Wind and solar power enough for self-sufficient house

By SIMON COLLINS

Self-sufficiency has not come cheap for Rodney District councillor Elizabeth Foster, but at least she has done her bit to stop global warming.

Mrs Foster and her son, Ken Harcombe, have built a house at Whangateau, near Leigh, which is completely self-sufficient in energy with a windmill, four photovoltaic solar energy panels, a solar water heater and a woodburning stove.

The house cost only $200,000. But the windmill cost just over $2000, the four solar panels cost $2000 each plus $4000 for an "inverter", which allows them to run normal appliances, the solar water heater cost more than $3000 and the wood stove, $12,000.

"The stove was a choice thing - you could buy a conventional stove," Mrs Foster said. But that might have meant putting in more solar panels.

"If you wanted to completely warm your house on solar, you'd need eight [panels]," she said.

On the other hand, the household has saved $20,000 by not installing a power line from the nearest point on the national grid.

The combination of energy sources means it can use wind when the sun is not shining, and if it's both calm and dull, the Irish-made wood stove keeps the house warm as well as providing energy for cooking.

The house is built of untreated macrocarpa and eucalyptus - "as natural as possible".

There is a composting toilet, and wool insulation in all rooms.

The hot water system is a cylinder in the house with a small pump that cycles the water through a solar heater on the roof.

"It can produce enough heat so you don't need any other hot water source," Mrs Foster said.