Introduction 8(8)
PART ONE Home Energy Efficiency
1 Getting Ready for Renewables
16(20)
The Big and Little Energy Picture
Basic Considerations
Systems and Planning
Renewable Habits
The Value of Electricity
Energy Action in Cuba
Build a Bicycle-Powered Battery Charger
2 Do Your Own Energy Audit
36(24)
Getting Started
Electricity
Hot Water
Heating and Air Conditioning
Thermal Envelope
Windows
Prioritizing Your Improvements
3 Insulating Your Home
60(18)
How Heat Moves
Measuring Insulation Value
Insulation Inspection
How Much Insulation Do You Need?
Choosing and Installing Insulation
Stopping Air and Moisture
Roof Venting
When "High Performance" Doesn't Perform
4 Deep Energy Retrofits
78(17)
Looking at the Big Picture
A Team with a Plan
The Basement
Above-Grade Walls
Windows
The Roof
Air Leakage
Ventilation
Heating and Air Conditioning
Hot Water
5 Home Energy Monitoring
95(11)
Electric Energy Monitoring
Gas Monitoring
Environmental Monitoring
My Hot Water Heating Story
PART TWO Renewable Energy
6 Solar Hot Water
106(17)
Types of Systems
Solar Hot Water Collectors
Hot Water Storage
Additional System Components
Sizing the System
Maintenance
Homemade Hot Water
Build a Solar Hot Water Batch Heater
7 Solar Electric Generation
123(14)
Solar Power Potential
Planning for a PV System
PV System Wiring
Orientation
Racks and Tracking
Economics
Safety
Living with Solar (and Wind) Power
8 Wind Electric Generation
137(22)
Using Wind Energy at Home
Estimating Energy in the Wind
Estimating Wind Speed
Efficiency and Power
Wind Machines and Controls
Towers
Foundations and Anchoring
Maintenance
Safety
Wiring and Grounding
Wind Wisdom from an Expert
9 Hydro Electric Generation
159(15)
Home Hydro
Calculating Hydro Energy
Measuring Flow and Estimating Power
Intake Site Selection
Penstock Pipe Selection
Turbines
Power Generators
System Efficiency
10 Renewable Electricity Management
174(18)
Grid-Tie vs. Off-Grid
Definition of Terms
Electrical Wiring
Balance of System Components
Batteries
Mapping Motivations ... and Watts
11 Biodiesel
192(23)
Venturing into Biodiesel
What Is Biodiesel?
Benefits and Drawbacks
Essential Ingredients
Equipment Needs
Safety
Basic Steps for Making Biodiesel
Mixing Biodiesel with Other Fuels
Washing Biodiesel
Veggie Oil Conversion
Create a Biodiesel Kit
12 Wood Gas
215(16)
Wood Doesn't Burn
How Wood Gas Generators Work
Four Stages of Gasification
Gasifier Operation
Cleaning and Filtering Wood Gas
Using Wood Gas
Storing Gas
Types of Gasifiers
Working Safely around Wood Gas
Two Men and a Truck
Build a Simple Wood Gas Cook Stove
13 Biogas
231(31)
The Basics
Recipe for Making Gas
Solids, Liquids, and Volatile Solids
Temperature
Retention Time and Loading Rate
Types of Methane Generators
Using Biogas
Purifying Biogas
Biogas Is More than a Gas
Make a Biogas Generator
Resources 262(11)
Metric Conversion Charts 273(1)
Index 274