Carey the intern did the math and layout for the alternative energy powerhouse late in the fall of 2008. The calculations she did were perfect. On December 21, the noon shadow falls just a little lower than the two feet we were hoping for. So the panels will get noon sun all year long.
She also did most of the leveling for the spot for the building and we made the structure from old pallets, scrap tin for the sides, a big left over window for the front and some roof membrane I scavenged when the neighbors redid their roof. The only new thing in the building are nails and sealant.
The panels will also get full afternoon sun. Winter mornings will be a bit iffy, but sufficient. This winter I installed the electronics and batteries. I have been using all solar for my lights since Jan. 12, 2009. There is plenty of power for lights from the one fifty watt panel that is installed at this time. I am careful and conserve and so I am able to get full use from what I have. If there were more people here, it might not be sufficient. But for just me, it is plenty. I also use some for my DVD player when I want to see a movie. There is a little left over for laptop work, but not for more than about an hour a day, which would be fine in a power outage.
Here are two pictures of the powerhouse. As you can see, it is quite small and not finished yet.
Here is a shot of the equipment, through the open door.
| Winter Lake Pages |
| Campus Description |
| Contact Information |
| Renewable Energy |
| Renewable Energy House |
| Financial Thoughts |
| Blogs |
| E-zine Articles |
| Research Summaries |
| Ongoing Research Projects |
| Water Systems |
| Wastewater Systems |
| Home |
| Links to other good sites |
| Site Map |