Podcast Episode 051921

Published May 19th

Introduction

The idea that your home is capable of returning every penny invested in alternate energy sources may strike many as a fantasy commercial, however, I’m here to tell you that with modern tech, it is completely possible to replace the local utility grids with pure profit for you. The first thing that I am about to share will be the possibilities, followed by some real world rubber on the road implementations of this tech. 

Greetings to all my friends (both new and old), to my wonderful family, my fellow Alaskans, and my fellow Americans, wherever you are. Welcome to the Alaska Outlaw podcast, I am the Alaska Outlaw, thank you so much for joining me this week. This week I hope to be your guide at actually putting rubber on the road, without an anchor in your wallet, to create partial security barriers out of everyday living conditions that might be just enough inconvenience to prevent random, opportunistic scumbags from violating the sanctity of your home. Before we get after it today, I’d like to make sure that, for those of you who seek peace and harmony, be sure to check out the Alaska Outlaw Forn-sidr podcast at http://forn-sidr.akoutlaw.com. Some good stuff for you there. Also, another second just to give a shout-out for our sponsors and affiliates:

Antennas Direct, Bad Ass Extension Cords, BrandsMart USA, Chewy, Chrome Burner, Connecticut BioTech, MediTac Kits, Power Systems, SunPower, Australian Native T-Shirts, Tactical Dad, Natures86 LLC, Sharesale, Survival Frog.

Shout out to all of them for supporting the mission here at Alaska Outlaw, we greatly appreciate taking a risk by supporting an “Outlaw” show. Please visit their links on our webpage and show them some love, they, like each of us, needs to pay their peeps.

Immediately we think of high expense items, however, it would seem that costs are beginning to come down, and some of the tech is a quite affordable now.

Article written for “The Spruce”

By Janelle Sorensen

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about renewable energy for the home? More than likely, you’re picturing big solar panels propped up in someone’s yard or on the roof. Solar panels are great for generating electricity, but they’re just one of many alternative power sources for the home.

We’ve seen those massive wind turbines, but it’s also possible to use wind energy on a smaller scale to power your home. Small wind energy is renewable, clean, and cost-effective. Depending on your location and the type of home wind system installed, you’ll typically see a return on investment anywhere from six to 30 years. After that, the electricity the turbine produces will be virtually free.

If your main goal is to lower your electric bill, a grid-connected wind system might be ideal for you. Grid-connected systems are cheaper because you can install a smaller system that doesn’t necessarily have to meet all of your home’s power needs. When your energy demands are too high for your wind turbines, the extra power you need is drawn from the grid. And if you consistently generate more electricity than you need, you could find yourself getting cash back from your utility company.

Additionally, the investment can increase the value of your home, and you might be eligible for some tax incentives. Like many other renewable energy options, small wind turbines qualify for a federal tax credit of 30 percent in the United States. Other financial incentives might be available through your state or individual utilities, some of which you can find via the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency.

If off-grid living is your ideal scenario, many renewable energy experts recommend a hybrid system of wind and solar energy. Hybrid systems feature both wind turbines and solar panels to double up on the generative power. These systems are the most efficient and reliable, as wind and solar energy tend to be most available at different times.

Depending on the location, wind speeds tend to be lower in the summer when the sun shines brightest and longest, and they’re higher in the winter when less sunlight is available. Because peak generation for wind and solar systems often occurs at different times, a hybrid system is more likely to consistently produce the energy your home needs.

Geothermal energy is derived from the heat below the earth’s surface. This clean energy source supplies renewable power around the clock and emits little to no greenhouse gases-all while requiring a small environmental footprint to develop.

Geothermal heat pumps use 25 percent to 50 percent less electricity than conventional HVAC systems, and they can be retrofitted onto existing systems. Plus, because the hardware requires less space than a typical HVAC system, equipment rooms can be smaller. And the components often come with warranties lasting 20 years or longer.

Moreover, a geothermal heat pump doesn’t have a condensing unit like an air conditioner, so noise outside the home isn’t a factor. The system sometimes is so quiet that residents can’t even tell it’s running. It’s also adept at keeping a home comfortable, as a unit maintains about 50 percent relative indoor humidity.

Shallow ground temperatures are pretty consistent throughout the U.S., so geothermal heat pumps can be installed in most places. Your installer will determine what’s best for your home based on the specific geological, hydrological, and spatial characteristics of your land.

For those who have flowing water on their property, the affordability and major returns from a microhydro generator make it a total no-brainer. Even a small stream can generate consistent, clean, dam-free, renewable electricity at a price lower than solar or wind.

A microhydropower system needs a waterwheel, turbine, or pump to convert the power of water into electricity. First, water is diverted to a water conveyance-usually a pipeline-that delivers it to a waterwheel (or another similar component). The moving water rotates the wheel, and this motion powers the alternator or generator to create electricity. The system can be on- or off-grid and should be able to power a typical large house.

Say goodbye to giant, cumbersome solar panels. Photovoltaic roof tiles, or “solar shingles,” have become a great option for homeowners looking to lower their electric bills without sacrificing the aesthetic value of their homes.

These shingles are much easier to install than traditional bolt-on solar panels, and they’re certainly more pleasing to the eye. Solar shingles blend with conventional shingles almost seamlessly, and they do their part to protect the roof from the elements. In fact, Tesla says its solar shingles are three times stronger than traditional shingles, and the company guarantees them for the lifetime of your house.

Solar shingles cost roughly a third more than the average solar panel installation, but there are tax incentives to help offset the price. A similar, less expensive option could be to install solar skylights. These are see-through solar panels that have the appearance of traditional skylights but generate some energy for your home.

So ends her article, definitely check out all the technologies listed within the article.

Bringing up the topic of making our homes more independent, why not just move out to the boonies? Good question, and although my idea is not to replace the power provided by the grid, although I could if necessary, my idea is to supplement the power provided by the grid. By supplementing the grid’s power I am to reduce or eliminate the monthly bill, instead investing those resources in securing  other survival supplies and technologies. So, when considering implementing green into your preps, think long and hard about it. I mean seriously. 

A standard home uses about $200 a month in charges, that’s $2,400 a year in money you get to keep. Now, even if you put $6k into a solar & battery setup, in three years you’re done with electric bills forever. No caps, no overages, the same cost per month, nothing. 

You want to break free? Then, go total rouge. Look at using geothermal heat pumps to provide the heating in your home, while micro wind turbines and solar panels, supplement solar shingles to power an electric well to provide water, as well as the rest of your home. Within the urban environment, you are stuck when it comes to waste water, and general refuse. However, a little composting, and good packaging choices, the impact to your monthly bills can be staggering. This gives you choices to really step up your zombie response gear!