The DC House project group aims to develop the technology that allows the use of low-voltage residential DC electricity directly from renewable energy sources. The final DC house system will provide a minimum power of 150W, but scalable at multiples of 150W to minimize system cost while meeting electricity demand based the user’s need. The DC house system is also flexible since it accommodates the connection to multiple renewable energy sources which will be desirable in places where more than one renewable energy sources are available to tap into. Therefore, the low voltage DC house system will be particularly useful for providing access to electricity for off-the-grid homes in rural areas, secluded islands, or geographically hard to reach areas. Moreover, with the growing popularity of residential PV system in urban areas, the DC house system may also provide the benefit for grid-connected AC houses by allowing the house to run both AC electricity to power big home appliances and DC electricity to power lighting and USB devices.
The DC House at Student Experimental Farm (SEF)
Since 2014 the DC House project group has been focusing their effort on installing the DC House system in the existing straw-bale house at SEF. When completed, the DC straw-bale house will serve as a test site and a living laboratory for student research and projects in DC residential electricity, as well as a demonstration house for an off-the-grid low-voltage DC House system.
For further info, please visit The DC House Webpage
Also, please read the provisional patent that we are developing that may greater support direct DC consumption of photovoltaic electricity.
