Renewable energy / Discussions

Our geothermal hot well has lower well levels and lower well temperatures, why is that and how can we supplement it?

We have lived in Klamath Falls, Oregon for 50 years. We live in a home built in 1943 and it had a very shallow hot water well ( 165 feet deep) with a well temperature then of 200+ degrees. Former owner said: " You've got a shallow very hot well with lots of home heat." We also have a continuous coil in our driveway to ...

Posted by Glenn Gailis Aug. 26, 2025 Heat pumps, geothermal and AC

Will a wind turbine work on the outside of an RV while on the freeway?

...energy you generate would be as much as the added gas you use because of the increased drag, so the smart money would be on a net loss of energy. It amounts to using one source of energy to generate another, like if you were to plug in a fan and use electricity to make a wind turbine spin to generate electricity.  So n...

Posted by magnuSong July 16, 2021 Tiny house 1 response

Should I use Tesla Solar Tiles instead of mounted solar panels?

Is it feasible to encorporate Tesla Tiles on my EcoHome S1600 prefab house? Additionally, is the there a discount for providing a roof from a another company? The orientation of my future lot, suggests mounting solar pV cells on the front of the house, would be preferable. I'd prefer a more subtle technology than the s...

Posted by Philip Benson March 10, 2021 Solar photovoltaic 1 response

Can I use an old patio door thermal pane as the cover for a solar air heater?

I will probably build a solar panel with layers of black screen. My question is, I have a patio door with a thermal pane in it. Could this be used for the glass cover of the collector? For a DIY solar air heater that sounds like it would work fine. It may help you even more than a single pane of glass as a thermal pane...

Posted by Fred Miller May 20, 2019 Solar thermal collectors 1 response

Are there any updates on the progress of the second demonstration house?

...energy performance and total carbon footprint on this page here -  Zero Carbon Homes - The S1600 Prefab Eco Home is affordably Close There have been Legalett air-heated floors across Canada and the U.S. since the mid-70s, and even longer in Sweden where the company originated, so there is nothing new there; it's the ad...

Posted by dean c April 30, 2019 Solar thermal collectors 2 responses

What is the best way to renovate and make a self sustaining eco friendly family house?

...renewable energy so as long as your heating system and water heater are powered with electricity you will already be powering your home with clean energy. For finding contractors, our Quebec site has a green building directory you could look through, hope that helps!   Many builders ask, is mineral wool eco-friendly?—t...

Posted by Emmanuel Sylvestre Aug. 31, 2020 Concept and design 1 response

What is the best solar water heating system?

I live in NM where the temperature gets below freezing in winter and around 100 degrees in summer.  In my small mechanical room I have a propane boiler and an indirect-fired WH which I use for my radiant floor and hot water.  I also have a heat pump minisplit, and I have PV electricity.  Which would be better (more sus...

Posted by Geri Rhodes July 6, 2018 Solar thermal collectors 2 responses