U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Solar Energy Technologies Program

Remote Homes Case Study: PV Power for a Modern Home in Florida

Photo of home with PV panels installed on the roof.

Integrating PV into a home doesn't have to be complicated. A project partially funded by DOE and led by Fully Independent Residential Solar Technology (FIRST), Inc., focuses on incorporating PV products into the increasingly popular modular, manufactured house.

When the Chases moved to their PV-powered home in southwest Florida, they brought along all their electrical appliances. And they found out they had enough electricity to use them.

Once Joyce and George Chase discovered it would cost $15,000 to extend a utility line to their new home on the Peace River in southwest Florida, they decided instead to use a stand-alone PV system to power their appliances and lights. George, whose weekend cabin on the same site had been powered by a stand-alone PV system and battery, designed the house from scratch with the cooperation of the local building inspector.

Today, a visitor to this modern 2,000-square-foot (185-square-meter) home would never guess that it doesn't use utility power. All fixtures, outlets, and electrical appliances are standard. Although most of the Chases' appliances operate on direct current (dc), an inverter converts some of their dc power, which is stored in batteries, to ac for those that require ac power. George put the battery and control rooms in a central spot that shortened the length of wire needed, keeping costs down and increasing efficiency. On the advice of an inspector, George installed larger gauge wire for the dc circuits. Today, the Chases enjoy all the conveniences of the city in their rural home: a hair dryer, washing machine, microwave oven, a TV, and ceiling fans, to name a few.

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