What could be more liberating than providing your own electricity, and not getting a bill each month? With a small renewable energy system, you can use alternative sources to create energy—maybe even enough to power your entire home.

There are several options to choose from when considering a renewable energy system, such as solar electric systems, which can gather sun even from scattered areas. Solar electric systems can also be used as outdoor lighting. If this perks your interest, read considerations for installing a small solar electric system for a helpful list of questions to ask when selecting a qualified contractor to install one in your home.

Another option is a wind electric system. Wind electric systems can be one of the cleanest options, and could provide as much as 90% of your electricity needs. To get an idea of the work and cost involved, check out our page on installing a small wind system for your home. [More]

One of the benefits of living in the Nation’s capital is direct access to so many great museums. From outdoor works of art at the Sculpture Garden to live butterflies at the National History museum—there’s something out there to spark your interest and feed your curiosity.

My personal favorite is the National Gallery of Art—there you can take free guided tours almost any day of the week. On a recent tour, a guide explained the significance and history of Ginevra de’ Benci—the only portrait by Leonardo da Vinci in the Western Hemisphere. [More]

Nearly six weeks ago I visited for the first time the paradise of Hawaii. While it’s easy for visitors to appreciate its sun-kissed beaches and warm ocean breezes, you may not realize Hawaii also is a renewable energy lover’s paradise. Sunshine and wind, especially, are in abundant supply.

The Aloha State is planning to utilize these renewable resources to achieve 70% clean energy by 2030. These are some of the most aggressive clean energy goals in the nation—and in my mind, another reason why Hawaii is such a special place. [More]

When I think of wind technology, an image comes to mind of a towering fleet of turbines. Although I've never seen a wind farm up close, I've heard from several people that it's an awe-inspiring sight. I may not have the chance to see a large-scale wind farm anytime soon, but I have had the opportunity to examine a small wind energy system—an alternative source of energy that can fully or partially provide power for the home.

During a recent visit to the U.S Botanic Gardens (USBG) in Washington, D.C., I noticed a vertical wind turbine on display. This single turbine, relatively small in stature, provides up to 2,000 kilowatt hours per year for the USBG. The Garden's horizontal wind turbine provide an additional 2,500 kW hours per year. Although D.C. is not an ideal windy city, the USBG estimates that these turbines generate enough electricity to light its annual holiday show and power its electric utility vehicle. [More]

Okay, so we already pointed out the Energy Basics Web site last week. Because I'm going to talk about something on the site, I wanted to remind you all of what it is: a brand new Web site on EERE that talks about the basics of how energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies work. A little place to find out the "What is it, and how does it work?" nuggets of information, basically.

But I wanted to point out something in particular: the Energy 101 series of videos! [More]

This winter has seemed like an especially long one to me. I'm ready to wear shorts and enjoy nice, long summer days. Alas, the reality is that it will probably be cold for at least another month here in Washington, D.C. All that cold air robs not only our jacketed bodies of warmth, but it also carries heat away from the places where we want it most this time of year: our homes, apartments, and businesses. All that heat loss costs money. I've been in friends' houses that just never seem to stay warm, even when their furnace kicks on every 15 or 20 minutes. I can just hear the swishing sound of them flushing money down the toilet—not the most efficient thing they could do with it! So I've been thinking about what they can do save money and keep the cold where it belongs: outside. The logical first step for anybody wanting to improve the energy efficiency of their home is to begin with a home energy audit. We blogged in-depth about the different kinds of audits on Energy Savers awhi... [More]