Peace and Environment News* October 2000
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Peace and Environment News * October 2000 |
by Jacquie Johnson
 The Andermans' house in Killaloe. The chimney in the front, on the right, is a vent for the composting toilet. The chimney in the back, on the left, is for the wood stove. In the garden, on the left, are Jerusalem Artichokes; on the right is squash. |
Robbie and Christina Anderman had lived without electricity for 20 years. They ran their appliances on propane and heated the house with wood. Their farm in Killaloe, Ontario is a mile from the nearest hydro pole. But ten years ago they decided it was time for a change.
Getting Ontario Hydro to bring poles to them would be an expensive proposition, so instead the Andermans opted for solar power. The total cost for the switch, including a solar heated water pump, was $10,000. Six years ago the system became large enough to power the whole house.
The system runs on solar panels which store their energy in eight six-volt batteries that are hooked up to output at 12 volts. The solar panels can produce 300 watts on a sunny day. In the winter or during particularly cloudy periods, a backup generator is available. It is only required from 10 to 15 times a year.
Although most solar powered houses run on AC power, the Andermans use DC. They say that DC is safer because it doesn't produce an electro-magnetic field.
European studies have shown that AC power is a health hazard. The advantage of DC is that you can do your own wiring without risking your life. The disadvantage is that DC appliances cost more than AC appliances. But, they point out, these appliances also last longer.
The Andermans like their solar house because they are not polluting the atmosphere with coal, oil or nuclear energy. They do not get bills in the mail, and the energy is a quiet energy. The downside is that you have to pay close attention to how much energy you are using, but they see that as a good skill to have. For example, on cloudy days they don't use their computers and they may go to bed earlier or run propane lanterns.
Dr. Singh of the Farraday Animal Hospital near Bancroft, Ontario is also a fan of solar energy. He has run his hospital on solar power for the last year, having tried it on a trial basis for a year before that. The excavation and installation of towers cost him $25,000. He also uses a diesel generator for backup purposes.
Singh likes solar energy for the personal independence it gives him. The downside is that it is expensive and you must work within your system and keep track of what you're taking out.
Solar energy is definitely the way of the future, says Singh. He cites the increasing abundance of solar cars and the huge facilities being built in California to power whole neighbourhoods on solar power. After all, mother nature has given us this source of energy for free, he says.
Jacquie Johnson is on the PEN Editorial Committee.
Converted January 22, 2001 - Lg
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