LEICESTER — On top of a hill on Moose Hill Road sits one of the most unusual houses in Massachusetts.

To get there, a visitor must navigate up a steep gravel hill, stopping to wait for sheep and cows to clear the driveway.

The three-story house has a green roof, yellow panels and at least 17 glass windows, just on the front side of the house.

Once inside and standing on the house's second floor, visitors can see a breathtaking view of a lake. But the livestock, colors and view are not what make this house special.

The house is a net-zero energy house. It produces all the energy it consumes.

More Massachusetts residents are looking into alternate ways to produce and conserve energy in their businesses and homes. Earlier this year, Massachusetts met its 2017 goal to install 250 megawatts of solar energy in the state — enough energy to power more than 37,000 homes for a year. Incorporating more energy-efficient practices in their homes, residents are decreasing their electricity bills and energy use throughout the year.

Marc Curtis, the owner of the net-zero energy house, built his home three years ago knowing he wanted it to be 100 percent off the grid. He does not depend on any outside entity for heat, water, cooling or electricity.

In his backyard, Mr. Curtis installed 18 solar panels, which produce an average of 15 kilowatt-hours. All the panels are used for electricity, except two, which are designated for heating water he gathers from the artesian well in his yard. The water circulates through thermal tubes that run underneath the hardwood floors of his house, producing enough radiant heat to keep the house warm. During the summer, Mr. Curtis simply opens up a window to allow the heat to escape.

Mr. Curtis, who has been in the construction business for more than 35 years and holds 12 patents, also installed a small windmill that produces 400 watts and is inconspicuously situated in a tree. The solar panels and windmill are connected to 24 batteries that each take approximately six to eight hours to charge.

On a full charge, the batteries can power the house for approximately three to four days. If the power goes too low, the generator which is run by propane will turn on.

"I wired the house to be energy efficient as far as what you need and what you don't need," Mr. Curtis said. "We have everything any other home would have. It's just that we're more aware of what we have for power."

Worcester County has a few other homes that reduce electricity cost and usage. State Rep. Matthew Beaton, R-Shrewsbury, owns the state's first certified passive house.

"The point of a passive house is to get that energy down as low as possible, whether or not you are producing any energy," Mr. Beaton said.

A passive house is different from a net-zero house, in that it involves reducing the current energy use. A net-zero house usually contains features, such as solar panels, that help supply all the energy the house is consuming.

Mr. Beaton, the owner of Beaton Kane Construction, built his house in Shrewsbury four years ago. He wanted to add solar panels to help make his house a net-zero home, but he would have had to cut down the surrounding trees, which would spoil the landscape. He receives no incentives on his house.

Mr. Curtis' house, which is near the old Moose Hill Ski resort, looks like a relaxing mountain house. Inside, Mr. Curtis has two televisions, a music system, a recreation room, two bedrooms and a basement office. The house has motion detectors for lights and more than 64 windows, not including windows at the tops of his doors, to allow the sun to heat the house. Mr. Curtis said drawing water from his 350-foot-deep well consumes the most power in his home.

His house is modeled on a net-zero mountain cabin he built 12 years ago in Vermont. The two houses are similar, except the Vermont house uses propane to run the refrigerator, further reducing his electricity needs. He was motivated to build his Vermont home when the electric company told him that he would have an initial $98,000 power expense to build power lines to run electricity to his isolated home.

Instead, he invested $20,000 to create his net-zero house. In his Massachusetts house, he spent $17,000 to make the house energy sustainable. Mr. Curtis estimated that his investment will pay off in about five years.

"(The price of) power is going to go up. It's going to be up to the individual to recognize it and start going to alternative energy," Mr. Curtis said.

The government provides incentives to help individuals use alternative energy. For instance, Massachusetts offers rebates and tax credits for solar systems that meet certain requirements. Home and business owners can also receive a 30 percent federal investment tax credit. In 2012, residential solar electricity prices dropped 28 percent in Massachusetts, which is the second-largest drop in the nation for that year, according to a report from the Solar Energy Industries Association.

Mr. Curtis, though, said he does not receive any incentives because he is not plugged into the grid system.

"In my situation, completely off the grid, is completely independent. You're really truly on your own," he said.