Given the current economy, home renovation takes on a whole new meaning for me personally. I am looking to things that will help me be self-sufficient and independent. I know I am not alone in this feeling. Many people are interested in alternative power sources: wind energy, solar power, and efficiency in general. Another thing that is very popular in some rural areas are outdoor wood furnaces. With a good source of wood you have virtually free heat.

All these things, combined with a well insulated house and high efficiency appliances, can make for not only greatly reduced power and/or heating bills, but a feeling of independence. Start a garden in your back yard and you are good to go. When renovating my current house I am going to consider all of my options. I have already insulated and am now looking to the next step.

Solar power is the least obtrusive method for generating power. There are no towers or moving parts and it’s easy to set up. The biggest problem is the cost. It’s not hard to spend thirty thousand dollars to fully power a house. One option is to install a smaller system or far fewer storage cells. This will supplement your current power and save money on your monthly bill. On a sunny day while everyone is at work you may end up selling power back to the power company. Another option is to build the entire system yourself. There are several guides available online, usually for around fifty dollars. They will show you everything from building the panels to installation and storage.

Wind energy is another option often considered further north where solar cells are less efficient. It should go without saying, but any area with considerable wind is a great candidate for a wind turbine. While they should never be used as a sole source of power, a wind turbine can put out a lot of power when the wind is up. Another consideration, of course, is your neighbors. Larger units can be quite tall and, well, to say the least, noticeable. Be sure to check your local building codes, neighborhood covenants, and neighbors’ opinions. Commercially available units are usually priced from around five thousand on up. Many of the solar how-to guides. I mentioned above include material on constructing your own windmill at a very low cost. Some are small enough to mount on your roof and would not require the same large tower that many commercial units have. While you may need several of these, as apposed to one large commercial unit, the cost difference may be well worth it.

One other option that I will mention only briefly is hydroelectric power. Very few people, relatively speaking, have access to moving water and even less have a water source that is manageable enough to dam and convert to power. Installing a dam of any sort is very hard to accomplish with today’s regulations. Check with your local agencies and the local EPA to make sure you have all your ducks in a row or you will face a stiff fine at the very least. Drop-in impellers are available; they look similar to a boat motor and have a propeller that is turned like a windmill. While not as efficient, these units do not require excavation permits and are a great alternative for anyone who has access to flowing water.

When renovating a house all of these options are great to look at. Always weigh the pros and cons, especially if the house is to be resold. Never invest more than you expect to get out. Keep in mind that there are great tax incentives offered for efficiency and all things “green”. When you are working on your own house just consider how long you plan on staying and if the initial investment will be repaid within that time period. Don’t forget to factor in maintenance while keeping in mind the “feel good” value that only you can quantify. If you are “handy” consider the do-it-yourself approach. Whatever you decide, the project will be a great learning experience.

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