Alternative Energy projects

[3930dave]

Figured it was about time I quit dropping these things into other threads, and set up a dedicated one.....

This vid shows how folks on this BC island get by w/o power. Not a How To, just What Do They Use ?

16x9 - Off The Grid: Living off land hour from Vancouver - YouTube

Shows very basic approaches, a small water turbine, and one that is "If you have to ask, you can't afford it".

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

Big project in Spain. Likely not suited for ice/snow locations like here, but can generate tremendous daytime electrical energy in the right locations.

Part of the project involves energy storage in salt.

BBC - Future - Salty solution to storing solar

Funded out of the UAE.

Rgds, D.

 

[weedpharma]

Not permanent living but still self sufficient for long weekends. I have an on site caravan under a steel roof. It is powered by solar panels (about 200W) and stored in a large bank of secondhand UPS batteries. The storage is around 2.5kwh. It powers a 2.5kw inverter.

There is a solar HWS (recycled and repaired when my house unit developed a small leak) gravity fed from a tank on a hill. This is fed by pumping water from my dam. I have two showers attached to verandah posts.

Drinking water is rainwater collected from the shed. Heating is LPG via a burner on the stove.

The dunny is a composting hole in the ground. It is in a small shed and has a throne consisting of a box around a 20ltr bucket with the bottom removed. It has a chimney into the pit with an extraction fan powered by a solar panel as well as another powered on for a minute every ten minutes powered from the battery bank. There is very little smell as the fans remove it before it becomes a problem.

I have had up to twenty people over four days and had a fridge running.

Wherever possible I have used recycled materials. Friends know to offer any materials they no longer need!

Weedpharma

 

[3930dave]

Nice setup Weedpharma.

If I remember right, you are in Oz, so you have plenty of photons to go around !

On the fridge, was that electric, or propane ?

Recycling is a good way to go, for a few reasons - helps get people past the cost hurdle, real or perceived, being one.

Regards, D.

 

[3930dave]

Interesting DIY site, with categories other than just solar.

BuildItSolar: Solar energy projects for Do It Yourselfers to save money and reduce pollution

Rgds, D.

 

[weedpharma]

Nice setup Weedpharma.

If I remember right, you are in Oz, so you have plenty of photons to go around !

On the fridge, was that electric, or propane ?

Recycling is a good way to go, for a few reasons - helps get people past the cost hurdle, real or perceived, being one.

Regards, D.

Yes is in Oz. The fridge is electric and we only use it if there is a crowd. When we go for a weekend, we take an esky with ice.

Our city home also has 2kw solar system.

By the length and participation, we may be the only ones into renewables

Another interesting site is an American magazine Home Power. Has a lot of info on DIY renewables.

Weedpharma

 

[downsizingnow48]

Hey I subscribed havent had time to read the links yet. We have a place near Ft Bragg on California's north coast where both electricity and propane are costly, while photons can be hard to come by, so always interested in cost effective alternatives.

 

[3930dave]

Yes is in Oz. The fridge is electric and we only use it if there is a crowd. When we go for a weekend, we take an esky with ice.

Our city home also has 2kw solar system.

By the length and participation, we may be the only ones into renewables

Another interesting site is an American magazine Home Power. Has a lot of info on DIY renewables.

Weedpharma

Good point on Home Power - I've been an avid reader of their publication for a long time. I like the structured/consistent way they present breakdowns on project cost.

Part of why I asked about the fridge is I'm looking for user feedback on something like a DC Sunfrost - that's one thing on my long term wish list.

I've sprinkled AltNRG references into various threads in the past.... just trying to get organized here.

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

Hey I subscribed havent had time to read the links yet. We have a place near Ft Bragg on California's north coast where both electricity and propane are costly, while photons can be hard to come by, so always interested in cost effective alternatives.

I've driven through that area of NorCal once - definitely want to make it back one day, as it's lovely country.

Sent a buddy in BC (similar climate to you) the last link, for the hydro gen listings.

Rdgs, D.

 

[cqaigy2]

While not exactly DIY, there is an interesting building in Seattle called Bullitt Center. It has a living building designation that means all the energy, water and sewer is produced and treated on site. One of the interesting things is that even in Seattle they can produce enough power for their needs.