Backup Electrical Power for a Passivhaus Project?

Backup Electrical Power for a Passivhaus Project?

[Editor's note: Roger and Lynn Normand are building a Passivhaus in Maine. This is the 19th article in a series that will follow their project from planning through construction.] Should we include a backup electrical power supply for Edgewaterhaus, since it will be an all-electric home? If so, we should include provisions for a backup electrical source as part of the overall plan, whether we decide to implement it now or later. Backup power is like insurance: if you don’t collect a benefit while the insurance policy is in effect, all of your insurance payments were a complete waste of money. Conversely, if you collect a substantial benefit, you can pat yourself on the back for having made such a prescient investment. There are two questions to consider in deciding whether to buy a backup electrical power capability: What is the likelihood that we lose power, whether for a...

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