Renewable Energy
Our entire home/office has utilized renewable electricity since 2005, through the City of Austin Green Choice program, whose source is the West Texas wind farms.
In 2021 we added the final 3.2kw array for a total of 21.6kw of on-site Solar Photovoltaics, making the home/office Net-Zero. Since 2007 our on-site solar has saved a total of 283,144 kilowatts, and is now producing over 2 Mega-watt of production each month.
In March of 2016 we purchased an electric car and slowly have been using up the COA AE credit. In late 2016, early 2017, unfortunately, a cold snap and extended overcast skies reduced our solar production!
Electric Bills
2006 - $162/month
2007 - $131/month*
2008 - $126/month
2009 - $113/month
2010 - $158/month
2011 - $208/month*
2012 - $127/month
2013 - $11.77/month*
2014 - $28.83Credit/month
2015 - $14.35/month
2016 - $5.19/month
2017 - $18.22/month
2018 - $93.13/month*
2019 - $67.36/month*
2020 - $22.33/month*
2021 - $30.67/month*
2022 - $71.65/month*
2023 - $88.26/month*
*Our home/office is all electric, electric heat, electric hot water. In 2007 we installed a 3kw Solar PV system. In 2010/2011, we completed the second phase of our home/office. In 2012 we installed an additional 6.2kw Solar Pv system to offset the increased square footage, and in 2013 we added the final 9.2kw to complete the system.
As of 2018 our personal tranportation is with an electric car and a plug in hybrid EV. And in 2021 we added another 3kw to offset electric car charging.