With oil prices unstable and trending ever-upward, many local residents are looking to alternative, renewable energy sources for their homes. In addition to saving cash, homeowners can take satisfaction in knowing they’re greener citizens by reducing their homes’ carbon footprint.

Solar power remains the most popular alternative energy system for the home, according to Gary Minnick, owner of Go Solar in Riverhead, but he says wind power is up and coming.

“ We are just starting to get into wind power,” said Mr. Minnick, whose 25-year-old company is on the verge of installing several new wind turbines on farms in Southold.

Southold, Mr. Minnick explained, is one of the first East End towns to explore zoning that permits for wind power on farmland.

“ I think Riverhead is not far behind,” said Mr. Minnick, who says that with a combination of wind and solar power, homeowners can realize significant savings on their energy bills. And in some cases, he said, homeowners who have taken advantage of alternative energies won’t have an energy bill at all.

Wind turbines, which now cost about $50,000 installed, are capable of putting out between 6,000 and 10,000 kilowatt hours per year of electricity, explained Mr. Minnick. But, he said, to produce that amount of power, they must be erected in windy areas.

The major drawback to wind energy, however, said Mr. Minnick, is that currently there are no subsidies available for a homeowner to install a wind turbine.

“ It’s a little embarrassing that the rest of New York State has incentives for wind power, but the Long Island Power Authority does not offer any in its coverage area,” said Mr. Minnick. That is, he noted, with the exception of a federal law that requires LIPA to buy back at market rates unused energy produced by residential wind turbines.

LIPA does offer incentives to those residents looking to install solar panels on their rooftops, however.

According to Mr. Minnick, with a combination of LIPA rebates and state and federal tax credits, a homeowner can cut the cost of an installed solar energy system in half.

On average, a 6,000-kilowatt solar system costs about $50,000. LIPA, according to Mr. Minnick, offers a $22,500 rebate, the state provides $5,000 in tax credits and the federal government offers $2,000 more in tax credits.

“ Your return is about 8 1/2 percent with a 12-year payback,” said Mr. Minnick.

Saving money, however, is not the sole reason Nancy Dillingham opted to have solar panels installed on her Aquebogue home.

“ I am helping the environment,” said Ms. Dillingham.

Ms. Dillingham says she had a solar system installed on her home late last year and since February it has been hooked up to the LIPA energy grid, enabling her to sell the extra power made from her panels back to LIPA.

“ We are very happy with the system,” said Dillingham, who says she often ventures outside to check her LIPA meter, which is always running backward despite the amount of energy she is using in her home.

Even with two window air conditioning units, a yard irrigation system, a refrigerator, televisions and other electrical appliances running in her home, Ms. Dillingham’s LIPA bill is always in the negative. In fact, she said because her 90 solar panels produced enough energy that she could sell back to LIPA over the past few months, she has 2,000 kilowatts in her LIPA bank.

Northampton resident Joe Colao is just as pleased with his wind turbine, which he first installed as part of his alternative energy system some 25 years ago. He is in the process of upgrading his 600-kilowatt system to 1,000 kilowatts at a cost of $26,000. His new wind tower, he said, will soon stand 70 feet high.

Since his system produces both wind and solar energy, he was able to obtain a LIPA rebate, as well as state and federal tax credits.

“ I calculated that with the money I put out and with the rebates, I am getting an 8 percent return on my money,” said Mr. Colao.

Mr. Colao advises all homeowners to start looking into alternative energies.

“ Energy costs are only going to rise, and the sooner you do something, the sooner you’ll get a payback,” he said.

Dave Driscoll of Calverton agrees. That is exactly why he is looking to have a geothermal system installed in his home.

“ With the world going the way it is and the price of oil increasing, I wanted to find a way for my home to be as energy efficient as possible,” said Mr. Driscoll.

Mr. Driscoll has contracted Rich Pandolfi of PGI Corp. of Bohemia to install a geothermal unit, which will use the earth’s heat energy to heat and cool his home.

Mr. Pandolfi, a retired electrical engineer, says he became interested in geothermal heating after attending seminars on alternative energy. Looking to keep busy after retirement while helping to clean up the environment, he started his geothermal installation business.

A geothermal system, if installed correctly, said Mr. Pandolfi, will provide a homeowner with savings of up to 60 percent to 70 percent on their energy bill.

On average, the cost to have a geothermal unit installed is between $20,000 and $25,000, plus the cost of a well. There are, however, said Mr. Pandolfi, LIPA rebates available.

“ I’d say there is about a 10-year payback on the system,” said Mr. Pandolfi.

“ You’d have to be crazy not to have this installed.”