Posts Tagged ‘alternative energy’

It is everybody’s dream, somewhere in the back of their minds, to never pay utility bills again and to be completely self-sufficient. Because, like it or not, most of us are tied to the system in ways that make us completely dependant upon it for everything we need to live. But there ARE ways to loosen these strings, and even to cut them entirely, in order to live completely free from the grid in a self-sufficient way, whether you live in the heart of the city or way out in the boondocks.

The “living off the grid” and “being self-sufficient” equation can be broken down into six different parts: Power, Water, Food, Heat, Medicine, and Transportation. Let’s take a little bit closer look at each of these, so that we can gain a better understanding of how they each function and work together to help you live in a self-sufficient way.

 

1. Power. The first and probably most obvious thing about being off the grid is the necessity of generating your own electricity and power.
2. The second most critical part of the equation for living self-sufficiently is finding and keeping a stable water source or supply for yourself.
3. Then we consider our food requirements. Did you know that even people living in apartments can grow some of their own food in order to cut down on their food bills? And how do you cook them?
4. Heating and Cooling. Depending on what time of year it is, and your geographic location, this one can be a lifesaver too. If your power goes out in the middle of the winter, as it is often prone to do, do you know how you are going to keep your home warm?
5. Medicine and Basic Medical Supplies. And though we can’t and don’t claim to be doctors, we DO however know that there are lots and lots of effective home treatment remedies and processes available to the average Joe Schmoe on the street that the profit-driven health care industry really just doesn’t care to let us know about.
6. Transportation. Face it, we have become a mobile society, and we need to get places. But how do we do it for cheap, and without tying ourselves back to the grid through our gasoline use?

 

 Let’s look breifly at each of these in more detail.

 

For Power and electricity off the grid, you can get into solar (by far the most common), hydroelectricity, fuel cells, generators, or one of several other technologies being developed at http://www.EvergreenMountainLabs.com/ (EML). You will also need one or more deep cycle storage batteries, a battery charger with which to charge them, and an AC inverter to convert their output into usable house power.

 

For your water needs, your options are slightly more limited. A good, high quality water filter (with backup filter cartridges on hand) is essential to use, so that you can use water from any handy source. Rain and snow water can also be good sources of drinking water (maybe not in heavily polluted areas though).A water distiller takes electricity, but if you have the spare power for it, by all means, you might consider getting one.

 

Your sewer needs have even fewer basic options, though within those options, many varieties exist. Basically you have to find and install a self-composting toilet, and then learn to operate it safely and satisfactorily.

 

For your food needs, you need basic access to the six primary food groups at least occasionally: Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, Lean Meats, Diary, and Nuts. A more basic breakdown of these groups might look like this: carbohydrates, proteins, and vitamins/minerals. Either way, the vegetable group will keep you alive the longest, if you are limited to just one of them. And that’s good for us because it’s also one of the easiest to grow. And the two basic vegetables that I tend to recommend to people are tomatoes and potatoes. Both can be grown in relatively high volumes in small spaces if done right, and will give you lots of daily vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates. Your protein intake can either be meat supplemented into your diet from whatever the source, or from protien rich veggies like nuts or beans, that you grow or harvest yourself. If you desire, you can find out more about growing your own food at the http://www.FreedomFromTheGrid.com/ blog site.

In order to cook this food though, most people find that wood stoves are by far the most common and efficient off grid solution. But even here, there are options. A creative person could buy or build their own methane or hydrogen generator for a gas stove, but more easily done, you could invest in a solar stove or oven. Though they can sometimes take longer to cook things clear through, they still do it well, and sunlight is free.

 

As for heating and cooling, heating is the more critical issue, and needs more attention. Sadly enough, most appliances in modern society use electricity to directly generate heat. Fortunately though, solar power, propane, natural gas, wood, and even hydrogen, as well as several new cutting edge technologies currently under development at EML, all aim to work around this. But by far, the oldest and most ‘tested and true’ heat source technology around today is still simply a wood-burning stove. Get one if you can, or something similar like a wood pellet stove, corn stove, etc.   

 

As for your medical care, start by getting and committing to memory a thorough, high quality first aid manual and then stock up on a good store of some basic field supplies.

 

Then we take a look at medicines and infection treatment. There are two very tried and true technologies, and at least one more recently developed one, which can all help anyone desiring to live in a self-sufficient way.

 

The metal Silver, when made into a solution through basic electrolysis or some other method, is one of nature’s best antibiotics. Various people have known about this cheap antibiotic for a long time, and it seems to work well, both when taken internally and/or applied topically. There is a hidden danger in using it internally though; taking too much of it can turn your skin a permanent shade of zombie gray-blue, so be careful and don’t overdo it. But in moderation, it seems to work wonders. Do your research.

 

The second old technology is based more on common sense, and is currently practiced under the name of naturopathic or homeopathic medicine. And basically it tries to help your own body fight off diseases and conditions by first eliminating any vitamin or mineral deficiencies that your body might be experiencing, and then by strengthening your body’s own immune system.

 

A much newer technology still being developed even today depends on the simple fact that any object will shatter or break if you hit it with the right note and enough power, like an opera singer breaking crystal goblets. It works with virus and bacteria pathogens as well. To start studying this technology and some of its derivatives, type “rife machines” into Google and see what comes up.

 

Of lesser importance to some people, but not to others, is taking care of transportation needs. At http://www.EvergreenGasLabs.com/, they sell a number of products and kits to make your gasoline stretch as far as it can. But barring that, if gasoline isn’t an option, look into bicycles, horses, and even some of the home generated hydrogen fuel technologies being developed at EMP and various other places around the net.

 

As for clothing, I’m going to have to simply tell you that it’s not economically feasible for you to develop your own fabric mill. Instead, plan ahead and stock up, get a sewing machine (and learn how to use it) to keep things mended, and then learn how to barter with people who still have access to clothing.

 

By focusing your attention on the six things above (Power, Water, Food, Heat, Medicine, and Transportation), you can indeed learn to limit your dependence on the grid, cut your bills back, and live in a healthy, green, self-sufficient way. With that said, start your research immediately, and discover how you too can have fun going off the grid!

 

The solar power is an immense source of energy. This power can be used when transformed from solar radiations, and it can be anything from thermal energy to electric. So, the solar power can be used in various fields, from agriculture to research.

Humans first discovered solar power as a renewable energy source during the last century. During our times, we use solar energy for various purposes and we try everyday to expand its power and properties. Still, the main ways to use solar power remain the following:

- For the purpose of heating wanted and homes.

- To produce electrical power. This cell that is able to capture solar energy and transform it so well into electricity is the product of many years of research and studies.

The green energy coming from the sun isn’t used in only these two purpose, and living proof for this are the solar watches, mobile phones, solar plants and facilities present at every step.

World officials started recommending solar energy as an alternative means of power homes and businesses because this is a real opportunity to start protecting our already polluted environment and to start saving the rest of the natural resources that are about to be extinguished. Since the process of transforming sun power into usable power does not pollute in any way, it’s a good idea to start capturing it more and more, because people should be aware of the planet’s slowly degrading process.

It’s clearly that people started to become aware of the state our planet is in. If we talk about producing electrical power with solar panels, the percent of solar energy out of total energy produced on the globe raised with almost 0.3 percents since 2005. Never mind the low percent, the raise registered is the one that should be considered. Experts appreciate that somewhere in the future, when the necessary technology can be developed, the solar energy will eventually become the only power source for out planet.

For some it is not easy to get the money for solar energy investing. Using things like tax lien investments is a far better choice than taking money from the bank when building new solar panels.

Nowadays, green energy is not very popular because of many factors. The main factor that makes the solar panels technology not very accessible to ordinary people are the purchasing costs. {This is why the initial investment in a solar power system for a house is big, even if the amortization of the price is produced over time, because the systems are usually feeble and can function 10 to 30 years without lots of maintenance costs.}

Probably everyone’s dream is to find ways to make their bills smaller. When thinking about lowering overall energy use off the grid, this idea is not too far off base.

Following the latest ecological trends, people are looking to use alternative energy more and more, like wind power. This power nowadays is harnessed through high-tech variant of the good, old traditional windmills, called residential windmills. So, on top of being environmentally friendly, a windmill can help you save money too.

Like any other long-term investments, residential windmills can cost quite a bit, somewhere around $8.000-$15.000. Windmills are capably of covering up to 90% of the average residential need for power and pay for themselves in four to twelve years depending on the area and location installed.

There are however some problems concerning residential windmills. Few communities (let alone individuals) can actually afford spending that kind of money to make such a great investment and besides that, in order to make sure that the residential windmill is used as close as possible to its highest capacity, there are some weather and space conditions that need to be satisfied. First of all, you have to check if you have the necessary space to install a windmill in order to respect the local order and safety recommends, and second, your residence must be placed in an area where the wind blows at, at least, 10 miles per hour (as  maximum efficiency is reached at 20 miles per hour).

This is one of the reasons why many people still continue to pay enormous energy bills and to destroy the environment.

There are many people that have the finances and the proper location and weather to make it a great idea to invest in a residential windmill.

If you are thinking about installing a residential windmill, make sure you thoroughly inform yourself about local laws and regulations to check that a windmill installation is allowed in the community. There have various reports of people buying and installing residential windmills without checking the local laws and statutes only to find out they are prohibited in that area.

Second, there is a rule that should be followed relating to the height of the turbine on top of the windmill base: it should be 30ft higher that any obsticle within 300 ft. Make sure you do not place it on the roof, as its vibrations over time would damage it for sure.

Lastly, residential windmills are totally pollution free and transform wind energy into electricity without the release of any toxic gasses. Windmills also do not really produce as much noise as most people think and are only barely heard when spinning and when there is no wind there is no sound at all.

Even if environmental problems are not your biggest concern, investing in residential windmills brings other satisfactions, which make them something to consider.

Recently there has been a lot of discussion about residential windmills. It is really fascinating when you think of a power source that is very cheap. The thought of powering your house by electricity produced by a windmill is very captivating and intriguing. People from all over the world have looked into this idea and have made the leap into installing a residential windmill at their house. However there are also a few drawbacks of these windmills, for example you can’t really install a residential windmill in a commercial area. Mostly, windmills are used in houses which require very low power to run their appliances on, like in villages.

What is a residential windmill? This will be the first question on most people’s mind when they hear about it, as it’s not a very popular concept right now. A residential windmill is erected and produces power based from wind energy, and can help you power your home. One of the biggest advantages of residential windmills is that it provides you with cheap electricity which in today’s world is a great advantage to have. As electricity prices continue to rise each year, most people are eager to find ways to rid themselves of the monthly burden of paying for it.   So for them, the idea of a residential windmill is a great concept and it’s also very much applicable if you are not living in a commercial area.

The windmill’s production capacity depends on the speed with which the wind is moving. The faster the average wind speed in your location, the better the windmill will work at producing electricity. A windmill would work faster if it is installed very high above, let’s say 30 feet. Another great advantage of a residential windmill is that it does not really create much sound. This allows you to relax in your home watching T.V with an Ice cold beer in hand and not disturbed by any kind of noise while you are enjoying your game.

Residential windmills are also very environmentally friendly. Because the winds are continuous and free, it can provide polution free power without the use of petroleum products which harm the environment.

With the constant increase in the energy prices one should really give a serious though to residential windmills because they really save a lot of money. They are also very environmentally friendly so that’s a huge plus to have. It’s definitely worth considering all the benefits of a residential windmill.

Windmills use as a water draining device is first mentioned in written documents about in 1414. Windmills used for the processing of grain have existed there for 200 years before that. The oldest mention of a windmill can be found in some documents from the year 1274, where they were a priveledge offered to city elite. The feudal senior could give the right of building a windmill, to constrain the workers to bring cereals to his windmill, and to forbid the construction or the planting of trees near the windmill for ensuring the strongest wind.

In the following years, windmills spread over Holland. Old towers that used to be used for keeping gun powder were converted into mills. The real development of Dutch based windmills takes place at the end of the 16th century and into the beginning of the 17th century. Windmills and the many uses started to be utilized more and more. They were built from heavy wood, brought in ships from heavily forested lands from around the Baltic Sea.

The cheapest energy source for the Dutchmen was the force of the wind. Bigger and stronger windmills could drain large quantities of water. That was absolutely essential because the land in Holland is in consistent danger of flooding. Many great cities like Amsterdam and Haarlem which are primarily located beneath sea level are under the constant threat of flooding. As an example of the power of the mills, in just one year, the Beemster Lake was emptied by 26 windmills.

Around the year 1850, approximately 9000 windmills were functional in Holland, probably the greatest number that ever existed there. After that date, their number started to decrease. Only 2500 windmills remained by the end of the 19th century.

An initiative to save and protect the windmills was started by an association in the year 1920. This association started in the year 1923 in the city of Amsterdam. An letter was crafted in 1924 to the minister of Education, Arts and Science which pointed out the importance of preserving these monuments. Similar letters were sent in 1930 and in 1939.

By the 1st of January 1961, an agreement has become operative and according to it, anyone who maintained a working windmill received a subvention from the state. A lot of times if an older person owns a windmill and cannot maintain it in working condiion it is taken over and converted to a historic monument by authorities. Most of the time it will be used to shelter a museum or perhaps become an area used to honor foreign guests.

Without the help of windmills to drain off the floodwaters, Holland as we know it would not exist and the growing population would have been forced out.

Garden windmills can be simply decorative, or they can also be used to pump water into the garden area. Garden windmills have this quality, because they can look very graceful and still fulfill the main purpose for which they are installed in the first place.

Because of their practical uses, garden windmills just have to serve as decoration pieces. A garden windmill can also be used for other purposes, such as pumping water for the garden. Garden windmills can sometimes also be used to scare animals away for the garden. The motion and sound of a garden windmill also generally scares away sheep and cows so they do not destroy the garden. The spinning of the blades keeps birds from sitting on them.

Another use for the garden windmill is to charge an electrical fence installed around your garden. All you need is a little batter, and the wind will cause the garden windmill to do the rest. It will produce enough electricity to charge up the fence and whenever an animal comes across it, it receives a small shock wich will keep it out of the garden without hurting it. You can also build garden windmills at home as well because they are not very difficult to make. You can follow step by step guides that are available in the market, or you can buy a pre-built garden windmill that only requires minimum assembling.

You can power most of your house on garden windmill electricity so it is a great tool to have installed at your house. It’s also sometimes very interesting and inspiring to see that windmills spin in your garden whenever the wind blows. It not only produces the electricity but also gives your garden a beautiful look which enhances the image of your garden. The fact that they are not very expensive and they still provide you with a lot of advantages are more than good enough reasons on why you should get a garden windmill installed at your garden.

You can even convert those small windmills which are used for decoration purposes mostly into generators that generate power. You fix a couple of batteries in the windmill and set it up at a place at which the wind speed is normally constant and blows regularly, the windmill generator will work perfectly and will provide you with lots of wind energy. It will save a lot of money for you as you save on electrical bills.

The wind is free and it will never end. These qualities make it a very desirable resource for producing energy. The energy generated by an Aermotor windmill drives a water pump that pulls the water out of the ground for animal and agriculture uses.

 

The only windmill producer in the USA is the Aermotor Windmill Company. The history of Aermotor windmills begins in 1888 when they produced their first windmill. Its launch was viewed apprehensively by other windmill producers who saw their dominance in the market being tested. After only 4 years, in 1892, the Aermotor windmill become an indispensable need.

 

In the following years, Aermotor Windmills developed accessories for windmills, like pumps, tanks, feed cutters and many others that lifted the company above foreign windmill manufacturers.

 

Nowadays, Aermotor windmills have the largest warranty and the most value added services for maintaining their products. The reason for this is because they have a great network of independent dealers and they provide every single piece for their windmills. This is terrific because people dont forget about the product once paid for and they also maintain it regularly.

 

The Aermotor windmills work by pumping water from the ground. This is all possible because of the energy that is provided. The power of the flow of the wind spins the blades of the windmill, which in turn is translated into energy for other uses. This energy makes a rod go up and down which extracts water from the ground. The way the windmill reaches the water is by using a driller to get to the underground well.

 

There are many farmers who have crops fields and animas in their ranches that constantly need large quantities of water. We can’t wait and pray for the rain to come to water the crops or the animals. It is not really a necessity nor is it at all practical. Specially in this time of global warming where changes to the weather occur suddenly and unexpectedly. Regions that used to have a constant raining season for centuries suddenly find themselves without any rain at all.

 

The most practical solution is to install an Aermotor windmill. There is no reason why every farm in the US cant have a windmill to take advantage of the free wind power? A ton of water is just sitting there below the ground waiting for us to use it. Why throw it away when it can be put to good use and save the planet in the long haul as well?

We know that we must do our best to keep our planet unpolluted and we must not waste electricity or gas in order for us and our children to survive. Aermotor windmills are protecting the environment and use the alternative energy of the wind, which is eternal.

 

People have been enjoying solar power for homes for ages, yet there have never been as many methods to take advantage of it as there are now.

When you’re eager to make the large investment in going solar, there are several offerings that could get you the biggest bang for your cash.

On average, a homeowner might anticipate to pay out $15,000 to $45,000 to set up solar panels on a home. The bigger the home, the more expensive.

While you mount solar panels on your home, you are not removing your own home off the electrical grid. On gray or overcast days, when your panels aren’t making optimum electricity, you don’t have to be bothered about your lights going dark. Instead, you’re altering your home into a hybrid-powered home: one that uses solar energy and then complements the excess with usual electricity.

On days that you’re in fact overproducing solar electricity, your home turn into a mini-power plant, putting electricity back into the grid. That generates a credit on your utility bill. You very well could in time be making money from the power company.

If this new type of energy interests you, here are a couple of choices for your home:

• Camouflage solar panels for homes:

The problem with installing solar panels on the roof is that they may look hideous. But Sharp Solar (www.solar.sharpusa.com) modules come in a range of rectangular and triangular modules, which means they fit and blend into even multi-faceted roofs. They are designed to be flush with the roof, not jet out of the roof like traditional panels. Installing Sharp solar panels is a two-step process.

First, Sharp makes an in-home examination of your present electrical needs, along with a diagnostics check of your roof’s sun intensity. Sharp also offers a quote that includes federal and state rebates and what your real energy ambitions are: to be completely powered solar or to only supplement your existing needs.

Sharp furthermore coordinates building permits, inspections and rebate forms and then finally installs everything. If you’re constructing a new home and you’re not ready to install solar panels, you can do the next best thing: pre-wire for solar technology. Having pre-existing wiring installed throughout construction will remove the hassle of running wires from the rooftop solar panels to your electrical system in the future.

• The Brilliance solar energy system by GE:

The new Brilliance solar energy system lets homeowners buy the three required components of solar energy all in one purchase. Homeowners have the option of choosing systems ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 watts output.

The lower the watt output, the lower the price — but the lower use of solar energy in the home. It all depends on what your needs and objectives are.

• Solar tent:

Even when you’re roughing it in the Great Outdoors, you can use the power of the sun to light up your temporary home, your tent. Eureka’s “Solar Intent” ($239.99, www.eurekatent.com) has built-in LED lights and integrated solar panels to power the energy-efficient LED lights. The whole tent is just 16 pounds and can accommodate six people.

• Solar golf cart:

People repeatedly forget that golf carts are one of the first electric powered modes of transportation ever created. Moreover, many golf carts feature a flat roof ideal for the installation of solar panels. As most golfers are spending bright, sunny days hitting the courses, it makes sense to have a cart that recharges itself in the sun throughout the day using solar energy.

CruiseCar ($6,500, www.cruisecarinc.com is a manufacturer of solar-powered golf carts called SunRay. While the cart itself can be recharged traditionally by plugging it in, it can also be recharged entirely by a rooftop solar panel in as little as three days.

Solar power house is not a distant possibility, it is a reality now.By now you must be aware that the earth is running out of natural resources. One day there will be no potable water available for drinking, no more gasoline to use for the car, and no air conditioning. Conservation of these priceless energy resources is one important remedy to slow down the exhaustion of the natural resources. Another good alternative is the use of solar power to power most of our simple daily home needs.

Solar power was first thought of as the primary answer to rural power challenges. But having the solar panels are too expensive for a simple village to be economic viable. Today, with the great improvement of the technology, it has managed to bring the cost of renewable energy source down.With the better abd cheaper powerful solar panels, the idea of building the solar power house seem to be close to reality.  This could mean that the rural areas, can enjoy the benefits of of having electricity, and without having to pay for it. And of course, solar power comes free!

Alternative electricity started as the source for rural, and now it spreads to the urban side too. The fast rising costs of electricity and the increasing demand almost crippled the urban population with its escalated cost.

This cost factor has driven the urban people to consider solar power house as a possibility.  There are now millions of homes out there, who enjoy free electricity with the installation of solar power systems in their homes. Though the upfront cost is high, it represents only a one-time investment, for the return of a lifetime free source of electricity.

With such fantastic return of investment, there is no reason that you have not convert your place to a solar power house today.Come on now, save the earth.