2007-01-31 10:49:23 · 2 answers · asked by smittybo20 6 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
Any source of energy that can be recreated. Wood is a renewable source. Coal and oil are not.
It takes a lot of money and engineering to make a home 100% solar. You have to build it in an area that is sunny most of the daylight hours. You have to make house super-insulated. You have to install solar collectors and have a way to store the collected energy, like a battery pack or a huge tank of water that is designed to radiate heat at night.
Amory (or Avory) Lovins is an engineer who built such a home in Colorado. You might try doing a Y! search under that name to find out more about his home.
2007-01-31 10:57:49 · answer #1 · answered by regerugged 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Renewable energy is energy that is constantly replenished or otherwise can't run out. Solar radiation is a prime source, but wind and water power also fall under this category.
Making your home 100% solar means you need to know how much energy your home needs on a daily basis. You would also need a battery bank to store energy for night time use, or for periods when solar radiation is low. Also, you can use a hybrid system (solar + wind energy).
2007-01-31 19:59:52 · answer #2 · answered by swilliamrex 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋