Got Sun? Go Solar: Get Free Renewable Energy to Power Your Grid-Tied Home [Paperback]

Rex A. Ewing (Author), Doug Pratt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 15, 2005

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

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Learn a new vocabulary! Take a refresher course on the electrical power of the sun and the wind! Although the enthusiasm of renewable-energy experts Ewing and Pratt might get a bit wearing, they've developed a nontechnical reference and guide for home owners thinking about pulling the plug on their utility connections. In fact, after a look at the table of contents, the appendixes just might be the right place to start figuring out whether photovoltaic panel installation makes sense geographically and financially and which states offer rebates or incentives. A host of resources is also offered. Sidebars (e.g., special meter or no?) and trivia (e.g., the watt is named after its Scottish-born inventor) plus numerous charts, illustrations, and anecdotes help demystify the science and math. No windy authors here. Barbara Jacobs
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

GOT SUN gets it right. Clear and concise, all the information needed by anyone who wants solar or wind energy. --Jeff Wolfe, Global Resource Options

This is the best book ever published for the lay person about residential solar energy. Besides being fun to read, it will answer every technical question the homeowner would ever want or need to know. As the solar home power business explodes in America, this well-illustrated, easy-to-read book is essential. --Neville Williams, Founder Standard Solar Inc., Solar Electric Light Company, and Solar Electric Light Fund

A book that's on topic, to the point, and well-written! Without burdening the reader with off-on-a-tangent distractions or too little information, Rex and Doug have done an excellent job in addressing the more important bits of knowledge and information sought after by those wanting to get involved with solar energy. A true value of the book is found in the Appendices: there is a great amount of information to a large number of related, from lists of component manufacturers, to state agencies, US maps of solar insolation, lists of organizations and associations, and others. --Richard Carter, GreenEnergyCafe.com

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Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: PixyJack Press, LLC (June 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0965809870
• ISBN-13: 978-0965809870
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 7.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #404,780 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #11 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > How-to & Home Improvements > Remodeling & Renovation > Energy Efficiency

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

119 of 122 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars realistic, practical guidance, September 21, 2005

By 

Janet Rivera Switzer (Colorado) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Got Sun? Go Solar: Get Free Renewable Energy to Power Your Grid-Tied Home (Paperback)

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.

70 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Got Sun, a great first book., November 29, 2005

By 

G. Bankston (Molutrie, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Got Sun? Go Solar: Get Free Renewable Energy to Power Your Grid-Tied Home (Paperback)

I bought the Idiot's Guide and this book.

This book covers actual equipment and actual costs, a big plus
for me. I liked the technical information, maps, diagrams and
illustrations. You can find enough information in this book to
get started. It is complete enough that it may scare some people
into hiring a contractor to do the work.

There are some important technologies coming in the field of
solar cells. A friend builds satellites, and told me of PV
cell efficiencies of up to 26% and higher coming soon. Couple
this with the world wide shortage of PV cells, makes prices high
now.

All in all, you should have this book before you buy solar electric equipment.

62 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Start, October 16, 2005

By 

Markus Egger "www.MarkusEgger.com/blog" (Spring, TX United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Got Sun? Go Solar: Get Free Renewable Energy to Power Your Grid-Tied Home (Paperback)

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.