Real Goods Solar Living Sourcebook: Your Complete Guide To Renewable Energy Technologies And Sustainable Living

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Edition: 12th
Format: Paperback
Pub. Date: 2005-03-18
Publisher(s): Consortium Book Sales & Dist
List Price: $37.45

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Summary

Do you want to harvest sunlight, wind or falling water to power your home? Or sell that renewable energy back to your utility company? Are you looking to build your dream eco-home? Or to convert to biodiesel and minimize your fossil fuel use? This fully updated classic of sustainable living technology tells how and gives you access to the world's most extensive selection of hardware to make it all happen. The Real Goods Solar Living Sourcebook-12th Edition is the ultimate resource on renewable energy, sustainable living, alternative construction, green building, homesteading, off-the-grid living and alternative transportation, written by experts with decades of personal experience and a passion for sharing their knowledge. In print and regularly updated since 1982, the Sourcebook has sold over 600,000 copies in 44 countries. This 12th edition includes brand-new sections on solar utility intertie, alternative sources of fuel (including biodiesel and hydrogen fuel cells) and hybrid vehicles, and completely rewritten sections on land and shelter, emergency preparedness and energy conservation, as well as in-depth sections on: Sunshine to electricity From panel to plug Water systems Water heating Water and air purification Composting toilets and graywater systems Off-the-grid living and homesteading tools Mobility Plus over 150 pages of maps, wiring diagrams, formulae, charts, electrical code, solar sizing worksheets and much more. Whether you're a layperson or a professional, novice or longtime aficionado, the Sourcebook puts the latest research and newest products at your fingertips-all the information you need to make sustainable living a reality. John Schaeffer is the president and founder of Real Goods-the oldest and largest catalog company devoted to the sale and service of renewable energy products. The recipient of numerous awards, Real Goods hosts an annual SolFest at its Solar Living Center headquarters in Hopland, California.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments xi
Introduction 1(8)
John Schaeffer
Land and Shelter
9(36)
Choosing Land
11(1)
Shelter and Passive Solar Design
11(5)
A Passive Solar Design Primer
16(8)
Architecture and Building Materials
24(10)
Build Your Own
34(7)
Land and Shelter Products
41(4)
Sunshine to Electricity
45(68)
What are Photovoltaic Cells?
45(1)
Fifty Years of Photovoltaics
46(8)
System Examples
54(4)
Photovoltaic Products
58(12)
Photovoltaic Mounting Hardware
70(3)
PV Mounting Products
73(7)
Wind and Hydro Power Sources
80(1)
Hydroelectricity
81(7)
Hydroelectric Products
88(5)
Wind Energy
93(6)
Wind Products
99(10)
Hydrogen Fuel Cells
109(4)
Balance of Systems
113(88)
A Renewable Energy System Primer
113(1)
Stand-Alone Systems (Battery Back-up)
113(4)
Systems Sizing Worksheets
117(5)
Utility Intertie Systems
122(3)
Converting California Sunshine into Elecricity
125(4)
Utility Intertie Inverters
129(8)
Fully Integrated Controls or Pre-Assembled Power Centers
137(6)
Safety and Fusing
143(7)
Charge Controllers
150(11)
System Meters and Monitors
161(3)
Large Storage Batteries
164(4)
Dr. Doug's Battery Troubleshooting Guide
168(1)
Common Battery Questions and Answers
169(1)
Dr. Doug's Battery Care Class
170(3)
Large Batteries, Chargers, and Accessories
173(5)
Rechargeable Batteries and Chargers
178(3)
Frequently Asked Questions on Rechargeable Batteries
181(3)
Inverters
184(4)
Potential Problems with Modified Sine Wave Inverter Use---and How to Correct Them
188(1)
Potential Problems with ALL Inverters---and How to Correct Them
189(2)
Inverters and Related Products
191(7)
Wire, Adapters, and Outlets
198(2)
Wire Sizing Chart and Formulas
200(1)
Emergency Preparedness
201(18)
Want Some Protection, or at Least a Little Backup?
201(1)
Steps to a Practical Emergency Power System
202(1)
What Do You Really Need in an Emergency?
203(4)
Emergency Preparedness Products
207(12)
Energy Conservation
219(58)
Living Well, But Inexpensively
220(1)
It All Starts with Good Design
221(1)
Retrofitting: Making the Best of What You've Got
221(7)
Conserving Electricity
228(1)
House Heating and Cooling
229(10)
Home Cooling Systems
239(6)
Insulation, Radiant Barrier, and Heating Products
245(5)
Cooling Products
250(7)
Energy-Efficient Appliances
257(1)
Energy-Efficient Home Appliances and Products
257(6)
Super-Efficient Lighting
263(6)
Natural Lighting
269(1)
AC Lighting
270(2)
DC Lighting and LED Lighting
272(2)
Solar and Outdoor Lighting
274(3)
Water Development
277(40)
The Three Components of Every Water System
277(4)
Solar-Powered Pumping
281(7)
Solar Water Supply Questionnaire
288(1)
Dr. Doug's Homestead Pumping Recommendations
289(2)
Water Pumping and Conservation Products
291(24)
Friction Loss Charts for Water Pumping
315(2)
Water Heating
317(18)
Common Water Heater Types
317(4)
More Details for Your Best Water-Heating Choices
321(4)
Fuel Choices for Water Heating: Electric versus Gas
325(1)
Water Heating Products (Solar and Tankless Heaters)
326(9)
Water and Air Purification
335(20)
The Need for Water Purification
335(4)
Methods of Water Filtration and Purification
339(4)
Water Purification Products
343(5)
Air Purification
348(4)
Air Purification Products
352(3)
Composting Toilets and Grey Water Systems
355(20)
A Short History of Waste Disposal
355(1)
What is a Composting Toilet?
356(5)
Greywater Systems
361(3)
Greywater Products
364(1)
Composting Toilet Products
365(10)
Off-The-Grid Living and Homestead Tools
375(14)
Wood-Fired Stoves and Accessories
376(2)
Yard and Garden Tools
378(4)
Kitchen and Home Tools
382(6)
Solar Cooking
388(1)
Sustainable Transportation
389(10)
Hybrids and other Low-Emission Vehicles
390(1)
Biodiesel and other Biofuels
391(2)
Electric Vehicles
393(1)
Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Vehicles
393(2)
The Hypercar
395(1)
Sources of Other Information
395(1)
Sustainable Transportation Products
396(3)
Sustainable Living Library
399(14)
Books on Renewable Energy and Sustainable Living
399(12)
Bottom of the Barrel --- What World Oil Peak Means for Our Way of Life
411(2)
APPENDIX
413(35)
Part I: Who We Are and How We Got Here
414(2)
The Real Goods Solar Living Center
416(5)
Part II: Living the Dream: The Solar Living Institute
421(3)
Part III: Spreading the Word: SolFest, Workshop Classes, and Internships
424(3)
Part IV: Getting Down to Business: Real Goods Catalogs, Retail Store, Technical Staff, and Website
427(4)
System Sizing Worksheets
431(2)
Typical Wattage Requirements for Common Appliances
433(1)
Solar Insolation Map
434(1)
Magnetic Declinations in the United States
435(1)
Battery Wiring Diagrams
436(1)
Wire Sizing Charts/Formula
437(1)
Friction Loss Charts for Water Pumping
438(1)
Nominal Pipe versus Actual Outside Diameter Size
439(1)
Temperature Conversion Chart C° to F°
439(1)
The Real Goods Resource List
440(4)
State Energy Offices Access Information
444(4)
Glossary 448(9)
National Electric Code, PV Power System Suggested Practices 457(74)
Product Index 531(15)
Subject Index 546

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