The state offers a range of excellent solar incentives as well as Minnesota energy rebates to encourage homes and businesses to explore solar power, meaning that investing in solar panels will not only let you be kinder to the environment, it could be good for your wallet too!

Minnesota Energy Rebates Explained

Minnesota has a long history of promoting eco-friendly policies, with its Conservation Improvement Program (CIP) dating back to the 1980s, and offers homeowners an excellent range of solar incentives and energy rebates.

In 2007, the state adopted a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) which mandated energy goals for utilities. The same year, the state legislature passed the Next Generation Energy Act which requires the Gopher State to slash its greenhouse gas emissions by 80% between 2005 and 2050.

This led to a swathe of renewable energy incentives, particularly solar incentives, offered to consumers and businesses alike.

Furthermore, you can expect these incentives to remain in place for some time to come, especially when you consider that the RPS set the target of 10% of all retail electric sales to come from solar by 2030, but this rate is only about 3.5% at the moment.

In this guide, we’ll take a look at the best solar incentives available for Minnesota residents and other benefits of going solar if you live in the Gopher State. These incentives include federal incentives, as well as schemes only available to Minnesota residents and those living in the service area of specific utilities.

You can access net metering

Net metering is a fantastic solar incentive that’s available in various states, including Minnesota. The state was one of the first to introduce net metering laws in 1983, which apply to all investor-owned utilities (IOUs), electrical cooperatives, and municipal utilities.

This means that as a resident in the state, you get solar bill credits when you feed energy back into the grid. In Minnesota, you’ll be paid for your excess energy generation at least the average retail energy rate: it’s mandatory for all utilities to provide net metering for solar systems up to 40 kW, which covers almost all residential solar arrays.

However, the exact credit you’ll get depends on your energy provider – currently, Xcel Energy has the best net metering program for homeowners. Some utilities give monthly unused bill credits, while others accumulate the credits throughout the year and reimburse you for any remaining credits at the end of the year.

It’s a good idea to check how net metering works in your area, as this may affect how you choose to design your solar system.

You won’t need to pay sales tax

Another incentive that encourages Minnesotans to go renewable is sales tax exemption. You don’t need to pay sales tax when buying solar panels or other solar energy equipment in the North Star state!

The sales tax exemption applies to solar energy systems, defined as:

 “a set of devices whose primary purpose is to collect solar energy and convert and store it for useful purposes, including heating and cooling buildings or other energy-using processes, or to produce generated power by means of any combination of collecting, transferring, or converting solar-generated energy.”

With state sales tax currently at almost 7%, this could represent serious savings when setting up a large solar system. Contractors should automatically include this exemption of quotes and invoices, so be sure to check that sales tax isn’t imposed when you buy or install solar energy equipment.

You’ll also get an exemption on property tax

The Minnesota equivalent of property tax exemption is their Wind and Solar-Electric (PV) Systems Exemption Policy. Under this policy, if your home’s solar system increases its assessed value, you won’t need to pay more in property taxes.

This policy aims to avoid homeowners being discouraged from investing in solar because it may lead to a property tax penalty. It also means that you can effectively boost the value of your home while saving on property tax.

However, keep in mind that property taxes will apply if you have a piece of land that is primarily used to generate solar energy.

You’ll get access to the Residential Clean Energy Credit

Of course, Minnesota homeowners also get access to the federal solar tax credit. Formerly called the investment tax credit (ITC), the Residential Clean Energy Credit could slash the costs of setting up a solar system by up to 30%.

Under the scheme, homeowners are eligible for a federal tax credit of up to 30% of the entire cost of equipment, labor, and permitting to install a system, for solar arrays installed before the end of 2032. From 2033 onwards, the federal tax credit drops to a maximum of 26%.

It’s important to note that to be eligible for the federal tax credit, you need to buy your solar system outright. This means you can either invest in your system by making a cash purchase or a solar loan, but you won’t receive this credit if you decide to lease your solar panels.

Furthermore, to get the full benefit of this incentive you’ll need to have sufficient taxable income. On the other hand, tax-exempt entities may be eligible for a direct payment as a further incentive.

Minnesota Energy Rebates: you have access to local and utility rebates

A range of utilities in Minnesota offer attractive rebates to homeowners in their service area who install solar systems. These include Xcel Energy, Solar Sense and Dakota Electric, as well as some local municipalities.

Xcel Energy’s Solar Rewards Program

Xcel Energy is the state’s largest utility company and, if you live in their service area, you can access their Solar Rewards Program, where you receive an annual payment based on your PV system’s energy production. Funded by the Minnesota Renewable Development Fund, the program gives homeowners a performance-based incentive to produce more solar power.

The utility company will pay you per $0.07/kWh of solar energy you produce for up to 10 years. You need to get in early, as once the program budget is fully allocated for the year, funding is not guaranteed, and you’ll need to join a waitlist.

SolarSense

The good news: this rebate covers up to 60% all of the costs to install your solar system, up to a maximum of $10,000. The bad news: it’s awarded via a lottery, so luck will need to be on your side!

To qualify, you’ll need to be a homeowner under the Minnesota Power utility and meet certain requirements in terms of system size and type, as well as the installer you choose. You can check if you’re eligible here.

Dakota Electric Association

Dakota Electric Association offers a one-time rebate of $500 to its customers who install home solar. Be careful though as, unlike some other utility rebates, you’ll need to submit your application and receive approval before you install your home’s solar array.

St Louis Park Solar Sundown

Under the city of St Louis Park’s Solar Sundown program, residents can receive a subsidy of between 4% and 6% of the total cost to install solar in their home. However, it’s only open to existing homes: homes and additions built within the last 12 months don’t qualify.

Shakopee

If you live in Shakopee and are connected to Shakopee Utilities, you could be eligible for a solar rebate of up to $1000. Like many similar programs from public utilities, the funding is limited and quickly gets fully-subscribed, so be sure to apply early to avoid joining the waitlist!

Austin, Owatonna, and Rochester Public Utilities

If you live in the cities of Austin, Owatonna, or Rochester, you’ll be able to access a solar rebate from your local public utility. These three cities offer a $500 rebate to all homeowners (as well as businesses) who install PV solar systems with 2 kW DC capacity or more.

You can also get a rebate of $15 per square foot of collector area for your solar hot water system in any of these cities. Just be sure to submit your application within 30 days of installation, and you’ll need to sign a net-metering and interconnection contract with the public utility.

Brainerd Public Utilities

If you’re in Brainerd Public Utilities’ service area, you can access a rebate of $0.50 per watt when you install a PV solar system in your home. The maximum rebate is $2,500, and only applies to systems up to 40 kW, which covers the vast majority of residential solar systems.

Minneapolis Green Cost Share Program

The City of Minneapolis’ ‘Green Cost Share Program’ includes solar incentives, but not for normal residential properties. The city’s solar rebate is only available to commercial, industrial, nonprofit, part of the City’s 4d Affordable Housing Incentive Program, or multifamily properties, the latter being complexes with three or more units.

Single-family and duplex properties can apply to the program, but only as part of a solar group purchase of five or more properties, of which 20% need to be environmental justice or income-qualified.

If your property meets any of these criteria, you may be eligible for a solar rebate from the City of between $0.20 and $0.40 per estimated annual kilowatt hours to install solar.

New Ulm Public Utilities

Finally, New Ulm Public Utilities offers solar rebates for their residential, commercial, and industrial customers installing new PV systems between 0.5 kW and 40 kW. You’ll need to sign a net metering and interconnection agreement, and you can then apply for a rebate of $1 per nameplate watt.

What about energy rebates in Minnesota?

Minnesota also offers a range of energy rebates to encourage homes and businesses to adopt more energy-efficient practices and switch to natural gas. These rebates can help you save some cash and give you an extra incentive to go green.

The rebates offered to private residences and individuals include:

Heating system rebates

The state offers rebates to existing homes that are at least two years old when you upgrade your heating to a more energy-efficient system, such as a natural gas boiler, energy-efficient fireplace, or install an advanced, programmable thermostat.

The rebate you’ll be eligible for will depend on how efficient your new system is: for example, a natural gas furnace with 92% AFUE efficiency will get you a $250 refund, while one with 97% could be awarded a $500 rebate.

Water heating rebates

Minnesota will give you a rebate when you update the water heater on your existing property to a more energy-efficient system. As with the heating system rebates, the rebate amount depends on the efficiency of the water heater you install, as measured by its Uniform Energy Factor (UEF) and ENERGY STAR® rating.

Insulation and air sealing rebates

Minnesota Energy Resources offers rebates for installing insulation and more effectively sealing your house from external airflow, as this prevents the loss of hot and cold air, making your home more energy-efficient.

The scheme is available to existing homes that are more than two years old and use natural gas heating, for insulation installations and air sealing work done by a Minnesota Energy Resources’ authorized contractor.

Final thoughts

There are a range of solar incentives and Minnesota energy rebates available to residents and businesses in the Gopher State. These range from sales and property tax exemptions to rebates offered by various utilities and municipalities, and mean that it’s never been a better time to go green.

With so many great incentives in place, if you live in Minnesota you can offset the cost of installing a solar system, allowing you to start enjoying the cost savings of running your home on renewable energy, not to mention doing your bit for the environment!

Planning on installing a solar system? Take a look at our posts on monocrystalline vs polycrystalline PV panels, solar output, and how solar panels work in cold weather.

Just like magic, you imagine electricity flying through the air like invisible sparks, wirelessly, powering up the smartphone in your pocket or the tablet on your desk, and keeping them always topped off.

Low battery warnings? Permanently a thing of the past.

Investors, wanting to seize on the money-making opportunity presented by the notion of wireless electricity, rallied behind so-called nanocrystal electricity companies that supposedly could pull this off.

Not so fast.

Although there is science to support it, nanocrystal electricity exists mostly in labs today. You’ll read about some of this exciting research, especially in photovoltaics (solar energy).

You will also learn about unsuccessful investor campaigns to sell stock in nanocrystal electricity. You will meet a company wrongly associated with nanocrystal electricity, and find out what they are doing instead. 

In fact, this company is one of several tech startups that is taking the core concepts behind nanocrystal electricity and wireless electricity and running with it. Using various scientific techniques, they’re developing a type of wireless technology known as wireless power transfer (WPT). The startups are actively working on scaling it up for widespread use.

Find out here what WPT means for you — now and in the future. 

What is nanocrystal electricity?

Nanocrystal electricity refers to tiny crystals generating electric currents via the piezoelectric effect. There are two ways this effect happens: direct and inverse.

Direct piezoelectric effect

Mechanical pressure on extremely small (nano) crystals creates an electric current, as the diagram below of the direct piezoelectric effect shows.

Microphones and pressure sensors function because of the direct piezoelectric effect.

Inverse piezoelectric effect

Similarly, the inverse piezoelectric effect occurs when voltage is applied to a piezoelectric crystal, expanding or shrinking it. Speakers in phones and buzzers as well as sonar operate because of the inverse piezoelectric effect.

Here is a diagram illustrating the inverse piezoelectric effect on a nanocrystal of lead zirconate titanate:

Unfortunately, nanocrystal electricity could never work on a grand scale to power a home or a country because the electric currents produced are just too small to power anything for any significant length of time.

Yet somehow, in the late 2010s, investors began promoting nanocrystal electricity as the next big thing in green technology.

At the time, the startup tech company, Energous, was cited in a few articles and financial newsletters as spearheading nanocrystal electricity, a “disruptive” technology with great money-making potential. However, a 2018 article published by Nanalyze titled Investing in Nanocrystal Electricity Stocks stated clearly:

“In looking through the latest 10-K from Energous, not one mention is made of “nanocrystal” anything. In fact, not once are the words “nano” or “crystal” used in the entire document. So whoever decided to start calling wireless charging “nanocrystal electricity” should be slapped. Henceforth, we will try to never use this term again, and instead talk about “wireless charging.”

To support this conclusion, we spoke with Cesar Johnston, the CEO of Energous, in an October 2022 video call. He confirmed that nanocrystal electricity was never a part of their game plan or mission as a wireless power company. Johnston stated unequivocally:

“Energous has nothing to do with nanocrystal electricity.”

When asked how the mistaken connection between Energous and nanocrystal electricity could have gotten started, Johnston, suggested that the longstanding goal among scientists to “harvest” electricity in a way that didn’t depend on fossil fuels was probably behind it. He pointed out that researchers have been exploring alternative strategies to generate electricity, like using solar energy or radio frequency waves, for over a century. 

Besides Energous, there are several startups innovating in the wireless technology space. They are all featured later in this article.

But first, brief looks at nanocrystal electricity on an experimental scale and on the history of wireless electricity will help piece together this puzzle about how we got from nanocrystal electricity to wireless power transfer (WPT) via wireless electricity.

Nanocrystal electricity in the lab

In the 2010s, while investors began hailing — without good reason — the unlimited potential of nanocrystal electricity stock to make money, there were scientific papers related to the topic being published. It’s possible that the person who coined the phrase nanocrystal electricity considered this work as a scientific justification for it. 

However, the scientific advances on nanocrystals happening in research labs had nothing to do with electricity to feed the grid, power homes, or even recharge devices wirelessly — as the investors claimed. 

Nanocrystal research, for instance, falls within the emerging field of nanoscience in medical applications such as drug delivery. Several research teams look specifically at the electrical characteristics of nanocrystals. Here are three of them:

1. Electrical characteristics of nanocrystal solids

Photovoltaics refers to the use of sunlight energy to create direct current (DC) electricity. It’s the science behind solar panels.

There is an ongoing effort in the scientific and engineering communities to identify chemically stable and non-toxic crystals that efficiently convert solar energy to electrical energy. This paper discusses the testing of semiconductor nanocrystal solids for their electrical properties. The goal is to identify highly absorptive materials for advanced solar cells with superior efficiency.

2. Nanocrystal light-emitting diodes based on type II nanoplatelets

This work investigates a new class of semiconductor nanocrystals called nanoplatelets used to make brighter light-emitting diodes (LEDs). You are probably familiar with LEDs as the small red, blue, white, or green lights that indicate the charging or on/off status of electronic gadgets.

Researchers believe these nanocrystals can be used in solar cells or lasers as well as in high-performing LEDs. 

3. Strongly emissive perovskite nanocrystal inks for high-voltage solar cells

Perovskite nanocrystals hold much promise in photovoltaics as a silicon alternative. They are less energy-intensive to produce than conventional solar cells and generally are made with more environmentally-friendly substances. 

As of yet, perovskites aren’t stable long enough to be commercially scalable in solar panels. This means they degrade quickly. Research looking at the characteristics of specific perovskites, including their electrical properties, aims to overcome this technical barrier to creating highly efficient solar panels. 

A 2022 study proposed an experimental method of accelerated aging of perovskites. The researchers were able to estimate the stability of their perovskite solar cells to be 5+ years at elevated temperatures and humidity. Efficiency remained high. This is an incredible improvement compared to other perovskites. 

The new technique is an important tool with which investigators can measure perovskite solar cell longevity. Expect more technological advances with perovskites in the near future.  

General conclusion from nanocrystal electricity research

Labs researching the electrical characteristics of nanocrystals exist in academia, industry, and government today. As suggested here, most of it is related to photovoltaics. It is distinctly not about nanocrystal electricity on a commercial scale envisioned as an alternative to fossil fuel power plants, electrical substations, and high-voltage wires and poles stretched over much of the world. 

The dream of nanocrystal electricity to power homes, offices, and factories belongs only to investors hoping to sell stock in nanocrystal electricity companies — although there weren’t any.

However, the concept of wireless electricity is not new. For this invention, we have Nikola Tesla to thank. 

Nikola Tesla and wireless electricity

Nikola Tesla had big plans for wireless electricity as a late 19th-century engineer, physicist, and futurist credited with the invention of alternating current (AC) electricity used worldwide in homes, offices, and factories. However, none of his plans involved nanocrystals.

For Tesla, inventing many modern conveniences we still enjoy today, such as remote controllers, x-rays, neon lamps, and radios, was a mere prelude to his dream.

Tesla hoped to electrify the world wirelessly. For him, wireless transmission meant “a great step will be made toward the unification and harmonious existence of the various races inhabiting the globe.” 

Tesla started the project in 1902 in New York but couldn’t complete it when his funding was cut by a wealthy banker who probably didn’t want electricity to be free as a public good. Yet his research was of such great significance for the potential it had to upend the energy production status quo that it was confiscated by the FBI after his death.

Earlier in 1893, at the Chicago World’s Fair, he had proven the concept of wireless electricity in an exhibition room. For this, he invented a type of wireless power transfer (WPT) called resonant inductive coupling. To the amazement of bystanders, he demonstrated that electricity could be transmitted and used wirelessly. 

With this invention, Tesla lit up lamps with no wires. He called it “cold light” created in glass tubes containing gases when close to an electric current moving through the air in the room. He wrote a 1901 newspaper article describing his experiments.

How does resonant inductive coupling work?

Tesla generated electricity wirelessly through resonant inductive coupling using another of his well-known inventions: the Tesla coil. This device is a special type of transformer consisting of two loosely coupled resonant circuits. It is capable of producing extremely high-voltage, high-frequency, but low-amperage alternating current (AC) electricity inside a strong magnetic field. 

In a Tesla coil, electrical charges can jump across an air (spark) gap as arcs. The maximum amount of electricity that can be transferred across an air gap occurs when the two circuits oscillate at the same frequencies. Tesla claimed that his wireless electricity could be transferred with only a 5% energy loss. 

How did Tesla plan to take wireless electricity around the world?

Tesla’s vision with resonant inductive coupling as a form of wireless power transfer was to apply it on a grand scale and take wireless electricity around the world. One of the ways he hypothesized it could occur was by tapping into the Earth’s resonance. 

Based on many of his experiments, Tesla came to view the Earth as a massive electrical power conductor that could be made into a generator. First, he observed that the Earth possessed a natural electric charge with its own specific vibrational frequency. 

Then he hypothesized that by matching the planet’s frequency with that of an electric oscillator, and stepping it up further with a magnifying transmitter — instruments which he also invented —  he could excite a low-frequency ground wave called the Zenneck surface wave. The Earth’s electric current would travel via these waves underground, producing wireless electricity anywhere in the world.

So it was feasible to Tesla that he could run AC electricity across the Atlantic Ocean not with wires but through the underground tunnels located around his lab and the Wardenclyffe Tower in New York. The Tower itself was 100 ft. in diameter and over 200 ft. high. 

Researchers speculate that “…the deep tunnels seem to have been constructed to increase earth coupling for grounding and/or to initiate standing waves for the projection of electricity to remote locations.”

According to Tesla’s view, by tapping into the electric current traveling underground through the Earth’s own natural resonance, you could access the electricity anywhere on Earth — without wires.

In Tesla’s own words: “When wireless is fully applied, the earth will be converted into a huge brain, capable of response in every one of its parts.”

Here is a copy of an original drawing from Tesla’s 1907 patent application for “an apparatus for transmitting electrical energy”:

As of today, no company has seriously picked up the torch lit by Tesla. Instead, the world relies on an antiquated electric grid, ironically also developed in part by Tesla. In the United States, except for 13% from wind and solar energy sources, fossil fuels (coal and gas) supply over 60% of the electric grid. This fossil fuel burning is fueling the climate crisis today.

Did Tesla complete his global wireless electricity experiment?

Because Tesla’s employer, the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing company, had so heavily invested in building the grid’s infrastructure in the United States — with Tesla’s ingenuity behind it, of course — they were unwilling to forego its money-making potential and take a risk on developing Tesla’s wireless electricity. 

At the time, the cause-and-effect relationship between fossil fuel burning and climate change was not well known, even though a few scientists had predicted and demonstrated the global warming potential of carbon dioxide.

Notable among them were the first researchers doing climate science: Eunice Newton Foote in 1856 and John Tyndall in 1859. 

In 1938, G.S. Callendar showed for the first time that it was “artificial” (human-caused) fossil fuel burning that was increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as well as the global temperature.

What are the consequences of using the electric grid instead of Tesla’s wireless electricity?

At the turn of the 20th century, with Westinghouse’s Tesla in charge, human civilization was on track for burning up the stored carbon from millions of years of plant and animal decomposition in order to keep the grid working. Today, just 100 years or so later, humanity is beginning to experience the adverse climatic effects largely resulting from that choice. 

Known for high transmission losses — over 13% in some states as the diagram below shows — and prone to shutdowns during peak demand times, the electric grid is not the most efficient way to power a country. High-voltage wires strung on wooden poles are vulnerable to climate crisis-intensified storms.

Further, there is evidence that aging equipment is a prime cause of some wildfires in California.

Today, there are new problems for the grid. With the push toward renewable energy, electric vehicles, and electrification of all sectors, some researchers provide evidence that there is serious doubt whether the present grid can handle the heavy loads that are increasingly being put on it.

There is no question that the company that makes wireless electricity for the world — as Tesla envisioned — on a commercial scale will not only save the day (and the world) with clean, green power. This company will likely earn billions in profits.  

From nanocrystal electricity to wireless power transfer (WPT) 

The core concept of producing, transmitting, and consuming electricity without wires is at the heart of all wireless technology, including wireless power transfer (WPT). However, there are no nanocrystals involved in any of the technology arising from companies innovating in the WPT space today.

As explained earlier in this article, nanocrystal electricity was a hyped-up scam by investors meant to attract people looking to invest in “disruptive” green technology. WPT is somewhat like what the nanocrystal electricity scam envisioned: electricity traveling wirelessly to power devices across a distance.

However, don’t think WPT is brand new. It’s been around for at least a century, but just not marketed as WPT is today.

What is wireless technology and wireless power transfer (WPT)?

Have you ever heard of radio telemetry, satellite communications, or radio frequency identification tags (RFIDs)? They are examples of wireless technology.

Here’s a brief rundown on what these early forms of wireless technology do:

1. Radio telemetry 

Telemetry uses sensors to collect data (current, temperature, pressure, etc.) from a remote location. The information is converted to voltages, combined into a single stream, and transmitted. Upon reaching a receiver, the data are separated and analyzed.

The first time telemetry was used in the early 1900s; it moved data from power plants to a central office via telephone lines. So, it wasn’t truly wireless at the start. 

In the early 1960s, radio telemetry became widely used to track wildlife at a distance. Very high frequency (VHF) radio telemetry is currently the most commonly used practice for animal tracking. Besides a transmitter and receiver, an antenna is involved. Animals are given their own frequencies in the 30-300 MHz range allowing specific individuals to be tracked for long periods.

2. Satellite communications

Satellites and other spacecraft take photos and collect data on their current status and location. They communicate this information via radio frequency waves beamed down to large antennae on Earth. One antenna could be over 200 feet in diameter. The antennae make up the Deep Space Network (DSN) and are located around the world.

Similarly, space agencies send information to satellites via the DSN. An example is a list of instructions for a repair.

Here’s a photo of the Mars Antenna in California.

3. Radio frequency identification (RFID) 

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is a form of wireless power or communication based on radio frequency waves. It dates back to the 1940s. RFID can uniquely identify a person, animal, or object.

RFID systems consist of three components:

• Scanning antenna
• Transceiver
• Transponder 

The antenna and transceiver may be combined in a reader (either portable or stationary). The transponder is in the RFID tag.

Readers and tags “talk” to each other via radio waves. First, a reader sends out a signal to activate a tag. Then, the tag responds with a signal of its own. The signal is translated into data such as location. Tags may have their own power source (batteries). Or, tags could run off of the power supplied by a reader through electromagnetic induction of an electrical current in the tag.

Simple RFID tags are smart labels that feature a bar code. No specialized equipment is needed to print out an adhesive smart label and display it in a store.

Common applications of RFID technology include:

• Passports
• Pet tracking
• Inventory 
• Vehicle tracking
• Shipping
• Healthcare
• Some credit cards

Wireless Technology: Then and Now

Wireless technology has undergone significant development since its debut in the early 1900s. Begun as a way to transmit data without wires, it now also moves electrical power wirelessly. Thus, its name: wireless power transfer (WPT).

Initially, WPT transmitted only very small amounts of power in the microwatt to milliwatt range. By contrast, modern WPT moves a few watts up to several kilowatts over larger distances.

In recent years, WPT has exploded to include cell phone, tablet, and drone charging, stationary charging of electric vehicles (EVs), and dynamic charging of EVs known as road-powered EVs (RPEVs).

For EV applications, industry has created a special branch of WPT, called inductive power transfer (IPT).

The diagram below gives an overview of the many types of WPT in existence today. The schematic indicates the way power passes over the air gap between the transmitter and receiver.

What is Qi charging?

In 2008, the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) developed standards for wireless battery charging, also called Qi (“chee”) charging. The standards apply to both inductive and resonant WPT technologies.

Here is the Qi logo on a charging pad:

Inductive charging often involves use of a charging pad. Resonant charging may not need a charging pad.

Qi charging up to 15 watts is possible today. Note that not all devices on the market today have met Qi standards. Look for the Qi logo to be sure.

As of this writing, 9,113 gadgets are qualified by the WPC. This means they have undergone testing and completed the certification process. The fields they create will not harm sensitive equipment such as implanted medical devices. Qi-registered products can be safely charged with Qi-certified chargers. Visit the Qi database to see if your device is certified.

Are the electromagnetic fields produced by wireless charging harmful to human health?

Wireless charging produces an electromagnetic field (EMF). Most experts (but not all) do not consider it to be harmful to human health because the levels are so low.

However, if you have very sensitive equipment, such as some implanted medical devices, it could cause a disturbance.

When EMFs become more powerful and ever-present with advanced WPT technology, wireless charging could present more of a health hazard. Currently, EMF radiation is highest very close to charging pads. There is none when there is no device on the charger being charged.

If you’d like to measure the EMF generated by your wireless charger, this portable gizmo, a Trifield TF2, will deliver all the data you need to make your assessment.

WPT company profiles

Here’s a brief look at what’s going on and what’s up and coming in the wireless power transfer (WPT) world in 2022.

Energous

Energous  are developers of WattUp, a government-approved and -regulated technology for desktop, near field, and far field charging, Energous is a leader in the WPT space. The company uses radio frequency (RF) waves to power devices wirelessly. 

Energous wireless products work through a transmitter and receiver. The transmitter sends energy via radio waves to a WattUp-enabled receiver in a chargeable device. The receiver converts the radio waves into DC electrical power that charges the device’s battery.

As of today, the maximum distance between transmitter and receiver allowable for Energous’ power transfer of up to 15 watts is 15 meters. Placing transmitters in a long string — always 15 meters apart — will permit unlimited wireless transfer. 

The WattUp technology uses radio frequencies that are different from those used by WiFi or Bluetooth, so interference is not a problem. 

Currently, Energous is focusing on batteryless tags and radio frequency identification (RFID) tags for various commercial applications. This work will eliminate the need for batteries. 

One of Energous’ latest projects is developing a low-power carbon dioxide sensor. This technology can be used in monitors for indoor air quality.

According to the Energous website, the company holds over 200 patents. It is approved to ship its products in 112 countries including the European Union and North American markets.

Powercast

Powercast WPT is based on radio wave (RF) energy to power devices via transmitters and embedded receivers. Once the receiver transforms RF energy to DC electrical current, the energy could be used to power a batteryless device or to recharge a battery already in the gadget.

Some of the applications of PowerCast products include:

• RFID (radio frequency identification) used for environmental monitoring
• Battery recharging for wearables and other consumer devices
• Batteryless price tags 
• Smart cards
• LED-based packaging.  

Powercast’s wireless technology automatically turns on when it senses that nearby devices need charging. Similarly, it deactivates when they’re fully charged. Alternatively, Powercast’s products can be set to deliver power continuously, or on a scheduled basis.

WiTricity

Electric vehicle (EV) charging by WiTricity is painless without cables or cords using highly resonant WPT.

Invented by Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Marin Soljačić in 2005, this type of WPT couples the magnetic fields of two specialized devices with closely matched resonant frequencies into a single continuous magnetic field. This coupling enables the transfer of electrical power from one device to the other at high efficiency and over a long range.

With this WPT technology, charging an EV is as easy as driving up to a designated spot (like your garage) and recharging automatically. No need to plug in your vehicle, or even get out of the car. But if you’re worried about EMF radiation, you’d want to get out.

The WiTricity system is composed of three parts:

• Wall box that converts a power source, such as the electric grid, to high-frequency energy delivered to the charging pad.
• Charging pad contains the coil and associated parts that transforms the high-frequency energy into a magnetic field that enters a receiver in the EV
• Vehicle receiver captures the energy from the magnetic field and converts it into the DC electrical current that recharges the battery. 

WiTricity WPT will operate efficiently to charge all types of EVs.

Ossia

Started in 2008 as Omnilectric, Ossia is a wireless tech company using radio frequency waves to power devices at a distance. 

Through its flagship product called Cota, radio frequency waves carrying power travel from transmitters to receivers embedded in a wide range of electronic devices. Cota charges them wirelessly.

So far, Cota technology is used in consumer electronics, medical devices, industrial equipment, and automotive applications. There is no charging pad or wires used.

Without being tethered to a charging pad, users can walk around holding their device while it’s being charged. Cota technology is built to allow the receiver’s beacon signal to use walls and objects, but never pets or people, to find a path to a transmitter. 

Ossia holds over 180 patents, and its products are approved for sale in over 45 countries.

Final thoughts on wireless technology, wireless electricity, and nanocrystal electricity

Nanocrystal electricity was the enticing tech stock buzzword that investors didn’t flock to, suspicious of it being a scam. Investors touted it as the way to revolutionize human civilization by making electricity flow via tiny nanocrystals instead of wires. The investors attempted to attract big money to so-called nanocrystal electricity companies supposedly developing this technology.

Nothing materialized from the investors’ efforts in nanocrystal electricity. There is some work in research labs on using nanocrystals to create electricity, mostly in photovoltaics.

The invention of wireless electricity belongs to Nikola Tesla at the beginning of the 20th century. Although he didn’t fully realize its potential, several companies are working today on developing a type of wireless technology called wireless power transfer (WPT). 

Employing principles of radio frequency (RF) waves, ultrasound, lasers, or magnetic resonance, these companies are transforming how electricity is transmitted and consumed. 

For example, it’s now possible to recharge small electronic devices and electric vehicles wirelessly. There’s no need for a separate charger, bulky plug, or electrical outlet.

With each new development in wireless technology, it may soon be widely available to everyone to recharge gadgets and electric cars without charging pads. Maybe one day wireless technology will power your home and office, too.

70 of the best electricity puns & jokes

Here is a list of the best jokes about electricity.

Funny electrical jokes

Although we take electricity as an all-serious affair, there are numerous jokes about electricity that are really rib-cracking. Some of these jokes include:

1. “What do electricians chant when they meditate?”

2. “My wife said to me that the spark between us had gone. So, I tasered her, and I’ll ask her again when she wakes up.”

3. “A superconductor walks into a bar. The bartender says, “Get out! We don’t serve your kind here.”

4. “My electrician friend accidentally blew the power to the ice-making factory. Now they’ve gone into liquidation.”

5. “I finally managed to get rid of that nasty electrical charge I’ve been carrying. I’m ex-static!”

6. “What kind of car does an electrician drive? A Volts-wagon.”

7. “What is an electrician’s favorite flavor of ice cream? Shock-a-lot.”

8. “Just opened my water bill and my electricity bill at the same time… I was shocked.”

9. “A dangerous surge of electricity walks into a bar. The barman says, “Why the long phase?”

10. “A sweater I bought was picking up static electricity. So, I returned it to the store. They gave me another one free of charge.”

11. “People asked me how it feels when you stick your finger in an electrical outlet? To be honest, it Hertz.”

12. “What is the difference between lightning and electricity. For electricity, you need to pay, but lightning kills for free.”

13. “I caught my friend harassing some electricity. I told him it was an abuse of power.”

14. “You’re a unit of electrical energy, Harry.” “I’m a watt?”

15. “A wind turbine saw a solar panel at an energy convention. He leaned in and shouted, “Hey, I’m a big fan!”

One-liner electric puns

If you are not a fan of reading through long texts, this is your section. These short electricity puns will make that face to light up.

16. “The superconductor left without resistance.”

17. “If you plant a light bulb in your garden, does it grow into a power plant?”

18. “Where do electricians get their supplies? The Ohm Depot.”

19. “I finally managed to get rid of that nasty electrical charge I’ve been carrying. I’m ex-static!”

20. “What do you call a bad electrician? A shock absorber!”

21. “The guy who got arrested for eating batteries…. He is to be charged in the morning.”

22. “Why are the electricians always up to date? Because they are ‘current specialists.”

23. “I can’t afford to pay for electricity anymore; these are some dark times.”

24. “Even the most intelligent people can’t survive a day without electricity, like Stephen Hawking.”

25. “I really have to force myself to get through this book on friction.”

26. “Electric razors are the best thing since sliced beard.”

27. “Why did the electrician marry his colleague? He couldn’t resistor.”

Funny electrical questions and answers

27. “What is a Jedi electrician’s favorite tool? His lightsaber”

28. “Why did the electrical cords break up? There was no spark between them.”

29. “What did Communists use to light their houses before candles? Electricity.”

30. “What would a barefoot man get if he stepped on an electric fence? A pair of shocks.”

31. “Why did the man eat the light bulb? He was hoping it would give him a bright idea.”

32. “What penalty in hockey uses the most amount of energy? A power play.”

33. “Why are environmentalists attracted to electricity? It’s natural.”

34. “What is the energy provider’s favorite dance? The electric slide.”

35. “Why did the light bulb fail his math quiz? He wasn’t too bright.”

36. “What football team do energy providers root for the most? The Chargers.”

37. “Why did the monk meditate with a light bulb? He hoped it would help him to reach enlightenment.”

38. “What do power strips always say at their high school reunions? I haven’t seen you in light-years.

39. “Where do light bulbs go shopping? The outlet stores.”

40. “What kind of plant generates the most energy? A power plant.”

41. “Why is wind power popular? Because it has a lot of fans!”

42. “What did the light bulb say to the generator? ‘I really get a charge out of you!”

43. “What do you call a worm that chews up power cords? An electro-maggot.”

44. “Why did the lights go out? Because they liked each other!”

45. “Why do fluorescent lights hum? Because they can’t remember the words.”

46. “What did the light bulb say to the electric generator? You spark up my life!”

47. “What would you call a power failure? A current event.”

Physics electricity puns

48. “My physics teacher said I had potential; then he pushed me off a building.”

49. “What do you call when a metal shares the negative energy to his non-metal best friend? Anionic bonding moment.”

50. “My physics teacher told me I had so much potential, so much energy. Then I fell down the stairs and lost it all.”

51. “A photon checks into a hotel when the bellhop asks, ‘Would you like help with your luggage?’ The photon replies, “I don’t have any. I always travel light.”

52. “You must have a charge because I am finding myself feeling very attracted to you.”

53. “Sir Isaac Newton was sitting under a tree one fine day, trying to figure out how gravity works. And then it hit him.”

54. “A neutron walks into a bar and asks, ‘How much for a drink?’ The bartender replies, “For you, no charge.”

55. “What happens when electrons lose their energy? They get Bohr’ed.”

56. “Why can’t you trust an atom? They make up everything.”

57. “I’m hung like a Foucault pendulum.”

58. “I really have to force myself to get through this book on friction.”

59. “You are like an electron, and I am like a proton. And they say that opposites attract.”

60. “I was sacked from my job as an electrician at the prison service for refusing to repair an electric chair. I told them it was a death trap.”

61. This electrician arrives home at 3 am. His wife asks him, “Wire you, insulate?” He replies, “Watt’s it to you? I’m Ohm, aren’t I?”

62. What is the difference between lightning and electricity? For electricity, you need to pay, but lightning kills for free.

Kinetic energy puns

63. “Let’s convert our potential energy into kinetic energy.”

64. “I had to create a report on how wind energy is produced. It was a breeze.”

65. “In my Science class, we were talking about Kinetic and Potential Energy. I said out loud, ‘No wonder my mom calls me Kinetic.’ Because I have no Potential.”

66. “Don’t kill your wife with work. Let the electricity do it.”

67. “If there was no gravity on this planet, I would still fall for you.”

68. “My tight-fisted neighbor doesn’t want to pay for an electrician to re-wire his house, so he’s going to try and do it himself. ‘How hard can it be?’ he said. I think he’s in for a shock.”

Story-based electricity puns

69. An engineer, a physicist, a mathematician, and a mystic were asked to name the greatest invention of all times.

The engineer chose a fire, which gave humanity power over matter.

The physicist chose the wheel, which gave humanity the power over space.

The mathematician chose the alphabet, which gave humanity power over symbols.

The mystic chose the thermos bottle.

“Why a thermos bottle?” the others asked.

“Because the thermos keeps hot liquids hot in winter and cold liquids cold in summer.”

“Yes — so what?”

“Think about it.” said the mystic reverently. That little bottle — how does it know?’”

The electrician replies, ”Funny, when I was an attorney, I didn’t either!”

70. A chemist, a biologist, and an electrical engineer had all been sentenced to death and were on death row waiting to go to the electric chair.

Finally, the day had arrived. The chemist was due to go first.

As he strapped him in, the executioner asked him, “Do you have anything you want to say?”

The chemist replied, “No,” so the executioner flicked the switch, but nothing happened. According to this State’s law, if an execution attempt fails, the prisoner has to be released. So, the chemist was unstrapped and allowed to walk free.

It was the biologist’s turn next.

As he was being strapped in, the executioner asked him, “Do you have anything you want to say?”

The biologist replied, “No, just get on with it,” so the executioner flicked the switch, but once again, nothing happened. So, just like the chemist, the biologist was released.

Then the electrical engineer was brought forward.

The executioner asked him, “Do you have anything you want to say?”

The engineer replied, “Yes. If you swap the red and the blue wires over, you might just make this thing work.”

Like these puns and jokes? Check out our interesting facts about electricity to help spur your knowledge.

Do you know any good electricity puns?

Electricity matters don’t have to be all about serious warnings and shock alerts. You can be shocked at how interesting and humorous it can become sometimes.

I hope that this list of electricity puns, put a smile on your face at least, if not total laughter.

What other funny electricity puns can you think of? Kindly share it with us below.

These increased costs are no surprise: heating and cooling represent 47.7% of the energy we use in our home, followed by appliances, electronics, and lighting at 34.6%. To make matters worse, a large amount of home electricity usage comes from idle devices.

For those that are looking to reduce their energy usage and cut costs on spending, prepaid electricity can be a great way to do so. You can even opt for free electricity on nights and weekends with some plans.

However, you must weigh a few critical considerations before signing a contract for a prepaid electricity plan. This guide will highlight everything you should know about prepaid electricity.

What is prepaid electricity?

Prepaid electricity is an electric plan that allows customers to control electricity use by paying before using electricity. Due to their deregulation laws, these plans are available in states like Texas and Maryland.

This pay method encourages customers to opt for a more mindful utilization of energy, and move towards using more efficient electronic equipment at home or in the office, consequently avoiding power waste.

It poses a win-win perspective for both consumers and utilities. On the one hand, it allows users to keep track of energy consumption and enables low-income families to access this precious utility.

For utilities, prepaid electricity potentially reduces the number of unpaid bills each month and power theft, two issues that carry important economic losses for suppliers. A handful of well-known utilities offer these services for affordable rates, like Direct Energy and First Choice Power of Texas.

Prepaid electricity around the world

Prepaid electricity has been shining a light on the electricity needs of different countries. It has solved electrification problems in certain villages of rural India, and played a key role in the electrification of South Africa’s post-Apartheid.

However, this concept is not limited to developing countries, where electricity access is often restricted to a share of the population. Prepaid electricity also applies to first-world countries that consume higher energy rates and need passive means to control and lessen power use.

As novel as it might sound, prepaid electricity has recently gained popularity.

According to a forecast made by the Northeast Group LLC, a smart energy infrastructure intelligence company based in Washington DC, electricity is projected to become the next big growth market in the prepaid offerings field. The firm estimates that there will be an investment of $11.4 billion in prepaid metering for the coming decade.

Indeed, market projections point to prepaid electricity becoming a top player in Africa’s electrification process.

Predictions do not only target Africa as a driver of the prepaid service expansion but also foresee a high prepaid electricity penetration taking place in South and Southeast Asia, where the power theft rate is as high as the number of unpaid bills.

Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Bangladesh, India, and Indonesia are some of the countries where the prepaid modality is already being offered.

Developed countries like Belgium, the U.S., and the U.K. have also joined the movement.

How does prepaid electricity work?

Prepaid electricity bases its operation on Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), a state-of-the-art technology that involves systems and networks for measuring, collecting, storing, analyzing, and using energy consumption data.

Measurements are carried out in a detailed and frequent time-based fashion. Then, data is wirelessly transmitted to the utility company for monitoring and billing.

The plan is so practical and flexible that its applicability is not only limited to electricity; it has already extended to other utilities, like water and gas.

Opting for a prepaid electric service requires you to have a remotely-operated smart meter in charge of sending your home’s power use information to your electricity supplier.

Smart meters eliminate the need to have a technician come by to read your meter manually on a regular basis.

The type of meter you already have installed in your space will determine the ease of connection to prepaid electricity. The process will be quicker and more straightforward if you already have installed a smart meter that can operate remotely.

If you don’t have this technology yet, a technician will come to your home to install and configure your smart meter.

Setting up your plan

Once the service is connected, the remaining steps to prepaid electricity are as simple as purchasing anything online from any other supplier.

You’ll have to go to the service provider webpage, create your account with your username, password, billing information, and address, and choose the prepaid plan that works best for you.

It is easy to recharge your meter with this type of plan as well. Here are a few of the ways you can recharge your smart meter:

• By phone
• Online, on the provider’s website
• At an in-person kiosk
• Directly drafted from your bank account
• Via mail
• Through money transfers like Western Union or Moneygram 

All in all, the process is easier than ever. Conveniently, some companies are even relying on apps that you can download on your smartphone or tablet to add balance and track your power use from anywhere.

Monitoring your consumption

Customers of the prepaid electricity service have their meters remotely read every day, and if they want to monitor or check their energy use, it is possible to do it by logging into their account on the company’s website, receiving daily notifications by text messages or emails, or via your app if your electric company has one.

The notification will show you how much electricity you have consumed and how much is left according to your balance; that way you can keep track of your power consumption throughout time.

Typical notifications will show:

• Kilowatt-hours consumed for the day
• Remaining balance in the local currency 
• Savings for the day
• Estimated days remaining

Some notifications go even further and break down your energy use. They also show you suggestions on how to lower electricity use according to your data.

Typical ways to reduce energy use at home include turning some lights off while not using them, raising the indoor thermostat a few degrees up in the summer or down in the winter, turning fans on in the summer instead of the AC, and so on.

Benefits of opting for prepaid electricity plans 

A number of benefits come with opting for prepaid electricity plans, like saving money and becoming more eco-conscious.

Easy setup

Most companies allow customers to enroll in pay-as-you-go plans without a deposit, credit checks, ID, or social security number, which are no doubt necessary to access utilities in traditional ways.

The setup process for prepaid electricity is incredibly easy and can be done quickly, saving you both time and money.

Sustainability

In general, a prepaid electricity program is associated with a 12% reduction in electricity consumption.

Because a prepaid service gives you the tools to track your own power consumption, it is quite probable that this process will make you more conscious about your personal electricity use.

That energy awareness might even motivate you to take further steps at home, like swapping old incandescent lighting and inefficient electronics for more energy-efficient equipment.

Flexibility

Since your electricity is paid for beforehand, you will no longer get energy bills at the end of each month. This also eliminates issues with overusing power, so you won’t have to deal with surprisingly high charges each month.

What if this month you can make it until the end of the month with extra money in the bank?

It is not obligatory to fund the whole cost of the plan. As long as the meter has a positive balance, electricity will enter your home, depending on how much is left in your account.

For example, if you are going on vacation this coming month for 15 days, you only have to pay for what you think you’ll consume during the rest of the month. Then, grab your luggage and go on vacation without the headache of having to deal with the energy bill once you come back.

Cost savings

Because your payment is directly tied to your energy usage, you can gain an accurate reading of your usage each period and adjust it accordingly whereas before, you may have been overpaying for the amount of energy you actually use.

In addition, the energy-efficient changes you make throughout each period to lower your energy consumption will save you money in the long run. Over time, you’ll be able to rely on less energy to power your home.

What are prepaid electricity plans like?

Service providers design various prepaid electric plans for customers to choose from according to their consumption and preferences, allowing clients to opt for a package that adapts to their necessities and saves money on their electricity bill.

Getting cheap prepaid electricity will depend on how careful you are while choosing your plan. The plans can vary greatly – some do not require contracts, while others hold you to a 36-month-long commitment. Month-long plans are also available for some companies.

However, it is strongly recommended to read the terms and conditions of your potential plan, since different restrictions apply for each plan.

Depending on your contract type, the price per kWh can be fixed according to your electricity use, or you could also pay an average price per kWh that is subject to variations. In this case, if the electricity price drops, so will your power bill as well.

Some companies also include 100% green energy or a share in the total supply. In this care, make sure that the company offers an energy certificate, so you know that you are getting what you are paying for.

Free nights and weekends

Some companies incentivize the use of prepaid electricity during off-peak time through the implementation of free nights and free weekend plans. This concept is known as time-of-use rates or TOU rates.

Energy companies offer these kinds of plans because, generally, high energy usage is expected in winter and a smoother curve is more likely during summer when heaters are off. A similar story occurs throughout the day: energy usage is higher during the daytime than at night.

But are these hours actually free? Remember that in exchange for ‘free’ electricity, you may be required to pay a considerably higher rate for your non-free electricity periods. The free nights and free weekends plans will always come with an associated cost at the end, as low as it might be.

If you’re considering opting for a free weekend or nights prepaid electricity plan, compare the plan’s rates and hours against your schedule and your willingness to do chores or cook at night, for example.

Having cheap prepaid electricity will depend on how adjustable your schedule is to the plans your company offers, and how carefully you read the terms of the plan you are going for.

Frequently asked questions about prepaid electricity

Have more questions on prepaid electricity? Let’s dive into the most frequently asked questions about these plans.

Does prepaid electricity involve lower supply quality?

A prepaid service does not imply a decrease in service delivery or support quality.

On the contrary, clients who have taken that road seem to enjoy better customer service than those without a prepaid electricity plan. This could be due to the flexible way in which the service is being distributed and managed.

How do I know prepaid electricity is right for me? 

There are a few considerations you can ask yourself to know whether or not a prepaid electricity plan is right for you: 

• Do you prefer to pay as you go?
• Do you prefer not to pay a deposit upfront?
• Are you ok with not receiving a monthly paper bill?
• Do you want to reduce and monitor your energy usage?
• Do you want to be able to split energy costs with your roommates?

These are all elements of prepaid electricity plans, so certainly consider them to know what you’re signing on to.

Where can I get prepaid electricity?

The service already exists in over 30 states, with a large presence in the Southeast and Midwestern states such as Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri.

In Texas alone, over a handful of competitive electric providers are already offering prepaid electricity plans, including:

• Direct Energy
• First Choice Power
• Reliant Energy

How can I avoid having my prepaid electric service disconnected?

Continued prepaid electric service depends on you prepaying for service in advance. It is important to keep your account balance at or above the disconnection balance, or your service may be disconnected.

If your current balance falls below the disconnection balance, your service will be disconnected with little notice. You will be notified one to seven days before your account balance is expected to fall below your disconnection balance.

Final thoughts on prepaid electricity

By 2021, over 2.62 million people in the U.S. will be part of the prepaid electricity service. With this in mind, over 200 electric utilities are already offering or are planning to offer prepaid electricity based on AMI.

Suppose you’re looking for a way to cut down on energy costs, create a more energy-efficient home, and gain more flexibility with your energy usage? In that case, prepaid electricity may be a great option for you.

But there are many more benefits to using sheep’s wool as insulation than its ‘green’ credentials.

In this article, we share the remarkable properties of sheep’s wool insulation and the advantages and disadvantages of using it in your home.

What exactly is sheep’s wool insulation, and what is it used for?

Sheep’s wool or wool insulation is one of the three main types of building insulation and is made from sheep’s wool. Manufacturers create sheep’s wool insulation by combining wool fibers with a recycled polyester adhesive, creating a felted material that can line or fill cavities in buildings. Alternatively, insulation manufacturers can tangle the wool fibers into knots and balls.

Using wool as an insulation material is not new. For millennia, agrarian cultures and civilizations have known the insulating properties and malleability of wool fibers. Mongolian nomadic herders still line their yurts with felted sheep’s wool pads that are like the commercially produced batts of sheep’s wool insulation.

The construction industry highly rates sheep’s wool insulation for its high level of thermal and acoustic insulation. sheep’s wool differs from the mineral wool insulation (rock wool or slag wool) that is commonly used to insulate homes. Though it is more expensive than synthetic insulation materials, builders are increasingly opting for sheep’s wool because of its sustainable profile.

Where does the wool for sheep’s wool insulation come from?

Sheep’s wool insulation uses the waste wool of the wool industry, particularly black wool from the UK, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand which is less marketable. The majority of the wool used is sourced raw and unprocessed but a significant proportion is waste that other industries have discarded.

Processing of sheep’s wool for insulation

The wool that is used for insulation also has to be treated so that it repels pests, and does not rot. There are several agents that are used to treat the wool prior to its use in insulation:

• Borax is the most common agent used to treat wool insulation as it increases its natural fire-retardant properties and repels pests. The application of borax to wool only increases its dry weight by 4%. However, the use of borax may become prohibited because of several studies that suggest that it may be a reproductive toxin.

• Diatomaceous Earth (DE)  is also used as a non-toxic pest repellent that builders can handle without long-term health risks. It is weightier than borax and has to be applied to the wool insulation in two steps for it to be effective.

• Thorlan IW is a titanium-based moth repellent that is also used to treat sheep’s wool. Manufacturers apply it hot to the insulation to coat it for its lifetime.

Types and formats of sheep’s wool insulation

Manufacturers produce sheep’s wool insulation as batts or ropes that you can buy in rolls. Batts are available in several standardized thicknesses spanning 2 inches (50 millimeters) to 24 feet (720 meters). 

The most commonly available widths, 16 and 24 inches are the same as the gap between the frames of a stud wall. This enables wool to be fitted easily in roofs, floors and other cavities.

Installation of sheep’s wool insulation

Custom rope sizes and lengths are available for filling unusually shaped cavities or dimensions in buildings. Loose-fill sheep’s wool insulation is also available to fill tight spaces. The insulation is simply unrolled and cut slightly larger than the size of the cavity so it friction-fits in place. 

Once installed, builders used meshes and staples to secure the wool like conventional insulation. 

Here’s how it works:

Sheep’s wool is a natural, sustainable insulation solution

Sheep’s wool is a 100% natural and sustainable material that is safe and easy to handle without health or environmental harm.

The abundance of wool from easy-to-breed sheep makes it extremely sustainable and better still, the wool that is used for insulation is a waste product. And when the insulation completes its lifespan, it is completely biodegradable.

What makes sheep’s wool a good insulator?

Sheep’s wool performs well as an insulator, as measured by its R-value. The R-value of an insulating material measures the thermal resistance of a material per unit (inches, meters, feet) of its area. The R-value of sheep’s wool is up to 3.8 per inch in thickness, higher than a comparable thickness of mineral wool, cellulose, or fiberglass.

Here are the key properties that make sheep’s wool an exceptional building insulation material:

Wool provides thermal mass

Sheep’s wool can absorb, store, and release heat, making it a reservoir of thermal energy within your home. It has much more thermal mass than synthetic insulation materials like insulation foam.

This means that the wool will warm with your building and cool your building. It naturally regulates the temperature of your home, preventing big fluctuations that require additional heating and cooling.

Wool has high vapor permeability

Moisture can move in and out of wool fibers in the same way heat can. The fibers in sheep’s wool insulation are hygroscopic and can absorb up to a third of their weight in water vapor with no change in insulating performance. This can help to mitigate the effects of condensation on your property.

Building structures can breathe

Air freely moves through the wool insulation without compromising its insulating effect. This makes wool ideal for older or timber-framed buildings that need to breathe.

Why you should consider sheep’s wool insulation for your home

Property developers, building contractors and homeowners are increasingly opting for sheep’s wool because of multiple benefits throughout its lifecycle. Here’s why you should consider sheep’s wool insulation for your property:

1. Sheep’s wool insulation boosts the energy efficiency of your home

Using insulation like sheep’s wool is one of the best ways to enhance the energy efficiency of your home. According to Rise, over 35% of heat in a home is lost through its walls, while the floors and attic account for 25% and 15% of heat loss, respectively. Sheep’s wool cavity insulation impedes this loss, helping your home to keep its heat.

Conversely, in the summer months, the thermal mass of sheep’s wool absorbs heat rather than letting your housing become overheated. This means that your home keeps much more of its heating and cooling.

2. Sheep’s wool insulation can help to reduce your energy costs

High-quality insulation like sheep’s wool is a great investment for reducing energy bills. Long-term improvements like insulating your home provide a sustained reduction in heating and cooling costs. This is because sheep’s wool regulates the temperature in your home meaning you do not have to spend as much money heating or cooling it.

Furthermore, the benefits of sheep’s wool insulation are cumulative if you use it in multiple areas of your home. Insulating the attic of your property along with your walls saves more energy than insulating the walls alone.

3. Sheep’s wool is an effective thermal insulator

By opting for sheep’s wool insulation, you can be confident that you have an excellent thermal insulator. The thermal conductivity of a material measures the rate at which heat passes from one side of a material to the other. For an effective insulator, you want this value to be as low as possible.

Tests estimate sheep’s wool insulation to have a thermal conductivity of between 0.035 and 0.04 W/mK compared to standard mineral wool which has a thermal conductivity of 0.044W/mK. It’s no wonder sheep can live in some of the coldest climates, as their fleeces insulate them from the cold.

4. Sheep’s wool insulation controls humidity

Unlike man-made insulation materials, natural sheep’s wool actively absorbs moisture present in its environment. The insulation can absorb its weight in moisture and still maintain its insulating properties. This is because the water is absorbed deep within the wool fibers.

This property of wool insulation means that it can help to keep humidity in your property under control. Unlike synthetic materials, natural wool insulation absorbs and releases moisture as needed to regulate environmental conditions. Sheep’s wool is a particularly good choice for insulating the loft space where high levels of condensation occur.

5. Sheep’s wool cleanses the air

A natural material like wool is much healthier than many of the synthetic building materials used in homes. Sheep’s wool is not only chemical free but also can reduce the levels of noxious chemicals in your home.

The amino acids in the proteins that make up wool fibers have side chains that can react and bind with a range of harmful substances including:

• sulfur dioxide
• nitrogen dioxide
• formaldehyde

The process used by wool to neutralize chemicals is called chemisorption and helps you maintain a healthy indoor environment.

6. Sheep’s wool insulation is sustainable and green

One benefit of using sheep’s wool as an insulation material is its sustainability. The fleece of a sheep grows continually and needs to be shorn during the warm summer months. This makes wool a sustainable material that does not require the energy or resource expenditure of man-made materials.

The sheep’s wool insulation industry also processes and uses the abundance of waste wool like daggings and dirty or low-quality wool that would have otherwise become landfill waste. The recovery of waste wool adds to the green credentials of this insulation.

7. Sheep’s wool is a natural material

Natural insulation materials like sheep’s wool do not use non-renewable petroleum byproducts or chemical-laden synthetic materials. Many synthetic insulation materials contain toxic chemicals like ethanolamine, formaldehyde, isocyanates, and polyethylene glycol that can degrade and leach into your environment, harming your health over time.

Sheep’s wool is stable and inert throughout its life cycle. Rather than generating toxins in your environment, sheep’s wool insulation traps and removes them, making your living space healthier.

8. Sheep’s wool offers sound insulation

Sheep’s wool is also an effective acoustic insulator. The shape, structure, and porosity of wool fibers in insulating pads, absorb sound waves across the acoustic spectrum. Scientific testing has shown that it can perform as well as the commonly used mineral-based sound insulation materials used in recording studios and concert halls.

This property of sheep’s wool is beneficial for population-dense developments like apartment buildings, offices, schools, and colleges where sheep’s wool insulation can prevent noise from traveling through walls.

9. Sheep’s wool insulation does not burst into flames

Sheep’s wool is naturally flame retardant. Its high nitrogen content means that it only burns at temperatures of 570 to 600°C. If exposed to a flame, the wool doesn’t get burnt easily and self-extinguishes when the flame is removed. In the event of a fire, sheep’s wool insulation only smolders and singes, rather than bursting into flames because of its high ignition temperature.

10. Sheep’s wool insulation is easy to handle compared to other insulation wools

The construction industry favors sheep’s wool because it is non-irritant and easy to work with. Building contractors must handle rock wool and fiberglass with gloves, eyewear, and FFP3 masks because of the irritating particulates from these synthetic materials that can damage their skin, eyes, and lungs.

You can handle and install sheep’s wool insulation without gloves making it quicker and safer to install, especially as a DIY job. And if the insulation needs to be removed for renovations or other building work, contractors can handle it confidently.

11. Sheep’s wool insulation is biodegradable

Sheep’s wool delivers its benefits throughout its lifetime and even when its use has ended its environmental impact is minimal. This is because the wool is fully biodegradable and unlike synthetic insulation materials won’t release noxious substances as it degrades. Waste wool is already being used in composts because of its biodegradability.

12. Sheep’s wool insulation allows buildings to breathe

Sheep’s wool insulation maintains stable atmospheric conditions while the property retains heat as it is breathable. The moisture-regulating properties of sheep’s wool insulation support the natural ventilation of a property. Synthetic materials lack this unique property, leading to condensation build-up and mold growth.

13. Sheep’s wool is a durable insulation material

You can confidently install sheep’s wool insulation in your home because it is durable with a life expectancy of approximately 60 years. Another benefit of sheep’s wool is that it holds its shape well for a long time, whereas synthetic materials can sag, wool does not rot or become moldy, and if it is treated appropriately, it won’t become infested.

14. Sheep’s wool is versatile

The varied properties of sheep’s wool discussed above like its breathability, acoustic performance and flame retarding make it a leading insulation solution for a wide range of building projects. Insulation is more than just the R- or U-value of a material. You can use sheep’s wool insulation for specific purposes like, minimizing environmental toxins, providing thermal comfort or increasing fire protection.

But is sheep’s wool insulation all pros and no cons?

Sheep’s wool has an impressive all-round insulation performance. But it’s important to be aware of the downsides of opting for this natural insulation material. Here are some of the key disadvantages of using sheep’s wool for your home insulation:

1. Cleaning and processing sheep’s wool requires water and energy

The production of sheep’s wool is not emission-free. Manufacturers have to thoroughly wash and process wool before building contractors can use it as insulation. In addition, the wool needs to be transported over long distances from farms to manufacturers, and then to the building contractors that use it, adding to its carbon footprint.

2. Manufacturing sheep’s wool insulation releases environmental pollutants

In the livestock industry, farmers regularly dip sheep in insecticides and fungicides that protect their fleeces from infestation. Manufacturers wash these chemicals out of the wool as they produce the insulation. If manufacturers don’t handle wastewater from washing the fleece properly, it can cause groundwater contamination.

3. Disposal of waste sheep’s wool

Waste sheep’s wool and the byproduct of sheep’s wool processing have to be carefully handled, adding to the energy footprint and overall cost of this insulation material. Processing sheep’s wool produces grease, sludge and liquor that can contain environmental contaminants and pollute waterways if manufacturers do not dispose of them properly.

4. Sheep’s wool insulation infestations do happen

Poorly treated or untreated sheep’s wool can be a magnet for pests like moths. Because of this risk, sheep’s wool insulation manufacturers treat the wool with a range of pesticides including borax and pyrethrum. However, if the treatment is inadequate or resistant pests get into the insulation, and an infestation can quickly develop and spread.

This is one of the major downsides of natural insulation materials and is not uncommon. For example, in 2017 a Northern Irish family had to pull apart their self-built 4-bedroom eco home because moths infested their sheep’s wool insulation.

5. Sheep’s wool insulation is expensive

Sheep’s wool insulation is one of the most expensive options for home insulation. Depending on the thickness and width of the wool insulation purchases, prices can be as much as $30 per square meter. This is because of the costs of the livestock, transporting and processing the wool and chemicals that are needed to treat the wool so that it meets industry standards.

6. Some synthetic insulation materials have better thermal efficiency

Though sheep’s wool delivers great all-round performance, some synthetic materials have higher R- and U-values, meaning they’ll deliver greater thermal efficiency for your property. An example is closed-cell polyurethane foam (PU foam) that is sprayed into cavities.

In conclusion

Sheep’s wool insulation is one of the best-performing natural insulation choices. It delivers a variety of benefits to homes of any age because of its thermal mass, breathability, fire resistance and humidity control.

However, this high-quality insulation does come at a premium and as a natural material, the potential for infestation is very real.

Most people noted that they already recycle, use reusable bags, and avoid single-use plastics. However, green living and sustainable habits go beyond just these three actions. 

So why don’t more people swap their lifestyle choices for greener options? Often, it’s difficult to know where to start. Luckily, there are many books on green living that can help anyone start living a better lifestyle.

Whether you’re looking for recommendations for your home, garden, personal life, or spending habits, these books will equip you with the tools to help fight against global warming and preserve our environment in its true natural spirit.

Let’s dive into some of the best books on green living that will surely inspire you to prioritize sustainable lifestyle choices.

20 of the best books on green living

1. Live Green: 52 Steps for a More Sustainable Life

Live Green is a practical guide of 52 sustainable living changes, one for each week of the year. These are changes you can make to be more self-sufficient and reduce your impact on the environment.

Presented in a colorful, easy-to-understand format, this is one of the best books on green living because it examines all areas of your life: your cleaning routine, home furnishings, food shopping, fashion choices, beauty routine, and even Christmas habits.

Some of the recommendations presented by author Jen Chillingsworth include making your own eco-friendly cleaning products, buying vintage furniture, and making your own moth repellent.

Her green ideas and small steps to help reduce our impact on the planet can also help save you money as well.

2. The Everything Green Living Book: Easy Ways to Conserve Energy, Protect Your Family’s Health, and Help Save the Environment

Are you interested in making more sustainable lifestyle choices, but don’t know where to start? The Everything Green Living Book written by Diane Gow McDilda is an informative guide on green living.

McDilda covers several topics in this book, including ways to get involved on Earth Day, what goes into a green, sustainable house, non toxic cleaning supplies, organic foods, and many more.

Overall, the book presents green topics in an easy-to-understand manner, and because of this it is one of the best books on green living to share with children, teens, or keep on hand to reference later on.

If you’re just starting out on your green living journey, this is a great pick for you. McDilda makes it easy for the average homeowner, family, and individual to apply these sustainable changes to their own lives.

3. Prefabulous and Sustainable: Building and Customizing an Affordable, Energy-Efficient Home

Prefabulous and Sustainable is a highly recommended book on sustainable homes and green living. This book primarily dispels the wrong myths associated with prefab homes. In fact, this book helps the readers to understand the true idea behind green prefab homes.

Author Sheri Koones clearly explains how the prefabricated house is greener, more energy efficient, cost-effective, and sturdier than a site-built home. This book is divided into three basic categories: green, greener, and greenest.

Koones provides examples of sustainable prefab homes that have been customized to offer a level of sustainability beyond the inherent qualities of prefab.

The featured homes differ in terms of design, style, and mode of construction. Most of these homes are capable of offering the highest level of sustainability, making a great case for those with green and sustainable lifestyles.

4. The Green Body Cleanse: How to Live Green & Live Well

The Green Body Cleanse by Dr. Edward Group III is one of the best books on green living focused on organic cleanses. Winner of the Green Book Festival, this work has helped many people change their lives by offering clear, sustainable solutions to cleanse the body, workplace, and home from toxic materials.

Dr. Group explains that when the environment around you is toxic, you can suffer from different diseases. In fact, these toxic elements suppress our body’s self-healing mechanism.

To cleanse the body, Dr. Group asserts, it’s important to shift from eating processed foods to organic foods. This is because, as genetically modified crops, frozen meat, processed milk, white flour, MSG (Monosodium Glutamate), heavy metals, and industrial chemicals are harmful to humans.

With over twenty years of research, tips, recipes, and facts included in this book, The Green Body Cleanse is an informative guide that will allow you to make healthier, greener choices for yourself and the planet.

5. Easy to Be Green: Simple Activities You Can Do to Save the Earth

Easy to Be Green is one of the best books on green living for children who would like to play their part in the fight against global warming. Beside their elders’ efforts, kids can do a lot when it comes to protecting our environment.

This book not only includes tips on how to protect our environment but also coloring pages and simple activities for kids to help save the environment.

From activities like recycling to composting to finding their voice by writing to politicians and talking to people about climate problems and solutions, this book will encourage children (and their caregivers) to take action in their communities.

This work not only talks about sustainable living but also gives practical implications.

For instance, the paper in this book comes from 100% post-consumer waste recycled material and is printed in soy ink.

6. Green, Greener, Greenest: A Practical Guide to Making Eco-Smart Choices a Part of Your Life

Green, Greener, Greenest by Lori Bongiorno is one of the most practical, easy-to-implement works on green living available today. Bongiorno includes hundreds of flexible tips on making greener choices that you can use in almost every aspect of your daily routine.

Interestingly, this book offers tips in accordance with the specific budget and schedule of its readers. It helps readers choose the green advice that fits their schedule, their budget, and interests, with the understanding that there’s more than one way to make a difference.

Ultimately, the expansive research and applicability of this work will improve your ability to live a more sustainable lifestyle, no matter your schedule. Making an individual difference is all about your choices to live a more eco-friendly life.

If you’ve been looking to make practical, greener substitutions to your routines, this guide is a great place to start living sustainably and doing your part to make the world a better place.

7. Self-Sufficiency for the 21st Century: The Complete Guide to Sustainable Living Today

Any reader can find their way to a more sustainable lifestyle with Dick Strawbridge and his son, James in Self-Sufficiency for the 21st Century. This book empowers readers to take steps to reduce their carbon footprint and be more self-sufficient.

The book references green living choices such as cutting back on plastic or food waste, growing vegetables, preserving meat and fish, preparing jams and chutneys, or keeping a chicken or two.

This book is particularly unique because its authors know what it’s like to make more sustainable lifestyle changes: they’ve lived on a smallholding, in a terraced house, and even in a chateau.

Now, they’re sharing everything they’ve learned and providing the tools you need for a more rewarding and environmentally conscious life. Check out one of the best books on green living for a realistic, experience-backed take on sustainable lifestyles.

8. Year-Round Solar Greenhouse: How to Design and Build a Net-Zero Energy Greenhouse

The Year-Round Solar Greenhouse is one of the best books on green living to help readers design and build a solar-powered greenhouse that promotes carbon-free sustainable living.

Authors Lindsey Schiller and Marc Plinke have laid out exactly how to build your own greenhouse that is capable of harnessing the sun’s energy and storing it. You can grow lush green plants, vegetables, and fruits even in the winter season.

The main premise of this book is to teach anyone how to build a unique greenhouse that utilizes the sun’s natural energy and manages all its operations without using the grid. There are numerous sustainable advantages of greenhouses and vertical indoor farming.

An in-depth section of the book covers sustainable ways of heating the greenhouse without fossil fuels. If you’re looking to grow your own crops sustainably, look to this complete guide on one green way to do so.

9. Easy Green Living: The Ultimate Guide to Simple, Eco-Friendly Choices for You and Your Home

In her book Easy Green Living, Renée Loux demonstrates that being green at home is easy, affordable, and better for our health, families, and the planet! This is one the best books on green living by creating an eco-friendly home.

Loux illuminates expansive topics like global warming, climate change, and renewable energy while also talking about smaller, everyday choices and how to deal with them.

This book is filled with examples of people’s daily choices that can keep their homes, personal care, and beauty routines free of toxins.

Loux includes compelling and inspiring facts, “5 Step” lists, products and recipes for green cleaning, helpful charts, safer choices for every room, and inspirational advice so that anyone can make more sustainable actions in their own life and home.

10. Going Off the Grid: The How-To-Book of Simple Living and Happiness

Are you interested in living off the grid, but don’t know where to start? Going Off the Grid by Gary Collins is a great book to learn more.

Collins provides step-by-step instructions that you can follow to live your sustainable living dream in the wild, off the grid. The book helps you identify the primary factors associated with off-the-grid living, including identifying and removing unnecessary stressors from your everyday life.

You’ll also learn the basics of off-the-grid living from home construction to energy alternatives, from sewage disposal to internet access. By following these rules and suggestions, you can easily come up with a lifestyle that promotes sustainable living.

This book will empower you to start living off the grid by building a self-sustainable home. Collins provides all the information and regulations imposed by relevant state authorities that can impact your off grid journey.

All in all, this is one of the best books on green living if you are switching to an off-grid green lifestyle.

11. Make Your Place: Affordable & Sustainable Nesting Skills

In Make Your Place author Raleigh Briggs collects zines, illustrations, and thoughts around what it is that makes a great DIY household.

He dives into creating homemade cleaning solvents that aren’t made from poison, herbs that can heal you, and even how to set up your own excellent home garden.

This book is highly recommended as a go-to reference for any homeowner or anyone simply looking to learn practical skills that apply to their everyday life.

Written in a conversational and witty tone, Briggs inspires readers to better their lives with his simple tutorials.

12. The Green Book: The Everyday Guide to Saving the Planet One Simple Step at a Time

Did you know that turning off the faucet when you brush your teeth could conserve up to five gallons of water per day?

In one of the best books on green living, The Green Book, you’ll learn more about surprising actions that can actually make a huge difference in conserving the Earth’s water, energy, and valuable resources.

This New York Times Bestselling book provides a wide range of solutions related to almost every aspect of our lives. The authors Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas Kostigen highlight the small changes that create a big impact on our struggle to save the planet, and why with research-backed explanations.

The book is a quick read at around 200 pages, but is jam-packed with hundreds of practical tips and ideas to conserve energy and resources at home, work, and school every day.

13. Building Green, New Edition: A Complete How-To Guide to Alternative Building Methods Earth Plaster

This best-selling book and its latest updated version is a great option for those who love the idea of sustainable living. This is a completely revised version with more interesting stuff to read.

Building Green: Alternative Building Methods doesn’t just dive into green house-building techniques: it actually shows readers with more than 1,200 step-by-step photographs that follow the actual erection of an alternative building from site selection to final-touch interior details.

In addition to the clear step-by-step guides, this book also throws light on the fundamentals of green building and construction. It helps anyone follow alternative approaches when it comes to style and design, allowing you to build a greener home.

One such example is using cob to build a pizza or bread oven and create inexpensive walls around your garden. This useful reference guide will help anyone learn more about green building styles.

14. The Forest Garden Greenhouse: How to Design and Manage an Indoor Permaculture Oasis

The Forest Garden Greenhouse is a groundbreaking book by Jerome Osentowski, one of North America’s most accomplished permaculture designers.

This book shows plant and flower enthusiasts alike how to bring the forest garden indoors is not only possible, but doable on unlikely terrain and in cold climates, using near-net-zero technology.

Unlike other greenhouse design and management books, Osentowski advocates for indoor agriculture using permaculture design concepts. These are focused on integration, multi-functions, perennials, and polycultures.

This belongs to the list of the best books on green living. Osentowski demonstrates how it is possible to create a natural forest in your backyard without using energy from the grid.

15. The Rough Guide to Green Living

The Rough Guide to Green Living is a fact-filled book that offers insight into living an eco-friendly, low-carbon life. Author Duncan Clark includes hundreds of green tips that specifically address consumer topics like recycling, green shopping, and renewable energy sources.

Duncan thoroughly explains how we can lower the level of carbon footprint by making small lifestyle changes. This guide explains a wide range of simple and easy-to-adopt green choices. The most notable changes include green travel habits, kitchen gardening, and ethical shopping.

The book itself is interesting, surprising, and highly readable. It helps the readers to set their environmental priorities and identify the facts.

In short, this book is the ultimate guide to understanding everything about green living. If you want to make a difference in your daily life, this book is an excellent pick.

16. 40 Projects for Building Your Backyard Homestead: A Hands-on, Step-by-Step Sustainable-Living Guide

40 Projects for Building Your Backyard Homestead is one of the best books on green living for those that want to be completely self-sufficient. Author David Toht is a former contractor with decades of hands-on experience, infusing his knowledge into this informative guide.

The book includes 40 sustainable projects that readers can learn how to build, from garden structures to fences, chicken coops, and many more.

Inside the book, you’ll find every project broken down into step-by-step directions with sequenced photographs for easy reference. Each project has a handy list of tools and materials at the beginning, as well as an overview of the design you’re about to build.

The projects in this book are designed with simplicity, convenience, and budget in mind, while also meeting the needs of those who wish to live more sustainably.

17. Green Metropolis: Why Living Smaller, Living Closer, and Driving Less Are the Keys to Sustainability

David Owen’s Green Metropolis is a fascinating book that will challenge the way that you view cities. This book demonstrates how residents of urban centers individually consume less oil, electricity, and water than other Americans.

How? They live in smaller spaces, discard less trash, and, most important of all, spend far less time in automobiles.

Written in an easy-to-understand format and backed by research, this book makes a strong case for green urban living in surprising ways.

This book explains how other settled locations can become more like urban centers and come closer to meeting the environmental goals that our planet desperately needs. If you’re looking to learn more about how sustainability factors into different living situations, this book is an informative choice.

18. Sustainable Home: Practical Projects, Tips and Advice for Maintaining a More Eco-Friendly Household

Sustainable Home is an inspirational and practical guidebook to maintaining a more environmentally-friendly household. Written by sustainable lifestyle blogger and professional Christine Liu, readers are taken on a tour of the rooms of their home.

On this tour, Liu offers tips, tricks and 18 step-by-step projects designed to help you lead a greener lifestyle.

From guidance on living minimally to advice about plant-based foods to tips on repairing old clothes, this book touches every aspect of home life. Liu even includes a recipe for making your own toothpaste.

If you’re looking to make small changes in your home and daily life, this book can give you a great place to start, and continue on your green living journey throughout the years.

19. Living Off the Grid: What to Expect While Living the Life of Ultimate Freedom and Tranquility

Living Off The Grid is your first step towards a simplified off-grid existence. One of the most comprehensive, informative, and best books on green living, it clearly shows how this unique off grid lifestyle would look in practice.

Off-grid lifestyle expert Gary Collins uses a conversational tone in this book, making it easy-to-understand complex topics and activities that you may not be familiar with. He dives into theoretical situations as well as practical instructions that will help you save time and resources.

The book is filled with wisdom about the off grid lifestyle: strategies for running a business while remaining mostly unplugged, and ways to remain socially and professionally connected in your new lifestyle.

When you are living off the grid, your energy source is completely behind the meter, and you are participating in one of the most sustainable forms of living. You won’t need to rely on power prices and utilities to consume your natural resources.

20. It’s Easy Being Green: A Handbook for Earth-Friendly Living

The climate crisis has illuminated the fact that although everyone is aware of the damage being done to our beloved planet, most are not doing much to save it. In It’s Easy Being Green, Crissy Trask dives into just why so many people find it so difficult to make sustainable changes.

This book can also serve as a practical day-to-day guide that offers easy suggestions to start living more sustainably in many aspects of your life.

For instance, Trask suggests initiatives such as installing rain barrels and gutters to collect rainwater, and then reuse it to water your plants. The book even delves into how to make effective household cleaners instead of relying on commercial products.

Trask includes comprehensive advice for adopting greener buying habits and identifying earth-friendly products, shopping for green products online, and even participating in online activism. For those with busy schedules, this book offers several ways to make greener habits.

In conclusion: these are the best books on green living

All of these books on green living are written by knowledgeable authors who are committed to spreading awareness about global warming, sustainable lifestyle choices, and guiding people on how to do their part no matter the daily routine.

These authors are highly influential experts in their fields who have the authority and knowledge to discuss the key issues related to climate change and living green.

By going through any of these books, you can extend your knowledge and inspiration about green living. The suggestions and tips will help make certain changes in our lifestyle which, over time, may prove to make a big difference against global warming and climate change.

If you are an advocate of environmentally-friendly living or want to learn more about how you can do your part in saving the earth, any number of these green living books can help you on your journey.

The installation of solar panels is one of the more popular strategies for reducing dependence on the grid, with 6% of US homeowners owning solar panels and a further 49% giving solar panel installation serious thought. 

Adding solar panels to make the most of long hot summers and savings on sky-high AC bills makes a lot of sense. But home solar panels are incredibly expensive, even with generous state and federal tax incentives. 

Owning solar panels is a big investment, but is leasing any cheaper in the long run?

To help you make the right decisions we have produced this guide on leasing vs buying solar panels. Our guide to leasing vs buying solar panels should help you evaluate the pros and cons – of leasing or buying solar panels on your property and includes the key differences between buying and leasing solar panels.

So set aside a few moments to read this informative guide which should equip you with the information you need to decide whether buying or leasing solar panels is the right option for you.

Leasing vs buying solar panels – what’s the difference?

The key difference between buying and leasing your solar panels comes down to one word: ownership. 

Both options are going to cut down your electricity bills but only one lets you own the panels. With a purchased solar panel installation you are the outright owner of the system, whereas leased solar panels are installed on your property, but owned by the company that installed them. 

Let’s take a closer look at the features of these two arrangements. 

Leasing solar panels 

Taking out a solar lease is a common option for property owners who want to install solar panels but do not have the $20,000 up front to purchase a system outright. Solar panel system prices have dropped by at least 70% in the last decade but they are still pricey. By leasing, you pay a solar company a low monthly fee while enjoying the low bills that come with solar panels.

For solar leases, you deal with the solar company to set up your solar panel system, while a separate financing company administrates the lease on their behalf. You handle the monthly payments regardless of the amount of energy the panels actually generate. 

The solar company owns and is responsible for the maintenance of the system.

With leasing, you still get all the benefits of the electricity generated on your property. If you produce more electricity than your property needs, the panels send the excess power to the grid, earning you metering benefits that drive down your bills even further. But you’ll still pay for the energy you use when solar production is low. 

Buying solar panels

If you want to fully own your solar power system, buy it. There are several ways in which you can have your ideal solar panel system, complete with panels installed in your home:

1. Purchase a turnkey solution that includes both the solar panels and their wiring into your home’s electricity supply with the necessary metering and controls. Pay for the panels and installation in whole, upfront.

2. Purchase a turnkey solution that includes both the solar panels and their wiring into your home’s electricity supply with the necessary metering and controls. Pay for the panels and installation in installments using a loan or hire-purchase arrangement (HPA).

3. Purchase solar panels and hire a contractor to install them on your property.

4. Buy solar panels and install them yourself with the help of a local electrician.

Most homeowners value the expertise of a solar installer who can source and install suitable solar panels for the property. If you cannot pay in full for the solar panels, the company works with partner companies that arrange the financing for the panels. 

This arrangement is known in the industry as a solar loan and involves monthly payments for a fixed term. 

Owning solar panels comes with maintenance responsibilities that leaseholders do not have. However, the energy that is generated and all the long-term savings are 100% yours. 

Pros and cons of leasing vs buying solar panels

Now you understand the difference between buying and leasing solar panels for your home, it’s important to know the implications of each option. There are important pros and cons for leasing (and for buying) that will affect your return on the investment of installing your solar panels. 

Here’s what you need to know:

Pros of leasing your solar panels 

There are plenty of advantages of leasing vs buying solar panels. Let’s take at some of the pros, to help determine if the positives potentially outweigh the negatives. 

1. Almost zero upfront cost

If you cannot pay the upfront cost of solar panels but need some relief from sky-high power bills, solar panel system contracts can provide lease arrangements that provide turnkey installations of panels with almost no immediate costs. Simply keep up with your monthly repayments for the duration of the lease.

2. Maintenance-free solar panels

A big benefit of leasing solar panels is that you escape the responsibility and cost of maintenance and upkeep for them. This aspect of the leasing arrangement is reassuring, because you’ll always know that the solar company will handle any problems.

Cons of leasing solar panels

Along with positives, there are also downsides to leasing vs buying solar panels. Some of these are well known negatives, and you have to be careful to make sure you don’t get stung:

1. You don’t own the solar panels

The bottom line is that with leased solar panels, you don’t own the panels, meaning you’ll miss out on some pretty important benefits of owning them, such as increasing your property value. The savings you’ll enjoy would be better with ownership as they aren’t offset by monthly installments. 

2. Monthly bills

After all the effort to reduce monthly bills by generating solar power, with leasing, you get an additional bill. But for most solar panel lease arrangements you are switching a larger energy bill for a smaller electricity bill and your lease payment.

Solar lease payments can be a bit of a headache because they often increase year-on-year because the lease payment is pegged to any predicted price rises in electricity. Another issue is that if you generate little solar energy with your leased solar panels, you will still pay for power from the grid while paying a fixed lease payment.

3. Missing out on incentives and tax breaks 

When you lease solar panels, you don’t own the system you’ve had installed, making you ineligible for a variety of state and federal rebates and incentives for solar panels. 

These incentives are paid to the lease company instead. This is an important reason to consider buying as incentives often make buying solar panels great value for money, as we explain further on. 

4. Introducing difficulties in selling your home

Once leased solar panels are on your home, you have someone else’s property and that can complicate things if you want to sell your home. The lease contract may mean that the panels have to remain in place for a certain period, or you may have to transfer the lease to a new owner. 

If you cannot transfer the panels, you face significant costs to break the lease. Some companies may provide the option of buying back the solar panels which could increase the value of your home but without this option you’re stuck!

Pros of buying your solar panels 

If you have the cash, owning your solar panels is a great investment in your property. Here are the need-to-know benefits:

You own your solar panels

This means that the panels, electronic hardware and‌ the energy that is generated is 100% yours! Even if you pay by installments, you will have no further bills once the payment term is finished, leading to substantial long-term savings on energy costs. 

You are eligible for SRECs

Did you know you can generate a decent income from your solar panels with solar renewable energy certificates (SRECs)? Most state offer SRECs, a financial instrument that pays you money for each MWh of electricity your panels generate for the grid. The exact amount you earn varies by state but SRECs are only available to solar panel owners. 

You are eligible for federal tax credit

People who lease their solar panels are missing out on a variety of federal and state incentives for generating renewable energy. Federal tax credits are a great reason to own because they can save you up to 30% of the cost of purchasing and installing your solar panel. If you lease, the solar company gets national incentives and tax credits your property earns. 

Increase in house value

Solar panels provide an appreciable uplift in the value of your property, as much as 5%. This is not only because the property now has its own renewable energy source but also because of the SRECs it earns. 

This will make your property highly desirable to prospective buyers as your property generates energy as well as income.

Cons of buying solar panels 

While there are plenty of reasons to buy and own solar panels, it also has its disadvantages too. The main downsides of ownership are:

The cost

If you want to own your solar panels, you’re going to have to pay out a large sum. The Solar Industries Association (SEIA) reports that the average residential solar panel system costs almost $3 per watt. This means you be paying at least $11,000 for a 5 kW system. The average homeowner needs to be prepared to spend up to $20,000 to own their own solar panels.

Maintenance responsibilities

Once you own your solar panels, you are 100% responsible for the condition and maintenance, especially if you have cleared a warranty period. Leaseholders don’t have the stress and expense of dealing with damage or breakdowns as solar panel companies include it in their monthly fee. Remember to keep the panels clean so they can capture sunlight efficiently.

Potential for disappointing performance 

Nothing could be worse than paying out a capital sum for your solar panels and finding that they don’t generate the amount of electricity you expect. This is a real risk for any solar panel installation. 

Many homeowners hire the services of professional solar trackers who plot the course of the sun over the property for a period to calculate the best orientation of solar panels. 

Solar panels stay with the property

Solar panels are often purchased for a ‘forever’ home simply because owners invest in them for a lifetime of benefit and do not intend to move. Though you could technically remove the panels and hardware from your property if you move home, the solar panels will have been specifically fabricated, oriented, and installed for the property and may not be as effective elsewhere. 

Leasing vs buying solar panels – so which is better?

The decision to opt on leasing vs buying solar panels really depends on your personal circumstances and your finances in particular. Here are some considerations that can help you decide if leasing or ownership is going to be better for you: 

Your age

If you are older and approaching retirement, leasing may make great sense.

Rather than spending a lump sum from your savings or a future inheritance on outright ownership, you can pay a monthly fee out of your pension while reducing your utility bill. You also don’t have the stress or hassle of maintenance.

Young families should definitely buy. If you are still under forty, purchasing solar panels is one of the top two best investments you can make, right alongside buying your own house. And that investment gets even better if you live in a region where you get credit for the extra energy you create. You have the time to enjoy long-term savings and pay off a loan for the purchase.

There are also ways to go solar without upfront costs. Check our guide to free solar panels to learn more about the options.

Your cash flow

If you are asset-poor but cash-rich, you may find it convenient to get the benefits of solar panels for a regular monthly fee. Leasing solar panels can free you up from the details and you don’t have the worry of wondering if the panels are working optimally. 

However, if the opposite is true and you have low cash flow, home solar panels that produce a lot of energy could create a meaningful income. You can also take advantage of the heavy subsidies and tax breaks that come with adding solar panels to your home. 

Your lifestyle 

If you don’t have time for managing your panels, just lease them. Leasing frees you up from tracking the efficiency of your panels. The company you rent them from will do that, using sophisticated technology that might not be available to you if you buy.

Also, if you lease your panels, you don’t have to worry about carrying insurance on them or fixing and maintaining your panels. That, too, will be the responsibility of the provider.

Your family

If you want to install solar panels, the opinions of your spouse or partner and family are important. Solar panels are a big purchase and if your spouse doesn’t want the financial commitment of a purchase, then leasing solar panels may well be a suitable compromise. 

Your business

The benefits of buying a solar array big enough to power your business are nearly endless. If you are powering a big warehouse space, you will not just save hundreds of dollars a year, but potentially tens of thousands by installing solar, just in energy costs.

Then, there are also tax depreciation considerations. Depending on where your business is located, you can defray the cost of solar installation against your profit. Some districts will let you depreciate your solar panels over just one year, which is a huge boon to businesses that make a lot of money their first year.

Alternatively, you can depreciate your panels over five or ten years. That way, you spread out your tax advantage over a longer span of your business’s life. 

Wrapping up

As you can see, there are sound reasons for buying and leasing solar panels. Leasing solar panels has made solar energy available to more people than ever. And while buying is still the better long-term investment, leasing solar panels is a good alternative to buying for many people and in many circumstances. 

Ownership, however, delivers a tangible return on investment and energy resilience in the face of rising costs. Owning solar panels is the aspiration of anyone who want to live off grid and right now, has some great financial incentives. 

If you want solar panels, go for it! Whether you lease or buy, solar panels are a good overall idea. 

But with rising electricity costs – up 15.8% in the last year – many consumers have a dire need to reduce their consumption and energy costs. 

While these plans do provide free-of-charge electricity during nights and weekends, most plans come with a slew of additional charges and considerations that you need to evaluate carefully. This type of offer may not suit your lifestyle, or may not really save you money at all. 

As a consumer, it’s crucial to consider the benefits and pitfalls of subscribing to one of these free weekend and night electricity plans.

To help you reach a decision, our guide will show you exactly how to get free electricity on weekends, whether it’s the best idea for you, and key considerations for your switch. 

What does free weekend electricity really mean?

More and more electric providers are advertising free electricity deals. These plans allow customers to use power for free either all night, every night, or for the entire weekend. 

But why do providers offer these plans, and what does it really mean to sign a contract for free weekend electricity? 

According to the service providers, they offer these plans on nights and weekends to shift the energy load to off-peak times. This is because if too many people use too much energy during peak demand times it could create more demand than supply could provide.

One example of peak demand times is the winter, when cold temperatures are common and homes need to be heated during the day and night. As remote and hybrid work models have become more common, more workers are at home more often, and thus require electricity. 

Imbalancing the supply and demand of energy creates increased stress on our aging electricity grid, which could lead to brownouts and blackouts. In addition, the cost of electricity is relatively lower during weekends, so it is possible for providers to offer these kinds of deals to many customers. 

The idea of free electricity on the weekend originates from ‘time of use plans’, an electric rate schedule that adjusts the price of your electricity based on when you’re using it. 

With time of use plans, the cost of using electricity is higher during hours of high-energy usage to more accurately reflect the cost of electricity on the grid at that time. For example, energy usage is typically high at night, when residents return home from work and school. Consumption during these times will come with a higher price tag.

What’s important to consider with these free weekend and night plans is your lifestyle. If you work outside and home during the day, this plan might be a good fit for you. But if you often travel on the weekends, it might not make sense. There are a few other ways to save money with electricity – using a prepaid electricity plan, for example. 

However, before signing onto one of these promotional plans, you should have a good idea about your home’s average electricity consumption during weekdays and weekends.

For instance, free electricity on the weekend plan could start at 6 pm on Friday and stop at 11:59 pm on Sunday. Therefore, if your electricity consumption is high during weekends, you can make some considerable savings. 

How do free weekend electricity plans work?

So, how do these plans work? 

To know the approximate consumption of your home, energy providers use a smart meter. They take a reading every 15 minutes to understand your consumption, and offer specific plans in accordance with your usage.

To get a good idea of what your current usage rates are, you should review some of your old bills to calculate an average of your monthly energy usage. 

Because while it may sound too good to be true, the hours advertised as “free” on popular free nights and weekends plans are truly free. There are several important considerations when understanding the costs that come with these promotions, however.

How to get free weekend electricity: what to consider

Often, these plans are advertised in a way that looks misleading, and clients may not fully understand what they signed up for. 

To determine whether free nights and weekend offers will actually work best for your home, you can take a few steps to prepare and understand all the considerations before signing a contract. 

Estimate your bill 

First, you should get a good idea of what you might pay with this new plan in comparison to your old one. To estimate your bill, check your meter and old energy bills and make a few calculations. 

To evaluate your daily consumption, take the reading of your digital or smart electric meter during the day and night, so that you can ascertain how much energy you consume during the weekdays. 

If the amount of electricity consumed during weekdays is much less than what you utilize throughout the weekend, a free weekend electricity plan may be a great option for you.

Be sure to factor in the utility charges you’ll see on your new bill, as those won’t change by switching to a new plan or new energy plan.

It’s important to note that often, ‘free power’ plans can cost you even more than you typically pay. 

Why? Because suppliers charge high fixed-rates when you are paying for usage, in exchange for those free hours of electricity on weekends or nights. The rate you pay for your weekdays may turn out to be double the rate that you’d normally pay. 

Pay attention to the length of the contract

In most cases, electricity suppliers offering free weekend plans want their customers to enter into a long-term contract with them. The minimum time period for a free weekend plan is 12 months.

These contracts are binding, and you’ll be locked into the rates that have been agreed upon between you and the supplier. This means that even if your usage pattern changes, you have no other choice but to continue paying high electricity bills.

Therefore, if the length of the contract is too long; getting this plan would not be a wise decision.

Know your energy charges

It’s critical to know the exact electricity charges that you need to pay every month. Usually, suppliers charge nearly double the usual rates when offering plans that provide free electricity on nights and weekends. 

These free hours of electricity are truly free, and you won’t have to pay charges to your electricity company during free hours. 

However, there are often additional charges that electric suppliers do not mention.

These fees can add up quickly, especially when you’re already paying rates that are higher than normal. To make sure that these additional charges are worth it, make sure to compare your typical daily usage on the weekends versus the weekdays. 

Cancellation fees

Before you even sign up for a plan, think about what will happen if you need to leave or change that plan in the future. It’s important to know how much, and if, the supplier you plan to sign a contract with will charge you a cancellation fee. 

If you have entered into a long-term contract with a supplier and are unsatisfied with the rates you are paying, you can usually exit the contract, but must consider the cost of their cancellation fee. 

Compare the different plans

It can be very beneficial to compare the details and costs of free weekend and night plans that are offered by different providers. By comparing the plans of one company to another, you can get an idea which company is charging the most.

Most suppliers charge 35-50% higher rates on these free weekend plans. To ensure you’re getting the best deal, you can compare the plans of different companies and choose the one with the lowest rates and recurring charges. 

How to compare free energy plans

In order to compare different free weekend electricity plans, you can start with the websites of different suppliers in your area. Often, you can choose either one-year or two-year plans depending on your needs.

The electricity suppliers should clearly indicate the time when free power starts, and when it ends. To understand whether a given plan would work with your energy usage at home, look to your smart meter to provide all the necessary information. 

By researching some of the free electricity on weekends plans, you can outline the different details of these plans. It will make it easy for you to reach a decision that aligns with your energy needs. 

Make sure to weigh the pros and cons of this type of plan for your specific energy needs. Once you know exactly what type of plan suits your home best, you can get the maximum advantage out of it. 

Final thoughts on free weekend electricity

Free weekend electricity plans are often launched by energy suppliers to draw in new customers and incentivize the time of use payment structures. 

In addition, by offering free nights and weekends, energy providers encourage their consumers to utilize the most energy during off-peak hours. This structure helps the supplier to balance the supply and demand of energy. 

Oftentimes, consumers do not fully understand all the charges they are paying for, or do not realize that their supplier is charging rates that are higher than their original plan. 

Avoid falling into this predicament by weighing all of the considerations above and ensuring that a free weekend and night plan is best for your lifestyle and your home’s energy needs. 

Though the many details to keep in mind can be confusing, these plans are ultimately best when the amount of electricity consumed during weekdays is much less than what you utilize throughout the weekend. 

It’s clear that many homeowners are interested in growing their own food at home, whether to save money, know what’s going into their food, or live more sustainably. However, one unique farming method is making waves as highly-efficient and sustainable: vertical farming at home. 

This innovative technique allows homeowners to enjoy their own fresh produce, plants, or herbs with limited space. Let’s dive into how it works, and how you can maintain your own vertical system at home. 

What is vertical farming?

Vertical farming is a unique method of growing plants or crops in vertically stacked layers. Plants stretch up vertically on racks, walls, or different materials, rather than traditional farming methods.

With this method, it’s possible to grow more than one plant simultaneously without taking up much space – the multiple layers of plants allow for more crops per square foot than on just one level. 

There are a few popular growing methods for vertical farming, including the use of soil, aeroponic, or hydroponic practices. However, the basics of vertical farming remain the same while utilizing each of these methods.

This farming technique is perfect for homeowners who have limited space – in urban areas, for example – or for homes and businesses that don’t have a large, flat plot of land to utilize.  

Domestic vertical farming 

Vertical farming is gaining popularity on large-scale farms, where plants are typically grown indoors in a climate-controlled environment. Newark, New Jersey, is home to the world’s largest industrial vertical farm, run by AeroFarms.

In an urban environment like Newark, where there is less space to practice conventional farming methods, AeroFarms is able to produce a large number of crops in their facilities.

However, the industrial vertical farming market is still developing and perfecting their process. If you’re looking to grow your own crops at home, vertical farming is a great way to do so. 

There are a few differences between industrial and domestic vertical farms – namely, the materials and facilities used. If you’re looking to grow your own crops at home, you may not have access to the same high-tech technologies that industrial farms like AeroFarms use every day.

However, sophisticated technology isn’t always necessary when crafting your own vertical farm at home! 

Of course, it is essential to know the potential costs of constructing and maintaining your own vertical farm at home. You will need the right materials to build the structure and maintain the system.

How to start vertical farming at home

So, you’d like to begin vertical farming at home. There are a few different options to consider, depending on your price point and space you have available. 

There are many at-home kits available today which are equipped with special temperature, light, and water settings. Tower gardens built from PVC pipes are a popular option, as well as wire-rack shelving units. Hydroponic growing products are also increasing in popularity, as they allow plants to grow with little sunlight or soil. 

Though there are a few different options, it’s important to understand whether your space is suitable for a vertical farm. You can start by setting up a DIY farm using materials that are available in your home – consider the following procedure. 

What you need to get started with vertical farming at home

To create a DIY vertical farm at home, you can use a few simple materials. Here’s what you need to create a vertical farm on your own: 

• Water bottles or other containers of equal size
• A soil and nutrient-dense mixture 
• A metal or plastic wire rack to be dedicated for your vertical farm
• A bottle to utilize as a water tank – make small holes in the bottle to provide a slow but continuous supply of water
• Seeds or young plants that you want to grow

With this method, you can use regular plastic bottles or containers as pots to grow crops in. Placing these ‘pots’ on the rack, with the water tank will allow you to automate the supply of water without using electricity. Gravity will ensure your plants are steadily receiving water.

Once you’ve been successful with this kind of vertical farm at home, you may want to scale up your system and establish a fully-automated farm. 

Automated vertical farms often require more upfront investment and maintenance, because they require a regular supply of electricity to maintain different lighting, climate controls, and water systems. Moreover, you must also know how to operate the vertical farm systems.

Consider your water system 

Generally, vertical farming utilizes 95% less water than conventional farming, making it a more sustainable method of growing crops, particularly in areas where water shortages are frequent. 

There are a few methods you can utilize to water your vertical farm at home: hydroponics, aeroponics, aquaponics, and manual watering.  

Hydroponics

Hydroponics is one of the most viable methods of growing plants without soil, using a nutrient-rich solution instead. 

This method suspends plants above a tank of water, with its roots hanging in a container to absorb water and nutrients. This method can work both indoors and outdoors, and typically allows for faster growth and higher yields than traditional soil-based growing systems. 

However, it’s important to note that the liquid must be circulated frequently to maintain an ideal composition of nutrients for the plants to thrive.

To utilize a hydroponic watering system in your vertical garden at home, you simply need your plants, a container of choice, a way to anchor the plants, nutrients, and a light source. 

Aeroponics

Aeroponics builds off the principles of hydroponic systems but require no container for the plants to rest in. Aeroponics grow plants in the air, with their roots exposed, where they are periodically misted with specially-designed misting devices. 

This mist is typically made up of water and nutrients for the plants, providing the necessary amount of moisture to the root so that plants can grow.

Without a doubt, aeroponics is the most advanced and efficient way of growing crops through vertical farming. They use 95% less water than plants grown in soil, and since the nutrients are held in the water, they get recycled, too. 

Moreover, while growing in an aeroponics system, plants directly absorb more nutrients and minerals, making the vegetables produced through this method more fresh, tasty, and nutrient-rich. 

Aquaponics

Aquaponics systems are almost identical to hydroponics, but with some additional benefits. Plants grow in a water tank like they do hydroponically, and fish are added to the tanks, creating an ecosystem where plants and fish benefit from each other.

Plants feed on fish waste, cleaning and purifying the water that the fish live in. The bacteria that is created in this process is also beneficial to the development of plants: they convert waste into substances that plants can use to grow. 

In this method, there is no need to recycle the water frequently. A small-scale aquaponics system can provide a multitude of benefits, saving time and effort. 

It’s important to note, however, that the pH balance of the water must be balanced: plants, fish, and bacteria each require a different optimal pH.  

Manual watering

If you want to keep things simple, you can always stick to manually watering your vertical farm at home. This is the best option if you want to maintain your DIY farming system.

You can simply use a watering can and water the top plants in your vertical farm – the excess water will then trickle down and feed the plants below, saving water in the process. 

It is important of course, to ensure that lower levels of your farm and getting sufficient water as well. The frequency with which you water each plant will depend on its unique needs, so be sure to note which plants require more or less water. 

To conserve water at home, consider harvesting and reusing rainwater for your farm. This will ensure you’re saving money on water and reusing useful resources at the same time.

Choose the right lighting for your vertical farm

It’s critical to ensure that your vertical farm has the right light to thrive. Depending on where your farm is located, your lighting can differ. 

If you plan to grow plants outdoors, it’s best to place your farm in an optimal spot for natural light – indirect light will ensure that your farm gets a good distribution of sunlight. 

Many indoor vertical farms utilize artificial grow lights, but setting up your vertical farm in a place where natural light can still reach it is a good idea. In winter months, however, natural light can be scarce for indoor vertical farms, and artificial lights can make up for this lack.

Though there are a few different kinds of artificial grow lights, consider LED or fluorescent lights for your at-home indoor vertical farm. 

LED lights are the most popular artificial lighting methods for vertical farms. LED lights are adjustable, and ensure that each plant gets the intensity of light that it needs based on its growing stage. They are typically affordable and durable, and do not overheat plants. 

Fluorescent grow lights are used for growing herbs and vegetables indoors. Fluorescent tubes come in many different intensities, and often last longer and are more energy-efficient than incandescent bulbs.

Other considerations for vertical farming at home

Vertical farms can be impacted by factors other than lighting, whether indoors or outdoors. It’s important to consider these factors and how your farming system can adapt to them. 

Climate controls 

The humidity, temperature, and CO2 concentration in your space can impact the farming process. It can be difficult to control these factors, but they can impact your farming processes. 

Purchasing a temperature and humidity control system to utilize in your indoor vertical farm can help maintain the ideal conditions for your plants. 

Irrigation and fertigation

Fertigation fertilizes crops through an existing irrigation system, most often used in hydroponic systems to deliver nutrients to plants. 

Depending on the water system you choose to go with for your vertical farm at home, you may consider investing in an irrigation and fertigation controller system. These systems allow you to save energy by managing the requirements of a vertical farm. 

Alternatively, you can use compostable material to fertilize your system. 

Given these varying factors, you may consider purchasing an at-home gardening product like AeroGarden. Their innovative and high-tech indoor farming products use hydroponic methods, and allow users to grow almost anything without soil or sunlight. 

Most AeroGarden products are fully automated and allow users to control every element of farming.

AeroGarden Harvest 360

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What are the benefits of vertical farming at home?

All in all, there are a plethora of benefits to establishing your own vertical farm at home.

Improves crop production 

One of the most important vertical farming objectives is to get maximum production by using minimum land. These farms can grow plants in almost every condition, so there is no need to wait for a specific season to grow your crops.

Less land is required

You can grow a sufficient amount of crops by utilizing less land.

Conventional farming at home often requires more land, resources, and time, greatly increasing the cost of growing crops.

Environmentally-friendly

Vertical farming utilizes less resources when compared to traditional farming – most vertical setups require a minimum amount of water, space, and fertilizers to grow your crops. 

Hence, vertical farms present a more sustainable option, and help to combat various sustainability-related issues by conserving natural resources. 

Immediate availability of agricultural products  

Unlike conventional farming, vertical farming allows users to grow almost any crop in an urban area. In places where it is difficult to acquire certain produce, vertical farming can provide a fresh supply of foods.

Higher-quality produce 

Growing lettuces or herbs in a vertical system allows for higher-quality produce than can be offered by conventional farming methods. There are no harmful pesticides required for plants to thrive in vertical farms, and controlling the growing environment ensures that produce has the right crispness, texture, and nutrient density.

Vertical farming at home may be for you 

Ultimately, vertical farming at home is an innovative and sustainable method of growing plants, produce, and herbs for your entire household to enjoy. 

If you’re looking to provide healthy food or plants for your home, consider a manual or automatic vertical farm setup to yield more results with minimum resources than required for contemporary agricultural practices. 

Green Coast is a renewable energy and green living community focused on helping others live a better, more sustainable life.

Put simply, net metering is a system that tracks and credits solar panel owners for the excess energy they send back to the electric grid. However, there are some key details every current and potential solar panel owner should keep in mind. 

Here we will define what net metering is, how it works, and whether your location meets local net metering requirements.

So, what is net metering and what does it mean?

More and more homeowners are investing in solar panels to power their homes efficiently and sustainably. In most cases, solar systems in residential neighborhoods are linked to the local electrical grid. 

When solar panels are connected to the grid, they can benefit from the process of net metering.

When solar panels generate more power than is needed to power a home, their owners can sell this excess electricity back to the local utility company to then distribute back to others connected to the grid. 

While it is possible to operate these systems without being connected to the local electrical grid, there are a few key reasons why grid-tied solar panels are more practical for the average homeowner.

1. Cost: Off-grid systems require batteries, and grid-tied systems typically do not. While these batteries can last several years, they do not come cheap. Connecting to the grid not only reduces the costs of these batteries, but also eliminates installation and recurring maintenance costs. 

2. Reliability: An off-grid system may not have enough capacity to power an entire household. When a system is tied to the grid, it can draw any extra necessary energy needs from the grid to meet the demands of the house. 

Whether on or off-grid, solar panels do continue working when it’s cloudy or nighttime. However, depending on how dense the cloud cover is, the amount of power the solar panels produce decreases.

This is where reliability comes in: when a solar system is connected to the grid, it will still have access to the electricity it needs when the weather turns overcast, or if a part of the system malfunctions. 

As mentioned above, the process of net metering is another key benefit of connecting your solar panels to the electricity grid. Let’s dive deeper into how, exactly, net metering works. 

How does net metering work?

There are three common models for net metering: buy all/sell all, net billing, and net metering, which is the most common. Each process differs slightly, so let’s dive in. 

Net metering

During the day while the sun is out, solar panel systems often produce more electricity than a household consumes, causing the meter to run backwards and send the extra electricity back to the power grid. 

Net metering is the most common arrangement for this process – customers will only receive a bill each month if their system generates less energy than their household uses. If their system generates more than their household uses, customers will receive a credit for their excess production that can be applied to utility bills.

Often, these credits will offset any electricity customers may need from the grid. Credits are equivalent to the rate that you would otherwise pay for electricity. 

Buy all/sell all

Solar owners have another option if they are connected to the grid: the buy all/sell all method. Customers can sell all of the energy their system generates to the utility company at a wholesale price.

The utility company will then provide the customer 100% of the home’s energy, at the current retail price. However, it’s important to note that this model requires two separate meters to measure the amount of energy generated, and the amount consumed by the house. 

If you choose to go with this model of net metering, you’ll have to pay the difference between the energy generated and consumed. This also means that your house won’t consume the energy your solar panels generate. 

Net billing

The net billing model acts similarly to net metering. In this process, customers can use the electricity generated by their panels and sell the excess to the local utility company. 

However, this model is different in that customers cannot receive credits to apply in the future.

What are the benefits of net metering?

Net metering can be a great option for a lot of homeowners who are actively using solar panels, or are considering investing in a solar system. There are a few key benefits of pursuing a net metering model for your home, on both an individual and societal level. 

Greater control

Whichever model you decide to go with, there’s no doubt that net metering provides customers with greater control over their energy usage. It ensures that solar owners have access to the energy their home needs at all times of the day, without having to foot the cost of a solar battery. 

Net metering can also provide greater control over the costs associated with solar systems. Net metering gives solar customers more control over their electricity bills by crediting, and in some cases, compensating them for the electricity that their system feeds to the grid. 

This process can serve to benefit both solar and non-solar customers, however: a 2014 study commissioned by the Nevada Public Utility Commission found that net metering provided $36 million in benefits to all NV Energy customers, solar and non-solar alike. 

Cleaner, more efficient electricity 

Net metering allows solar customers to generate their own electricity on their property in a cleaner, more energy-efficient way. 

Utilizing net metering increases demand for solar energy among consumers in a given area, which will also result in economic benefits such as job creation, income generation, and increased investment. 

The more customers are incentivized to adopt net metering for their solar panels, the more clean, efficient energy will be powering homes and communities. 

Improving local utilities 

Net metering also offers benefits to local utilities. How?

These models can level out the demand curve for electricity in a given area, and allow utility companies to better manage their peak loads. Because net metering encourages energy generation onsite, in close proximity to where it’s consumed, it can also reduce the strain on local electricity distribution systems. 

An additional benefit to utilities and ratepayers – net metering encourages private capital to invest in new, clean, local energy capacity at no cost or risk to them. After all, this investment in cleaner energy will serve to benefit entire communities. 

A plethora of studies conducted around the U.S. have demonstrated that net metering serves to improve not only individual homes, but entire communities and local electric grids as well. Interested in pursuing net metering for your home? Keep reading to find out how.  

Is net metering available to me?

Many U.S. states have passed net metering laws that local utilities are required to abide by. In places where there are no net metering policies, however, some utilities often offer net metering programs voluntarily or as a result of regulatory decisions, but some states don’t offer net metering at all.

This varying net metering availability and policy is widely due to differences in state legislation and regulations across the country. There are a few different ways to check whether net metering is available in your area: 

• Do a quick internet search. Whether on Google or Wikipedia, finding your state’s rules can oftentimes be pretty straightforward. However, for a comprehensive list of U.S. state metering policies, the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) has this great resource. 

• If your state’s qualifications aren’t so straightforward, or you can’t find the information you’re looking for online, it’s always a good idea to speak to your energy provider. They will be able to answer any questions you may have about net metering. 

List of net metering credit states

According to our most recent research, net metering is currently available in the following states, with the following parameters:

*LADWP customers can take advantage of net metering for systems up to 1 MW; excess generation is credited to the customer’s next bill at the retail rate.

Final thoughts on net metering

Now that you have a comprehensive answer to the question ‘What is net metering?’, you’re better informed to invest in your solar panel system now and in the future. 

Though it can take a few different forms, net metering serves to benefit not only your home’s energy use and monthly bills but also the entire electric grid as a whole. 

Green Coast is a renewable energy and green living community focused on helping others live a better, more sustainable life.