On Wed, 23 Nov 2005 18:17:08 +0000 (UTC) someone who may be "Graham Harrison" wrote this:-
Insulation is energy saving. It is nearly always cheaper to save energy than generate heat/electricity in a gadget. Energy efficient electrical appliances and turning off things when not needed are also good energy saving strategies.
Having sorted out the energy saving it is then time to look at ways of generating heat and light, to supplement what you have available. What you do in this respect depends on what you really want to do, for example save money or reduce emissions. Some of these gadgets will only save money over a long term, though they will reduce emissions far more quickly.
For house heating I would look at wood burning stoves (if you can get a suitable supply) and heat pumps. For water heating I would look at solar. For electricity I would look at wind (and hydro if the location is suitable). Generating electricity from waste heat using a Stirling engine is coming along nicely, but still a bit early in the cycle. Others will have their own list.