| Straw Bales are the Way Forward in Construction A study to research the potential for using straw in construction has led to a coveted Nuffield Farming Scholarship for a woman who firmly believes building with straw bales is the way forward.
Carol Atkinson, who farms with her husband at Howden near Goole, already runs the Straw Bale Cabin, a one-bedroom holiday cottage. A second, larger cottage is currently under construction and is expected to be completed by May this year. | |||||||||||||||
Monday, 30 March 2009
Straw-Bail-Homes-Carol-Atkinson-Howden
Friday, 13 March 2009
Solar-Hot-Water-Panels-Installer-UK
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
Sell-Your-Own-Energy-Back-To-Your-Supplier-Renewable-Energy
If you have installed, or are thinking about installing, a renewable technology which produces electricity, such as a Solar Electricity (PV) system, you may be able to get paid for the electricity it produces. The most common way to do this is to sign up to a buy back scheme with an energy supplier. There are two main tariffs available to do this:
Export tariffs: You are only paid for the electricity that is exported back to the electricity network (you are not paid for any electricity you use). Generation tariffs: You are paid for all of the electricity that your system has generated even if you use it in your own home. There are also some Set Price Tariffs available where a fixed amount is paid by the energy supplier based on the type or capacity of the installation.
Use our buy back tariff search tool
To help you find the right tariff more easily we have developed a buy back tariff search tool. Using this tool will allow you to see details of all the tariffs currently being offered by the energy suppliers.
Click here to go straight to the buy back tariff search tool
Before you start your search you may wish to read the guidance below.
Choosing the right tariff
The answers to the following questions should help you choose the right buy buy back tariff for your situation:
Do you expect to use most of the electricity you generate at home?
If the answer is yes, it is likely that a Generation Tariff is likely to be a better option for you as you will get paid for all the electricity you generate rather than just the electricity that is exported.
If you will be using a small amount of the electricity your system generates then an Export Tariff may be a better option for you.
Will you need to install a new meter?
Total Generation Meter: Most tariffs will require you to have an Ofgem approved Total Generation Meter which should be installed with your system. Total Generation Meters give a running total of the electricity generated by the system in kilowatt-hours (kWh). Export Meter: Most export tariffs require you to have an export meter installed. Some companies will pay for the meter and its installation whereas others may charge you. It is important that you establish the costs before agreeing a contract. Will it affect your import supply?
Most buy back tariffs are dependent on the customer getting their import supply from the same energy supplier, and some suppliers limit the choice of available import tariffs that can be used.
You should check tariffs are on offer from the supplier purchasing your electricity generation and how much your annual bill will be. You will want to take these costs into consideration alongside the export/generation tariff payment.
What else should you consider?
Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs) are certificates given to registered generators of renewable electricity produced and sold within the UK. You will be entitled to one certificate for each megawatt hour (or 1,000 kilowatt hours kWh) of electricity you produce.
Some tariffs include a price for ROCs whereby the energy supplier acts as the ROC agent, claiming ROCs from Ofgem on behalf of the customer. However, there are other tariffs where the customer retains the ROC entitlement and must claim these themselves. For ROCs to be able to be claimed you must have a Total Generation Meter installed. Information on which tariffs include a payment for ROCs can be viewed by looking at the tariff details on our buy back tariff search tool.
Some suppliers include the payment for ROCs within the tariff, this means the ROCs are claimed by the energy company on the customers' behalf. If the tariff does not include payment for ROCs then the customer can claim for them separately.
Monday, 9 March 2009
What-Can-I-Do-To-Help-The-Planet-Earth?
There are a number of things you may do for our planet. Let me try and give you some suitable answers to help you out a little.
Fossil Fuels: You can 'Lower' your dependence on fossil fuels. I don't expect you to go run away and live in a cage or become a 'Tree Hugger' but you can, for example;
1. switch all your lights from incandescent filament lamps to high efficiency low energy compact fluorescent lamps.
2. Strip out the gas fire and install a wood burner (Wood is a carbon neutral source of heating fuel) They can come with a back boiler so you can feed the excess heat into the heating system to heat other rooms.
3. Cut back on the travel by (Car / Van / Bus / Train) and try cycling short routes. If your distances are large for commuting then why not set up a car sharing scheme with friends so you can all commute in the same vehicle and save burning excessive fossil fuels (Petrol and Diesel)
4. Buy your fresh vegetables from local farmers / farm stores, supermarkets fly / ship fruit and vegetables from all 4 corners of the globe and add to the excessive burning of fossil fuels. Why not support your local farmer and purchase his vegetables and fruit that were grown in the field next door and delivered by hand by the farmer himself?
5. Try educating others about turning lights off when they leave the room, why have the radiator in the lavatory on full when you are in there for 2 minutes 2 times a day? Try and see logic!
6. Swap your CRT (Cathode Ray Tube - The Big Glass fronted TV's) TV with a LCD flat screen one. They use much less Electricity (Which is mainly produced by burning fossil fuels Diesel & Gas)
7. Set your Laptop and or desktop PC to hibernate after a set amount of inactivity so it is not needlessly wasting Electricity.
8. When you go to bed for the night go around the house and switch off all non essential electrical equipment at the plug, putting TV's and Microwaves into standby does not shut them down but only puts them into a lower consuming mode.
9. Grow your own fruit and vegetables, it is so much fun and very satisfying, plus you get to know you are reducing your carbon footprint whilst getting free food!
10. Opt for as many bills as possible to be sent to you electronically, you save them printing them on paper, save the rain forests and save on the delivery van burning fossil fuels in the process!
Hope this helps you out a little.
Sunday, 8 March 2009
Grid-Connected-System
Grid Connected System
The grid-connected system generates and delivers electricity to a homes Alternating Current (AC) system without using batteries. The Solar Array (PV) acts like a power generation plant, supplying electricity to the grid. This is becoming very popular in Spain, as the electricity distribution company will buy the electricity from you for 0.4 Eur/Kwh.
- 1 - Grid connect inverter
- 2 - Solar (PV) panel
- 3 - Mains electricity supply
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12V-220V-DC-AC-System-With-Generator
12V / 220V DC/AC System with Generator
This system provides all the benefits of a combined Direct Current (DC) and Alternating Current (AC) system with the added benefit of a standby generator. This is perfect if you have some high demand appliances or your demand exceeds your solar generation ability. It also provides very good resilience for those cloudy winter days when the solar generation will be reduced.
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12V-220V-DC-AC-System
- 1 - Battery
- 2 - Solar (PV) panel
- 3 - Solar Charge Controller
- 4 - Wind generator
- 5 - Wind Charge Controller
- 6 - Inverter
230V-Alternating-Current-(AC)-System
220V Alternating Current (AC) System
This system include an inverter. An inverter converts Direct Current (DC) electricity from the Solar (PV) panels or the wind turbine, to Alternating Current (AC) electricty (230V). With the correct size inverter and electricity generation system, you can run any mains electricity appliance.
- 1 - Battery
- 2 - Solar (PV) panel
- 3 - Solar Charge Controller
- 4 - Wind generator
- 5 - Wind Charge Controller
- 6 - Inverter
12/24V-Direct-Current-(DC)-System
12/24V Direct Current (DC) System
The first system is a Direct Current (DC) system that generates 12 or 24 volts only. This type of system is perfect for high efficiency lighting and a surprising number of 12v appliances. Traditionally all mobile homes and caravans operate on 12v electricity. A visit to any caravan outlet will reveal an amazing number of low voltage appliances from televisions to microwave ovens.
- 1 - Battery
- 2 - Solar (PV) panel
- 3 - Solar Charge Controller
- 4 - Wind generator
- 5 - Wind Charge Controller
HomeBrewPower-Renewable-Energy-Projects-Tips-Help
Thursday, 5 March 2009
Converting-Sunshine-To-Solar-Hot-Water
Solar collectors (solar panels) mounted on a roof are connected to pipes containing a heating fluid mixture of water and antifreeze. When the sun heats up the solar collectors the hot fluid is pumped through the pipes to a heat exchange coil in the new solar hot water cylinder. Here the captured solar energy is transferred from the hot fluid in the coil to the household's hot water supply. The hot water in the cylinder is connected to the taps, shower, washing machine, etc in the usual way.
In order for the solar water heating system to run safely and efficiently, a range of valves are installed in the heating fluid circuit. A series of temperature sensors are connected to a digital solar controller to switch the system on or off according to the solar energy available.
On days of limited sunlight, solar energy alone may not be sufficient to heat the household's water to a usable temperature. In this case your conventional boiler or your immersion heater (if fitted) can be used to further boost the temperature of the solar heated water.
choosing the right system
As with all technologies there are good and not so good solar water heating systems. When choosing a solar water heating system there are a number of points to consider:
hot water storage cylinder
The size of the hot water storage cylinder is generally determined by the amount of hot water your household uses in a day.
Typical daily hot water usage:
appliance | volume (litres) | |
|---|---|---|
| standard sized bath | 60 | |
| corner bath | 120 | |
| shower / power shower | 15-60 | |
| washing machine | 50 | |
| kitchen sink | 15 | |
| bathroom washbasin | 5 |
A new solar hot water storage cylinder is usually fitted in the airing cupboard replacing your existing storage cylinder. If the space around your existing storage cylinder is limited an alternative position or design can normally be agreed.
size and quantity of solar collectors
Allow around one square metre of collector surface area for every 45 - 50 litres of hot water to be stored.
position of solar collector
Collectors in the UK work best when facing south and at an angle of around 35 degrees from the horizontal.
durability
A well designed and constructed solar water heating system should provide many years of good service with little maintenance.
cost
Assuming a life span in excess of 20 years, solar water heating offers good value for money when comparing the initial investment to the cost of a household's current heating fuels. The costs of conventional heating may increase over the years as existing oil and gas supplies diminish and 'pollution taxes' are levied.
It is also important to consider the cost of electricity to run the solar heating system (pump, controls etc). For a typical home this is less than £5 per year.
Solar water heating cannot be considered good value if the initial system cost is too expensive. For this reason it is important to shop around for a competitively priced system using high quality components.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/homebrewpower/
A-HomeBrew-Micro-Hydro-Plant
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/homebrewpower/
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
MARS - Wind Power Anywhere! - Lighter Than Air Wind Turbine
Magenn Power's MARS is a Wind Power Anywhere™ solution with distinct advantages over existing Conventional Wind Turbines and Diesel Generating Systems including: global deployment, lower costs, better operational performance, and greater environmental advantages.
MARS is a lighter-than-air tethered wind turbine that rotates about a horizontal axis in response to wind, generating electrical energy. This electrical energy is transferred down the 1000-foot tether for immediate use, or to a set of batteries for later use, or to the power grid. Helium sustains MARS and allows it to ascend to a higher altitude than traditional wind turbines. MARS captures the energy available in the 600 to 1000-foot low level and nocturnal jet streams that exist almost everywhere. MARS rotation also generates the "Magnus effect" which provides additional lift, keeps the MARS stabilized, and positions it within a very controlled and restricted location to adhere to FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) & Transport Canada guidelines.
The Advantages of MARS over Conventional Wind Turbines: Wind Power Anywhere™ removes all placement limitations. Coast-line or off-shore locations are not necessary to capture higher speed winds. Reaching winds at 1,000-feet above ground level allow MARS to be installed closer to the grid. MARS is mobile and can be rapidly deployed, deflated, and redeployed without the need for towers or heavy cranes. MARS is bird and bat friendly with lower noise emissions and is capable of operating in a wider range of wind speeds - from 4 mph to greater than 60 mph.
The Advantages of a MARS combined Wind and Diesel Solution over a Diesel Generator-only solution: MARS can complement a diesel generator by offering a combined diesel-wind power solution that delivers power below 20 cents per kWh. This compares to a wide range of 25 cents to 99 cents per kWh for diesel-alone, reflecting the high fuel and transportation costs in remote areas. The MARS combined solution allows lower pollution and green house gas emissions. It also results in lower handling, transporting, and storage costs.
MARS Target Markets: Developing nations where infrastructure is limited or non existent; off-grid combined wind and diesel solutions for island nations, farms, remote areas, cell towers, exploration equipment, backup power & water pumps for natural gas mines; rapid deployment diesel & wind solutions (to include airdrop) to disaster areas for power to emergency and medical equipment, water pumps; on-grid applications for farms, factories, remote communities; and wind farm deployments.
Friday, 13 February 2009
Lincolnshire-UFO-Turbine-Mystery-Solved
Broken wind turbine mystery solved
Speculation over what caused the mysterious destruction of a giant wind turbine in northern England - with everything from UFOs to the freezing winter weather taking the blame - was put to rest, after the culprit was found to be a mundane broken bolt.
Residents of Conisholme in Lincolnshire, last month, discovered that a 21.9-metre long metal blade was torn off a turbine at their local wind farm while another was badly damaged.
Some even reported seeing strange lights streaking towards the wind farm, prompting conjecture of a UFO collision with one of the 213-foot tall turbines.
It was unclear exactly when the crash would have occurred.
Local councillor and turkey farmer Robert Palmer said he saw a bright white light with an orange edge as he drove close to the turbine on Sunday morning .
The turbine manufacturer Enercon, however published preliminary results of its investigation on Tuesday saying that a broken bolt was responsible for the mishap.
The firm said that the bolts securing the blade to the turbine's hub "exhibited classic signs of fatigue failure".
It added that though the bolts themselves had shown no flaws, it appears that a component part on either side had "induced stress in the bolts beyond their design limits".
The Guardian newspaper on its part claimed to have solved a part of the mystery, revealing that the "strange lights" had almost certainly been caused by a firework display hosted by the parents of Emily Bell, the paper's director of digital content.
Dale Vince, Ecotricity's managing director, had earlier told the BBC that the UFO theory was "the best ... that we have currently got", though he added that a cow-sized piece of ice, perhaps falling from a passing plane, can also be responsible.
Vince now admitted that the Enercon report, was "a bit disappointing", though he defended his stand to consider the possibility of alien involvement.
"Personally I believe in life from other galaxies, and a lot of people do. I can say, however, at this stage we have eliminated collision and therefore aliens," he said.
Despite the revelation Vince is not quite ready to accept that the mystery was definitively solved.
"I still don't think the fireworks explained the flashing lights ... they don't tend to hang around in the way these lights are said to have done. There was no scorching, nothing burned or melted, so the lights, whatever they were, were certainly not associated with the turbine failure," he added.
B-And-Q-3-Rolls-Of-Loft-Insulation-For-£3-Offer
B&Q are offering 3 rolls of loft insulation for £3.00.
The TV advert is currently running on UK Digital TV and as of 00:04 13th February 2009 the http://www.diy.com B&Q DIY website is down (Crashed)
I would suggest that anyone wanting lost insulation for any pending or future projects get themselves to a B&Q store near you tomorrow and take them up on this great offer.
British Gas have been able to do a deal with the UK government and secure the deal to anyone in the UK.
The scheme is backed by the Government's Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) scheme and is meant only for the general public.
More tomorrow on this offer.
Loft insulation can be used for a number of homebrew type projects including Solar hot water panels, Wall insulation, Loft insulation, Boarding out lofts, heat proofing wood stoves and much more.
I believe they have limited the offer to 15 rolls per person, the loft insulation comes in a three 3 pack with perforations so you are actually paying £3.00 per pack.
Thursday, 12 February 2009
Siemens-Protos-Plant-Oil-Stove-Update-Video-February-2009
HomeBrewPower Yahoo Group On Carbon Neutral Power
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/homebrewpower/
Friday, 9 January 2009
UFO-Blamed-For-Wrecked-Wind-Turbine
Well it seems that a wind turbine has been severely damaged in Lincolnshire and a UFO may be to blame! It strikes me as strange that intelligent life has navigated across the universe only to crash into a turbine! I would suggest that the turbine has had a major mechanical failure which has sheared a blade from the hub and the falling blade has damaged another one on the way down.
Would not like the estimated £250,000.00 bill for the repairs to the turbine! The gearbox and generator were completely fried as well!
Tuesday, 6 January 2009
Protos-Plant-Oil-Stove-News-Update
Filipino scientists develop environment-friendly cooking with 'Protos'
MANILA, Dec 5 (PNA) -- Responding to mounting calls to act on climate change, residents of Leyte turn to environmen-friendly stove that uses plant oil as fuel, instead of liquefied petroleum gas, in cooking their foods.
Protos, a locally-manufactured environment-friendly technology first noticed by Germany-based company BSH Bosch and Siemens Home Appliances Group, can run on coconut oil which emits lower carbon monoxide.
Aside from coconut, other suitable plants are palm, sunflower, castor, corn, soybean, and jatropha, expert from Visayas State University (VSU) Dr. Roberto C. Guarte said.
"Generally, its overall performance is almost the same as gas stove and much better than other local stoves in terms of cost of operation, safety, carbon monoxide emission, and sustainability," he said.
The stove consists of a tank, pump, frame, valve, fuel line, and a vaporizer originally made at the University of Hohenheim and acquired by BSH Group in Germany.
Traditional stove, uses firewood, hence resulting in depletion of forest resources and often lead to ecological disasters like erosion and flooding.
Smoke from burning firewood damages human health - such as eye and lungs - and aggravates air pollution.
LPG stove on the other hand emits high levels of carbon monoxide, a chemical that harms the environment. This type is also too expensive to majority of the Filipinos.
Protos has been tested by 100 households in selected areas in Leyte, which yielded a monthly average of 11.64 liters per month of plant oil consumption at a daily cooking time of 1.53 hours.
Six small restaurants at the VSU market also tested the device and consumed an average of about 28 liters per month at an average daily cooking time of 5.24 hours.
Guarte also said that commercial production of the plant oil stove can provide Net Present Value of P666,017 and Internal Rate of Return of 25 percent and Benefit Cost Ratio of 1.02.
This was based on a computed financial analysis, as of year 2007, the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCARRD) said.
The VSU engineering workshop produces 1,500 units of plant oil cook stove per year in coordination with BSH Group in Germany.
VSU established a complete production line to ensure sustainable production of the plant oil stove for marketing and distribution in Region 8.
By expanding its production to cooperatives, this project has a potential to help create jobs in the rural areas, provide income to the poor, and cooperatives with additional profits, hence bringing not only environmental, but also economic and social benefits, the PCARRD said. (PNA)
DCT/MPC
Tuesday, 4 November 2008
Alone-In-The-Wilderness-By-Dick-Proenneke-£5.00-Via-Download
Alone in the Wilderness Via Direct Download: Only £5.00 Via Paypal, simply send an email to
shop@homebrewpower.co.uk requesting a payment link and i'll do the rest for you. Once you pay a secure link will be sent via our website to enable you to download the film.
Dick Proenneke retired at age 50 in 1967 and decided to build his own cabin on the shore of Twin Lakes. The first summer he scouted for the best cabin site, and cut and peeled the logs he would need for his cabin. Dick Proenneke returned the next summer to finish the cabin where he lived for over 30 years. Dick filmed his adventures, and Bob Swerer later turned the film into a video so we can all watch this amazing man build his cabin by hand.
Sunday, 2 November 2008
Obamas-Green-Jobs-Revolution
Obama's green jobs revolution
Democrat will lead effort to curb world's dependence on oil; Plans to create five million new posts in clean energy projects
Obama has pledged to create five million new 'green collar jobs' if elected
Barack Obama is promising a $150bn "Apollo project" to bring jobs and energy security to the US through a new alternative energy economy, if his final push for votes brings victory in the presidential election on Tuesday.
"That's going to be my number one priority when I get into office," Mr Obama has said of his "green recovery" plans. Making his arguments in a radio address yesterday, the Democratic favourite promised: "If you give me your vote on Tuesday, we won't just win this election. Together, we will change this country and change the world."
The election has come during the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s, but he declared: "We'll invest $15bn a year over the next decade in renewable energy, creating five million new green jobs that pay well, can't be outsourced and help end our dependence on foreign oil." The appeal of the idea that clean energy could help to kick-start the economy is such that Mr Obama's Republican opponent, John McCain, has also promised "millions" of green jobs if he wins.
That was looking less likely yesterday, despite Republican strategists predicting a historic upset victory as they pointed to polls showing Mr Obama's lead narrowing in "must-win" states such as Ohio. Despite the growing confidence of the Obama campaign, Mr McCain's forces are now engaged in a massive final effort, making 17 million phone calls or door knocks at the homes of carefully targeted voters in the dying hours of the election.
Mr McCain's final blitz will see him make stops in seven states tomorrow. As he told a small crowd of voters at the weekend: "The pundits, my friends, have written us off as they've done before. But we're closing... and we're going to win Ohio." A major handicap he faces, however, is a surge in early voting by Democrats – a reversal of the pattern that delivered George Bush his 2004 victory. In Florida alone, 200,000 more Democrats have already voted than Republicans, and a high turnout – predictions are that 130 million Americans will vote, the largest number since 1960 – is thought to favour Mr Obama.
In the mayhem of the election campaign, Mr Obama has yet to deliver a major speech about his renewable energy plans. But he has pledged to create five million new "green collar jobs", largely by greatly expanding the use of renewable energy, which should supply a tenth of America's electricity within four years, insulating a million homes a year and to put a million rechargeable "plug-in hybrid cars" on the road by 2015.
He also wants the US motor industry to take a lead in producing environmentally friendly vehicles rather than 4x4s. He promises to invest in clean engine technology, to increase America's hitherto lax car fuel economy standards by 4 per cent a year, and to boost sales of green cars by giving a $7,000 tax credit to people who buy them. And he has pledged to convert the White House fleet to plug-in hybrids within a year of taking office.
There is growing acceptance from economists in the US that a Green "New Deal" should be a fundamental part of the solution to the financial crisis and to America's long-term security concerns.
At the same time, British ministers are planning a huge increase in environmentally friendly investment as a central part of its economic rescue plan. Japan's Prime Minister, Taro Aso, has called the green economy "a great opportunity for new growth". And plans are being laid in the Australian treasury for a 3,000 per cent growth in green jobs over the next decades.
But it is the American plans that could have the greatest effect in dragging the world economy out of crisis. Mr Obama believes that a new clean-energy economy "can be the engine that drives us into the future in the same way the computer was the engine for economic growth over the last couple of decades".
The head of Mr Obama's transition team, John Podesta, has called for "a new vision for the economic revitalisation of the nation and a restoration of America's leadership in the world", adding: "We must seize this precious opportunity to mobilise the country and the international community towards a brighter and more prosperous future."