In terms of energy independence, or energy autonomy, it is very difficult (and probably not possible at all) to make a single house fully autonomous.

While it’s easy to produce your own electrical energy, it’s much more difficult to provide your house with enough energy to heat and cool it. Wikipedia says, that typical US household energy use is divided between the following:

• 32% goes for space heating,
• 13% for water heating,
• 12% for lighting,
• 11% for air conditioning,
• 8% for refrigeration,
• 5% for electronics,
• 5% for wet-cleaning (most for clothes driers). (more…)