Midstate Renewable Energy Services
Frequently asked questions
How much will it cost to power my home?

This is a hard question to answer since no one has an average home. Factors to include when coming up with an
answer are: How many people live there? Do you have electric appliances such as electric stove-dryer-heat? Are you on
a well? How many computers are on during the day? Do you want to be off grid? Do you want to be on grid and "sell"
your power back to the power company (if they allow it)? The typical American home will consume 700kWh of electrical
energy per month. In Europe the average is less than half of this. If you have a home that is energy efficient and
practice common sense energy conservation you can expect to spend $10-20,000 for a solar electric system. Adding
wind (recommended for off grid homes), plan for an additional $7-10,000. Plus if you are off grid consider a back up
source of power such as a diesel or propane generator. You  can also use the utility for backup if available.

What can I run with my RE system?

Solar and wind power systems can provide power for almost anything in your house. However large heat producing
appliances such as electric stoves, electric forced air furnaces, electric baseboard heat, electric dryers and central air
conditioning are not recommended for off grid homes unless you have large generating equipment. More information on
living off grid can be found here. If you are on grid and are grid intertied the extra power you need can be supplied by
the utility when the load demands it. You do not have to have your entire house or business off grid. Portions of your
electrical circuits (outlets,appliances, lights etc) can be taken off grid and the rest (central air, electric stove, dryer etc.)
can be left on grid.

What is grid intertie or net metering?

If your utility allows it (by Federal law they have to), you can tie into the grid and "spin your meter backwards". Keep in
mind this requires specialized equipment that is UL rated and installed to NEC code plus accepted by the utility. Your
wind or solar power system will power your home and any extra power not needed will be fed back into the grid. The
utility will pay you for your extra power, usually at wholesale rates (or "avoided cost") while you pay retail rates for what
you use. Some progressive and generous utilities have programs called "net metering" that will pay you at retail prices,
usually in a check or credit at the end of a year. Check with your utility to see if they will allow you to be grid intertied and
the conditions they require you to meet. More information on grid tie systems can be found here.

Can a renewable energy system help to reduce my electric bill?

There is no limit on the size of a system one can install at a home or small business. Powering a residence or business
were power use is high, such as an all electric home can be astronomical. It would be far more cost effective not use the
power to begin with. Practicing common sense energy conservation is far more cost effective in reducing power. A
common rule of thumb is for every dollar spend in becoming energy efficient $3-5 can be saved in renewable energy
costs. The cheapest source of energy is not to use it. And yes, a renewable energy system can reduce or almost
eliminate your electric bill. If you want to totally avoid paying the utility you can go "off grid".

How can I save energy?

If you can afford it, upgrade your refrigerator, washer, dryer and dishwasher to "Energy Star" rated models. Avoid heat
producing appliances such as electric stoves,dryers and water heaters. Natural gas or propane appliances are more
efficient and cheaper in the long run. Replace incandescent or halogen light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs.  As
an example by replacing a 100 watt bulb with a 25 watt fluorescent bulb you may save from $45-75 over the life of the
bulb. The fluorescent bulb will burn cooler thus saving you a/c costs (80% of the power used by a regular bulb goes to
heat-which you will pay to cool down). You will also save hundreds of dollars in solar panels not needed!
Look at reducing your "phantom loads". These "phantom loads" are electrical items that use power even when they are
turned off. Examples are TV, microwaves (clocks), radios, fax machines etc. Those little black plug in transformers used
by various appliances are notorious for drawing power even when nothing is attached to them. Prioritize what you need
to have available and place the rest on a power strip and switch them off when not needed. You'll be surprised at what
you save.

Are there tax credits or government programs to help with the cost?

The established utilities get millions of dollars of government subsidies. There are programs in place to help the general
populace with renewable energy systems. Check out the links on the "Home" page to see what programs may help you.

What is better for me wind or solar?

It depends on were you are located. Photovoltaics (solar electric) and solar thermal work well anywhere. Wind power is
more suited for rural areas. For off grid, both solar and wind (hybrid) is a must in Illinois.  Illinois does not have the
sunshine the west coast or southeastern US enjoys or the wind that the northern states have. But it has enough of both.
Typically more sun less wind in the summer and more wind less sun in the winter. Just remember solar panels need
direct sun to function and wind turbines need to be above houses and trees to produce consistent power.

What if I just want back up power?

In this case you may not need solar or wind power at all. A quality inverter/charger with a battery bank for storage will
suffice. The grid will keep the batteries charged and when the power goes out the system will switch over automatically.
When the power comes back on the system will switch back to it and begin to charge the batteries. For an extended
outage a back up generator can be configured into the system to come on automatically.

Who will install my system?

We can install your solar and wind power system however some homeowners may want to do so themselves, while we
provide the technical assistance as needed. Some municipalities will require a licensed plumber to install a solar hot
water system unless a homeowner does the installation. We offer guidance and answers to any questions you or your
installer may have on the products you purchase from us.