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Updated: 7:55 PM Mar 8, 2010
Living Happily Off the Power Grid
A Roane County couple decided to take on alternative energy and invest in solar technology.
Posted: 7:45 PM Mar 8, 2010Reporter: Brooks Jarosz Email Address: brooks.jarosz@wsaz.com |
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29 Comments 
ROANE COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Imagine solar panels powering everything in your home from a refrigerator to a stove or even your computer.
A Roane County couple decided to take on alternative energy and invest in solar technology.
"We figure we use about two kilowatt hours a day ... which is probably about 10 percent or less than 10 percent of what the average American household uses," Mary Wildfire said.
Only a wood-burning stove heats their octagon-shaped home.
They built the place from the foundation up and say the shape provides more space and better air circulation.
"That's the key if you're going to use renewable energy," Don Alexander said. "You have to get down to really only what you're going to use not wasting a lot of energy."
Batteries similar to the one in your car are charged from the solar panels to provide the electricity.
With the help of nature, Alexander installed a gravity fed water system to pump water from a well into their house.
"We can go four or five days without pumping water," he said.
As for a shower, they have that, too, but the challenge is heating water on top of the wood-burning stove and then pouring it into a five-gallon bucket.
"We just carry the hot water up and dump it in that, and then we've got a got a five-gallon hot shower which is plenty actually," Alexander said.
The investment has been nearly $9,000, but the couple says they aren't depriving themselves from anything.
The couple says they can go sometimes five or six days without sun and still have plenty of power. They also received a $2,000 tax credit for investing in solar technology.
Latest Comments
Interesting, just wondering if either or both hold full time employment, as it seems system would require almost constant attention?
Unfortunately, many do not want to accept the reality that our great-great-grandparents who carved our nation out of pure wilderness not only lived without an energy dependency (other than their own strength, faith and courage) but they accomplished more in half their lifetime than their "advanced" technological offspring. A challenge - get back to that kind of innovative independence by realizing deceptive and self-destructive "progress" if the future security of your own children means anything. "Go green" to some extent if you so dare or care.
That RoaneCo. that's pretending to be the real one isn't the real one. I am. I would assume that he's a puppet of the right wing conspiracy. I've cast off the shackles of republicanism, and I've evolved. They can't stand it.
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