Talk about ouch...My husband and I travel for work and are not home most of the time. My power bill was about $80 month before last (just air and fridge basically) and this past month it jumped to $146!!
The first step should always be conservation. Replace all your incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent or LED bulbs. Look for ways to reduce your usage like sealing up doors and windows and maybe adding insulation to lower your air conditioning loads. Consider getting a smaller or more energy efficient refrigerator. This will save you money now and even more so if you do go solar.
It's not cost effective to use solar electric for heating hot water or cooking. Propane or natural gas is cheaper, so look at your water heater and range too.
Once you do all that, consider adding a small solar setup to power your biggest energy users, especially refrigeration. Check for any "green energy" programs in your area. You can often get help with part of the system cost. If you have to start small, start small. You can always add more later, but be sure to cover the absolute essentials first.
I would suggest a grid tie system. In effect, a grid tie system uses the existing grid as its batteries, which can greatly reduce cost and complexity. Add some batteries if you can, especially if you suffer from frequent power outages. If power outages are rare, consider storing a few batteries dry (along with enough electrolyte to fill them if needed) to use if the grid goes down for any length of time.
Edited to add:
Solar hot water is something to look at too. These systems are relatively simple, and many DIY tutorials are available online.
It's not cost effective to use solar electric for heating hot water or cooking. Propane or natural gas is cheaper, so look at your water heater and range too.
Once you do all that, consider adding a small solar setup to power your biggest energy users, especially refrigeration. Check for any "green energy" programs in your area. You can often get help with part of the system cost. If you have to start small, start small. You can always add more later, but be sure to cover the absolute essentials first.
I would suggest a grid tie system. In effect, a grid tie system uses the existing grid as its batteries, which can greatly reduce cost and complexity. Add some batteries if you can, especially if you suffer from frequent power outages. If power outages are rare, consider storing a few batteries dry (along with enough electrolyte to fill them if needed) to use if the grid goes down for any length of time.
Edited to add:
Solar hot water is something to look at too. These systems are relatively simple, and many DIY tutorials are available online.
