Energy Update

Even though it's only St. Patrick's Day, the energy performance of our house here at the edge of the continent is ramping back up. In the past week we've had several days in the high teens and low 20's of kW-hr of energy produced. Even though we've had dark, cloudy, sometimes rainy mornings, the sun has come out around 10:00AM or noon and stayed out for most of the rest of each day. Result: the passive solar design of the house kicks in and the central heat shuts off.

On the very dark, cold, wet days, I frequently build a fire in the tiny Jotul wood stove in the main room of the house. We keep the blinds drawn to add to reduce heat loss through the glass. Result: the central heat shuts off and the house is very cozy.

In short, all that insulation and all those good windows, and that passive design are actually working.

Recently, several people have mentioned to the Old Amigo variations on the, "maybe I should put some solar panels on my house" theme. Now, the Venerable Friendly One is a big fan of active solar systems, but you know, it's so much more cost effective to avoid using the energy in the first place. Insulate. Get better windows. Manage solar gain and heat loss with some decent window coverings.

Oh, and if you haven't already, get with the program on compact fluorescents. Buy the bulbs marked EnergyStar. They're generally higher quality and will actually last more like the claimed life expectancy. Apart from a little bit of low-wattage "mood lighting," nearly all the light fixtures in this house at The Edge have CF's. They are big energy savers.

Happy saving! Let us know how you're doing with your personal energy program. If you have questions, please ask.