Question 1- Did you consider micro-wind-power as a possible solution at any time? It's always windy here so I wonder if it could be a practical option despite the eye-sore aspect.

Question 2- What is your payback in years? I'm pretty sure I won't be in this house for the next 20+ years. The assumption that the project will increase my home value is questionable. I've asked a number of real estate agents about this and they've all told me that people don't give it much weight when buying. They just want the heating and electrical system to work consistently at a reasonable price.

Comment- Reducing natural gas consumption is admirable; which you've done. The electrical part of the project does not greatly impact petroleum consumption since utilities only use natural gas for peak loads. Most of the base load is coal, hydro, or nuclear. The best way to reduce petroleum consumption is to do something about our cars. I bet you've covered that one as well. ;)

Thanks so much for the excellent article. And thank you for sharing your knowledge!! This may have a bigger impact than your project. You're inspiring others to do it themselves. I'll be referring to it as I consider installing my own system in the future.