How to Achieve Energy Independence
Edit Article Solar (Heat)Solar (Photovoltaic)WindMicro-hydroWaste Vegetable Oil/Straight Vegetable OilBiodieselAlcohol/EthanolAlgae cultureMethane Gas ProductionWood/Ag WasteElectric transportationHydrogen transportationAnimal labor Edited by Evildave, Glutted, Sondra C, KnowItSome and 15 others This subject will be more of an index and overview to information about how to become personally energy independent. If you want to live comfortably 'off the grid', you certainly can. Ad Steps Method 1 of 13: Solar (Heat) 1You need a sunny environment (unless you use an evacuated tube solar heater). 4Learn the types of solar heating Solar water heatersSolar home heatersSolar cooking/baking Method 2 of 13: Solar (Photovoltaic) The simplest, lowest maintenance, but still expensive. 1You need a reasonably sunny environment. 2Get a way to store energy at night. 3Acquire a backup for cold, dim days.See also: How To Make Your Own Electricity Method 3 of 13: Wind Method 4 of 13: Micro-hydro 1Learn your options.
How To Create An Off The Grid Source Of Water
For any off-the-gridder or survivalist, having a safe, adequate, and reliable source of water is just about as basic as it gets. Water independence is the clear goal for all who want to be prepared for all contingencies, and digging your own well is the obvious way to set yourself up in anticipation of a time when utility companies can no longer be relied upon to supply vital services to their customers. But digging a traditional well is not the only option. There is another type of well that is perfectly capable of providing sufficient supplies of fresh, clean, potable water to meet the needs of most households, especially if at least a degree of water conservation is practiced. Driven-point wells are a convenient and affordable alternative, and in most instances they can be installed without the use of expensive or complicated equipment, which can make them an amazing project for the hands-on type who prefers the do-it-yourself approach. Installing a Driven-Point Well: The Basics
Drill A Water Well In Your Backyard!
A Rocket Stove Made From a Five Gallon Metal Bucket
The principle behind a rocket stove is simple–rather than cooking on an open fire, you burn wood in an insulated chimney. Rocket stoves are highly efficient and easy to make. They run on twigs, so you can avoid cutting down a whole tree just to cook dinner. We’ve had a rocket stove made out of brick in our backyard for several years. Using a piece of 4″ vent pipe and a 90º elbow, I made the chimney. I traced the outline of the vent pipe on to the lid of the bucket and cut this hole out with a jig saw. Using the vent pipe as a guide again, I cut out a 4″ hole near the bottom of the bucket. I used one part clay (harvested from the yard) to six parts vermiculite as my insulation material. With the vent pipe in place, I packed the insulation into the bucket and let it dry for a few days before putting the lid on. I found a barbecue grill at Home Depot that rests on the top of the bucket to support a pot. The last step was to add the new Root Simple stencil to the back.
Welcome to my DIY website for re
Back to main site Welcome to my DIY website for renewable energy enthusiasts. The purpose of this site is to share my experiences of designing and making renewable energy projects for very little money. It is a resource for DIY enthusiasts and for educational purposes, to ultimately share thoughts and ideas via the forum. About mehere gotwind.org 2010
Backpacking Water Filter Hydration Pack
With a backpacking water filter, you don’t have to worry about hauling clean drinking water. Fill your hydration pack with contaminated water, and drink filtered water while you walk. What an ingenious idea! If you enjoy hiking and camping, you’ll love this. It’s also perfect for emergency water. Backpacking Water Filter Here is a complete filtering system in backpack form. $55.00 Backpack includes Bladder and Filter Features: Complete filtering system - no additional parts requiredAccepts water from floods, lake, rain, well, tap, river or streamFilter cleans with a clean, damp clothExtend shelf life by shaking filter every 3-4 months (to loosen media inside and prevent packing) Once in use, filter will last about 75 bladder refills2 pouches for spare filtersComes in camouflage, blue, black, and red Replacement 2”x 3” Ceramic Filter This filter is designed for use in our portable products. Ceramic elements may be cleaned 100 or more times with a soft brush or damp cloth. Water Bladder
Garden Shed Plans - How to Build a Shed
If you're like most homeowners, you know that there's no such thing as enough storage space. There's a limit, after all, to the things you can squirrel away in your basement and garage. What you really need is a garden shed--one large enough to house an arsenal of outdoor power tools while providing organized space for everything from rakes and shovels to fertilizer and fuel. There are two choices when it comes to building a wooden garden shed: You can buy a kit--and put up with the manufacturer's choice of materials and layout--or you can design a structure to suit your own particular needs and tastes. Click on link for high-resolution version of the plans.
Hybrid solar panel (photovoltaic and thermal)
I am not going to repeat all the details on how to build a solar panel, there are plenty of other instructables for this (search tool is your friend!). I will give some basics, though... and then focus more on the "hybrid" nature of my panel (PV + thermal). General characteristics: - about 0.5 m^2 area, at a maximum of 1 kW/m^2 of irradiation and 12% efficiency this should produce UP TO 60 W of electrical power. (at the same time this means that about 440 W of thermal power could potentially be harnessed!). Materials: - 36 cells, 3"x6".
