Generating your own power

[The Cannarchist]

It's about time we started to discus alternative power generation techniques

For those of us who are serious about this profession of ours..

Personally I like the look of Micro Hydroelectric systems at around the 40KVA mark.

I'd like to develop a "drop and play" system for steep slopes ..anyone seen a system they liked?

[plantbuilder]

http://www.powerpal.com/

[The Cannarchist]

Low head high volume......very nice.

[c-ray]

how's your russian?

http://www.faraday.ru/rusaes.html

[c-ray]

google 'stirling engine'

[c-ray]

how's your russian pb?

[plantbuilder]

http://www.faraday.ru/links.htm
http://www.faraday.ru/faraday_english.html

[c-ray]

http://www.mullerpower.com/index2.php

[plantbuilder]

water wizzards unite

[Tug]

Check this one out too.
Thanks to C-Ray.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3484490731703421398&sourceid=docidfeed&hl=en

peace - Tug

[tj_142]

best way would be a old capped oil well with byproduct is natural gas, run a nat gas generator, surplus units could be gotten, higher the speed, shorter the life
hydro you need min 75 foot drop at a a large volume, create DC and rectify to AC.

[The Cannarchist]

I was thinking 200 ft head through 2 x 6inch pipes flowing parallel to a mountainside creek leading to 2 x peltier wheel systems attached to 2 x 20kva gensets.

Something along those lines.

I found a few deisel Generators for sale online,cheap as the motors had blown but the gensets were fine.

[tj_142]

VC, check this site out
http://www.realgoods.com/renew/shop/product.cfm/dp/1200/sd/1201/ts/1017101

You can only produce dc power with hydro and must convert to AC by using a rectifier, do not waste money on a damaged set,



2 x peltier wheel systems attached to 2 x 20kva gensets.


Do you have means to regulate shaft speed at exactly 1800rpm? Most used gens are single bearing, you will require a two bearing alternator with dual shaft and flex coupling

[tj_142]

High maybe but not off, lol......60 cycle AC Voltage synchronous...alternators require constant speed either 900/1200/1800/3600rpm to produce 60 hz, their excition either comes from a PMG excitor or residual voltage

yes the word inverter should have been used instead of rectifier

[c-ray]

http://www.duropower.com/item.asp?PID=132&FID=1&level=0
http://www.duropower.com/item.asp?PID=135&FID=14&level=1

+

http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_make.html
http://www.biodieselcommunity.org/

[c-ray]

http://www.magenn.com/products.php

[tj_142]

all those engines have a designed life of about 2000hours at full load, to get your 8360 hors of life before major overhaul of diesel the mfg recommends funning about 35-30kw , should burn about 3 gallons n hr. Diesel 2.35 gal?, close enough GHopper $6 a hour
nite time dba in country or open land is about 50-55 even with noisey crickets.............75 dba could be heard from a mile away depending on terrian.......................oil changes and filter changes every 10 days at a cost of about $100.

[burnie]

OK generator gurus......help a guy out here . I`ve moved into a place with free natural gas . I`m looking for a 5K or under generator that`s continuous duty , and having all kindsa` trouble finding anything . And it has to be the slow spin jobbies (1800 rpm ) as I have neighbors within 100 yards or so . I`d like to rig it up in the root cellar and figure out how to muffle the exhaust noise . Out here in the sticks , the 5k would be enough to power up the house during times in the winter when the power goes off due to tree limbs etc . Has anyone heard of cont. duty this small (5KW) that runs on nat gas ? Thanks ! peace...burnie

[Glass Man]

OK generator gurus......help a guy out here . I`ve moved into a place with free natural gas . I`m looking for a 5K or under generator that`s continuous duty , and having all kindsa` trouble finding anything . And it has to be the slow spin jobbies (1800 rpm ) as I have neighbors within 100 yards or so . I`d like to rig it up in the root cellar and figure out how to muffle the exhaust noise . Out here in the sticks , the 5k would be enough to power up the house during times in the winter when the power goes off due to tree limbs etc . Has anyone heard of cont. duty this small (5KW) that runs on nat gas ? Thanks ! peace...burnie


Burnie,
Look into "Micro co-generation", I think that's what it's called. They are using these units in Europe which generate heat and electricity on a very small scale, for individual homes. I checked out some websites a while back, but had sorta forgotten about it.
About 10 years ago I was hunting for land with natural gas wells in TN, since I need gas for blowing glass. I never found the right place, but it's great that you have.

Good luck,
glass

[tj_142]

wouldn't be more prudent to run multiple 2kva units?

if your running AC power No, Sync equipment would kill you your running DC power Honda makes a 3000 watt AC gen that they parallel at dc. can get up to 6000watts I believe.

[Glass Man]

Gensets just aren't made for long term use. That's going to be your main thing to deal with "long term durability". If you have to pay 2X upfront but get 10X the lifespan, you'll end up being 5X ahead in the end. And that's not including the cost of setting up, shipping charges, etc 5 times. Durability is what you are looking for.

[c-ray]

take a look at stirling engines, low rpm, low pressure, flexible fuel source, could be interesting once they are more available

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stirling_engine

[tj_142]

Hey grasshopper, burn has a existing ac synchronous gen as well as AC contractor portable, we discussed in pm, he was looking into converting his gasoline units to nat gas with after market carb kit. I was answering his Q about expense of paralleling AC generators.

gensets are not designed for 24/7/365 use

I've seen thousands installed that run prime power.

Your idea is both plausable and feasable, but initial outlay of capital I believe exceeds burn's budget, he has a very good old 18hp engine Cast iron engine, whats the gen eff of of your DC alternator and approx cost of alternator alone?

[burnie]

Yeah , now you`re talkin` tj ! I`m waiting and listening . BTW , it`s an old 12 hp Briggs single cylinder . peace...burnie

[Herb]

This is some info from Bowers Power Systems web site.


GAS OR DIESEL?

We recommend diesels due to their longevity and lower operating costs. Today

[tj_142]

Burnie.............if your only running 2000watts of light, that 12hp has capacity to produce 7kw with a gen eff of .80, thats conservative.
so with free nat gas, a good 4kw gen can help do the job.....

on the net search for Winco PTO drive AC generator, they use these to run off a stub shaft of farm tractors and you can use a flex coupling and shaft to run it off that engine you have

If not maybe GH can help us with the 48volt DC and we can locate some surplus .com storage batteries and invertor

If you get this far, then
As far as noise, I can design a silent box made out of plywood and sound absorbing material to quiet that engine.............into the ground with exhaust will work as well, it does create backpressure, I can help take care of that noise too.

[burnie]

Thanks tj ! Think I`ve seen those hard rubber gear sets . Gonna` go look for `em now ! And gonna` check out Winco also . TA!! peace...burnie

[Herb]

Originally Posted by Grasshopper
ya all think i just fell off the truck last night?

I hear ya grasshopper and you make alot of since to me. But MacGiver and the boys from the A-Team are hell bent on building their generator. Oh Well! Good Luck!

[Jake Blues]

great info guys thanks for all the links.

[tj_142]

Herb, the budget is zero, thats why were trying to work thru it, being negative about it or commenting that we don't take Grasshopper advice is nothing but bullshit coming out of your mouth.
GH has provided excellent data and is very knowlegeable on the subject.....I tip my hat to him.....

you your a fffn troll

[Herb]

Sorry TJ didn't mean to strike a nerve and I'm certainly not a troll. I was trying to support GH and be humorous at the same time. I think my link to the Bowers site was a little more than just bullshit coming from my mouth.

By the way, Making useful things out of junk is what MacGiver and the A-Team were famous for.

Do I think that you can make a dependable generator out of an old 12hp air cooled engine? No

Was I sincere when I wish you guys good luck? Yes

[tj_142]

Actually the cast iron beauty he has has a designed life of over 20,000 hours before overhaul..........the key here is free natural gas...

Sorry if I took your post as trolling...Herb..........I've had a bad day, and read it with a attitude
by the way, the Bowers are some nice people, I used to sell them engines in a former life

[tj_142]

Thats perfect, that what he needs

[burnie]

Thanks for the link GH ! Just pmed the guy asking for info on his 3 and 5 KW head units . While looking there I found this :http://cgi.ebay.com/INDUSTRIAL-ONAN-5-0-KW-CONTINUOUS-VOLTAGE-5-KW_W0QQitemZ260030663424QQihZ016QQcategoryZ106437Q QrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Your guys thoughts on it ? Onans have a good rep from my understanding . Might be cheaper going this route . And I live close enough to take a few hours drive to pick it up . JUst wondering . THanks everybody ! peace...burnie

[burnie]

Thanks GH . That was sorta` my idea also . But if that eBay seller comes back with a really good price on just the 3 or 5 KW head unit ........??? With electric at the grow house running anywhere from 2-300 bucks every other month (depending on grow/bloom cycle) , I`m spendin` approx. $1500 a year on electricity . With a gen to run just the grow and accessories , I`d easily halve that total . Be nice to get both....that way I`d have back up , even if the grid goes down temporarily . Gots ta` go do some thinkin` on the subject . Back later ! peace...burnie

[tj_142]

burnie, that looks like it would do the trick!!!!!!!!

[burnie]

Anyone got a link to a Nat gas conversion (from gasoline) company that sells the retro kits ? Can`t seem to find my old links . Seriously debating getting both , and converting both to nat gas . Then with luck , I might be able to swing a 2 year free of the grid grow . One last quick question : Is there any oil additives or synthetics you`d reccommend to help prolong the life of these 2 motors ? Really appreciate the help guys ! peace...burnie

[Glass Man]

I don't know where you get conversion carbs, but I bet they would be a very simple design considering how simple natural gas & propane burners are.

Have you ever seen a "venturi burner"? They have no moving parts, except for a plate for adjusting the air flow. The air is pulled into mix with the gas by siphon caused by the gas pressure alone.

I really wouldn't be surprised if you couldn't rig up a little gas nozzle directly into the air inlet (like inside of the air filter) of the carb which is already in place, and adjust it with a simple needle valve. Just keep the original carb set at full throttle, and adjust the engine speed with the needle valve.

Of course you'd need to tinker with it a bit to figure out how it works. And of course you'd do your R&D outside away from combustibles and with good ventilation.

GM

[burnie]

Got sniped on that Onan while at work today ! Lost by $5 in the last 10 seconds , so I figure the guy was runnin` one of those sniper programs . Anyways , found another....basically the same unit with a transfer switch . Almost double what the other one went for.....but whadda` ya` think about this : http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220020520653&ssPageName=MERCOSI_VI_ROSI_PR4_PCN_BIX&refitem=260030663424&itemcount=4&refwidgetloc=closed_view_item&refwidgettype=osi_widget#ebayphotohosting Let me know your thoughts ! Thanks again guys ! peace...burnie

[tj_142]

4.5hp is 3kw

[burnie]

4.5hp is 3kw ? 4 1/2 horsepower is 3 KW....please explain to this ol` burnt out ! I thought it was showing 4 1/2 horse power with an out put of 2 KW ....am I missing something ? peace...burnie

[mace]

yep, tj is right.

Watts= Horsepower x 746

[tj_142]

x generator efficiancy of around .80

[burnie]

Still not real clear on that . But you`d think Onan would be.....at least enough to get their specs right . So is that gen set and transfer a decent deal ? Thanks guys ! peace...burnie

[c-ray]

not available quite yet but interesting, zinc fuel cell:
http://www.poweraircorp.com

[burnie]

c-ray , the zinc looks promising , but still looks to be a short ways off . Being touted now as " stand-by" , with continuous in the near future . Lotsa` in between the lines reading you hafta` do on their site . peace...burnie

[c-ray]

http://www.magnegas.com

[c-ray]

solid oxide fuel cells
http://www.acumentrics.com/pdf/SOFCResidential510kw.pdf

[Parabola]

hellium filled wind generators

http://www.magenn.com/

[lazi]

This is a UK link, they sell steam powered generators, might be of interest.

http://www.prestonservices.co.uk/generators.htm

Edit:
A couple of years ago I came across a US site that sold large steam powered generators. They also sold plans for building your own. applications included suppying a large house with power so OK for continous running. They charged ~$90 for the plans and wouldn't answer technical questions until you'd bought those plans. (To eliminate timewasters they said.) If i can find it I'll post the link.

I have seen 8Kw natural gas generators but they have to be run outside and are a snoisy as a vacuum cleaner. I'd guess steam is quieter.

[anonymyster]

take a look at stirling engines, low rpm, low pressure, flexible fuel source, could be interesting once they are more available

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stirling_engine

Thx a lot c-ray! Another 6hrs down the drain...haha ;)
But seriously...Thx for link!

It seems they are getting there tho. The units going public in the UK are said to put out 1K I think it was. Pretty expensive tho...$4000 if memory serves? (I actually did the reading last week)...but even at a price like that, a crop and a half and it's payed for:)

[Tug]

If it needn't be huge output, Honda sells a 12kW diesel generator that comes in a sound-reducing metal cabinet (on wheels), it has a flip up door for access.

peace - Tug

[vapor]

it is still pretty loud....

[anonymyster]

Any size gen-set can be purchased with a sound barrier box actually Tug. Even a little 4K one.
In the box, they are quieter but not exactly quiet.

Nony

[Lungus]

If you have the cake the ones to get are the ones the movie guys use. Those bad boys run almost silent but they put out enough power to run all their lights and equipment on set.

[Lungus]

This unit here could likely run 20 lights on a flip flop along with all the fans and equipment to go with them. I didn't find the price on this one, but I saw another unit that was 40KW for $8200, so this is likely somewhere to the tune of $4000-$5000. Here's a link to the unit.
http://www.emergencypower.com/gf3.htm

http://www.emergencypower.com/images/gf3b.jpg

[c-ray]

nice..but it says standby use I wonder if it would be OK
I am sure there are lots of similar ones on the net to choose from
still I am thinking natural gas is a better way to go...cheaper fuel and always on tap, and not so much on the radar

[Lungus]

I brought that one up once somewhere and got shot down, damned if I can remember why. The life of the motor on that diesel unit is supposed to be 20,000 hrs which is on par with the heavy equipment I operate, so if you planned on 24hr use, a rebuilt backup motor would have to be on hand to change out every 2 years or so.

[anonymyster]

nice..but it says standby use I wonder if it would be OK
It does say 'standby use'...but it looks like they are trying to say 'continuous standby'...lol
And being an 1800rpm unit...they are supposed to last longer than the 3600rpm units by a long shot.

[Lungus]

And being an 1800rpm unit...they are supposed to last longer than the 3600rpm units by a long shot.
Four stroke diesel engines are not supposed to run over 2400 rpm, running in the 1800 rpm range will be easier on fuel and still be in the high end of the torque curve. The 3600 rpm units will be gas powered and gas engines don't last nearly as long as a diesel.

[anonymyster]

Ya, I didn't know 3600rpm diesels gen-sets existed until I saw a few online.
Here's one for example...
http://survivalcenter.com/Diesel%20Generators.html

[Lungus]

So it is, ya learn something new everyday.

[anonymyster]

I brought that one up once somewhere and got shot down, damned if I can remember why.
I was just surfing around and recalled your comment here when I read this (http://www.cannabis-world.org/cw/showthread.php?t=2946) thread.
Hang10 makes a valid point regarding tapping into the NG supply line to the home imho.

[Lungus]

I just went back and read that one and they make a good point but I also remember that before Hydro wouldn't say a thing to the cops as long as you paid the bill, and we're talking bills like $600+ bucks a month. If you could get a hold of a gas powered pottery kiln or some such thing to explain copious gas use it might not be as ulcer inducing. The problem, like Hang 10 said is that these units aren't designed for continuous use, but if you went to a unit that is rated beyond what you would need, the decreased load might give some decent life out of the engine, although the increased expense might be prohibitive.

[c-ray]

from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2007/02/19/ccview19.xml

[QUOTE]By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
18/02/2007

Within five years, solar power will be cheap enough to compete with carbon-generated electricity, even in Britain, Scandinavia or upper Siberia. In a decade, the cost may have fallen so dramatically that solar cells could undercut oil, gas, coal and nuclear power by up to half. Technology is leaping ahead of a stale political debate about fossil fuels.

Anil Sethi, the chief executive of the Swiss start-up company Flisom, says he looks forward to the day - not so far off - when entire cities in America and Europe generate their heating, lighting and air-conditioning needs from solar films on buildings with enough left over to feed a surplus back into the grid.

The secret? Mr Sethi lovingly cradles a piece of dark polymer foil, as thin a sheet of paper. It is 200 times lighter than the normal glass-based solar materials, which require expensive substrates and roof support. Indeed, it is so light it can be stuck to the sides of buildings.

Rather than being manufactured laboriously piece by piece, it can be mass-produced in cheap rolls like packaging - in any colour.

The "tipping point" will arrive when the capital cost of solar power falls below $1 (51p) per watt, roughly the cost of carbon power. We are not there yet. The best options today vary from $3 to $4 per watt - down from $100 in the late 1970s.

Mr Sethi believes his product will cut the cost to 80 cents per watt within five years, and 50 cents in a decade.

It is based on a CIGS (CuInGaSe2) semiconductor compound that absorbs light by freeing electrons. This is then embedded on the polymer base. It will be ready commercially in late 2009.

"It'll even work on a cold, grey, cloudy day in England, which still produces 25pc to 30pc of the optimal light level. That is enough, if you cover half the roof," he said.

"We don't need subsidies, we just need governments to get out of the way and do no harm. They've spent $170bn subsidising nuclear power over the last thirty years," he said.

His ultra-light technology, based on a copper indium compound, can power mobile phones and laptop computers with a sliver of foil.

"You won't have to get down on your knees ever again to hunt for plug socket," he said

Michael Rogol, a solar expert at Credit Lyonnais, expects the solar industry to grow from $7bn in 2004 to nearer $40bn by 2010, with operating earnings of $3bn.

The sector is poised to outstrip wind power. It is a remarkable boom for a technology long dismissed by experts as hopelessly unviable.

Mr Rogol said he was struck by the way solar use had increased dramatically in Japan and above all Germany, where Berlin's green energy law passed in 2004 forces the grid to buy surplus electricity from households at a fat premium. (In Britain, utilities may refuse to buy the surplus. They typically pay half the customer price of electricity.)

The change in Germany's law catapulted the share price of the German flagship company SolarWorld from

[Green Supreme]

Nice info C-ray. Pretty handy stuff. I look forward retail availability. Peace GS

[Green Supreme]

http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,72752-0.html?tw=wn_index_1

[c-ray]

that's cool I hope it works out

[The Cannarchist]

Why are we paying?

It's daylight robbery

[humble1]

what needs to be developed above and beyond solar is our wind capacity in the jetstream. i don't have the links for you, but if you're really interested i'll dig'em up.

[c-ray]

information is good ~ let 'er rip

[humble1]

flying wind turbines. here ya go:
http://www.worldchanging.com/archives//004052.html

[vapor]

http://www.greengeek.ca/2007/02/23/plasma-process-converts-garbage-into-clean-energy/

[c-ray]

http://www.greensteamengine.com/

[c-ray]

all in one wind turbines:
http://www.skystreamenergy.com/skystream/product-info/
http://www.atlantasolar.com/product_info.php/products_id/1965

[The Cannarchist]

http://watermotor.net/indexflash.htm

[nuggdigger]

Home built methane power:yowza:

http://www.vidmax.com/index.php/videos/view/970

[The Cannarchist]

This is what we want!

http://www.solarwarrior.com/

[Green Supreme]

You sure its not more like this. Peace GS

http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=5492007

[c-ray]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FREE-ENERGY-POWER-GENERATOR-100-KW-SEE-VIDEO_W0QQitemZ7612097685QQihZ017QQcategoryZ633QQr dZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[nuggdigger]

so i take it no one liked my home built methane power hey..LOLOL..jeez hard crowd:cry:

http://sci-toys.com/gael/guerilla_solar.jpg

Grid-tied solar systems avoid the expense of batteries by using the power company at night, but running the electric meter backwards during the day by generating solar power from panels on the roof.

Generally, this involves permission from the power company, and permits from the local building inspectors. But many are avoiding all of that by installing the panels and grid-tied inverters by themselves, on the sly. This is usually done only with small systems, since a system actually big enough to run the meter backwards for a month will attract the attention of the meter reader. Small systems just slow the meter down by the amount they generate.
The ability to do guerilla solar installations is made much easier by the availability of small intertie capable inverters, such as the Trace Micro Sine. You connect the solar panels to the inverter, and then make a plug for the inverter (instead of a socket) so that it can plug directly into a wall socket in the house.

The inverter won't operate unless it sees a sine wave from the power company, so having a bare three prong plug hanging out won't electrocute you (besides, it's normally plugged in). This feature also protects linemen from being zapped by your solar panel when they are repairing the lines.

You can get larger inverters to support larger solar panels, and basically connect them the same way, if you are planning on generating even more electricity.

Companies like Xantrex sell grid-tie interfaces for larger inverters, to manage the syncing up to the power grid. These are generally about $400 or so.




http://sci-toys.com/gadgets

peace:exhale:

[The Cannarchist]

What do you think that 100kva Free power Genset runs off C-ray????? Joe cell?

[c-ray]

wind power ghetto style -> http://www.poormansguides.com/index3.htm

[anonymyster]

Always interesting links from the c-ray!..I love it!

It's been a while since I looked into it. But over in the UK someone has made a Stirling engine product available to market if memory serves.
Heats water as well as generated 1000W. Again...if memory serves, it would be about $5-7000Can. But even at that...think about it. It's near dead silent, great longevity, cheap as shit to run compared to a regular gen set...powering 1K, it'd pay for itself in 2-3 cycles. :)

While I have ya's again...why is this site so dead? I don't post much cuz no one else is. And some very decent posters from a while back even deleted all their shit and left.
What was/is the scare here at CW? Thx...Cheers

[Green Supreme]

The chatter has removed itself and started its own site. Its called the cannacabana. Paranoia was the scare. They said this was turning into a commercial seed site. They also couldn't believe a site could be run without mods. LOL. Still waiting, I'm sure their accusations will come true one day and they will be lurking to say 'I told you so". Heehee. Peace GS

[nuggdigger]

a wind farm

[nuggdigger]

these are no tonkas...the head up top is the size of a bus:shocked:

[c-ray]

aqualene
http://definitiveenergy.net/electricity.html

[c-ray]

for hillbillies
http://www.linux-host.org/energy/sgreen.htm

[c-ray]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2850891179207690407

[c-ray]

from http://www.nhregister.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18538388&BRD=1281&PAG=461&dept_id=7559&rfi=6

Abram Katz, Register Science Editor
07/01/2007

Every hour of sunlight carries enough energy to supply the world with electricity for about a year.

However, sunlight is spread over a wide area — one hemisphere of Earth — and there is no efficient way to collect it.
Advertisement

Also, cars, trucks, boats, rockets, emergency generators, and even camp lanterns, require fuel, not electricity.

And collecting solar radiation takes a lot of expensive photovoltaic cells.

Gary W. Brudvig, chairman of chemistry at Yale University, has a map of the United States with a square about the size of Iowa. That’s about how large an area would have to be covered with solar cells to generate enough electricity for the U.S.

Power consumption on a global scale is enormous. The world runs on about 15 terawatts, or 15 trillion watts, a year. Plastering almost 100,000 square miles around the globe with 10 percent efficient photo cells would generate about 20 terawatts.

A substantial amount of that electricity would be lost in power lines, and if a storm system happened to pass over an array, local power would drop instantaneously.

Photovoltaic cells are also environmentally dirty.

So the U.S. Department of Energy is seeking novel methods of providing renewable power.

Brudvig and colleagues have received a highly competitive DOE grant to find a way to convert solar energy directly into usable nonfossil fuel.

Yale and 13 other institutions were selected for funding from about 700 energy proposals, Brudvig said. Yale will receive about $1.44 million over the next three years.

"There is a lot of momentum to develop renewable energy. First the concentration was on hydrogen. Now it’s solar energy," Brudvig said.

That suits him well, because he has spent decades studying photosynthesis, the process with which plants transform sunlight, water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates and oxygen.

Brudvig’s group is working on a simplified way to emulate green plants, minus the chlorophyll, leaves, roots, and carbon dioxide.

As a practical matter, solar energy through artificial photosynthesis could supply about 600 terawatts a year, he said.

Why not just grow more plants and make more ethanol?

The big drawback of fermentation is that yeast can only digest sugars. Consequently, only 3 percent of a corn plant can be fermented, Brudvig said. Other plants may have a higher sugar content, but a bulk of the sun’s energy is still locked up as cellulose and lignin.

Right now growing corn to produce fuel is a losing proposition, he said. More energy goes into growing and processing the corn than can be tapped from the final ethanol.

Plants are less than 1 percent efficient in converting sunlight into biomass, Brudvig said. "Plants are just trying to live and reproduce, so that’s fine for them," he said.

Photosynthesis would have to be about 10 times more efficient to help people with their energy needs, he said. Natural photosynthesis is a good interim measure, but Brudvig and colleagues decided to design an artificial system to harness sunlight with greater efficiency, he said.

"Our goal is artificial photosynthesis, to move electrons not using chlorophyll," he said.

Brudvig is experimenting with manganese complexes hooked onto nano particles of titanium oxide and suspended in water.

Nano particles are the material of choice because they maximize surface area, essential to a process that depends on light.

Both manganese and titanium are common in Earth’s crust and relatively inexpensive, he said. Earth also has a large supply of water.

The manganese molecule can absorb energy from sunlight and use it to split water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen. The plan is for the manganese to split a water molecule into one oxygen atoms, two positively charged hydrogen nuclei and two negatively charged electrons, he said.

These electrons are transported to the titanium oxide, where light boosts them into a higher energy state andconducts them to another reaction surface that create hydrogen, methane, methanol, and other fuels.

"Any fuel has excess electrons. We could transfer the moving electrons to make hydrogen, and then use hydrogen to turn carbon dioxide into methanol," Brudvig said. That is, in chemical symbols, CO2 + 6 e- + 6 H+ ---> (CH3 OH) + H2O.

Excess oxygen from the water would be released to the atmosphere.

Manganese has no trouble with salt water, either.

"We want to unravel the principles so we can make fuel from sunlight. We have to disentangle what are the rules of the game," he said.

Among the questions to be answered is how the electrons are transported into the titanium oxide particle, and how best to anchor the manganese complexes onto the nano particles.

Another challenge is to translate microscopic nano particle complexes into an industrial scale, Brudvig said.

The ultimate invention may resemble a solar panel, plus hoses to carry away fuel. Reactions would take place in a two-chambered photocatalytic cell.

Meanwhile, petroleum is expected to run out in about 50 years and coal in another200 to 300. To meet the anticipated planetary energy demand of 2050 would require opening a nuclear power plant every using nuclear power alone would require opening a nuclear power plant every day for the next 50 years, Brudvig said.

Solar energy is a more likely energy source, he said.

On this project Brudvig is collaborating with Victor S. Batista, Robert H. Crabtree, and Charles A. Schmutternmaer, all of Yale.

[c-ray]

Sundermann Low-head Water Turbine:
http://www.sundermann.com.au

the only water turbine that can produce electricity from low-head, low-velocity water
designed for use in tidal flows, rivers and streams
can be produced in varying sizes (from 1 kW upwards) and used as single units or in batteries

Simple, effective design
Generates power from renewable energy source
Lower cost power generation than from other energy sources
Lower cost power generation than from other paddle-type turbines
Environmentally and aesthetically friendly
Captures low grade hydro energy that would normally be wasted
No expensive foundations or civil works required
Can be mounted on any floating platform
Potential power source for towns in developed and developing countries
Potential power source for remote homes and villages
Easily adapted to most tidal and stream situations

[Green Supreme]

How this 12" tube can halve your heating bill. Peace GS

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/technology/technology.html?in_article_id=481996&in_page_id=1965

[vapor]

http://www.solarpowerrocks.com/solar-politics/how-far-could-68b-go-in-securing-our-energy-independence-pretty-damn-far/

[c-ray]

Safe, Inexpensive Hydrogen Fuel
http://www.planetsave.com/blog/2007/11/10/safe-inexpensive-hydrogen-fuel-for-your-car/
audio interview from the inventor ->
http://thelindbergreport.org/2007/04/19/safe-inexpensive-hydrogen-fuel-for-your-car.aspx

[islandgrow]

Pretty cool wind power Site I found about 15 grand for the whole system in the USA I was watching a TV show on it (only good thing I have found on the tv in a long time)

http://www.turby.nl/

not inter nation yet but its can cut power costs for the avg home by 2/3 or so the company says.

[c-ray]

from http://www.popsci.com/popsci/flat/bown/2007/innovator_2.html

THE MICROWAVE MAGICIAN
http://img.timeinc.net/popsci/flat/bown/2007/images/innovators/green_hawk.jpg
Frank Pringle has found a way to squeeze oil and gas from just about anything


I’m not sure if I’m watching a magic trick, or an invention that will make the cigar-chomping 64-year-old next to me the richest man on the planet. Everything that goes into Frank Pringle’s recycling machine—a piece of tire, a rock, a plastic cup—turns to oil and natural gas seconds later. “I’ve been told the oil companies might try to assassinate me,” Pringle says without sarcasm.

The machine is a microwave emitter that extracts the petroleum and gas hidden inside everyday objects—or at least anything made with hydrocarbons, which, it turns out, is most of what’s around you. Every hour, the first commercial version will turn 10 tons of auto waste—tires, plastic, vinyl—into enough natural gas to produce 17 million BTUs of energy (it will use 956,000 of those BTUs to keep itself running).

Pringle created the machine about 10 years ago after he drove by a massive tire fire and thought about the energy being released. He went home and threw bits of a tire in a microwave emitter he’d been working with for another project. It turned to what looked like ash, but a few hours later, he returned and found a black puddle on the floor of the unheated workshop. Somehow, he’d struck oil.

Or rather, he had extracted it. Petroleum is composed of strings of hydrocarbon molecules. When microwaves hit the tire, they crack the molecular chains and break it into its component parts: carbon black (an ash-like raw material) and hydrocarbon gases, which can be burned or condensed into liquid fuel. Pringle figured that some gases from his microwaved tire had lingered, and the cold air in the shop had condensed them into diesel. If the process worked on tires, he thought, it should work on anything with hydrocarbons. The trick was in finding the optimum microwave frequency for each material—out of 10 million possibilities.

Pringle has spent 10 years and $1 million homing in on frequencies for hundreds of materials. In 2004 he teamed up with engineer pal Hawk Hogan to take the machine commercial.

Their first order is under construction in Rockford, Illinois. It’s a $5.1-million microwave machine the size of small bus called the Hawk, bound for an auto-recycler in Long Island, New York. More deals loom: The U.S. military may use Hawks in Iraq on waste such as water bottles and food containers. Oil companies are looking to the machines to gasify petroleum trapped in shale.

Back at the shop, Pringle is still zapping new materials. A sample labeled “bituminous coal” goes in and, 15 seconds later, Pringle ignites the resulting gas. “You see,” he says, “why they might want to kill me.” —RENA MARIE PACELLA

[The Cannarchist]

http://www.nanosolar.com/products.htm

99 cents per watt for the flexi solar panel foil..............

Lets look at a 10K grow @ 7 cents per KW/hr.

12 hrs a day at 0.07 x 10 K= $8.40/day

x 365 days = $3066 per yr.

So you could pay off the 10 grand investment in 3 1/3 yrs and never get tracked by your hydro company.

Thats a 4 lb of weed investment to keep you safe.......

[c-ray]

what about when it's cloudy?

[The Cannarchist]

Its not all about us C-ray.........:headbang:

[c-ray]

^^^^true dat

here's an interesting interview about the green steam engine...which will be available in a 12 hp version near the end of this year for a projected cost of $500...from these folks -> http://www.nearfutures.com
http://pesn.com/Radio/Free_Energy_Now/recordings/2007/071217_JohnRead_NearFuturesEnergyCorporation.mp3

[c-ray]

same as the hillbilly windmill link above but this is a complete website
http://www.greenwindmill.com/
Robert Green rocks

[c-ray]

meanwhile in Japan:
http://www.reuters.com/news/video?videoId=84561&;feedType=VideoRSS&feedName=Environment&rpc=48&videoChannel=74
http://www.energyfromair.com/


and there's this too


SOURCE: Cyclone Power Technologies, Inc.
Jun 05, 2008 07:00 ET
Algae Bio-Fuels Successfully Tested in Clean, Green Cyclone Engine

POMPANO BEACH, FL--(Marketwire - June 5, 2008) - Cyclone Power Technologies (PINKSHEETS: CYPW) announced that it has successfully run its revolutionary external combustion Cyclone Engine on fuels derived from pure algae.

The company reported that algae fuel burned cleanly and with greater thermal efficiency than previous tests on Ethanol and other alcohol-based fuels. Additionally, the bio-fuels tested were 100% pure algae with no diesel additives, which means that the refining process required for use in the Cyclone Engine would be less expensive and less time intensive than the process required for use in today's diesel engines.

Over the last few months, the company has received great interest from algae fuel producers for use of the award-winning Cyclone Engine as a power generator. The Cyclone is an eco-friendly engine capable of running on virtually any fuel or fuel combination without modification of its combustion chamber or fuel injector, and is scalable to practically any size or power output from small garden equipment to automobiles, boats and large industrial generators.

"We were very pleased with the performance of the algae fuels," stated Cyclone's CEO, Harry Schoell. "Algae has outstanding potential as a legitimate bio-fuel of the future, especially in conjunction with the Cyclone Engine. It generates substantial BTUs and can be grown almost anywhere. Just as important, algae fuel is not competitive with food supplies."

ABOUT CYCLONE

Cyclone holds the U.S. patent, international patent applications, and exclusive commercial rights to the Cyclone Engine, an environmentally-friendly and highly-efficient external combustion, heat-regenerative engine. Developed by the company's President and CEO, Harry Schoell, the Cyclone Engine regenerates (or recycles) its heat, which allows it to run cleaner, cooler and more efficiently than traditional internal combustion engines. The Cyclone Engine is capable of running on any liquid or gaseous fuel, including ethanol, bio-diesel and propane, and is lubricated with de-ionized water instead of motor oil. By eliminating many subsystems like oil pumps, radiators, catalytic converters and fuel injectors, Cyclone Engines are expected to cost less to manufacture, operate and maintain; however Cyclone Engines are highly scalable and sufficiently powerful for applications ranging from lawn equipment and small home generators to cars, trucks, buses, ships and locomotives. The Broward County Environmental Protection Department recently named Cyclone Power Technologies as the "Environmental Business of the Year," and Popular Science magazine recently named the Cyclone Engine "2008 Invention of the Year."

Safe Harbor Statement

This release contains certain "forward-looking" statements, as well as historical information, involving risks and uncertainties, which are covered by the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements include those that use forward-looking terminology, such as the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "project," "plan," "will," "shall," "should," and similar expressions, including when used in the negative. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable and achievable, these statements involve risks and uncertainties and no assurance can be given that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to certain factors, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, events and performance to differ materially from those referred to or implied by such statements. Additionally, the company's actual or future results may differ materially from those anticipated depending on a variety of factors, including continued acquisition and maintenance of favorable license arrangements, success of market research identifying new product opportunities, successful introduction of new products and continued product innovation, sales and earnings growth, and general economic conditions. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements attributable to us are expressly qualified in their entirety by these and other factors. Cyclone Power Technologies does not intend to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this release to conform these statements to actual results, reflect events or circumstances or to changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law.

[c-ray]

some new ideas

first from http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=ddb2644f-9849-4294-a06d-da946912f2d9
Windsor inventor says new motor will solve fuel crisis

Dave Hall
The Windsor Star

Monday, August 25, 2008

Michael Axford is developing an electromagnetic engine and is close to finishing a prototype.

A former Chrysler Canada worker has designed and patented what he says is the "perfect solution" to the gasoline crisis -- an electromagnetic piston motor that will eliminate our dependence on oil and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Michael Axford, who holds a Mexican patent on the invention and is in the process of acquiring another in Canada, said his invention eliminates gas tanks, fuel lines and a vehicle's exhaust system, while retaining all the remaining service parts.

"You just turn the key and away you go," said Axford. "A centre spool in the cylinder head is wrapped with copper coils. When a driver turns the key, the battery sends voltage to the coil -- which then becomes an electromagnet -- instead of to the spark plugs and the magnet drives the pistons."

Axford acknowledges there are similar products in various stages of development, but says only his uses magnets of identical polarity so that the pistons are driven down into the cylinders with a pulse of magnetic energy. The pistons travel just 31/2 inches and Axford said the electromotive force is sufficient to drive them all the way through the cylinder.

"And mine just uses a repelling motion to drive the pistons rather than a combination of repelling and attraction," which often causes problems in the delivery of power, said Axford.

"Electromagnets are strong enough to pull trains, so there's no issue with them being strong enough to drive the pistons," said Axford, who has been working on his project since he took a buyout from Chrysler 15 months ago.

But the idea has its skeptics.

A professional engineer, who declined to have his name published, said "I don't really see how this can work because you can't get more energy out of something than you put into it, otherwise you're dealing with a perpetual motion machine. I also don't think there's enough charge in these batteries to drive the magnets. But Mike's best chance is to get one built and prove that it can work, I guess."

But Axford said "it should perform identically to existing engines. It will idle at 500 r.p.m. so once the gear is engaged, you'll have immediate roll. It won't react with a delay and a jerky motion like a golf cart.

"All the blocks used in this engine will be aluminum so they're not magnetic and the cylinder head and the electromagnets will have a protective cover so they don't affect the vehicle's electronic systems," said Axford.

"And because the system pulses just like a sparkplug, there's no constant drain on the battery."

Axford, who doesn't have an engineering degree but is a self-profess car buff recently completed a patent process in Mexico, using a law firm based in Merida. And now that paperwork is complete he intends to use it to apply for a patent in Canada.

"I had it done in Mexico because it's far less expensive and so far, this effort has all been self-funded," said Axford.

Axford now plans to retro-fit a motor from a Saturn once he takes delivery of some magnetic discs from a manufacturer in China. When the retrofitted prototype is complete, Axford said he'll be in a position to stage demonstrations and plans to drive the vehicle across Canada to prove its reliability.

In the meantime, he's pursuing government grants to help fund the demonstration, to build another non-retrofitted prototype and find somewhere to begin limited production.

Axford said he plans to seek licencing and royalty agreements with the Big 3 domestic automakers once the engine has been field-tested and validated.


here's a new vid of a 4 piston green steam engine:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=r5jiMX1LwjI


parabolic solar troughs in case you haven't heard of them...could power the above green steam engine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parabolic_trough
http://www.physorg.com/news98469930.html
http://www.redrok.com/main.htm <- lots of great solar links and info on this site
and from http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=17169&ch=biztech&a=f
Friday, July 14, 2006
How To Build a Solar Generator
Affordable solar power using auto parts could make this electricity source far more available.
By Kevin Bullis

http://www.technologyreview.com/files/905/Bullis%20071406%20solar%20collectors.jpg

Demand for solar power is rapidly heating up (see "New Solar Technologies Fueled by Hot Markets"). But constructing and deploying large photovoltaic panels to generate electricity remains expensive. Now two groups at MIT are working on alternative approaches to solar-based electricity that could significantly cut costs -- and put the ability to harvest electricity from the sun into the hands of villagers in poor countries and backyard tinkerers alike.

During a stint in the Peace Corps in Lesotho in southern Africa, Matthew Orosz, an MIT graduate student advised by Harold Hemond, professor of civil and environmental engineering, learned that reflective parabolic troughs can bake bread. Now he plans to use these same contraptions to bring power to parts of Africa baked in sun but starved for electricity. His solar generators, cobbled together from auto parts and plumbing supplies, can easily be built in a backyard.

The basic design of Orosz's solar generator system is simple: a parabolic trough (taking up 15 square meters in this case) focuses light on a pipe containing motor oil. The oil circulates through a heat exchanger, turning a refrigerant into steam, which drives a turbine that, in turn, drives a generator.

The refrigerant is then cooled in two stages. The first stage recovers heat to make hot water or, in one design, to power an absorption process chiller, like the propane-powered refrigerators in RVs. The solar-generated heat would replace or augment the propane flame used in these devices. The second stage cools the refrigerant further, which improves the efficiency of the system, Orosz says. This stage will probably use cool groundwater pumped to the surface using power from the generator. The water can then be stored in a reservoir for drinking water.

The design uses readily available parts and tools. For example, both the feed pump and steam turbine are actually power-steering pumps used in cars and trucks. To generate electricity, the team uses an alternator, which is not as efficient as an ordinary generator, but comes already designed to charge a battery, which reduces some of the complexity of the system. And, like power-steering pumps, alternators, including less-expensive reconditioned ones, are easy to come by.

As a result, the complete system for generating one kilowatt of electricity and 10 kilowatts of heat, including a battery for storing the power generated, can be built for a couple thousand dollars, Orosz says, which is less than half the cost of one kilowatt of photovoltaic panels.

"You can't afford something that's designed for solar. You have to buy something that's mass-produced for something else -- that way the cost is reasonable," says Duane Johnson, owner of Red Rock Energy, in White Bear Lake, MN, who developed and sells thousands of the inexpensive LED-based sun-tracking devices Orosz uses to orient the solar concentrators. Most of the devices are used to position photovoltaic panels, he says, but some people are using them with old satellite dishes to concentrate heat and make steam. Sales of his devices have been growing 25 percent a year, a rate similar to that of the solar photovoltaics industry.

Repurposed auto parts aren't the only way to go. Amy Sun, a graduate student in MIT's Media Lab, has designed an inexpensive system that uses heat from a solar concentrator to drive a type of turbine originally patented by Nicola Tesla. Rather than making complex, difficult-to-manufacture bladed turbines, Sun turned to the Tesla turbine, which consists of simpler flat disks stacked like records on a central shaft. The disks are carefully spaced to allow steam to flow between them. As the steam flows, friction between the steam and the surface of the disks causes them to rotate. "Once I have rotational shaft work, I can couple it to almost anything -- an air pump, compressor, fan, mixer, grinder, sewing machine, refrigeration compressor, and, to power those very few things that are truly electric in nature, an electric generator." She calculates that this system, which she says is simple enough for an eight-year old to make, can produce cheap power.

Of course the overall economics of these solar generator systems depend on how long they will last and how much maintenance they will require. The lifetime for Orosz's system could be quite good, since it uses parts designed for rugged service in vehicles. It also works at relatively low temperatures that, in addition to making it safer and easier to work with, won't strain the performance limits of the plumbing used.

Having already built a working prototype, Orosz's next step, which he hopes to accomplish starting this September in Lesotho, is to optimize manufacturing and set up a financing system, drawing on a recent $100,000 World Bank grant, to make the system affordable to villagers who would likely use the generator in a community center and as a battery-charging station.

Although their system was originally designed for Lesotho, Orosz and his colleagues believe it might appeal to amateurs elsewhere. "Backyard tinkerers could build it themselves. No doubt about it," says Amy Mueller, an MIT graduate student who's taken on a leading role in Orosz's project. "Matt's dad has one of these that we built to heat his Jacuzzi."


oh btw the nanosolar (http://www.nanosolar.com/products.htm) site says: "Want to Buy Panels? We are presently already sold out for the next 12 months. We are working hard to scale our production capacity as fast as possible. Please sign up above to be notified of availability."

[Lungus]

While it is a novel idea, I can't see how, with all it's extra moving parts, this electromagnetic piston motor could be more efficient than a traditional rotor and stator motor which only has two bearings and the only wear parts are the brushes. It seems just a little bit Rube Goldbergian to me to make a piston engine using electromagnetic force and the wasteful changes in direction the driving energy has to make along with all the friction involved with pistons sliding in cylinders and all the extra bearings needed in such a machine. Can't see it going anywhere.

[c-ray]

yes that's true but.....imagine being able to retrofit any internal combustion motor driven vehicle with some magnetic heads, and turning it into an electric vehicle

[c-ray]

Alcohol Can Be A Gas:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5182282754145092406&ei=Gg7MSPDqAqGI-gGbj-C4Ag

[Parabola]

http://www.instructables.com/id/How_I_built_an_electricity_producing_wind_turbine/

build your own wind turbine

[Janosh]

Yeah yeah yeah. It seems if you want to get off grid you want get away from oil as well.
Take the rear end out of a wrecked 3/4 ton pu with floating axels, pull the axels and cut the hubs off with a cutting torch somewhere on the housing before the differential. This will give you a way to mount the hub. Now take an old wheel and fix with long pipes for wind sails or water wheel buckets. Reinstall axel and wheel use other end of axel to drive belts or hydraulics, High torque low rpm. Step up speed to run Vehicle Alternators externally regulated so that electricity can be delivered with the initial unrectified AC to the battery bank and rectify it there. Saves using large diameter wire for transport.
Make your own batteries/electrolyzers. Build FC Ferro cement tanks and make electrodes to fit from old batteries

[The Cannarchist]

It is nice to have you here Janosh.

Nothing like the backwoods to promote practical innovation.

:joint3:

[Janosh]

It's nice to be here

[Janosh]

I got the last of the cover on my greenhouse before it got dark last night. We are supposed to have several days of snow sleet and wind. It's raining on 8-10 inches of accumulated snow now.
Now to button up the ends, make some doors, and rig up the fans to inflate the double envelops. Then to make the bubblers for insulation.
55 feet or about 18 meters of greenhouse and 40 feet, or 13 meters of shop.
Yahoooo!

[c-ray]

rock on bro!!!
keep us updated eh..

[Janosh]

The burning bush says "You will know the Truth and the Truth shall set you Free."

[c-ray]

friction boiler (http://www.energeticforum.com/renewable-energy/2835-friction-steam-boiler-6.html#post36996) + green steam engine (http://www.greensteamengine.com) = :chin:

[Janosh]

I think you just snagged my curious. Are these available for sale anywhere?

[Parabola]

that is awesome c-ray, relatively simple but revolutionary

[Janosh]

OK Gurus, why not use a hydraulic drive to run the generator or large electric motor using any large engine at its most efficient operating speed and govern the generator speed with hydraulic control?
Personally I plan to hook cables up to my battery bank and charge batteries with the alternator on my vehicle while warming up. An inverter will convert the battery charge to AC as needed. No wasted run time. If you keep some extra batteries in a vehicle you use allot you can be charging the whole time your using the vehicle.
A slow speed sail type windmill is quiet and gives lots of torque to turn altenators as well and performs in very low winds.

[c-ray]

someone came out with a generator box on a trailer recently, that can be towed around and generate power for home...but I like your idea much better

also I am reading there are techniques and devices now that can recondition used batteries


A slow speed sail type windmill is quiet and gives lots of torque to turn altenators as well and performs in very low winds.

you've seen this one, right?
http://www.greenwindmill.com

I found another interesting windmill design recently, based on a tesla turbine like vertical spindle of disks with some perpendicular blades to guide the air into the turbine

sorry I have no links for you this morning :(

[Lungus]

Close to where I lived back east there was, and likely still is, a vertical wind turbine. It looked like a huge egg whisk. The beauty of it being vertical it is always orientated to the wind and doesn't have to rotate on the top of a tower.

[c-ray]

I think I know where you mean ;)
that area is awesome

[Lungus]

I think I know where you mean ;)
that area is awesome
The one I'm talking about is just outside of Arthur, I believe, which is not too far from Guelph. You wouldn't happen to be an Aggie, would you C?

[webeblzr]

I've recently found this fine process, and it just captured my imgination. I hope someone else enjoys this also.



http://www.wood-gasification.com/

http://www.instructables.com/id/Convert_your_Honda_Accord_to_run_on_trash/

[nuggdigger]

Co4kFG4cJMk

[nuggdigger]

5kL8ys8m0-4

[c-ray]

gSFTQznlbF4

[c-ray]

http://vimeo.com/8194089

[vapor]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4252692.stm

[c-ray]

lol ^

[DOZEE]

what kind of jacket and shirt ?

[vapor]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/us_and_canada/10385853.stm

Many might be alarmed to learn of a homemade nuclear reactor being built next door. But what if this form of extreme DIY could help solve the world's energy crisis?

By day, Mark Suppes is a web developer for fashion giant Gucci. By night, he cycles to a New York warehouse and tinkers with his own nuclear fusion reactor.

The warehouse is a non-descript building on a tree-lined Brooklyn street, across the road from blocks of apartments, with a grocery store on one corner. But in reality, it is a lab.

In a hired workshop on the third floor, a high-pitched buzz emanates from a corner dotted with metal scraps and ominous-looking machinery, as Mr Suppes fires up his device and searches for the answer to a question that has eluded some of the finest scientific minds on the planet.
Continue reading the main story

We have people in the whole gamut [building reactors] from physicists to electronics people to car mechanics to even one janitor

Richard Hull Founder, Fusor.net

In nuclear fusion, atoms are forcibly joined, releasing energy. It is, say scientists, the "holy grail" of energy production - completely clean and cheap.

The problem is, no-one has found a way of making fusion reactors produce more energy than they consume to run.
'I was inspired'

Mr Suppes, 32, is part of a growing community of "fusioneers" - amateur science junkies who are building homemade fusion reactors, for fun and with an eye to being part of the solution to that problem.

He is the 38th independent amateur physicist in the world to achieve nuclear fusion from a homemade reactor, according to community site Fusor.net. Others on the list include a 15-year-old from Michigan and a doctoral student in Ohio.
The fusion reactor in the Brooklyn warehouse Mr Suppes has spent the last two years perfecting his reactor

"I was inspired because I believed I was looking at a technology that could actually work to solve our energy problems, and I believed it was something that I could at least begin to build," Mr Suppes told the BBC.

While they might un-nerve the neighbours, fusion reactors of this kind are perfectly legal in the US.

"As long as they [private citizens] obtain that material [the components of the reactor] legally, they could do whatever they want," says Anne Stark, senior public information officer for California's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

During fusion, energy is released as atomic nuclei are forced together at high temperatures and pressures to form larger nuclei.

Scientists say devices like Mr Suppes' pose no real threat to neighbouring communities or the environment because they contain no nuclear materials, such as uranium or plutonium.

"There is no chance of any kind of accident with fusion," says Neil Calder, communications chief for Iter, a multi-national project begun in 1985 with the aim of demonstrating the feasibility of fusion power.

"There's no CO2 pollution, there's no greenhouse gases, you can't use it for proliferation [the spread of nuclear weapons] - it has so many advantages," he said.
'Mechanics to janitors'

Government-led efforts to produce power from fusion have been going on around the world for 50 years.

Iter - funded by US, Japan, Russia, India, China, and South Korea - is working on a multi-billion dollar, advanced reactor, due to be built in the south of France by 2019.

But the availability of equipment and technology has seen an increasing number of amateurs enter the fray.
Brooklyn residents News of a nuclear reactor in the neighbourhood got a mixed reception

"We have people in the whole gamut, from physicists to electronics people to car mechanics to even one janitor - and all these people share a common bond to do nuclear fusion in their home," said Richard Hull, founder of Fusor.net.

Some experts are sceptical that all these people are producing fusion reactions, but when he demonstrates his device, Mr Suppes says a bubble meter placed next to the reactor indicates that a fast neutron, a by-product of fusion, has been produced.

The amateur scientist began building his reactor two years ago, purchasing parts on eBay with $35,000 of his own money and about $4,000 he raised on a website that connects artists and inventors with private investors.

"Real researchers that are working at Los Alamos [US Department of Energy National Laboratory] and are working at Lawrence Livermore are following this and commenting on it, even though it's not an officially sanctioned project," he says.
Tricky situation

Mr Suppes sees his work in nuclear fusion as more than just a hobby, and he intends to try to build one of the world's first break-even reactors - a facility producing as much energy as it uses to operate.

"He now has to go out and do what everybody else has to do, which is to convince people to invest in his project - whether its government funding or private funding to carry him through," said Mr Calder.
WHAT IS NUCLEAR FUSION?
Continue reading the main story Inside of Mr Suppes' fusion reactor

* Nuclear fusion is the source of energy in stars such as the sun
* The best fuels for fusion are two types, or isotopes, of hydrogen - deuterium and tritium
* Energy is released as atomic nuclei are forced together at high temperatures and pressures to form larger nuclei
* Reproducing these conditions on Earth is extremely challenging

Mr Suppes is hoping to build a break-even reactor from plans created by the late Robert Bussard, a nuclear physicist who drew up plans for a fusion reactor that could convert hydrogen and boron into electricity.

Work on a scaled up version of a Bussard reactor, funded by the US Navy, has already been taking place in California.

But Mr Suppes believes he will be able to raise the millions of dollars it takes to build a Bussard reactor because he feels someone with enough money "will feel they cannot pass up the opportunity" to find out if it will work.

Iter said it would be wrong to dismiss out of hand the notion that an amateur could make a difference.

"I won't say something that puts these guys down, but it's a tricky situation because there is a great deal of money and time and a lot of very experienced scientists working on fusion at the moment," said Mr Calder.

"But that does not eliminate other ideas coming from a different group of people."
What neighbours say

For Mr Suppes, convincing the experts is one thing. Convincing the locals is another problem entirely.

"A homemade nuclear fusion reactor being built in Brooklyn - I would have thought there would be some sort of rules and laws about messing around with nuclear fusion in your apartment," said Brooklyn resident Stephen Davis. "I'm not sure I'd like that living right next to me."

"The fact that he's trying to form a new kind of energy is all well and good," said another local, Christopher Wright. "But without the proper scientific work behind it, I don't know if it's too good of an idea."

But others had a more positive outlook on Mr Suppes' reactor.

"I think it's a good idea. If a guy can make an invention like that, it should definitely be spread around so we don't need to depend on oil," Brooklynite Chris Stephens told the BBC.

"We need to do something that's new and more creative for society."

[dpn]

http://www.magnets4energy.com/?hop=unlimelect
http://www.unlimited-electricity.com/?tid=vig

this has me excited!

[dpn]

extractor fans, intake or fans in general could use this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnYHBowc8SQ&feature=sub

[dpn]

well it seems the video above may be a sham? sorry for getting peeps hopes up if i did.

[dpn]

http://www.overunity.com/index.php?topic=7679.0

i have no idea how this machine works, but its some form of tesla technology?


same video nugg posted, but over 200 pages of descussion to float through

[dpn]

http://johnbedini.net/john34/stubblefield.html

bloody interesting............. take note.

In my test of an "earth battery system using grounding rods", when transmitting audio frequencies the weeds grew wildly. The normal weeds were so big that it took a tractor to cut them down.... It was found that tubes work the best.

[vapor]

http://johnbedini.net/john34/stubblefield.html

bloody interesting............. take note.

In my test of an "earth battery system using grounding rods", when transmitting audio frequencies the weeds grew wildly. The normal weeds were so big that it took a tractor to cut them down.... It was found that tubes work the best.


as soon as i read that i thought Tesla he had a system for transmitting power that worked on the ground instead of the air no wires etc , thats one interesting dude to read about, i wonder if the greys got him?

[Fungus Nat]

They discredited him and stole all his work, now they use his technology in aerospace and weaponry...classic

[dpn]

ive heard from a good source tesla was a fraud and credited with all the fame, when it was others work and teams of other people working on a concept...... that pretty much sums up our whole bs HIStory

HIS = he/him
story = fiction

[Homegrown]

Just out of curiosity. Propane generators are safer for the enviroment and burn off CO2. With a cooling process to lower the tempature of the exaust in which using the CO2 to feed your Crops?

[The Cannarchist]

This is the one I think will do it.I have the full plans if anyone with the knowhow wants to try it.

http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/forum.cgi?read=183926

[GoKart Motzart]

im not sure if this simple concept has been posted on here yet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkgyY47duCM&feature=channel

[vapor]

cray lets build one of these
http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/forum.cgi?read=181024

[nuggdigger]

http://rossicoldfusion.com/

[vapor]

interesting!

[c-ray]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTWOCTVWrT8

[vapor]

http://inhabitat.com/13-year-old-makes-solar-power-breakthrough-by-harnessing-the-fibonacci-sequence/


nature eh/////

[c-ray]

in the future when there are water fuel cells powerful enough to run any existing gas or diesel engine using only water, what kind of vehicles will we choose to drive?

[vapor]

hoover boats.....

[c-ray]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYFCkAY0HWg

[c-ray]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifF-MOuzM_s

[vapor]

hacker dude says it is real....
B4PkNPCEnJM&feature

[c-ray]

cold fusion, coming soon

http://www.peswiki.com/index.php/News:Real-Time_Updates_on_the_October_6,_2011_E-Cat_Test

welcome to the future

[c-ray]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jH3JTo-u5E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26G2QfYs3Gs

[c-ray]

Electricity from E-Cat Possible Within a Year

http://www.e-catworld.com/2011/11/andrea-rossi-electricity-from-e-cat-possible-within-a-year/

[c-ray]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2l5Z9T_x8A

[GoKart Motzart]

Scientists report first solar cell producing more electrons in photocurrent than solar photons entering cell

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-12-scientists-solar-cell-electrons-photocurrent.html

[vapor]

http://www.scribd.com/doc/47447158/secrets-of-antigravity-propulsion-pdf-november-11-2010-11-21-pm-28-7-meg

[vapor]

Nasa says cold fusion the real deal yo!

http://mnispel.net/neengineer/?p=380

http://technologygateway.nasa.gov/media/CC/lenr/lenr.html

[c-ray]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaTsjNeBZ9Y