Alternative light in the house. Alternative sources of electricity

Consumers around the world feel a constant increase in the cost of energy. Experts predict that the future growth of tariffs will continue. This is due to the limited resources traditionally used to generate energy. In this situation, autonomous alternative sources acquire special significance for owners of private houses. They allow not only, but also become completely independent of central networks, which is doubly important for those areas where power outages are observed.

Residents of urban apartments for obvious reasons are limited in the choice of energy sources. But private landlords, depending on climatic conditions and the surrounding landscape, can choose one of several species (or a combination of them). Autonomous alternative energy sources in a private home can be:

• Windmills
• Solar
• Geothermal
• Biofuel
• Water
• Osmotic, thunderstorm, etc.

The most commonly used energy is obtained from wind, sunlight, earth and biological waste.

Wind farms

Wind generators are widely used throughout the world. In many countries, with their help, a significant share of energy is produced. To their main advantages is, first, that wind is an inexhaustible and free resource. Secondly, their work does not harm the environment. They are divided into three main types:

• Low-blade vane (have from 2 to 4 blades, have a high efficiency, but they are effective only in a stable strong wind and create a lot of noise when working)
• Multi-blade vane (with up to 24 blades, are effective even with a weak enough wind (up to 4 m / s), do not create much noise during operation, but have low efficiency)
• Carousel (rotary) - are characterized by the same advantages and disadvantages as multi-blade

Low-bladed generators with a steady wind are able to fully meet the electricity needs in small houses. Devices of the second and third types are best used only as an additional source.

The operation of the units is based on the transmission of rotation from the wind wheel to the generator shaft   (wind turbines). The circuit also includes batteries and inverters (the former are used for accumulation, the latter for current conversion). Since the wind is a non-constant value, the energy from such generators is often used only for heating water in boilers of heating and water supply systems. This eliminates the need to buy expensive batteries.

Depending on the capacity, the cost of the power plant varies from 1000 to 10 000 dollars. The system requires the installation of a high mast with a reliable foundation and drainage. It is important to take into account that due to icing of blades   In winter, the efficiency of the generator can be significantly reduced. Due to the increased noise level, it is recommended to place the station far away from housing.

Solar energy

Heliosystems are used in a variety of industries. In most cases, the energy of the sun serves as a source of heat for heating water in heating and water supply systems. Such devices are very diverse: from the simplest, made on the principle of a common greenhouse (they can be made by themselves), to more complex ones, including vacuum glass tubes and heat pumps (they are manufactured only in the factory).

Installations for water heating are divided into passive and active. In the first case, the sun's rays fall directly on the heated object. It is impossible to regulate the temperature, however, such systems are advantageously distinguished by the cheapness and simplicity of the design.

Active solar systems include a solar collector, which converts the rays into thermal energy. It is connected to glass tubes filled with a special coolant. Inside, light-absorbing black rods are installed. The cost of the collector is up to 4000 dollars. The system also includes a pump, a pipeline with thermal insulation and a heat exchanger. The installation is installed under a certain slope (the angle depends on the region). Such heliosystems are effective even in winter.

Solar beams can also be used for electricity supply   at home. To do this, you need to install a fairly complex system consisting of a module of solar panels (manufactured on the basis of photovoltaic panels), a controller, an inverter and batteries. The main obstacle to widespread use is high cost: a small power plant (2 kW) will cost about 55,000 dollars. Some masters make photoelectric panels on their own. This allows you to save, but leads to a significant (up to 40%) reduction in efficiency.

The shortcomings of solar systems include inadequate efficiency in regions with low solar activity and inability to work in the dark.

Geothermal sources

  Heat and electricity can be obtained directly from the ground. The main elements of such schemes are heat pumps. They are divided into three types:

• Ground - to collect heat, a horizontal collector or a vertical probe is used; in a cold climate are used only as an additional source of heating
• Introductory - use the thermal energy of underground sources
• Air - suitable only for regions with a warm climate

The functioning of the system is based on obtaining heat from the low-temperature potential. The basis is the reverse of what happens in the refrigerator. The liquid circulating in a closed loop and having a low boiling point, is heated from the environment, and then condenses and transfers heat to the heating system. Electricity is produced in a similar way.

It should be noted that such systems are quite expensive (up to several tens of thousands of dollars), but they do not have high efficiency. With their help the heat carrier can be heated to a maximum of 60 degrees. For the sake of economy, some masters make heat pumps from refrigeration compressors. If you use the system to generate electricity, you can get a current 5-6 times more expended.

Biogas power engineering

The fuel used is gas released from the fermentation of waste products of plant and animal origin (manure, rotten grain, food debris, etc.) in a confined space without access to air. For this process, the units are equipped with special containers. The resulting gas is more than half composed of methane. The rest is impurities: carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulphide, nitrogen, etc.

Heat and electricity from gas are obtained with the help of cogeneration plants. Such systems should be installed only if the biomaterial is sufficiently available. In the cold climate, the effectiveness of their work is reduced.

Other sources

In addition to these, other sources of alternative energy for the home are also available.
  These include: the flow of water, the energy of lightning, tides and the like. However, they were not widely used in the energy supply of private houses (due to high costs, low efficiency, instability and other shortcomings).

Combining energy types

The main disadvantage of alternative sources is their insufficiently high efficiency. In addition, along with the pluses, each of them has its own additional disadvantages. therefore to achieve the optimal effect, it is recommended to combine the sources. So, for example, the owner of a cottage with a private plot can fully provide itself with electricity due to the simultaneous use of a wind generator and solar panels, and heating and hot water   receive from a heat pump. However, the combination may be different, it all depends on the specific conditions.

Alternative systems can be combined in any way, as they draw energy from different sources and do not interfere with the operation.

Modern technologies provide enough options for equipping an alternative power supply at home. This allows you to select the most effective system   in accordance with the available budget. Because of the high cost the recoupment of equipment can take several years. However, such investments may be justified, given the constant increase in energy prices.

Prices for utilities are constantly growing, which forces people to use more economical and cheaper sources of heat. To this end, a number of technologies have been developed that allow the generation of heat energy with minimal monetary costs. Alternative sources   Energy for a private house allows you to optimize costs and get inexpensive heat for heating systems. What are these sources? We will talk about this in the framework of this review.

The most common alternative sources of heat:

• Solar energy - available in many regions, and almost free;
• Heat pumps - you can not say that this is the most economical option for heating, but there is still a sense in use;
• Fuel briquettes and biofuel are inexpensive sources of thermal energy created by nature;
• Wind turbines are expensive equipment that allows the use of free wind energy;
• Infra-red heating is an excellent alternative to conventional water heating.

Let's talk about all these sources in more detail and calculate their strengths and weaknesses.

Mankind, as a result of its activities, produces a huge amount of waste. Many of them are of a biological nature and do not harm the environment. These include wood chips, corn cobs, straw, peat and much more. All this is perfectly burning, as evidenced by the explosions at wood processing plants and burning peat bogs. Therefore, more and more attention is being paid to such types of fuel: pressed briquettes, pellets, peat in granules, pressed wood and other products made from plant materials began to appear on the market.

As a result, there is an environmentally friendly fuel that can be used to heat private homes. It does not pollute the environment, saving it from the mountains of waste. Naturally, the same wood shavings can rot independently, without affecting the ecology. But why waste so valuable material that can be an excellent alternative source of heat? It is enough just to compress it and give it a convenient form.

The same corn cobs are an excellent source of heat, burning with a very high temperature - not in vain they are added together with firewood during the stove heating in the village baths. As for pellets, for their production not only wood sawdust is used, but also husks from seeds.

Thermal alternative energy surrounds us everywhere. It is in the earth, water and even in the air. Therefore, nothing prevents us from accumulating it and submitting it to heated rooms. For example, heat can be extracted from the unfrozen layers of soil, starting already a few meters below the ground. Heat pumps pump a special heat carrier there, evaporating at low temperatures. At the top, it condenses and gives heat to the rooms (approximately in this way the refrigerator works, taking the heat from the products and giving it to the atmosphere through the radiator).

Heat pumps are not autonomous sources   heat, because their work requires electricity. But if we compare the "gluttony" of classical electric heating systems and systems built on the basis of heat pumps, then the economy can reach 20-30%, depending on the source of thermal energy and the efficiency of the equipment. Why is it more profitable to take heat?

• From the air, experts note the low cost of equipment, but it will be effective only in warm regions, since a drop in air temperature leads to a drop in the efficiency of the heat pump;
• From groundwater - underwater currents located below the freezing line of the ground, never freeze and are an excellent source of heat;
• From the ground - there is a lot of heat in the earth, since at a depth of several meters the temperature is always positive.

Any of these sources of alternative heat can be used to heat your home.

In order to select the most efficient, economical and inexpensive source of heat, you should contact the specialized specialists who install heating systems with heat pumps - the working conditions and the cost of equipment vary depending on the characteristics of a particular region or even district.

The sun supplies a huge amount of heat and light energy to our planet. A man has long sought to master this alternative energy, but faces many challenges. The main problem is the limited amount of energy received per 1 sq. Km. m. of the earth's surface. Therefore, the solar collectors used to accumulate heat from our native star are quite large in size.

The same applies to solar panels - scientists have managed to create quite effective solar cells that produce electricity, but the area of ​​the batteries remains huge.

Solar collectors are installed on the roof and serve to generate almost free heat. It enters the heating system and is transferred to heated rooms. Thanks to the achievements of developers, such systems can show good efficiency. Scare away only the high cost of equipment and low efficiency in overcast or in very cold weather.

An alternative solar collectors   become solar electric batteries. They generate electricity, which then turns into heat, created electric boilers. But in order to get enough electricity, you have to make solar panels cover the entire roof, spending a decent amount of money on it. However, for some areas, solar panels and collectors can become the most acceptable source of heat.

Another advantage of solar batteries is that they can supply all home electronics, supplementing the local power system with batteries and inverter converters.

Wind turbines

By creating alternative heating   private homes with their own hands, you can pay attention not only to biofuels and solar collectors / batteries, but also to wind generators. They provide generation of electricity, which is transformed into heat. The cost of the equipment is not very high, but its use is justified only if the wind is constantly blowing in the area. Good efficiency is shown by wind generators with vertical rotors rotating in any direction of the wind.

Infrared heating

Many are familiar with systems of warm floors - they are mounted not only in kitchens and bathrooms, but also in living quarters. In recent years, an alternative to liquid warm floors, in which the heat source is a heat carrier from heating system   - This is a special infrared film, powered by electricity. It fits under the floor covering, causing it to radiate heat. Thus, there are no unnecessary heat losses present in traditional electric and water heated floors.

Infrared heating can work as a basic source of heat, and as an auxiliary source.

To solve the problem of the limitation of fossil fuels, researchers around the world are working on the creation and implementation of alternative energy sources. And it's not just about all the famous windmills and solar panels. Gas and oil can be replaced by energy from algae, volcanoes and human steps. Recycle has chosen the ten most interesting and environmentally friendly energy sources of the future.

Joule from turnstiles

Thousands of people every day pass through turnstiles at the entrance to the railway stations. Immediately in several research centers of the world there was an idea to use the flow of people as an innovative generator of energy. The Japanese company East Japan Railway Company decided to equip each turnstile at the railway stations with generators. The plant operates at the station in Tokyo's Shibuya district: piezoelectric elements are built into the floor under the turnstiles, which produce electricity from the pressure and vibration that they receive when people step on them.

Another technology of "power-turnstiles" is already used in China and the Netherlands. In these countries, engineers decided to use not the effect of pressing on the piezoelements, but the effect of pushing the turnstile handles or turnstile doors. The concept of the Dutch company Boon Edam involves the replacement of standard doors at the entrance to shopping malls (which usually operate on a photocell system and start to spin themselves) on doors that the visitor must push and thus generate electricity.

In the Dutch center of Natuurcafe La Port, such door generators have already appeared. Each of them produces about 4,600 kilowatt-hours of energy per year, which at first glance may seem insignificant, but serves as a good example of an alternative technology for generating electricity.

Algae heated at home

Algae Steel be considered   as an alternative energy source relatively recently, but technology, according to experts, is very promising. Suffice it to say that from 1 hectare of the water surface area occupied by algae, 150 thousand cubic meters of biogas can be produced per year. This is approximately equal to the volume of gas produced by a small well, and is sufficient for the life of a small village.

Green algae are simple in content, grow rapidly and are represented by a variety of species that use the energy of sunlight to effect photosynthesis. The whole biomass, be it sugars or fats, can be converted into biofuel, most often into bioethanol and biodiesel. Algae is an ideal eco-fuel, because they grow in the water environment and do not require land resources, they are highly productive and do not damage the environment.

According to economists, by 2018 the global turnover from the processing of biomass of marine microalgae may amount to about $ 100 billion. There are already implemented projects on "algal" fuel - for example, a 15-apartment house in German Hamburg. The facades of the house are covered with 129 aquariums with seaweed, serving as the only source of energy for heating and conditioning the building, called the Bio Intelligent Quotient (BIQ) House.

"Lying policemen" illuminate the streets

The concept of   generation of electricity with the so-called "speed bumps" began to be implemented first in the UK, then in Bahrain, and soon the technology will reach Russia.It all started with the fact that the British inventor Peter Hughes created the "Electro-Kinetic Road Ramp" for highways. The ramp is two metal plates that rise slightly above the road. Under the plates, an electric generator is built, which generates a current whenever the car passes through the ramp.

Depending on the weight of the machine, the ramp can produce from 5 to 50 kilowatts during the time the car passes the ramp. Such ramps as batteries are capable of powering traffic lights and illuminated road signs. In the UK, technology is already operating in several cities. The method began to spread to other countries - for example, to small Bahrain.

The most amazing thing is that something similar can be seen in Russia. A student from Tyumen, Albert Brand, offered the same solution for street lighting at the forum "VUZPROMEXPO". According to the developer, a day on the "lying policeman" in his city rides from 1000 to 1500 cars. For one "hit" of the car on the "electrocuter" equipped with a "lying policeman", about 20 watts of electricity will be generated, not harmful to the environment.

More than just football

Developed by a group of Harvard alumni, the founders of Uncharted Play, the Soccket ball can generate electricity in half an hour of playing football, which will be enough to fuel the LED lamp for several hours. Soccket is called an environmentally friendly alternative to unsafe energy sources, which are often used by the inhabitants of underdeveloped countries.

The principle of accumulating energy by the Soccket ball is quite simple: the kinetic energy generated from the impact on the ball is transmitted to a tiny mechanism, similar to a pendulum, which drives the generator. The generator produces electricity that accumulates in the battery. The stored energy can be used to power any small electrical appliance - for example, a table lamp with an LED.

The output power of the Soccket is six watts. The energy-generating ball has already won the recognition of the world community: it received many awards, was highly appreciated by the organization Clinton Global Initiative, and also received laudatory reviews at the famous TED conference.

Concealed energy of volcanoes

One of the main developments in the development of volcanic energy   belongs to American researchers from the companies-initiators AltaRock Energy and Davenport Newberry Holdings. "Subject" was a sleeping volcano in Oregon. Salt water is pumped deep into the rocks, the temperature of which is very high due to the decay of the radioactive elements in the planet's crust and the hottest mantle of the Earth. When heated, the water turns into steam, which is fed to a turbine that generates electricity.

At the moment there are only two small operating power plants of this type - in France and Germany. If American technology works, then, according to the US Geological Survey, geothermal energy is potentially capable of supplying 50% of the country's electricity (today its contribution is only 0.3%).

Another way of using volcanoes to generate energy was proposed in 2009 by Icelandic researchers. Next to the volcanic bowels, they discovered an underground reservoir of water with an abnormally high temperature. Super-hot water is somewhere on the boundary between the liquid and gas and exists only at a certain temperature and pressure.

Scientists could generate something similar in the laboratory, but it turned out that such water is found in nature - in the bowels of the earth. It is believed that ten times more energy can be extracted from the water of the "critical temperature" than from water boiled in a classical way.

Energy from human heat

Principle thermoelectric generators   , working on the temperature difference, is known for a long time. But only a few years ago, the technologies began to allow the use of human body heat as an energy source. A group of researchers from the Korean Leading Scientific and Technical Institute (KAIST) developed a generator built into a flexible glass plate.

T such a gadget will allow fitness bracelets to be recharged from the heat of the human hand - for example, during the running process, when the body becomes very hot and contrasts with the ambient temperature. A Korean generator measuring 10 by 10 centimeters can produce about 40 millivolts of energy at a skin temperature of 31 degrees Celsius.

A similar technology was taken as a basis for the young Ann Makosinski, who invented a flashlight, charging from the difference in air and human body temperatures. The effect is explained by the use of four Peltier elements: their feature is the ability to generate electricity when heated from one side and cooling from the other side.

As a result, Ann's flashlight produces quite a bright light, but does not require battery-acumulators. For its operation, only a temperature difference of only five degrees is needed between the degree of heating of the human palm and the temperature in the room.

Steps on the "smart" paving slab

On any point of one of the busy streets there are up to 50,000 steps a day. Idea   the pedestrian flow for the useful conversion of steps into energy was implemented in a product developed by Lawrence Kemball-Cook, the director of British Pavegen Systems Ltd. The engineer created a sidewalk tile that generates electricity from the kinetic energy of walking pedestrians.

The device in the innovative tile is made of a flexible waterproof material, which when pressed depresses about five millimeters. This, in turn, creates the energy that the mechanism converts into electricity. Accumulated watts are either stored in a lithium polymer battery, or immediately go to the illumination of bus stops, shop windows and signage.

The Pavegen tile itself is considered absolutely environmentally friendly: its body is made of stainless steel of a special grade and a recycled polymer with a low carbon content. The upper surface is made of used tires, due to this the tile has strength and high resistance to abrasion.

During the Summer Olympics in London in 2012, the tile was installed on many tourist streets. For two weeks it was possible to receive 20 million joules of energy. This is abundant enough for the work of street lighting of the British capital.

Bicycle charging smartphones

To recharge the player, phone or tablet, it is not necessary to have an outlet on hand. Sometimes it's enough just to turn the pedals. So, the American company Cycle Atom has released a device that allows charging an external battery while riding a bicycle and subsequently recharging mobile devices.

The product, called Siva Cycle Atom, is a lightweight bicycle generator with a lithium battery designed to power virtually any mobile device with a USB port. Such a mini-generator can be installed on most conventional bicycle frames in a matter of minutes. The battery itself is easily removed for the subsequent recharging of gadgets. The user goes in for sports and turns the pedals - and after a couple of hours his smartphone is already charged for 100 percents.

Nokia, in turn, also presented to the general public a gadget attached to the bicycle and allowing to translate the torsion of the pedals into a way to receive the environmentally safe energy. The Nokia Bicycle Charger Kit has a dynamo, a small electric generator that uses energy from rotating bicycle wheels and recharges the phone through a standard two-millimeter connector common in most Nokia phones.

Benefits from Wastewater

Every major city dumps a huge amount of water wastewater   , polluting the ecosystem. It would seem that water poisoned by sewage can not be of use to anyone, but it is not so - scientists have discovered a way to create fuel cells based on it.

One of the pioneers of the idea was the professor of the University of Pennsylvania Bruce Logan. The general concept is very difficult for a nonspecialist to understand and is built on two pillars - the application of bacterial fuel cells and the installation of so-called reverse electrodialysis. Bacteria oxidize the organic matter in the waste water and produce electrons in the process, creating an electric current.

To produce electricity, almost any type of organic waste material can be used - not only wastewater, but also livestock wastes, as well as by-products of wine, brewing and dairy industries. As for reverse electrodialysis, electrogenerators separated by membranes into cells and extracting energy from the difference in the salinity of the two mixing liquid streams operate here.

Paper energy

Japanese electronics manufacturer Sony has developed and presented at the Tokyo exhibition of environmentally friendly products a bio-generator capable of producing electricity from finely chopped paper. The essence of the process is as follows: for the isolation of cellulose (this is a long chain of sugar glucose, which is found in green plants), corrugated cardboard is needed.

The chain is ruptured by enzymes, and the resulting glucose is processed by another group of enzymes, through which hydrogen ions and free electrons are released. Electrons are routed through an external circuit to generate electricity. It is assumed that such an installation during the processing of one sheet of paper 210 by 297 mm in size can produce about 18 W per hour (about the same energy is produced by 6 AA batteries).

The method is environmentally friendly: an important advantage of such a "battery" is the absence of metals and harmful chemical compounds. Although at the moment the technology is still far from commercialization: electricity is produced quite a bit - it only suffices for the power of small portable gadgets.

Unconventional sources of energy include the energy of the sun, wind, and also the one produced by the muscular efforts of man. Details will be found below.

Practical alternative energy: species

Alternative energy sources are a variety of promising ways of obtaining, as well as transferring the received electricity. At the same time, such energy sources, renewable, and bring minimal harm to the environment. Such energy sources include solar panels and solar stations.

They, in turn, are divided into 3 types of energy production using:

• Photocells;
• Solar panels;
• Combined options.

It is popular to use mirror systems that reach high temperatures, resulting in steam that passes through a pipe system and turns the turbine. Windmills and wind stations give current due to wind energy, which turns special blades connected to generators.

It is popular to use the energy of waves, as well as tides.

Experiments have shown that such power plants are capable of producing about 15 kW, which is much higher than that of solar and wind power stations.

From geothermal sources, hot water is widely used for power generation. It is interesting to use kinetic energy in some rooms, for example, in sports halls, where moving parts of simulators are connected by means of rods with generators, which, as a result of human traffic, generate electricity.

Non-traditional sources of energy: ways of obtaining

Unconventional sources of energy supply are primarily the production of electricity by wind, sunlight, tidal wave energy, and also using geothermal waters. But, besides this, there are other ways using biomass and other methods.

Namely:

1. Receiving electricity from biomass. This technology implies the production of biogas waste, which consists of methane and carbon dioxide. Some experimental plants (humic reactor from Michael) process manure, straw, which allows obtaining 10-12 m 3 of methane from the material.
2. Receiving electricity in a thermal way.   Conversion of thermal energy into electricity by heating some connected semiconductors, consisting of thermoelements and cooling others. As a result of the temperature difference, an electric current is produced.
3. The hydrogen cell.   This device, which from ordinary water by electrolysis makes it possible to obtain a sufficiently large amount of a hydrogen-oxygen mixture. At the same time, the cost of obtaining hydrogen is minimal. But such power generation is only just in the experimental stage.

Another type of electricity generation is a special device called the Stirling engine. Inside a special cylinder with a piston is gas or liquid. With external heating, the volume of liquid or gas increases, the piston moves and the generator turns on in turn. Then the gas or liquid passes through the pipe system and cools down and moves the piston back. This is a fairly crude description, but it shows how this engine works

Alternative Energy Options

In today's world, because of some limitation of natural resources of heat and electricity, some people use alternative energy sources. One of the main directions of alternative energy is the search and use of non-traditional types and sources.

Sources with which you can get electricity:

• Are renewable;
• Can successfully replace traditional;
• Constantly improved, ongoing development and research.

Equipping with high-power piezoelectric elements of turnstiles in the metro and at railway stations allows, when approaching special plates, to generate electricity from the pressure of human weight. Such operating installations as an experiment are established in some cities of China and Japan.

Green energy - obtaining biogas, which can then be heated at home from seaweed. It is established that from 1 hectare of the water surface occupied by green algae, it is possible to obtain up to 150,000 m 3 of gas. Using the energy of sleeping volcanoes, water is pumped into the volcano, under the influence of heat and high temperatures, turns into steam, which by special pipes enters the turbine and turns it. Currently, there are only 2 such experimental installations in the world. The use of wastewater with the help of special cells, in which there are special bacteria that oxidize the organic material, leads to the fact that in the course of chemical processes, the generation of electrons and, as a result, electricity.

Sources of energy at home: options

In connection with the growth of tariffs for energy, many people start to think not only about saving energy, but also about additional sources of energy. Some people prefer to make homemade products with their own hands, and some prefer any ready-made solutions, which may include certain options.

Namely:

1. Installation of solar panels on the glass, which have high transparency, so they can be placed even in multi-storey buildings. But their efficiency even in sunny clear weather does not exceed 10%.
2. To illuminate some areas of the premises, LEDs and LED lamps on small batteries connected to the solar panel are used. Enough during the day to charge, thus, the battery to get lighting in the evening.
3. Installation of traditional solar panels, which allow you to charge the batteries and from them, through the inverter, partially feed the household appliances and lamps. It is also possible to produce hot water in the warm season by installing a vacuum pump and a heat collector on the roof.

For residents living in urban conditions, unfortunately, the choice of additional sources of energy is limited, in contrast to those who live in urban areas country houses. In a private house, there are many more possibilities to make an autonomous power supply. And also make for a country house   or independent independent heating systems at the dacha.

Heating for a private house: alternative energy sources

Among the most common ways to generate electricity is the driving force of the wind. It is enough to put a high mast near the country house with moving blades connected to the generator in order to receive electric current and charge the batteries.

To produce heat, you can use, when using them, you can take heat from virtually anywhere:

• Air;
• Water;
• Of the Earth.

The principle of their work, as in the refrigerator, only when pumping through the pump air or water, it turns out the heat. Homemade designs are in no way inferior to industrial ones. At home, you can independently manufacture such structures enough to find drawings and make a windmill to get cheap electricity literally from the air. There are other types and opportunities to get electricity and.

It is efficient to use an ordinary generator, especially in the northern regions of Russia, since, with a lack of sunlight, the panels are simply useless.

The same is true for thermal convectors that are designed to heat water. It is somewhat easier to heat the boiler using biofuel, pressed chips, pellets, including straw and peat, are used as material for the furnace. But such boilers on biofuel are somewhat more expensive than those working on gas.

Current and heat with their own hands: alternative energy for home

Darm electricity for an apartment or a private home has always been of interest to people, as in recent years, heating and electricity tariffs have only grown. And for economy, many people try to find options for obtaining heat and energy for nothing. For this, different systems are made, including trying to invent an eternal source, and come up with unusual and new ways of obtaining current and heat.

Relative free energy (assembly of solar panels with their own hands):

• You can purchase parts in China;
• Independently collect everything;
• As a rule, each assembly is accompanied by an assembly diagram.
• All this allows you to independently assemble a panel and a power plan, in particular an apartment or a private house.

Helpless free energy is obtained from electromagnetic waves - any vibrations can be converted into electricity. True, the efficiency of such schemes is very small, but, nevertheless, with the help of specially made devices it is possible to charge telephones and other small household appliances.

True charging will take quite a long time.

To produce heat, some craftsmen use methane, which in turn is derived from manure from animals and other wastes. The correct system is a good option   for obtaining heat energy and heating the house, as well as for cooking.

The sun and wind as alternative types of energy

The alternative to obtaining both heat and electricity is relevant for many people. Small solar energy is the use of silicon-based solar cells, the amount of energy received depends on the number of batteries, the latitude of the location of the house or other premises.

The technology of obtaining energy by means of generators is interesting, it's enough to connect a charge controller to the generator, and to connect the entire circuit with the batteries, so you can get enough energy.

It is actual to use special thermoelectric converters of heat energy into electricity, in other words, the use of a thermocouple of semiconductors. One part of the pair heats, the second cools, resulting in free electricity, which can be used in everyday life. It can be used as energy for children, it is enough to connect a swing with a dynamo to the playground in order to receive a small percentage of electricity that can be used to illuminate the playground.

Attention, only TODAY!

Even schoolchildren know that it is impossible to extract oil and gas indefinitely. In addition, not every corner has gas mains, and even electricity.

And the level of incomes in the regions is so low that the cost of installation and operation of heating equipment go unimaginable.

All this shows that we need sharply alternative energy. Alternative energy sources with their own hands - this is possible. Let's review the available options for today.

The wind served people in ancient times. Sails ships and windmills are pioneers in this field.

Here are some interesting facts:

• The potential of wind energy is 100 times greater than that of hydropower.
• Now ready-made wind turbines supply humanity with only a thousandth of the necessary energy.
• China, for today, is the leader in this field.
• For the high efficiency of the windmill, the average annual wind speed should exceed 4 m / s.

A more complex design with a horizontal shaft is more powerful, but more expensive in manufacturing, since an additional device is needed to rotate the working plane of the blades perpendicular to the movement of the wind. Such a scheme makes sense in places with a predominantly even movement of air masses. With a working diameter of 6 m., It can produce up to 5 kW. electricity, which is enough to heat a private house.

On a structure with a vertical shaft, it is better to stop in the event that large amounts of power are not required and the turbulence of the flow prevails (on the coast near rocks, in mountainous terrain, etc.).

The main disadvantage of the windmill is that the wind blows impermanently, therefore it is important to include any way of accumulating energy, electric or thermal, in its design.

The speed of the end of the blade can reach 200 km / h. Nature lovers point out that lobed wind turbines destroy a huge number of birds and even bats.

Also wind turbines make noise during operation. You can simply turn it off, if enough energy is stored, and you can apply bezlopastnye windmills. They work by the reciprocating motion of the membrane. This option does not make noise during operation, and is safe for birds.

Assembly diagram wind generator   own hands

Electric generator is the main difficulty for self-made. Therefore, it makes sense to consider the direct use of mechanical energy.

It is possible to connect various mechanisms directly to the windmill shaft:

• circular saw;
• crusher;
• convert into heat (using a Frenetta pump).

For safe use of such mechanisms it is important to provide for the possibility of an emergency stop. For example, use a brake from the car's wheel.

Homemade hydroelectric power station

  The hydroelectric power station on the river is a fairly stable source of energy with high efficiency at small sizes and costs. It has several manufacturing options:

1. The dam.
2. Dameless type.

And also by the method of converting the energy of the flow into rotational motion of the shaft:

• water wheel;
• turbine.

The dam type

At a low speed, the flow of water without a dam is indispensable - this creates legal difficulties with obtaining a building permit. But the accumulated amount of water makes such a system inert and independent of the season.

Example of a dam power plant

In-line or flow-through type

If the flow velocity is more than 1 m / s, then the need for a dam does not exist and it will be sufficient to install a wheel or a turbine in the river, without additional measures to increase the flow power. In addition, a dam-free hydroelectric station does not require complex legal approvals.

Mini-hydro power plant is able to provide big house   or several houses full of electricity.

It is necessary to provide a water discharge capacity 100% higher than the maximum seasonal level.

Accumulation of energy with solar panels

The basis of the heliopanel is fragile crystals that capture the energy of the sun. They can not be made at home. But if you buy crystals, you can do it yourself solar battery. For this you need:

• Make of plexiglass frame (suitable and other transparent material).
• The body is made of plywood, metal corners, etc.

Photocells are of two types:

1. Monocrystalline (efficiency - 13%, require a lot of sun, long-lived);
2. Polycrystalline (efficiency - 9%, can work on an overcast day, less durable).

A ready solar battery should be placed on the illuminated side of the roof so that in the future it is possible to adjust the inclination of the device.

In the snowfall panels are placed almost vertically, so that the snow does not linger on them and does not disrupt the operation of the device.

Before you decide on solar energy, familiarize yourself with the shortcomings of this option:

• High cost of structural elements;
• panels are ineffective in northern latitudes, where there are a lot of rainy, cloudy days in the year;
• the need to store energy for the night and interruptions in the winter;
• it takes a lot of space;
• fragile;
• sensitive to very high temperatures. At heating 100-125 0 С, photocells faster "grow old", and the battery as a whole can temporarily lose the working capacity;
• in some cases, the installation of the SB requires cutting down trees that obscure the installation site;
• on the efficiency of solar panels, affects even a small layer of dust.

Solar panels on the roof of the house

Optimum working temperature of photocells from 70 to 90 0 С (we are talking about the temperature under the glass, which is not so easy to control).

• The number of electrical appliances in the house, and what power.
• The number of sunny days in a given area.

Solar panels are always called "environmentally friendly" method of energy production, however, toxic and poisonous substances are used in the production of photocells. Recycling a solar battery is a big problem!

Other Alternative Energy Options

A lot of energy is stored in the bowels of the earth.

Attempts to use this resource for the benefit of people are made wherever from the ground surface come out:

• hot water;
• magma.

Geothermal energy is used for heating, or it is converted into electric current.

Although geothermal energy is inexhaustible, it does not depend on weather and seasons, it also has its drawbacks. For example:

• In min. water often contains not only a large number of minerals, but also toxic compounds. Such water can not be left on the surface, but must be returned back to the ground.
• Some scientists are opposed to interference in the underground environment, since it is believed that this can affect the number of earthquakes.

Biogas

When bacteria process organic waste, biogas is byproducts. In its composition:

• methane (55-60%);
• carbon dioxide (30-35%);
• hydrogen;
• nitrogen.

If before methane was considered a dangerous by-product of organic decomposition, today it is successfully used as an energy source.

Schematic diagram of biogas plant

The installation of "biogas" performs three useful functions:

1. Secondarily uses organic waste (for example, manure, plant tops, contents of cesspools).
2. It produces combustible gas.
3. Supplies the garden with fertilizer, which remains after processing.

To get this gas and use it in the future, arrange a sealed container (on the surface or in the ground). The tank must be equipped with:

• a throat for laying waste;
• a branch pipe for the removal of waste material;
• in the tank fixed screw (screw), which is mixed with organic waste;
• a branch pipe is installed along which the produced gas is discharged.

From 1 kg. manure is obtained a half-cube of biogas. This is enough to prepare a meal for a family of 4 people. If we recalculate the energy of gas into the energy of gasoline, it turns out that 2 m 3 of gas corresponds to 1.2 liters of gasoline.

  With the deterioration of the ecological situation in the whole world, scientists are trying to fight by searching for alternative sources of energy. - the invention, over which worked for 7 years. Read about the advisability of using such equipment.

On how to choose electric warm floors, read.

Most people prefer water heating, which is justifiable - the system is simple, reliable and not expensive. Here you will find detailed information about the types of system and mounting options.

Heat pump

Heat pumps are used to heat the house. According to the type of energy used, they distinguish:

1. Ground-water.
2. Water-to-water.
3. Air-water.

Ground-water   extracts heat from the soil with the help of probes or collectors (for collectors a large area is needed). Antifreeze delivers heat to the pump, and then to the heating system.

Water-to-water.   Energy is extracted from groundwater (but can work with a reservoir). After passing through the pump, the cooled water returns back.

Air-water.   The system of this design includes a fan and an evaporator. The design is mounted on the ground and extracts energy from the air.

It is possible to make a heat pump with your own hands.

Inside it is:

• compressor (as an option, you can take from the air conditioner);
• evaporator;
• capacitor;
• throttle valve.

The essence of the work is as follows: water, alcohol (or other non-freezing liquid) is fed into the collector. In the evaporator there is a refrigerant - a substance with a low boiling point. The coolant brings the refrigerant to a boil, and it turns into steam. The compressor is pressurized. The condenser transfers heat to the internal system   heating (into the house), the coolant gives the remaining heat, again becomes liquid and returns to the collector. Such installations are also called "a refrigerator on the contrary."

The main disadvantage of such a system is high cost (especially if everything is bought). In addition, the system consumes a certain amount of electricity, which means it is volatile.

So. Alternative energy is the future. For the southern solar regions, solar panels are perfect.

But it's impossible to do it completely with your own hands - you need to buy crystals.

For more severe northern climate wind generators are more suitable. In some areas, in the Volga region, for example, there is always an easy breeze.

In mountainous areas there are many small rivers that can easily become a base for a small hydroelectric power station.

And of course, the production of biogas is excellent for farms.

It is also necessary to take into account that alternative energy is not widely used. There are not enough specialists, equipment suppliers and repair centers. So, everything costs a lot of money, and if something breaks down, it's better to rely on yourself.

Classmates