Energy costs and ecological impact are a major concern to a lot of us, especially here in Cincinnati. We often talk about how we can reduce our dependence on oil and harness the power of wind, and solar energy in our homes. First Look is a web based system that analyzes the solar exposure and the wind speed and currents where you live.

For a fairly steep price they will provide you with a report detailing annual, monthly, and even hourly wind and solar power deviation and means allowing you to honestly assess the kind of impact solar collectors and wind mills would have.

At $1,000 – $2,500 these reports are less costly than installing a system only to find out later that it is not efficient. An average US home can use up to 9,000 KMh a year so using First Look as an assessment tool before you invest in the technology may save you money, and the earth. I researched what it would be in our neighborhood and found out that today we could be generating almost 4 KwH/m.