Comparing Different Home Heating Fuels and Alternative Energy Systems

1. Comparing Different Home Heating Fuels and Alternative Energy Systems Saving Home EnergyPart 3

2. Supplement Current Heating System – Short Term Options After servicing, cleaning and tuning up your current heating system you might consider a supplemental heating system • Electric space heater to use when you are in one room • Wood stove or pellet stove used when you are home to heat one or more rooms • Passive solar collector attached to a window to provide supplemental heat to a south facing room.

3. Easy to use Inexpensive to use No additional equipment required Minimal mechanical knowledge required to operate Low risk of fire, smoke or carbon monoxide Reduce carbon footprint Restricted to certain sites due to sun, wind or water resources No widespread infrastructure to service equipment Complicated operating understanding Physical needs to carry and store fuel Insurance implications Pros and Cons of Different Fuels and Energy Sources

4. Fuels Oil Natural gas Propane Electricity Hardwood Softwood Wood pellets Heat Distribution Systems Hot air Hot water Radiant heat Radiators Radiant floor or ceiling Space heating Compare Heating Fuels and Heat Distribution Systems

5. Fossil Fuels • 80% of homes use oil heat • Huge infrastructure to support installation and maintenance service • Low fire potential in home • Emissions are low especially with new 90% to 95% efficient systems

6. Fossil Fuels • Not a renewable source of fuel • Increased Carbon Dioxide in atmosphere • Negative impact on carbon footprint • Huge fluctuations in costs from $2.50 per gallon to $5.00 per gallon in one year. • These fuels must be imported into Maine

7. Renewable Fuels • Firewood logs • Wood pellets • Other formed wood products • Corn • Hay pellets • Etc.

8. Firewood and wood pellets are available throughout Maine Wood can regrow if sustainable harvesting is practiced Firewood stoves can provide heat in a power outage Not dependent on sources outside of Maine for wood New technologies are making wood burning more convenient Outdoor wood boilers less risk of house fires but increased air pollution Renewable Fuels - Wood

9. Check chimney to be sure it can support your wood stove. Insurance companies require separate flue or chimney Install with proper clearance from combustible materials. Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to protect your family Use dry hardwood to stoke your stove Use care when closing off the damper or air supply to the fire. It can cause excess creosote production. Wood Heat Safety

10. Evolution of Heating by wood • Fireplace • Fireplace stove insert • Masonry Heater “Russian Fireplace” • Wood stove • 1990 EPA particulate emission standards • Catalytic converter wood stove • “Secondary burn” wood stove • Wood furnace – hot air • Wood boiler – hot water • Outdoor wood boiler • www.epa.gov/woodheaters • Pellet stove

11. Corn Has a high heat value per ton Needs a special corn burning stove Most corn is grown in the mid-west and needs to be imported into Maine Can be delivered in bulk or in bags Hay Pellets Research is currently being done on hay pellets for heat Not readily available Other Renewable Fuels

12. Most Maine homes are connected to the power grid to power their electrical appliances Using electricity for heating homes is very expensive, suggest use another type of fuel to heat the home Most sources of public power are from coal or natural gas burning plants that negatively impact our carbon foot print Electricity • Consumers can opt to purchase “green” power that positively affects our carbon foot print • Maine Public Utilities Commission link

13. Electric HeatBetter used for supplemental space heating needs

14. Heat Pump • Ground source systems have usually been installed in Maine. • Air source systems may not work as well in our cold climate but new technology is being developed to make it more practical for Maine. • Need electricity to circulate heated fluid

15. Condensing From a gas to a liquid Collects heat Evaporation From a liquid to a gas Releases heat How Heat Pumps Work

16. Heating Passive Systems South facing Thermal mass Active Systems Circulate air or fluid Storage system Electricity Collectors Inverters Battery storage Organizations Maine Solar Energy Association Solar Energy

17. Building faces south Unobstructed view of sun Consider with new construction Thermal storage & ventilation needed to moderate wide temperature variations Supplemental source of heat for nights or cloudy days Passive Solar

18. www.builditsolar.com for more ideas Small window units can provide supplemental heat during sunny days Can be closed at night or on cloudy days Larger Trombe or solar walls can be retrofitted to older homes Window Passive Solar Collector

19. The dream of many gardeners is to have an attached greenhouse to start plants early in the spring It is true on a sunny day there will be a net gain in heat from an attached greenhouse However at night the greenhouse needs to be either shut off from the house or insulated to prevent heat loss. Attached Greenhouse

20. Whole house heating Domestic hot water Active Solar Heating

21. Active Solar Thermal Heating • Need electricity to circulate heated air or fluid • Can be used for space heating or domestic hot water • Need storage system

22. Solar electric systems, also known as photovoltaic (PV) systems, convert sunlight into electricity. Solar cells—the basic building blocks of a PV system—consist of semiconductor materials. When sunlight is absorbed by these materials, the solar energy knocks electrons loose from their atoms. This phenomenon is called the "photoelectric effect." These free electrons then travel into a circuit built into the solar cell to form electrical current. Solar Electric

23. Solar Electric con’t • Replace appliances with most energy efficient versions & assess consumption • Calculate electricity needs and determine size of system to install • Storage • Batteries • Grid (Net Metering) • http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home/electricity/index.cfm/mytopic=10720 • Maine Solar Energy Association • http://ellsworthme.org/MESEA/

24. Small Windmill for ME? • You have enough wind? • Wind analysis of your site with a year’s worth of data (at least 9 mph wind speed) • www.windpoweringamerica.gov/ click on their wind resources map • Tall towers allowed in your area? • You have enough space for your tower • Certified Electrician may be necessary for loans or rebates or if you plan to connect your system to power grid

25. Small Windmill for ME? cont. • You determine how much electricity you need/want • Current electric bill more than $150 per month • Costs range from $15,000 to $50,000 depending on how much electricity needs to be generated and the average wind velocity • Need battery storage and alternative backup for windless days unless you connect to the grid • Determine if it works economically for you A good reference for developing a home windmill site: http://www.windpoweringamerica.gov/pdfs/small_wind/small_wind_me.pdf

26. Micro Hydro Power • Must have reliable running water with drop in height to generate energy • Need to obey laws regarding dam development, water utilization, etc. • Installation technicians are very rare. Need to be a self starter willing to learn how to manage this energy source. Layman’s Guide to Developing Small Hydro Sites http://www.microhydropower.net/download/books.php

27. How much are you spending now? Oil Electricity Wood What quantity are you using (mBTUs or Kwhs)? How much per mBTU Reduction in annual cost for heat or Kwhs for electricity Cost of the system Estimated life for the system Annual maintenance costs Additional costs or value of time Cost Analysis of Changing Energy Source / System in the Home

29. How Do I Pay For Energy Improvements? • Own savings • Low income assistance • Loans • Alternate income (renting portion of house) • Rebates • Tax Incentives

30. State of Maine When Funds Are Available Solar Photovoltaic $2 per watt with $2,000 cap Solar Thermal 25% with $1,000 cap Wind $500 per 500 watts with $2,000 cap Additional $2,000 for site and height Federal 30% No Cap Solar Photovoltaic Solar Hot Water Systems Small Wind Geothermal Heat Pumps Conservation & Efficiency 30% with $2,500 cap Financial Incentives

31. Issues Tenants Insurance premiums Written lease Duration of lease Resources for more information Ten Tips for Landlords – NOLO www.NOLO.com Tenants Rights in Maine Pine Tree Legal Assistance http://www.ptla.org/tenants.htm Rent a Room or Part of Home

32. Energy Resources • http://www.extension.umaine.edu/energy/default.htm • http://www1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/ tips/