Solar Energy Home Kit

On a forum where I have this blog listed I was asked the following question:

I want to build a cabin but most of all I am concerned about the power source. What is the most cost efficient. The only electrical appliances I will need are a refrigerator and TV. Can I use a battery that has an outlet? Is there such a thing? What size solar power project would I Need.

So, I did a little research and here's what I found. The first think to keep in mind is that "Going Green" is initially expensive. In the long run, you will end up paying for your initial investment. With that in mind, I found this great kit:

http://www.solarhome.org/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=902

Detailed Description: This Small Solar Power System produces about 1.0 kWh to 1.5 kWh (usable) on a sunny day. It will run high efficiency lighting, 19" TV/VCR, stereo, laptop computer, blender, and DC submersible and pressurized water pump. While it's best to have a system designed for your specific situation, this small solar power system for a remote home works for many applications.

It runs for $3499.99. I suppose that once you have the basic setup, you can upgrade to accommodate more appliances. So based on the information above, I would guess that it would be about $7000 to $8000 to have a setup that would run a refrigerator, maybe less depending on the size of the refrigerator.

I will research the wind option and post something shortly. This option is a little more limited as it has to be in a location where there is constant wind flow.

Happy Building!

Planning the first cabin

So now that we have the land, we have begun planning for the first of two cabins on the land. The first one is going to be our vacation home and the place we stay when we start to build the fully green cabin. Originally we were going to build this cabin traditionally (connected to the grid, water & sewer, etc.), but why not start here? The sooner we start getting into the Green habit, the easier the transition will be.

One of our biggest expenses will be obtaining a septic permit and installing a septic tank. Thousands of dollars! So I started to explore our alternative and found some amazing composting toilets. There are several companies which offer composting toilets. They are significantly more expensive than a traditional toilet, however considering the cost of the plumbing and septic tanks, this option turns out to be more economical. Below are a few of the ones I found.

Biolet: Price Range $1600-$2200 (Available at Home Depot as well!)

Envirolet: Price Range $1900-$3800

LetsGoGreen.com: Various manufacturers and price

I'm leaning towards the Biolet myself. It seems like they have been around a long time, and they are easy to install. Most importantly, they claim to be odorless! Seeing is believing of course.

We are hoping to get some sponsors for this portion of the project as well, so keep your fingers crossed!

Sol

The Land

Our Land: Green ridge of trees behind the Neighbor's Trailer

Finding the land was the easy part. The rest will be one big adventure, but we are excited. We found 12 acres located in the Smoky Mountains. The land is full of trees with a creek running along 1000 feet of the property. It is located along a ridge and we hope to use the land's resources to make the most efficient off the grid home.

We have hired landscape architecture firm, Local Office, to assist us with the project. Local Office specializes in preparing sites for building green homes and making the best use of the land.

In addition, we will be seeking out grants and local sponsorship while building the home. We hope to document every step of the way with photographs and detailed accounts of the process. Our goal is to help others Build Green.