I recently gave a presentation to the Solar Energy Association of CT on our house and my co-presenter was one of the authors of a new book
Convert Your Home to Solar Energy. Finally, we have a good consumer guide to solar energy, including abundant information on solar electricity and solar water heating. It's rare to find these two technologies discussed together in one book, and in such detail. I really could have used this book when we were planning for our house. The book has something for everyone, easy to understand descriptions of different technologies for the newbie, as well as "tech sections" and tables of data for people looking for more detailed information. But, more importantly, the authors, Everett Barber and Joseph Provey, have years of experience in the solar industry and have seen (and fixed) systems that didn't work and have learned from those experiences. There is even a section that offers guidance on choosing a solar contractor. I recommend this book to anyone looking to retrofit a house to solar, planning to build a house with solar components, or simply wants to understand solar energy more thoroughly.
