Sky's the limit for sustainable energy

James Robinson uses solar and wind energy to power his Lisle home. His home will be featured on the Illinois Solar Energy Association's annual tour on Oct. 3

Imagine retiring, secure in the knowledge that no matter what catastrophes might befall the economy, your home is as safe as you can make it.

You have paid off your mortgage and thanks to solar and wind power, you don't have many, if any, utility bills to pay each month. Taxes, food and the extras are the only things for which you need to budget.

That is what James Robinson of Lisle is planning.

For the past decade he has been experimenting with solar and wind power at his home because, as he puts it, "I don't much care to have people charge me for things that I need to survive. I'm an independent more than I am an environmentalist."

So after 10 years of building and installing much of his own equipment, Robinson now has a very advanced sustainable energy system which allows him to heat his home and water and run the electrical items in his house off the electrical grid much of the time. His hybrid system includes photovoltaic, solar thermal, domestic hot water and wind systems. He also has a wood-burning stove to supplement his home heating and has a super efficient refrigerator designed to run on 100 percent solar power.

Judy and Chuck Thomas of Barrington have been building their renewable energy system since 1991. To convert sunlight directly to electricity, their home features state-of-the-art photovoltaic materials that double as roofing. These are much more aesthetically pleasing than traditional solar panels because they literally replace the shingles and blend right into the roofing material.

"They have an iridescent look, but otherwise look like a normal roof," Chuck said. "Our neighbors don't even realize we have them. Most think that they are skylights."

The Thomases also have a solar domestic hot water system. The collectors for this system are installed just above the shingles and are also barely noticeable. In addition, they have large, south-facing windows with coated glass to help collect solar heat in the winter and to reduce it in the summer, and they own a solar-powered attic fan.

Both the Robinson and Thomas homes will be featured from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 3 on the nonprofit Illinois Solar Energy Association's annual free statewide tour.

"This is the 11th year that Illinois has participated in this national solar energy tour," said Lisa Albrecht, volunteer chairwoman of the event.

"The purpose of the tour is to expose the public to working solar systems and to let them talk directly to users of these systems so that they can get a layman's perspective on solar energy," she explained.

"We try to educate homeowners about their choices because, as we tell them, there is no magic bullet with regard to replacing oil," Albrecht said. "It is more like silver buckshot because we need to piece together many different sources of energy to do the job.

"And while there is a significant upfront cost to these alternative energy sources," she continued, "we tell people that you can purchase 30 years of energy at today's cost."

This year's tour includes 145 homeowners statewide.

"Most of our participating homeowners showcase their systems because they are excited by their investment and are big believers in the solar energy technology. Interestingly, most decide to invest in solar energy for their homes because of the economics involved. Environmental concerns are secondary for most of them," Albrecht said.

"I have probably spent $22,000 over the years to install all of my equipment, but I like to build and install things and I am manufacturing my own energy," Robinson said.

"Without running the air conditioning, during the summer I produce between 55 and 60 percent of the electricity I need in my 2,000-square-foot home," he said. "And I turn off the natural gas completely during the summer, starting on May 1 each year. Instead, I use about $120 in propane each year for my cooking needs."

The Thomases' system, which cost them between $15,000 and $20,000, remains tied into the utility grid, but they have a battery-backup in case of a power outage. In the event of a power outage, they can run the electricity in their home for 12 hours to three days without purchasing electricity.

"I have always been interested in solar energy - since high school," Chuck said. "It is ludicrous the way we are wasting our fossil fuels."

Under normal circumstances, if the Thomases' system is generating more electricity than they can use, the excess is sold back to the power company. In fact, the electric meter actually spins backward, according to the solar tour brochure.

Chuck estimates that through their solar shingles, they collect enough solar energy to produce 20 to 25 percent of the electricity they need each year. In addition, their solar thermal panels collect enough heat to provide between 40 and 60 percent of the hot water they need for their furnace, hot water heater and radiant floor system.

When embarking on the solar energy journey in their home, most homeowners start by purchasing a domestic hot water heater, Albrecht said.

These systems "cost little to run and last decades with minimal maintenance," according to the tour brochure. "They also have a strong return on investment and compare in added home value to a kitchen remodel or the addition of a deck."

Solar collectors for these systems trap heat from the sun in much the same way as your car traps heat when it sits in the sun. Water or antifreeze is then pumped through tubes in a collector and heated. This water is then fed directly into the home's hot water heater or furnace, minimizing the amount of gas or electricity that is needed to heat the water for washing clothes or taking showers. The heated water can also be used in radiant floor systems or traditional forced air furnaces, but additional panels are needed, as well as an additional heat exchanger.

Numerous examples of these systems may be seen on the tour, along with solar electric/photovoltaic systems, some geothermal systems and wind turbines and even some outdoor swimming pool systems which use the sun to heat the pool.

Albrecht said that while interest in solar energy had been growing exponentially over the past few years, most homeowners have pulled back in the last year because of the slower economy.

"The interest level is still high, but people haven't had the money to spend," she said. "We expect to see a major surge in installations after the recession is over."

The federal tax credit of 30 percent for monies spent on renewable energy systems is expected to encourage some people to make the investment, but Albrecht said she hopes the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity will soon restore funding for the state rebate to homeowners to help make such systems more affordable.

For more information about the solar energy tour, visit illinoissolar.org.

If you go

What: Illinois Solar Energy Association's annual free statewide tour

When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 3

Where: 145 homes around the state

Online: illinoissolar.org