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A straight-talking book tells grid-connected homeowners how to use free energy from the sun and wind to reduce or even eliminate their electric bills, and what to expect from this independent, thoughtful lifestyle. Whether you live in the sun-soaked Southwest, or windy North Dakota, alternative energy has come of age with affordable modern technology. Now with rebates and incentives from most states, installing a home system is an economically-attractive and environmentally-responsible option. Chapters include: - Why invest in alternative energy for your home? - Is it legal and safe? - How solar electricity really works - Batteries or not? - Sizing a system to fit your home and your needs - Got Wind? - What does it cost? - Does your state offer rebates or incentives? - Permits, Paperwork and Financing - The Nuts & Bolts: what to look for, what to avoid - Who does the installation? - Extensive appendix with resources, manufacturers, sizing worksheets, glossary, and more
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 realistic, practical guidance |
| Review Date: September 21, 2005 |
| Reviewer: Janet Rivera Switzer, Colorado |
I've lived off-grid with a PV system long enough to recognize how realistic and practical Rex's books and magazine articles on solar living are. Now preparing to build on property already furnished with grid power, I wondered whether a grid-intertie system was a good idea or if it would turn out to be just a costly indulgence of my renewable-energy philosophies. Now that I've met Rex and LaVonne, visited their PV-powered home, and read this book, I'm convinced that there will be no regrets.
Where I live there are apparently no financial incentives, other than net metering, for grid-intertie installations. This book points out that many states and localities do have quite attractive incentive programs and suggests ways to find out. If you live in such a place, lucky you! Go for it!
"Got Sun? Go Solar" doesn't provide all the information you'll need. There are too many variables: personal preference, budget, climate, local politics and attitudes, and so on. Rex and his co-author, Doug Pratt, have instead compiled a guidebook with enough technical background to understand the nature of grid-intertie technology plus resources (many on the Internet) where you can acquire the rest of the information you need.
Don't be concerned that this will be dry reading. The only "dry" is the humor that fills the book. In the world of PV energy there are many funny stories and you'll get to read some of them. |
Good Start
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| Review Date: October 16, 2005 |
| Reviewer: Markus Egger, Spring, TX United States |
| If you are interested in solar power, then this book will get you started. It is a quick read and it will answer a lot of questions you might have at the very beginning of your journey towards a solar-powered home. Is it going to answer all the questions? No. But it will answer your fundamental questions, and after reading this book, you will know what questions to ask next. |
Great introduction to solar
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| Review Date: November 9, 2006 |
| Reviewer: S. Valente, Long Island |
This book is a quick read, and very informative as an introduction. The layout and progression of topics make it very easy to follow, and there is plenty of good, current information on how to get started on moving to solar power. Consultations with a couple of solar installers confirmed much of what I learned from this book to be true. The appendix and references are worth a lot on their own. Of course, you CAN find all this info on the web, but having it in one book to start out with is very handy.
Just keep in mind this is NOT a how-to. The author's purpose is to make you aware of what you need to know before you call an installer, not to tell you how to do it yourself, which he discourages for several reasons which he lists. But he does show you how to size a system and give you a fairly comprehensive look at the different options and configurations that are available.
Nice Job! |
A winning guide: specific where others just generalize
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| Review Date: January 5, 2006 |
| Reviewer: Midwest Book Review, Oregon, WI USA |
Are you connected to the grid but seeking independence from high energy bills? Looking to harness solar and wind power? Plenty of other books have surveyed the benefits of renewable energy or systems; but this is one of the few to add simplicity into the formula to make it possible for novices to convert. Chapters tell how to power an existing grid-tied home with renewable sources and how to make the conversion at minimum expense. From understanding a home's big energy wasters and how to contemplate either doing without or doing with less to sizing a system, obtaining permits for installations, and considering the pros and cons of manufacturers, Got Sun? Go Solar is a winning guide: specific where others just generalize.
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Excellent starting point on setting up solar/wind power
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| Review Date: August 20, 2006 |
| Reviewer: David Diez, Boston, MA |
Interesting to read AND has useful information. With humor and spirit, the authors give information about solar power, wind power, and how to implement it for personal use.
They include
-how solar power works
-the system behind solar power in a home, including costs
-remarks on the products they most recommend, including different portions of solar and wind systems*
-cost analysis
-things to look into prior to setting up a home system
*they include many brands -- they didn't seem biased.
I won't be getting a solar system (first I would need a home), but this book was a great source for information for those interested in solar power for themselves or just in interested in the topic, in general. |
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April 14th, 2010 | 
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