Super Energy Efficiency Blog

Solar Energy - Investment Payback and Your Home : Part 2

We left off explaining the difference between passive solar design systems and direct solar systems.   Now that we have cleared up the difference, let's continue....

4. During the design phase we made sure to place the property facing south with the widest exposure and most windows on the south side. We were fortunate to have the latitude to design and build our 4163 square foot home utilizing as many energy efficient thermal package features as possible.

The placement of windows is best left for a more in depth discussion. However, for the purposes of a passive solar energy discussion it is important to note that....

Solar Energy - Investment Payback and Your Home : Part 1

With the ever increasing cost of energy needed to run, heat and air condition a home, consumers are seeking alternative means to bring the cost of energy down, as well as ease up on the planets natural resource supply.

Solar panels, used for harvesting the sun’s natural power, are the most familiar and commonly researched alternative source for energy today. This is probably due to the idea that solar energy is free for the taking; however, the cost to collect the energy is not free.

During our latest energy efficient home project we researched the viability of adding Direct PV (photo voltaic) solar energy to the home.

This is what we learned after careful and lengthy consideration--