UPDATE (after two years) – still achieving better than net zero energy!

Suncroft House, an all-solar net zero energy home in Eugene, Oregon, is producing significantly more energy than it consumes.  

For 2008, electricity production was 271% of the amount consumed.

For 2009, electricity production was 273% of the consumption.

(This is more than twice the energy production required for a net zero energy home.)

These results were achieved for a family of four (including two teenagers), with no burning of any kind (wood, fossil fuels, etc.)

Energy data (verifiable from utility bills):

   2008 --  2113 kWh consumed,   5731 kWh sent into grid

   2009 --  2155 kWh consumed,   5896 kWh sent into grid

This extra energy could be used to power an electric car over 10,000 miles per year.

The net cost of the solar panels that make this possible is about the same cost as an SUV.

For the same budget as a conventional house of 1,500 square feet, a net zero energy home of 1,000 sf can easily be built (Suncroft House is 912 sf).

 
Potable Rainwater Update -- Zero contaminants

During the past two winters and springs, our family of four has used rainwater as our sole source of household water (for drinking, bathing, etc.) without any problems.

We had this purified rainwater tested for many contaminants (bacteria, mercury, lead, etc.), and the test results showed no measurable levels for any of these potential contaminants.

In June our water storage level gets low, so we turn a couple valves to switch over to city water for the dry summer until the rainy season arrives again in the fall.