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| The History of Solar Energy | |
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| Sunlight and Life on Earth | |
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| The Human Factor | |
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| The Future | |
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| Food Production and Declining Natural Resources | |
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| Desertification | |
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| Solar for Humanity | |
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| The Benefits and Detriments of Solar Energy | |
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| The Solar Power Convergence | |
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| Types of Solar Power | |
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| Other Forms of Energy | |
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| Wind Power | |
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| Geothermal Energy | |
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| Tidal Energy | |
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| Ultimate Benefits of Solar Energy | |
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| Challenges of Solar Energy | |
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| Types of Solar Energy | |
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| Energy and Oil | |
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| Passive Solar | |
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| Concentrated Solar Power | |
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| CSP with Parabolic Mirrors | |
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| Stirling Engine | |
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| Solar Water Heaters | |
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| Updraft Solar | |
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| Concentrating PV Solar | |
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| Types and Benefits of PV Solar | |
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| Thin-Film Solar | |
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| Focused-Lens and Specialty PV | |
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| Solar Costs | |
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| Energy-Efficient Home Systems | |
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| Remove and Replace Appliances | |
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| Washing Machines | |
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| Clothes Dryers | |
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| Small Appliances | |
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| Hot Water Heaters | |
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| Solar Water Heater | |
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| Tankless Water Heater | |
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| Heat Pump | |
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| Gas Condensing Hot Water Heater | |
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| High-Efficiency Gas Storage Water Heater | |
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| Cooling Systems | |
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| Room Air Conditioners | |
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| Central Air Conditioning | |
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| Heating Systems | |
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| Geothernal Energy vs. Ground Geothernal | |
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| Maintaining Home Heating and Cooling Systems | |
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| What to Look For in a New Heating System | |
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| Other Large Energy Consumers | |
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| Zero-Cost Passive Solar | |
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| Passive Solar Homes | |
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| The Big and Small Pictures | |
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| Building a Passive Solar Home | |
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| Passive Solar Home Modifications | |
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| Good Solar Design | |
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| Types of Solar Gain | |
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| Simple Improvements for Solar Gain | |
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| Landscaping | |
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| Fun with Passive Solar | |
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| Solar Oven | |
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| Solar Clothes Dryer | |
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| Solar Water Purification | |
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| Passive Solar Cooling | |
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| Gardening | |
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| Creating a Personal Energy Plan | |
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| Creating a Home Energy Plan | |
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| Evaluating Your Home Energy Use | |
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| How to Use the Plan | |
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| What to Include in a Complete Energy Plan | |
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| Making the Most of Your Plan by Changing Old Habits | |
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| The Fundamentals of a PV System | |
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| PV System Components | |
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| How PV Cells Work | |
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| Solar Cells and Panels | |
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| Single, or Monocrystalline, Silicon Panels | |
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| Polycrystalline, or Multicrystalline, Silicon Panels | |
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| Amorphous Silicon or Thin-Film Panels | |
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| Group III and V Technologies | |
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| Building-Integrated Photovoltaic | |
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| Concentrated Solar Power | |
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| High-Efficiency Multijunction Devices | |
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| Solar Panel Efficiency | |
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| The Inverter | |
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| Electrical Meters | |
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| Solar Tracking System | |
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| PV Energy Production and Savings | |
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| How Much Does a Typical PV System Cost? | |
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| Rebate and Deduction Caveats | |
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| Warranties and Replacement Costs | |
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| Payback Time | |
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| Solar Projects You Can Use Today | |
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| Solar-Powered Swimming Pool | |
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| Solar Lighting | |
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| Solar Pet Home | |
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| Flexible Solar-Powered Gear | |
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| Solar Oven | |
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| Electric Lawnmower | |
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| Solar Carport | |
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| The Real Costs of Energy Consumption | |
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| Global Warming | |
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| CO<sub>2</sub>, You, and the World | |
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| Reduce Your Carbon Footprint | |
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| How and When to Hire a Contractor | |
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| Planning Your Solar Renovation | |
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| Hire an Architect | |
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| Know Your Budget | |
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| Choose the Right Contractor | |
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| Interviewing Contractors | |
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| Things to Notice During the Interview | |
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| Licensing | |
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| Getting Estimates | |
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| Building Contracts | |
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| Payments | |
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| Permits | |
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| What to Do If Things Go Bad | |
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| Funding Your Solar Project | |
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| Savings | |
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| And Loans | |
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| Bank Loans | |
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| Contractor Loans | |
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| Credit Cards | |
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| FHA and HUD Loans | |
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| State-Funded Loans | |
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| Home Equity Loans | |
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| Mortgage Refinancing | |
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| Rebates, Tax Incentives, and Tax Credits | |
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| Tax Rebates | |
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| Tax Credits | |
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| Grants | |
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| Selling Power Back to the Grid | |
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| The Future of Solar Energy | |
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| Thin-Film Solar | |
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| Micro Solar | |
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| Nano Solar | |
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| Light-Spectrum Technologies | |
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| Hybrid Technologies | |
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| Electrical Grid | |
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| Hydrogen Fuel Cells | |
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| Battery Backup | |
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| Storage Systems | |
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| The Promise of the Future | |
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| Appendix: Standards, Conversions, and Green References | |
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| Index | |