Green Update
I’m never satisfied when it comes to green energy. But I’ve reached a sort of plateau for the time being, where I can take a step back and assess things. I’ll sum up the recent changes along with an overall summary, and what’s next to be done.
New Things
When I say new things I am referring to new things in the past year or so. These all have made some type of difference, regardless of how big or small.
Solar. After the election in 2024 I knew that tax credits for solar installs was going to go away, and literally the day after the election I started the process of trying to take advantage of it while I still could. I added five 415w panels onto some open real estate up on the roof, bringing my total up to 51 panels. I also replaced a SolarEdge inverter (being used for 24 of the panels) with micro-inverters. So now the entirety of the 51 panels use APsystems micro-inverters. I even managed to work out an arrangement with the neighbor and got a couple of trees trimmed back, ensuring that I get great usage out of these new panels.
Windows. This should have been the first step in my green journey as the house still had the original windows installed when it was built in 1970. They were not very energy efficient at all. So finally all of the windows have been replaced with actual energy efficient ones. I even replaced the large sliding back patio door. I expect this will help with the heating and especially the cooling in the hot Texas summers.
Automations. I use Home Assistant, and with the changes I took it upon myself to reassess all of my automations after studying the energy usage with the new solar upgrade. I discovered that optimal charging times had shifted, and with a bit of adjustment to the power levels of the charger I could ensure that during the peak of the day the EV would get charged without pulling from the grid and still maintaining the rest of the house load. I was still charging the house batteries up to 100% so I could run off of batteries all evening. While I changed a lot of the automations, the automations that dealt with the car charger changed the most. Overall I am pulling less from the grid than ever.
Looking Ahead
I have decided the woodshop is going to go off grid, so to speak. Install batteries and solar panels on its roof, and I will have a climate-controlled shop with lots of large power tools all running independently from the house system. This will also free up a circuit in the main electrical panel.
I have a lot of plans involving storage and my home networking lab. Separate from the dedicated servers, if I can move everything into the office that I need for electronic work, computer assembly/disassembly, and other experiments that would be great. In the server room I have simply run out of space, so moving it into the office will allow for better organization. Granted this will involve moving a LOT of furniture around as both the bedroom and the office are in desperate need of serious remodeling, but the point here which relates to “green energy” is that I am wanting to set up a battery system in the office for all of this lab equipment.
I am also seriously considering getting rid of the gas stove and replacing it with an electric (and energy efficient) one. There are a few “smart” choices out there, including some with built-in batteries, but that is way down the road at this point.
Summary
I will be continuing the whole green journey for quite a while longer. There is still always plenty to do and new tech coming out constantly, and I simply love doing all of this work! I welcome any feedback including recommendations on new tech that is both green and fun.
