Renewable Energy Eyesore?

Over the past few years there's been quite a fracas over the industrial scale wind farm to be installed on our ancient mountain tops. (never mind entire mountains being removed not too far away) In typical corporate culture, Invenergy LLC had ulterior motives and omitted certain facts about the venture. Well they got caught omitting info and got punished by the Judge; they had to scale back the installation and get a license to kill bats.
I've been flipping back and forth about my feelings over the turbines. After all, they do represent one of the paths our country will follow for cleaner energy. Even my son, Ivan, posted a comment on my Big Oil Mess post. He said the sight of large scale RE sites pales in comparison to the gulf oil spill and the reckless/deadly mining of coal. I was surprised by his comment since he barely mentioned energy issues before.
While large scale RE growth will forge ahead, I think we all have the opportunity to do decentralized power generation and conservation. Modern RE devices are compact and the prices coming down. One can start on the smallest scale and build up over the years.
If you go to http://openpv.nrel.gov/ You can explore all the PV installations in our country that were reported to Open PV. No need to login just hit the explore section or search box. My brother Jeff and I put Greenbrier County in first place of all the WV counties. Shocking. It shows how one can make a difference.

Solar Community Brainstorming

I'm thinking about which solar fun project I will do next. The thought occurred that I should gather feedback from the viewers of my blog. If you have some unique and intriguing idea, respond with a comment or email me at bob@alterra-wv.com.
If I see something of interest, I might generate an engineered schematic for the archive or even build it for display.
Thanks in advance.

More Solar Fun

We will soon have an archive of schematics for solar projects on our website. Here is a sample of the first one showing plans for the pond aerator. This could also be used for fountains or irrigation.

A Wireless Solution

When we installed the PV grid tie array we used Enphase microinverters. These convert the DC to AC and there is one on each panel. Besides their other benefits, they can transmit data over the AC line about its performance. This data is accessible through an interface box simply plugged into any outlet. From there you may connect to your computer for simple monitoring or have a very comprehensive display and archive on a website that Enphase creates for you. Of course, this requires a broadband connection.
Our shop has DSL, however we are at the maximum distance from the phone company's DSL box at 19,000 feet. Our house is even further out making landline DSL impossible.
The solution? A point to point wireless bridge. If you don't have any hills in the way, you can beam two way data for up to 3 miles. It can even overcome a few trees in the way.
The cost is under $500 which is a one time charge. If we could get landline DSL it would cost us $49 forever. This thing will pay for itself in 10 months
Greenbrier Communications of Lewisburg, WV selected the hardware and will be configuring the system tomorrow. If all goes well, we will be posting a link for you to see our grid tie array in action.
Besides accommodating the data, we will have wifi in our house. This will be especially handy if I want to research a new recipe for dinner. All is right with the world.....

Pond Solar Aerator Online

I spent most of the day Saturday in the blazing heat to finally install the solar aerator I mentioned in a previous post. It is comprised of 4) 55 watt 12vdc solar modules, some 12-2 SO cable, a switch box w/a voltmeter and ammeter, 2) 12vdc bilge pumps rated at 1000 gallons per hour each, some 3/4 plastic tubing, stainless steel cage for a pump filter, foam float for the nozzles, and an old steel pipe for a bottom weight.
Once I was finally able to turn it on, the sun was already far to the west. However, the performance was impressive for the money I had in it.
The following morning, Tenley and I watched it slowly rise in power as the sun came over the trees and the mist burned off. She joked about having it computer controlled to make it dance. Well, later in the day, puffs of clouds raced in the sky and the wind picked up too. I thought, there is no need to make it artificially dynamic, the forces of nature were at the controls, diminishing the flow then gushing forth and the wind changing the water splash patterns.
Now, I wonder how it will change the pond's environment. Usually in the Fall you can smell an off-odor anaerobic whiff once and a while. Meantime, I will monitor turbidity and color of the water. It usually exhibits many state changes though the year, but I'm not sure what they mean. I can only take note of variations from previous years. Of course, there are many forces at work like wind, nutrients, or weather anomalies to throw me off.
I'll be looking into getting some UV resist flotation foam for the nozzles to make an island for turtles, frogs, or waterfowl to perch on.

Solar FUN

Here at Alterra our focus is usually on scoring a nice residential or commercial PV job. However, I recently realized there are those who would love to get their feet wet with some small solar application that would be both fun and inexpensive. Something that costs hundreds, not thousands. So, myself and friends
have been brainstorming fun projects one could do with solar energy. It could be practical or some visual spectacle.
Projects usually fit into three levels of system sophistication. (expense)
1) Direct drive: a properly sized array connected directly to a motor or pump. Just a switch and a fuse for safety. No sun, no run.
2) PV array, charge controller and batteries: This could run a low voltage appliance or lights with the reserve power for night use.
3) PV array, charge controller, batteries, and inverter: This system can provide auxiliary AC power for computers, TV, audio, small tools, and lights. Perhaps even a circuit in your house if you put in a transfer switch on that circuit.
I have two direct drive pieces on the property. One is a pond aerator using just panels, two submersible pumps (12vdc), some tubing and spray heads. The system should pump 1500 gallons per hour from the pond bottom (12 feet) and spray the water into the air at the surface. This will help oxygenate and turn over the bottom anaerobic water. Nutrient load and rotting vegetation causes this dead zone. (eutrophication) The other device is a simple solar whirlygig to attract passerby attention on US 219. Its a 180 watt panel with a 24vdc gearmotor spinning crabpot bouys. Most people think its wind driven.
Another application is as an electric cart charger. The blue cart has a single 60 watt panel on the roof. It acts like a range extender giving you more time between grid charges.
My brother, Jeff Hoffa, has a 60 watter on the cart and an aditional 120 watts on the roof. He made a charging station so he can plug in the cart for a total of 180 watts. He has no charge controller but he does have a volt meter mounted in the cart so he can manually control the maximum charge voltage. Since he does not use his cart as much as we do, he'll have a surplus. Since the battery pack in a cart is 48vdc and about 8 kWh of storage. Thats enough reserve to justify purchasing an inverter to use as emergency house power or use as a small single circuit supply.
Just think of the many uses and the fun it would be to construct a solar power kinetic sculpture or water fountain. We have several 12 volt and 48 volt panels available for $1.49/watt ( $80 something each panel) We will be developing small installations and contraptions as time goes on and posting some simple plans on our website. 'Til then dream something up and get a taste of solar.

The Big-Oil Mess

After watching the responses of BP on stopping the oil, I believe they will do anything except seal the well forever. If the estimates are right, that hole produces 4 million dollars a day if they could only trap it all and sell it. That's why the "relief wells" are being drilled hoping that when complete they could be the producing holes in the future. I guess they see they are going to need a lot of income to cover their asses.
The Feds on the other hand are slow to bring in the cavalry because it would hurt them politically if they asked for one more cent of tax payer's money. So, most of the effort so far has been to secure the funds from BP, and rightfully so. The states affected just don't have the budget.

A few weeks ago I emailed both BP and CNN with my idea of a possible solution. Drill a hole parallel near to the gusher and lower an engineered conventional explosive. Seal that hole and let her rip. If it is close enough to the gusher it would collapse the well like a soda straw. Even if it allows some leakage, the pressure would be reduced enough to install a new assembly on top of the well. I saw on CNN the other day where another solution is to use a nuclear bomb in the same fashion. Geez, a bit overkill and typical sensationalized reporting. I wonder if we could get a Daisy Cutter to fit down a hole?

Another thought I had was to capitalize on the spill. That goo must be worth something even if it is only good for asphalt. Enterprising boat owners could outfit their rigs to collect the goo. They could then haul it to a collection barge or something and get paid for their harvest. Similar to the incentives that drive people to collect scrap metal and haul it to the yard for a $ check. I think the value could even be subsidized for more incentive and still be ahead of the expensive, complicated contracts with skimmer outfits.

Computer Tip

ABOVE: THIS IS HOW MY COMPUTER USED TO RUN


I've had my Dell 4550 since 2003 and have been quite satisfied most of the time. After you run it over the years it slows down until you really notice how bad it is. I've tried all the system tools and Ad-Aware cleanup. Marginal improvements. The hard drive runs more and more transfering bits as you open and close programs. I thought I had to take to a shop and have them clean it up.
Then I talked to a tech about putting in more RAM. My machine has two 512 MB slots and only one card installed. I ordered another 512 for about 30 plus bucks. The performance was exhilarating, I went here and there and opened up many programs very quickly. Even the DSL seemed faster. I assume the delays were from the hard drive being a cache because the old 512 was swamped. If you have similar problems, fill up the RAM to the max. It will be the best money you ever spent.

Walk the Talk

We have been pursuing our renewable energy (RE) business for over two years now. We have had some nice solar PV jobs and also sold some components to offgrid families. While the interest in RE has grown due to the current administration's push to get off oil and the gross oil spill in the Gulf, individuals have been cautious about spending the money. The economic slowdown had come at the worst time for us to start the change.
Our personal plan was to put one 1800 watt grid tie array at our house. We had already put in a solar hot water system in the year prior. The solar hot water delivered the heat equivalent of 2.5 MWh (megawatt-hours) or 2500 kWh (kilowatt-hours) in one year of operation. This cut down on our grid use by over 25%. And for the last two years we have tackled numerous energy drains by replacing bulbs with CFLs and modifying our habits. Once we had reduced the majority of our wasteful use, we decided to invest the money in a PV array. Well, that one array turned into two because of an overstock of unsold modules.
As of June 8th we were officially net metering with the grid. Its quite exciting to see your meter read less than the day before. We hope to generate excess credits to use this winter when the sun is dim and we demand more power.
The decision to invest the money in RE is not based on economics but the feeling we had to get started on the road to carbon free energy. PV modules can last up to 60 years and the microinverters are rated at 331 years in mean time between failures (MTBF). My grandkids may one day be thankful that it was installed. I wonder what the electric rates will be in 2070?
RE is expensive, but so is a SUV, power boat, or some other neat toy. It came down to a matter of priorities, we will never have a big new gas hog. We are quite happy with our '02 Jetta TDI.

Nothing remains the same

Usually, I would focus on the positive but, this time I must reveal a personal, somewhat unsettling discovery.
Its about mushrooms, or at least the ones in a jar I love to put on my pizzas. When I was either an elementary student or a Cub Scout, I was on a field trip to Temple, PA, the mushroom capital of the world. It is located near Reading, PA in Berks County. I remember countless huge long barn-like structures without windows. Inside were continuous racks, like bunkbeds, full of manure and thousands of button mushrooms.I have images stored clear as day still and always think of that experience when I buy mushrooms.
So, the other night I was making a couple small pizzas for dinner. I looked at the jar while waiting on something and saw the Pennsylvania Dutchman logo and "Americas favorite mushroom" (which is bordered by the outline of the USA) on the front label. I turned the jar around and saw the funny little caricature of a PA Dutchman. Near the bottom I saw Giorgio Foods of Temple, PA. My mind flashed back to the experience of my youth and felt satisfied.
My eyes swung to the bottom of the label and I was shocked beyond belief; it read PRODUCT OF CHINA. After a moment I thought about how I was mislead by the jar. Then becoming calm again, I wondered how the "Capital of Mushrooms" would outsource their product and ship it in from halfway around the world. Gosh, I wondered if there are traces of heavy metals and who knows what in that jar. Plus, think of the energy required and carbon released to maintain this method. The money would be better spent paying higher wages to the local industry and continue to recycle manure into wonderful mushrooms.
The point of this message is that not all is what it appears or what you used to know. I already spend at least half my time in the market reading labels trying to avoid certain things in the ingredients. Now, it looks like I'll have to ramp up my vigilance while shopping. Great....

Big Green Dot

Alterra's largest contribution to mitigate climate change is not the RE installations, but the land itself.
Currently, and for the past 28 years, approximately 70 acres of marginal land and woodland has been allowed to grow and is sequestering CO2 at the rate of 3 tons per acre per year. This produces the following trivia facts:

70 acres x 3 tons = 210 tons per year, that's 420,000 lbs per year
In equivalent kilowatt hours, using 2.2#/kwh= 191,000 kwh or 191 megawatt hour (Mwh) offset.

Now after 28 years, the numbers become staggering:
Total tons CO2 sequestered: 5,880 tons or 11,760,000 pounds
Total equivalent kwh: 5,345,454 kwh or 5,345 mwh offset
Total equivalent in gasoline: 691,764 gallons or over 20 million miles of driving at 30 mpg

Our annual usage footprint which includes 4 people, 2 homes, 2 shops, some cars, and a few animals comes to about 10 tons of CO2 per year. This represents 1/20 or 5% of the CO2 being sequestered every year by allowing the marginal lands to turn back to a climax forest. Hopefully, this can be sequestered for centuries to come. After the first 100 years the uptake will diminish but the accumulative affect will be stable.

Calculations by Bob Hoffa
Alterra Renewable Energy Experts