| Some iconic shows like "Eureka", and movies like | | | | a bunch of solar panels. It is a unique and delicate |
| "Smart House", have touched upon the idea of a | | | | system that incorporates the use of solar power |
| futuristic house that can interact with its | | | | in conjunction with other elements like geothermal |
| occupants. Though we may not be there yet, we | | | | heating and cooling. The house has a geothermal |
| seemed to have developed a house that can | | | | system that runs from about 8ft under the |
| literally meet its own energy requirements, and | | | | foundation of the house right into the basement. |
| then some. Imagine a house that can not only | | | | This system is what provides the house with |
| meet its own power requirements, but actually | | | | energy efficient heating and cooling through the |
| create a surplus of energy, effectively turning it | | | | warm and cold seasons. It provides this by an |
| into a small power plant. Well, you don't have to | | | | underground loop field that carries a glycol solution |
| imagine it anymore. | | | | to and from the houses heat pump. |
| Thanks to the innovative thinking of Neumann | | | | At about 8ft below the surface of the Earth it is |
| Developments, we have reached a new error for | | | | a pretty constant temperature of 54 degrees. In |
| mankind. They have not only designed a house | | | | the summer months this system utilizes this |
| that meets its own power requirements, they | | | | natural coolness and brings it up into the house |
| built it. They have even supplied it with enough | | | | through the leap field replacing the warm air with |
| solar power generating technology that it can | | | | the coldness from the ground. In the winter |
| actually provide electricity for the utility companies | | | | months it does the opposite. It takes the coldness |
| to use. Now that they have done all the work in | | | | out of the air in the house and throws it back |
| creating the blueprints and turned it into a real life | | | | down into the Earth via the loop field. |
| example of what is possible, we may no longer | | | | Another key element in this houses energy |
| have an excuse for our massive fossil fuel | | | | efficiency is how well it is sealed and insulation. It |
| consumption. This house requires absolutely no | | | | was so well constructed that they needed to add |
| fossil fuel to operate. | | | | a heat exchanging ventilation system. This system |
| Energy Producing Home | | | | provides clean fresh air without having to open |
| Neumann Developments, the creators of this new | | | | windows or leave doors open, which effectively |
| energy efficient home, stated the following as | | | | keeps all the warm and cold air where it is |
| their overall goal of the project: | | | | supposed to be. |
| "Constructing an economically viable mainstream | | | | All of this green technology including: the solar |
| home that will produce more energy than it | | | | power arrays, the geothermal energy system |
| consumes - allowing for a dramatic reduction in | | | | and all the extra insulation costs about $150,000 |
| greenhouse emissions and dependency on foreign | | | | to be installed. The good news is, with all the |
| oil. Proceeds from the sale of this home will be | | | | federal and state incentive programs, the net |
| donated to Educational Enterprises, a non-profit | | | | cost to the average taxpayer could be as low as |
| inner-city network of schools whose mission is to | | | | half that amount, $74,130. Even the installation of |
| inspire, support, and equip the next generation to | | | | one of these elements could prove to save you a |
| become serving leaders." | | | | large amount of money on your next electric bill. |
| The house that they have constructed is located | | | | Though the amount can vary, depending on the |
| in Wisconsin and was just recently sold for | | | | amount of energy usage being consumed by the |
| $350,000. This price may seem a little steep in | | | | house, on average the house is capable of |
| today's bad housing market, but just wait until | | | | producing double the energy requirements that is |
| you read what this house is capable of. | | | | needed to fully operate and maintain a suitable |
| From the front view of the house you would | | | | living environment. There is normally so much |
| never be able to tell that it could very well | | | | energy left over that the house literally becomes |
| represent the future of our energy consumption | | | | a money machine. |
| and the end of our dependency on foreign oil. | | | | The amount of energy that the house uses will of |
| Once you take a stroll into the backyard it all | | | | course fluctuate depending on what appliances are |
| becomes clear. With two different cutting edge | | | | being used and what time of the year it is, but it |
| solar power arrays just sitting ideally by, collecting | | | | is safe to estimate that at any given time, |
| energy from the sun. | | | | providing good sun exposure, the house can |
| One is the 2.96kW Wattsun tracking solar array, | | | | produces around 5,275W of energy and only uses |
| which is actually capable of following the sun as it | | | | about 1,000W of it. Even if the house was running |
| moves. It does this through a motion sensor | | | | at the double minimum operating power |
| mounted on the top. This allows for maximum | | | | requirements, it would still be producing an extra |
| exposure and solar energy capture. This array is | | | | 3275W of energy at any given time. |
| capable of producing as much as 4,600kWh a | | | | The houses electric bill for the month of July, |
| year. | | | | 2009 was negative $408.16. This resulted in the |
| The other solar array in the yard is a dual panel | | | | utility company buying the unused energy from |
| array specifically designed/set-up for the heating | | | | the house by cutting a check to the owner for |
| of the houses water supply. This array is capable | | | | $408.16, which basically turned the house into a |
| of supplying the house with 75% of its hot water | | | | mini solar power plant. The total amount of |
| needs. The other 25% is provided by an electric | | | | energy that the utility company was able to add |
| water heater located in the houses basement, | | | | to their power grid from this one house for the |
| which is powered by another solar array. Once | | | | one month of July was 3543kW. |
| the solar powered hot water tank is depleted, the | | | | This house produces so much extra energy that |
| electric one kicks right in. | | | | the owner could actually charge an electric car on |
| In addition to those two solar arrays, there is | | | | a regular basis and still have enough extra energy |
| another that is located on the roof of the house. | | | | to be eligible for a check from the utility company. |
| This one is a massive 11.44kW Photovoltaic solar | | | | Considering that the cost of cooling and heating |
| array that is able to produce up to 14,700kWh | | | | could skyrocket at anytime, and is likely to, |
| annually. | | | | implementing some of these energy efficient |
| All of the energy that is captured by these solar | | | | elements into your own house could drastically |
| arrays is in the form of direct current (DC) | | | | pay off in the near future. With all the federal and |
| energy and needs to be converted into alternating | | | | state incentive programs that are available, in the |
| current (AC) energy to be compatible with the | | | | long run, it really would be worth the costs to |
| houses energy intake components. This is done | | | | make your house greener. Who knows, one day |
| by the houses built in inverters. | | | | the electric company may be paying you for |
| The key to this whole system is more than just | | | | energy. |