Spring Solar Projects

Solar Hot Water

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Now is a good time to study up on, and start building a solar water heating
system, so you can get it in this summer.
There are several high quality DIY designs that cab be built for inside of $1000. 

 Many solar water heating
downloads
 




Solar Greenhouse or Sunspace

 A place to grow some plants, produce some free heat for the house next winter,
or just a nice place to sit and have a cup of coffee with the newspaper. 

 Many Solar Greenhouses and
SunSpaces  -- ranging from $20 to $200,000.

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Passive and Low Power Cooling

 Here are many ways to keep your house cool, and at the same time save money
and reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions.  Shading, whole house fans, landscaping, earthtubes, insulation and sealing, reflective and garden roofs, ...
Lots of ideas here.
 Passive (and
efficient active) Cooling






Solar Pool and Hot Tub Heating
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 Solar pool heating is arguably the shortest payback solar technology.  
Take the chill off the pool, and be easy on the planet at the same time. 

 Solar pool heating
information
My favorite quote on solar pool heating from Tom Lane in the Home Power Article Pool Heating Article:
 "Three gallons of oil refined and burned provides 400,000BTU ... Once.
Three gallons of oil, made into a 4 by 12 foot solar collector, can provide
over 10 million BTUs per year ... year after year"


How about a Summer Outdoor Solar Shower?

This is a very simple solar project to get started with.  It can save energy and reuse shower water for plant watering while providing a nice outdoor shower experience!

How to build info for several outdoor solar showers...






Build Your Own Solar Electric System

Solar electric systems have become much easier to self install over the years.  If you are careful about the safety issues, and have done some home wiring, you may want to give this a try.  Plan it this spring, and build it this summer.

Details on my self installed system...

More on DIY PV...



Do a Water Conservation Project

Spring is a great time to get started on an outside water conservation project.
Dozens of projects described in detail here -- rainwater harvesting, greywater reuse,
rain water gardens, ...

All the details on water conservation projects...


Any other ideas --- make a suggestion.

Gary