Customer Reviews

Real Goods Solar Living Source Book--Special 30th Anniversary Edition: Your Complete Guide to Renewable Energy Technologies and Sustainable Living

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book is the absolute best for covering renewable energy on a residential-sized scale. It covers all things solar/renewable energy: converting solar energy to electricity, wind generators, solar water heating, solar water pumping, energy conservation, off-the-electrical grid and grid intertie applications. There's an appendix with charts, maps and worksheets that help you design your own solar home and energy system. It is well written, with the information easy to follow. There is just enough theory included so you can follow the technical descriptions of the system components. It's got 634 pages and there's not much wasted space. The chapter on "Natural Burial" is a little over-the-top, but I guess the editor is just trying to be comprehensive.
I have lived off-grid for over seven years and teach a renewable energy class at a nearby community college. I tell my students that if they are going to buy just one book on renewable energy, to buy this, the latest edition of the Solar Living Sourcebook.
Keep in mind, this is a catalog for Giam/Real Goods. Products and services are described and prices are listed. They would like you to do business with them. I have found that many of the products listed can be found cheaper elsewhere, but having the prices listed is a plus...you can put together a system and get a ball-park figure (a little on the high side) on how much the system will cost you. In my opinion, Real Goods is a reputable company, very service oriented, and very knowledgeable.
If you want more information on residential sized renewable energy systems, the magazine Home Power (www.homepower.com) is superb. They publish six issues a year, with a hands-on type format that makes you want to get out there and build something!
If you are interested in using solar energy to make electricity, but want the advantages of being tied to the grid, the book Got Sun? Go Solar by Rex Ewing and Doug Pratt is excellent. If living off-the-grid is more to your taste, check out The Renewable Energy Handbook by William Kemp.

I wish I had checked out the library copy before buying. If you're looking for a broad-based overview of eneregy options -- Solar, thermal, greywater, micro-hydro, landscape lights, bird fountains, etc -- this can be your one-shop-stop. Real Goods has blended energy overviews with their catalog, so if micro-hydro-electric (!?!?) interests you, then by all means look no further, Real Goods will be happy to retail out their product to you. However, I found most of the energy information available out on the 'net --free and more specific and informative, and alternate sources for energy products and options more abundant and lots cheaper.

If you have a serious interest in something specific, example PV systems, I found no single source, but recommend Kemp, "Got Sun? Go Solar" for helpful overview and great links and resources, and "The Renewable Energy Handbook", a better option to Real Goods. All from Amazon, and more applicable for actually getting greener and saving a buck in the process. These leave searching for the best and most applicable products and options to you, and there's much out there to choose from, and some very informative nuggets to be had along the way.

(FWIW: our city recently held a sustainable living fair, attended by Real Goods. But when I followed up on their "Call us when you're ready, happy to help you go green!", I received an abrupt "We don't service your area.". I guess green refers to the energy movement AND to those ready to cash in on it.)

I am an engineer and was looking for a book that has an easy to understand yet fact based and accurate book on solar energy implementation.

i was not disappointed. This is one of the best basic reference book on different uses of solar energy that you can find on the marker.

I've read a lot of sustainable living books. Many are better than this on specific topics (green architecture or strawbales or urban gardeing or homesteading, etc) but NONE are as comprehensive as this on so many topics at once. I don't think it should replace the more specific books in your library, but to anyone who just wants to wrap their head around all of the different technologies and opportunities out there this is the best primer there is on the market.

Gave this to a friend getting married; within a week they purchased a solar attic fan. There are many options for solar living, great and small. I recommend this book to check out your options.

Don't try to count the number of times the book says "carbon footprint" or "green". You'll lose your mind. Its a big product catalog with a sprinkling of broad articles. I would have preferred some DIY articles instead of a listing of "green" catalog crap listed repeatedly after every chapter. The author only presents the crap he sells in his store. I think I can build a $1000 solar hot water system better than the $4500 system he sells, but I would need to purchase a pump and switches, the catalog only lists kits with the option to add a regular hot water heater as a holding tank. I would rather my holding tank be my heat exchanger, like (2) 55 gallon drums heavily insulated and converted to heat exchangers using coils of copper tubbing. The book is a catalog, 350 pages of crap and 150 pages of articles that were mildly useful. If you're serious about going off-grid, there are better books.

This should be the first source for anyone considering anything to do with a back to the land lifestyle.

This is essentially a extension of their catalog with tons of information about all aspects of how to make green living possible in your life, to whatever degree you are ready.

This book is one of the most readable and comprehensive "green living" resource books I've seen. Information is presented in a very clear manner which does not require a high level of technical skill to understand. For novices needing a guidebook for sustainable living this is a good place to start. If you want a "how to" and "where to get it" book, this book merits your attention!

This is a great book for those of you starting to live green and want more information on renewable energy and the steps and materials and products needed to live green and using renewable energy and living off the grid. GREAT BOOK!