Castor, Radioactivity, Green Energy, Kraftwerk

[diode]

Le 7 nov. 2010 à 00:07, Jay Vaughan a écrit :

> I figure I can get a lot of my technology devices either solar-powered or wind powered in a year or so.  The standardization on 5v 500ma for charging what are now becoming adequately powerful machines, is a good one ..

Solar and windmills are usually standardized at 12 or 24V, even 48 V. Some windmills issue triphased or 240 V too. Besides the electronics for us geeks ;) the casual appliances can be found in 12-24 V, but it's costly (camping, boat appliances). But as I said, you can have a double system, with 12 or 24 V for lights, electronics… and a small 220 grid with an inverter for the fridge. The low voltage circuit has another quality : it's fine for LEDs, and usually safe in case you have to meddle with it.

> Cool!  Cabins in the Alps is another one of my favourite subjects right now! :)

Well, we have the cabin for years (my uncle's), I'm trying to green it slowly (I'm not the owner, yet ;)

If I can invest a little one day, I'll try the microturbine, as there's a small watercourse, and enough altitude drop, if I can have 1-3l/s over 40-50 m, it can be sexy. But the instalment will be totally illegal… oops If there's a draught every summer though, it may be impossible save by using the spring of a neighbor who has similar ideas, but it'll need a lot of work anyway.

Solar won't be great save for thermic, as we have the wrong directions for the roof and no sun on it part of day. the best solar we can get is a solar shower outside. :) And a windmill is out of the question, not enough wind, very irregular and lots of turbulences and really big trees.

Anyway, heating, most cooking is done with wood since building in the 40's, and it's not going to change. And we compost (one of my first good deeds to green things).

> Its going to have to be a community thing in our neighborhood, I've since learned.  Well, its very interesting to consider the possibilities!

Here's the father of all windmills DIY, giving, him or his pupils, courses about windmills DIY. Serious business.

Scoraig Wind -- Hugh Piggott's Homepage
http://www.scoraigwind.com/

The site is ugly, but it's very serious stuff as I said, and lots of links to small businesses, associations, doing the stuff right.

Note that Piggott's have limits, the large ones are for now 1,5 kW. For more you'll have to buy one.

> Solar panels, first, I guess .. 

That's the easier. As I said, think about the common power grid, and you can build a parallel system for small power for example, clear the warm water issue (thank Malta, it'll be easy), and prepare for bigger. And if they accept injection in the power grid, you can supersize (a bit). For the windmill, supersize, save if the winds are very regular. Because your 10 kW windmill may be only furnishing 3kW most of the time or less. 

Make a list of what you really need for basics, and how it can be juiced. And build from that. Very efficient homes, with small energy needs can run with surprisingly low power (I'm strictly talking about electricity, positive energy or zero housing is not in the debate). For example, I know an example of a "Degrowthing" family, that needs only to power a few lights a few hours every night, a fridge (all day), 2 hours of TV, and they did that with a small microchute and a 5 M3 microdam.

>> Avoid any model that is promising you to go beyond the Betz limit… A serious windmill has an efficiency of 40-44% or less. More is NOT serious. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betz'_law
> Superb tip!

You can't imagine the number of guys trying to sale windmills with 80% or even 150% efficiency… I'm not kidding!

Betz limit is 59,7% (it's only for windmills), so if your windmill is at 40%, you're good, a nuclear power plant is at 30-32% ;) The champion is a thermic powerstation cogenerating heat and electricity in Linz, with wood, and a 80% efficiency.

It's easy to calculate the Betz limit of any windmill (you know the diameter, inject any wind speed…), so do a little math, you'll save time and money if you buy one.

>> - microturbins you need a decent source of water (say some l/s) and a fall of a few meters, I'm not sure Malta is the place for it…
> 
> This is very fascinating to me since I live next to the Donau and know of a fair decent number of water sources to play with .. have you seen any of the portable micro-turbines for portable (i.e. AA-battery charging) by any chance?

Microturbines issue 12, 24, 48 or even 110/240 if needed. Check http://www.microhydropower.com/ serious stuff 

> There are a number of tributaries in my neighborhood that I figure might be good for at least a few easy charges of the recylables I'm already using in a lot of kit ..

Some water, and a chute, that's all you need. (and work)

Beware that there may be regulations on waters that may be very interfering. For example, right now in France it's impossible to have a lawful project as all microfalls are forbidden since 1945 and the constitution of EDF. Only if there's still a "water right" and parts of the installations there you can do something, but it's hard… In Switzerland, water are the property of the federal state, and you can't make works on them, but it's changing fast there, they want microfalls used.

>> - biomass: I'm not competent
> 
> We have a warm compost in the back yard with which I will be getting quite competent in spring, for sure! :)

Biomass for gaz is a little different. but it need AFAIK at least 2 tanks, and a lot of material to fill them. As I said I'm not competent in this. But it looks like you need a few houses, or some beasts to have enough… shit. ;)

instant glasshouse gas! :o)

>> - Vacuum energy: you have a working patent you're rich!
> 
> If only there were a way to harness farts, then I'd be rich!

instant glasshouse gas! :o)

>> If you start from scratch, think about a low voltage system, with lights in 12 or 24 V, and eventually the fridge. It'll be easier to handle for you.
> 
> This is in alignment with my needs vis-a-vis wohn-wagon plans.  

You're not talking about a zero emissions designer house to be shown in Wallpaper? Too bad… :o)

> (apropos, I've got a few appointments to look at a few nice cheap wohn-wagons this week, gonna be a fun vacation day for me and the kid.. ;)

\:D/

>> But if you produce more than sufficiency, go 220 V to sale to the regular furnisher if possible, even if the regulations can be a little costlier.
> 
> If this is viable at some point in the next 2 or 3 years, for sure I would love to do this.

The main issues are usually:

- the installation to send back to mains can be costly (the worst is in France, EDF is MAD)(but they want nuclear power, everywhere, all the time, they suck)
- there may be either a total lack of regulations and the local grid doesn't know how to handle this, or it's a nightmare of papers. In France it's a nightmare, and in the UK it's way more straightforward with simple inverters/regulators and a double direction counter. So…

As a side note, most of what I know comes from a small windmills ML I'm following for a few years (in French). I'm sure there's available ones on renewables in English, with decent persons and knowledge, it may be very helpful.

> Great advice .. when are you going to the Alps next? :)

Doing my best.

I'll be in front of them for Christmas, but next time in the cabin is july/august. And I have bats to care about next year. ^^

Denis H]
No LOPPSI!
No HADOPI!
No ACTA!