Generation Solar Renewable Energy Systems

Home Owner: 1 Utility Company: 0

Photo courtesy of Glen Hunter

Solar energy is used to provide electricity and heat at a straw bale home near Peterborough, ON. Glen Hunter and Joanne Sokolowski built this home in 2002/2003 on their 100 acre parcel of land (details at www.glenhunter.ca).

Glen and Joanne decided to build their new home about a kilometre from the nearest power line ('the grid'). Given the high cost of extending the grid, many people would have opted for another site. Typical cost for extending the power lines is about $10,000 per kilometre. But Glen and Joanne fell in love with the chosen site and the changes required to live more efficiently, with renewable energy, came naturally.

Glen Hunter says: "Many people live on systems that are much smaller than ours but we did not wish to sacrifice too many of the comforts that we have come to expect from a modern home. In our opinion, 'green living' should not involve a de-evolution back to the days of the settlers. To that end we have tried to make intelligent choices about our lifestyle and the resources required to live as responsibly as possible."

The electrical system consists of eight 85 Watt BP Solar PV modules, one Whisper H80 wind turbine, a back-up generator, eight Surrette Big Red batteries, and Xantrex control and conversion equipment.

The solar thermal system is manufactured by Solcan Ltd. and preheats the water going into a propane boiler. This heat is used in both the radiant floor system as well as the domestic hot water. The solar thermal system was installed as part of a pilot project administered by Peterborough Green-Up and funded by Natural Resources Canada. The custom designed roof mounts allow the collectors to capture direct unobstructed sunlight as well as reflected sunlight from the roof.

Though the system was installed during the winter of 2002/2003 by Generation Solar, Peterborough, the planning of the system began well in advance of construction. Early planning for energy is a key element in an effective off-grid home design. Choosing appropriate building styles, heating systems, and appliances are just some of the aspects which go into a successful off-grid home design.

"Often home owners contact us too late in the planning process, after many energy decisions have been made. This can limit the potential benefit a renewable energy system can have on their home", says Simon Boone of Generation Solar.

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