I am a general contractor in Texas, I am currently designing a environmentally friendly home for myself and young family to live in. I am viewing my options on electricity generation, i.e PV with battery and invertor, bio diesel generators, solar powered stirling engine, possibly offsetting solar power with wind. I have a design for a trombe wall which will help cool the house in the summer and heat it in the winter. Solar powered H2O heaters are a no brainer, My brother in the UK has one and has an abundant amount of hot H20. The cooling system will probably encompass geo-thermal energy, again a lot of systems available, unfortunately for the masses these systems are more expensive than traditional energy sucking compressors and heat exchangers. Hopefully by the time I invest in renewable energy for my home the government will offer more than a $2000.00 TAX credit toward the investment.
If so please forward me details.