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The history of this technology isn’t very long, but it has evolved quickly:combined wind and solar power plantsare now a reality and can serve as an alternative—even for residential use—to lower energy bills and, above all, to avoid consuming energy produced from fossil fuels.

Solar power is probably the most advanced form of renewable energy, but it still has limitations—common to all renewables—namely the “intermittency” of energy production, which is tied to its source, the sun; without sunlight, production stops.

For this reason, it is always advisable to install a battery that stores energy during peak periods so that it can be used during times of low supply. Even the installation of the battery alone qualifies for tax benefits, but its disposal at the end of its life presents additional environmental challenges.

Wind power faces the same limitation: its dependence on the source—in this case, the wind. While there is a “home-based solution” for this energy source as well, neither balcony-mounted solar panels nor small-scale wind turbines can guarantee complete independence from the grid. Neither option, therefore, can meet the energy needs of a single-family home.