Archive for Off Grid
September 17, 2011 at 6:50 am · Filed under Activism, DIY Projects, Off Grid, Solar, The Politics
Energy used to be cheap so overall most people became wasteful of energy even to the point of energy hogs. Whether it was that electric power bills were minor or that you could drive from Winnipeg to Minneapolis return on $ 13 of gas conserving, saving and not wasting fuel and energy was essentially a non-issue. At least in North America most commercial buildings and even homes were built in these pre-1973 oil crisis times of the 1960’s and 50’s when cheap energy ruled the roost and there was power and gas to “burn”. Yet no doubt times have changed, not only in terms of prices and pricing but also in addition in terms of our values and norms when it comes to the using of excess energy and energy conservation.
Don't Be an ENERGY HOG !!
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September 13, 2011 at 12:47 am · Filed under Activism, Bio Fuel, Green Tech, Off Grid, Solar, The Politics
Wherever you and your family reside you can start easing yours, theirs and family members as well into the “natural energy “picture right away. If you look through recommendations from solar , wind and governmental energy saving agencies you will notice that most of what is being done in this area of “alternate energy” and energies is for the most part completely new , complex and complicated and certainly not outside the boundaries of good old fashioned common sense. For the most part we are returning to good old proven and sustainable ways and means. The sun has been there for a long time – billions and billions of years. People have burned wood for heat since the dawn of man.
Add in the potential for heat from hot springs and geysers.
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August 23, 2011 at 4:41 am · Filed under Bio Fuel, DIY Projects, Off Grid
Uncontrolled air flow through the “building envelope” which protects us from outside air temperatures is the major source of heat and energy loss from living areas of your home and in addition can subsequently result in a host of other humidity, building maintenance and health / allergy / mold problems and issues.
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August 19, 2011 at 4:14 am · Filed under Bio Fuel, Green Tech, Off Grid
What did people do before air conditioning and mechanical air conditioners came on the scene and were installed in homes and offices? Somehow “people lived” and they got through long hot and humid summers – even the elderly and those comprised with breathing illnesses. Yet how did previous generations manage to cool their homes and buildings with little external supplementary energy and power sources?
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August 11, 2011 at 6:05 pm · Filed under DIY Projects, Off Grid, Solar
We all have heard the phrase “His (or hers) heating budget is just up the chimney. What a waste of energy and the limited resources of the earth. Yet what if the chimney itself is defective or in poor repair and losing heat and energies becoming highly inefficient itself? Defects in masonry chimneys are often neglected because overall they cannot be easily seen or viewed. Yet unseen is neither unheard nor good for overall home energy usage and wastage. Such neglect can be dangerous as well as power and fuel wasteful.
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August 7, 2011 at 1:14 am · Filed under Green Tech, Off Grid
Many of us trying to be “green” and working to reduce our power and electrical consumption may find handicaps in trying to calculate electrical “loads” themselves as part of the scale down and scaling down process themselves. If you do suspect that even if a circuit is drawing too much power overall and wish to bring this downwards you will need to calculate the load factor. In sum total the maximum load of any household or industrial electrical circuit will be indicated by the amperage rating of the circuit breaker of fuse – which should be clearly stamped on it. Obviously both for safety and to be green and not greedy with power and energy usage you should be way lower than that – and always working and thinking diligently on means of ever decreasing power drains. Read the rest of this entry »
August 5, 2011 at 5:49 am · Filed under Off Grid
For comparison normal average household electricity voltage is about 115 volts in the US & Canada and 230 volts in the rest of the world. Both alternate in the ranges of 50 to 60 cycles a second. A standard 100-watt old style incandescent light bulb draws about 1 ampere of current, whereas a toaster will draw about 7 amps. A doorbell will operate on about 10 – 12 volts.
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June 22, 2007 at 9:32 pm · Filed under Green Tech, Off Grid, Solar
Here is the first outerwear product in the world that can recharge a cell phone, iPod or other device using solar power.
Italian ZEGNA presents the first commercially available jacket with integrated solar solution based on “iSolarX” – a flexible and highly efficient wearable solar technology.
The solar modules are mounted on a neoprene collar; the electricity generated from solar energy is transmitted through conducting textile leads and stored temporarily in a buffer battery or fed directly to a connected device. Read the rest of this entry »
February 16, 2007 at 9:54 pm · Filed under Green Tech, Off Grid, Solar
‘When killer tornadoes destroyed the mobile home of Joe DeMar earlier this month, the Lake County man just managed to escape with his life. But in the hours after the storm, he faced another crisis: no electricity to power his nebulizer, an electric device that pumps oxygen and misted medication into his damaged lungs. Before state or federal help arrived, Joe got a visit from Bill Young with UCF’s Florida Solar Energy Center asking if his solar-power generator could help him out.’
Thansk UCF News!
December 4, 2006 at 1:27 pm · Filed under Green Tech, Off Grid, Wind Power
Off the grid blog writes:
“I found a fantastic government resource [PDF], with documentation on what you need to consider when going off the electrical grid either as a new home builder, or home renovator. There are pages and pages of detailed suggestions, and steps for planning an ideal off-grid home, so browse or delve right in. You can’t help but learn something by reading just a page of it. Here are a few interesting points and definitions from the document:
Off-grid homes have shortened the [electricity delivery] line and have the electricity generating equipment in their backyards [instead of hundreds of kilometers away]. Their electricity comes from a photovoltaic array (solar panel), wind turbine, micro-hydro turbine and/or a fossil-fueled generator. Collectively, the other parts of the system equipment are known as the balance of system (BOS) and include low-voltage (12 volt) direct current (DC) electrical storage (batteries) and regulating equipment (controller, inverter, battery charger, DC disconnect and monitor) right in the house. Instead of paying for someone else to look after the supply of electricity, people living off-grid need to be their own power managers.”
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November 16, 2006 at 11:31 am · Filed under Bio Fuel, Green Tech, Off Grid
Danish fuel cell technology can replace traditional heating systems and produce electricity at the same time – cheaper and more efficient. By installing this fuel cell stove that runs on several types of fuel from ethanol, gasoline to biodiesel, instead of a traditional oil stove, the heating cost will be about the same but you´ll get enough electricity for a familyhouse for free. The new fuel cell heater is produced by Topsoe Fuel Cell and they will have a commercial version ready by 2009-2010. Read the rest of this entry »
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