Energy Savers

Solar Decathlon: How Do WE Do Efficiency?

October is a great time of year in Washington, D.C. The weather is cooling off, the trees look gorgeous and (every other year) the National Mall turns into a beehive of activity when the Solar Decathlon comes to town.

Well, it doesn't really "come to town." It's an event that the Department of Energy sponsors every other year. Twenty college and university teams come to D.C. with solar-powered homes that they have designed, built, and transported here—some across the Atlantic Ocean, no less—in order to compete. That's dedication, folks; these college teams put in two years of hard work, all of which culminates in about a week and a half of insanely busy activity.

So why am I mentioning this event on the Energy Savers blog?

I Found My Energy Role Model

Last week, while home on a rare weekday afternoon, I happened to catch an episode of Oprah. One of her guests on this particular day was the actor Ed Begley, Jr. The episode caught my attention because it wasn't focused on his acting, but on his quest to make his home and life as environmentally friendly and energy efficient as possible.

I had heard of Mr. Begley's efforts in this arena in the past (apparently he has a reality TV show), but I didn't know the details, so I tuned in. To be honest, I wasn't expecting to learn much or even be very impressed. After all, the guy is a famous actor and presumably has financial resources that most of us don't; of COURSE he can install a few solar panels, right?

Ener-Gee Whiz Answers Your Questions: Wind vs. Solar

Costa writes: Do you think using wind is better than using solar to generate electricity?

Ener-Gee Whiz: If you're considering installing a renewable energy system and are having a hard time deciding between the wind turbines and solar panels, you might find that the right renewable energy system for you depends on a number of factors.

Ener-Gee Whiz Answers Your Questions: Thermostat Settings and Solar Water Heaters

Ener-Gee Whiz would like to offer a hearty thanks to all of you who've written in for your great efficiency and renewables related questions. Now, on to some answers!

Have a Question About Energy Efficiency or Renewable Energy? Ask Ener-Gee Whiz!

This week marks the start of a new feature at the Energy Savers Blog that we're calling Ener-Gee Whiz. Ener-Gee Whiz posts will provide information on hot energy efficiency and renewables topics in the news or answer energy-related questions posed by Energy Savers blog readers. To get this first post started, I've provided answers to a few questions that consumers have asked of the staff here at the EERE Information Center in recent weeks:

Question of the Week: Do You Use Renewable Energy in Your Home?

On Tuesday, Elizabeth wrote about some resources to help you learn more using renewable energy at home.

Do you use renewable energy in your home? Tell us about it! If you would like to use renewable energy in the future, share your plans.

Each Thursday, you have the chance to share your thoughts on a question about energy efficiency or renewable energy for consumers. Please comment with your answers, and also feel free to respond to other comments.

Do You Wonder How Much Energy Your Home Could Get from Solar or Wind?

Have you ever thought about installing wind or solar energy on your property? Are you curious about what sort of results you could get if you did?

Then you might be interested in trying out the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's In My Backyard tool. In My Backyard uses Google Maps and the laboratory's renewable resource databases to estimate how much energy you could produce from wind or solar energy at your location.

All you have to do is plug in your address, use the "draw" tool to select where you would construct wind or solar, and plug in a few details about the installation you want. The tool will then estimate how much power you could make throughout the year.

There are a few drawbacks, of course. For one, it only has wind information for 30 states. Otherwise, an estimate is just that—for more specific information about how much energy you can get from installations on your property, you should consult a professional in your area. But if you're interested in experimenting with different options and need an overview of what's possible, this is a great place to start.

And if you're looking into installing solar or wind on your property and would like more information about what options are available to you, you might be interested in these other resources from EERE:

• Small Solar Electric Systems
• Small Wind Electric Systems
• Small Wind for Homeowners, Ranchers, and Small Businesses

Elizabeth Spencer is a communicator at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which assists EERE in providing technical content for many of its Web sites.

Energy Tax Credits: Stay Warm and Save MORE Money!

With all of the news this month about the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, you may have heard about the energy tax incentives that were included for both consumers and for business, utilities, and governments.

If you are already preparing for winter and working to make your home more efficient, this is good news. The federal tax credits can help you save energy, stay warm, and save money this winter and beyond. Combined with other sources of financial help that we've already discussed on this blog, you may be able to save significantly on your improvements.