"Capturing the sun's warmth can help us to turn down the Earth's temperature." - President Clinton.
This house in coastal Maine generates its own electricity from a 4.25-kW PV system beautifully integrated into the rooftop. The south roof incorporates an integrated array of solar thermal collectors and large-area PV modules to form a single, uniform glass pane. Through a net-metering relationship with Central Maine Power, surplus solar electricity is exported to the utility grid, effectively spinning the utility meter backward. The Lords get this power back in an even exchange at night and during periods of low sun when it's needed. Both homeowner and utility benefit from this relationship, and on-site electrical storage is unnecessary. Space heating and domestic hot water are provided by the solar thermal system with space heating distributed in a multizone radiant floor system. The house also incorporates passive solar heating and cooling, super insulation, advanced R-8 windows, monolithic air and vapor barriers, air-lock vestibules, and a heat recovery ventilation system.
Credit: Solar Design Associates, Inc.
