First you can try to reduce your electrical use. The biggest and cheapest source of renewable energy is the energy you don’t use. The more energy you save, the less you need to generate. Major users of power are electric resistance heaters – in roughly decreasing order of use: the auxiliary setting on a heat pump, clothes dryer, dishwasher drying cycle, oven, toaster, toaster oven, hair dryer – and anything with a compressor, such as refrigerators, freezers, air conditioner, heat pump, and dehumidifier.
See Green America’s list of “The 10 easiest ways to cut your energy use in half” for more suggestions. For other creative ways to reduce your use of electricity, see Build it Solar, or consult the Unity Home Group’s checklists for energy conservation tips.
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