Book excerpt: Practical and reader-friendly, the SMART GRID HOME, International Edition explains how you can adapt and retrofit an existing residence to take advantage of the energy and cost saving technology now available as part of the development of the Smart Grid. Topics covered include reducing home energy consumption by eliminating heat loss and heat transfer, reducing the power-on time of electronics and other power equipment without loss of convenience, automating home electrical systems to maximize energy conservation, evaluating electrical devices for energy efficiency, developing energy conservation strategies for replacing inefficient appliances, and timing the use of electricity in the home to save both energy and money.Throughout each chapter the information needed to take advantage of utility and government incentive programs to offset some or all of the cost is provided. Coverage also includes the selection and installation of renewable energy source electrical generating systems such as photovoltaic solar generating systems, solar water heating systems, and wind turbine generating systems. In addition, the book describes how these home-based renewable energy systems can be connected to the smart grid so that as a homeowner, you will be paid by the public utility.