doesn’t make sense. A small leap and investment can take you to a new way of life and will certainly make your neighbors very curious. 

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While many solar energy projects involve covering large open areas with solar array panels, smaller personal solar energy equipment mostly involves covering the roofs of private houses and other buildings with non-aesthetic solar panels to provide enough electric power. A new solar energy system, SmartFlower, not only solves the problem of aesthetics for private homes and businesses; it also provides a very practical flower shaped system that literally follows the sun to create solar power.

The device resembles a kind of mechanical sunflower that opens like a flower in the morning and rotates during to day to track and follow the sun to take advantage of the sun’s maximum energy potential. At night, or during bad weather, the device folds up like a flower.

SmartFlower’s compact size, ease of installation; and advanced energy creating capability in its unusual solar panels creates up to 40% more electrical energy than standard solar panels. This makes it an ideal energy solution for locations where there is a lack of space for using conventional solar panels. People owning electric EV cars can also use SmartFlower for recharging EV battery packs during daylight hours. A perfect use example is a shopping mall or office park where EV vehicles can be receiving power while their owners work or shop.

A household SmartFlower device has an electricity creating capacity of 4,000 to 6.200 KWh per year; more than enough for a family or small business’ electrical power needs. An advanced model, SmartFlower Plus (photo below), has special storage batteries to store energy for after daylight or emergency “off the grid” use.

SmartFlower is available in a variety colors, making it aesthetically pleasing to the eye. In the realm of solar energy technology, it’s definitely something new under the sun.

More about solar energy projects:
Jews and Arabs turn on MidEast solar project for West Bank farmers
Mystery energies of solar power solved!
Yemeni Girls Solar Power Post Revolution Darkness

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