Home Power #074 - Renewable Solar Wind Energy, Home Power Magazine, Home Power Magazine
s
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
Silent AC Power
Anywhere, Anytime
SM
And we mean anywhere.
Heart Interface
offers
an integrated system that includes an inverter/char-
ger delivering reliable and dependable back-up
power. Complete your electrical system with a
Heart Interface
Remote Control or LINK Battery
Monitor that lets you know how much time you
have left in your batteries. Call today or visit our
website for a dealer near you.
Heart Interface / 21440 68th Ave. S. / Kent, WA 98032
Tel: 253-872-7225 / FAX: 253-872-3412
www.heartinterface.com
®
photo courtesy of ceder creek bed & breakfast. www.cedarcreektreehouse.com
BP SOLAR
BP Solar: we’re an advanced solar energy company. We manufacture premium solar modules and we’re on the
leading edge with new, low cost technologies. But we do much more...
We provide power solutions to enhance your quality of life and we have joined with industry leaders to bring
you the best line of renewable energy products available, all backed by a name that is known and trusted
throughout the world.
USA:
American Energy Technologies, Ltd. - Florida
Toll Free: 800-874-2190
Phone: 904-284-0552
E-Mail: Solardell@aol.com
Effective Solar Products - Louisiana
Toll Free: 888-824-0090
Phone: 504-537-0090
E-mail: esp@effectivesolar.com
Internet: www.effectivesolar.com
Intermountain Solar Technologies - Utah
Toll Free: 800-671-0169
Phone: 801-501-9353
E-mail: utahsolar@aol.com
Internet: www.intermountainsolar.com
Dankoff Solar Products - New Mexico
Toll Free: 888-396-6611
Phone: 505-473-3800
E-mail: pumps@danksolar.com
Alternative Solar Products - California
Toll Free: 800-229-7652
Phone: 909-308-2366
E-mail: mark@alternativesolar.com
Internet: www.alternativesolar.com
Talmage Solar Engineering - Maine
Toll Free: 888-967-5945
Phone: 207-967-5945
E-mail: tse@talmagesolar.com
Internet: www.talmagesolar.com
Alternative Energy Engineering - California
Toll Free: 800-777-6609
Phone: 707-923-2277
E-mail: Energy@alt-energy.com
Internet: www.alt-energy.com
BP Solar, the world leader in solar electric systems, provides everything you need in a single package. And trained
technicians from your BP Solar dealer can install the whole system in about a day, without disrupting your home or
current electrical wiring. The BP Solar Electric Systems use “photovoltaics” or “PV” to convert sunshine directly into
electricity. The power feeds into your home’s existing electrical circuits energizing lights and appliances. Any extra
power flows out to the power grid, actually spinning your utility meter backwards! For more information or the name
of a dealer near you, just call one of our trusted partners listed below.
Reliable Technology From An Industry Leader
Business opportunities now available - join our team.
BP SOLAR
CANADA:
Powersource Energy Systems -
British Columbia
Toll Free: 888-544-2115
Phone: 250-544-2115
E-mail: info@powersourceenergy.com
Internet: www.powersourceenergy.com
Solar Solutions - Manitoba
Toll Free: 800-285-7652
Phone: 204-632-5554
E-mail: solar@solarsolutions.ca
Internet: www.solarsolutions.ca
Powersource Energy Systems - Alberta
Toll Free: 888-544-2115
Phone: 403-291-9039
E-mail: info@powersourceenergy.com
Internet: www.powersourceenergy.com
Trans-Canada Energie - Quebec
Toll Free: 800-661-3330
Phone: 450-348-2370
E-mail: rozonbatteries@yahoo.com
Internet: www.worldbatteries.com
Powersource Energy Systems - Ontario
Toll Free: 888-544-2115
E-mail: info@powersourceenergy.com
Internet: www.powersourceenergy.com
HOME POWER
THE HANDS-ON JOURNAL OF HOME-MADE POWER
Issue #74
December 1999 / January 2000
Features
More Features
8
Island Energy Microcosm
Block Island, Rhode Island is
off grid. The local on-island
utility charges lots for their
diesel-generated electricity.
Thus, RE use per capita is
high. Is Block Island a model
for communities to come?
20
Deregulation Catalyst in RI
The Rhode Island Utility
Restructuring Act has
helped to jumpstart the solar
industry.
24
Solar Cells & Brain Cells
Dick Anderson’s Industrial
Tech class at Scales Mound
High in Illinois built a great
mobile PV system for power
on the go, and education
too. Let’s hope that these
kids are our future.
34
Rural Medical Power
Agua Zarca, Nicaragua is a
town of only 150 families,
but the little medical clinic
serves twelve other villages
too. Two systems provide
PV-powered lighting and
vaccine refrigeration.
44
Renew the Earth Institute
The Midwest Renewable
Energy Association
(organizer of the biggest
energy fair in the known
universe) finally gets its own
home. The new energy
efficient and passive solar
building is perfect for
workshops, demonstrations,
and RE chautauqua.
52
RE System Data Logging
With a PC, an E-Meter, and
common software, you can
log data and graph your
system’s performance just
like the pros at NREL.
66
Southwest Renewable
Energy Fair
The
HP
crew travels to
Flagstaff, Arizona for this
second annual fair—a fun
event for the public and
industry insiders as well.
74
Wind Factory Tour
HP
visits the Southwest
Windpower factory, where
small-scale windpower is
redefined.
94
Wind Power Wrench
Hugh Piggott is one of the
few successful wind energy
do-it-yourselfers. We
question him on the secrets
of wind genny design.
GoPower
60
Solar Boats in Finland
Olli Kuusisto and friends
built solar-powered boats to
cruise the beauty of the
Finnish archipelago in clean,
quiet peace.
104
Batteries—Continued
Part two of Shari Prange’s
exploration of EV batteries,
and how to choose the right
ones for you and your car.
Cover: Postmaster Fred Leeder with the 6 kilowatt PV array that powers the Block Island, Rhode Island post office.
More GoPower
More Columns
Access and Info
112
Hybrid Hell?
Mike Brown calls “Reality
check!’” on the genset-in-
the-trunk myth.
118
Power Politics
’Round the world, the
nuclear menace continues.
And it’s usually not the
people who caused it who
have to deal with it.
122
IPP
IEEE 929 and the utilities’
attempt to restrict PV intertie
systems with their own
inability to provide clean
power. Go figure.
128
Code Corner
Grounding your PV array
when it’s far from the rest of
your system.
132
Home & Heart
Warming up to worms.
140
The Wizard
Global warming.
151
Ozonal Notes
Mule Power, and more.
Access Data
Home Power
PO Box 520
Ashland, OR 97520 USA
Editorial and Advertising:
Phone: 530-475-3179
Fax: 530-475-0836
Subscriptions and Back Issues:
800-707-6585 VISA / MC
541-512-0201 Outside USA
Internet Email:
hp@homepower.com
World Wide Web:
www.homepower.com
Paper and Ink Data
Cover paper is 50% recycled
(10% postconsumer / 40% preconsumer)
Recovery Gloss from S.D. Warren Paper
Company.
Interior paper is 50% recycled
(50% postconsumer) RePrint Web, 60#
elemental chlorine free, from Stora Dalum,
Odense, Denmark.
Printed using low VOC vegetable based
inks.
Printed by
St. Croix Press, Inc.,
New Richmond, Wisconsin
Legal
Home Power (ISSN 1050-2416) is
published bi-monthly for $22.50 per year
at PO Box 520, Ashland, OR 97520.
International surface subscription for
US$30. Periodicals postage paid at
Ashland, OR, and at additional mailing
offices. POSTMASTER send address
corrections to
Home Power,
PO Box 520,
Ashland, OR 97520.
Copyright ©1999
Home Power,
Inc.
All rights reserved. Contents may not be
reprinted or otherwise reproduced without
written permission.
While
Home Power
magazine strives for
clarity and accuracy, we assume no
responsibility or liability for the use of this
information.
Guerrilla Solar
85
Guerrilla 0007
Twenty-four Siemens SR100
panels are the business end
of this 48 volt guerrilla
system. Cell by cell, the
movement grows.
Homebrew
88
Y2K Disco Ball
The party won’t stop at
midnight if you build this
Y2K compliant dance floor
enhancement device.
Designed by real electrical
engineers, this high-tech unit
can even be powered by
your RE system.
Regulars
Book Review
6
From Us to You
80
HP’
s Subscription Form
81
Home Power’
s Biz Page
137
Happenings—RE Events
142
Letters to
Home Power
155
Q&A
157
MicroAds
160
Index to Advertisers
134
Going Underground
Want a cheap underground
house? Mike Oehler’s book
tells you how. Check out this
review by Don Kulha.
Columns
116
Word Power
Inverter: defined and
described.
Recycled Paper
Recyclable Paper
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]