Solar cells and small wind turbines can be installed conveniently for households nowadays. Until a few years ago installing home solar systems was usually the domain of DIY hobbyist and was quite cost and material prohibitive. But with companies like Solar System Malaysia and many others sprouting everywhere that can sustain a business model because the population is becoming sensitive to the needs of the environment the tide towards residential energy generation is turning. In Malaysia the mainstream grid that is mainly powered with coal is comparatively cheaper that other parts in the world because of government subsidies. Yet because of the urgent concern to stem the causes of global warming concerned citizens are moving on to harness their own clean energy.
Renewable energy systems are not only clean, they are empowering. No doubt electricity is the most convenient form of energy for households. Imagine having to go back to burning oil and wood for light and heat like the old days. Until a few years ago the idea of generating our own electricity used to be an inconvenient one. If not for the progress of renewable energy technology like solar and wind power maintaining a diesel or gas electric generator at home to supply home electric needs would be a messy daily chore we would rather not be bothered with; hence the national power grid.
Renewable energy systems–solar heaters, PV cells and wind turbines require less maintenance than diesel generators and can be a quiet part of any household while freeing the monthly budget off energy costs. Solar PV cells have come down in cost considerably now that national grids are moving big time into solar electric generation. As production ramps up costs are coming down further which is very good news. Eventually the sight of solar panels on rooftops is going to be ubiquitous and if poor households and villages have access to cheap or free energy their living standard is going to improve tremendously. The renewable energy revolution that is starting now as a quiet industry that will become an economic juggernaut that is going to free billions, perhaps even trillions of dollars of energy spending into the consumer market. This is going to be a global phenomenon that will be interesting to keep an eye out for.
Becoming the lords of our own power has serious implications especially for energy companies who are at the source of all economy. If we embrace the option of generating our own clean energy obviously we will have more money for other things and it will also bring down the cost of living immensely. Imagine if you power your home and personal transport with your own energy–using electric cars and electric stoves, that would translate to considerable savings. With a good maintenance routine the ability to live off the grid would open up cheaper real estate where land prices do not need to include grid connections. Renewable energy is going to cause the next economic and political revolution. We are at the cusp of this revolution.
