Wepower and Cleanfield to Merge
 Jan 11, 2010, two VAWT wind turbine companies have announced plans to merge - WePower and Cleanfield. Both companies have had VAWT wind generators on the market for a number of years.
WePower hopes to gain access to some of Cleanfield's patents and technology and Cleanfield is looking at the distribution chain of WePower.
While both companies have VAWT wind generators for sale, we are not impressed with their supporting documentation. Neither company provides production numbers in a standard or useful way. We would stay clear of their products until they can provide accurate and useful production numbers.
Read more on home sized wind generators - both VAWT and HAWT
Home Wind Turbines....
DIY Solar Water Heater
 We have several DIY solar projects including solar ovens, solar pool heaters, solar PV panels solar air heaters and batch solar water heaters. We have just added another solar water collector - a bit more involved than a batch water heater or "bread box" water heater. Take a look at this design by Jake Teaters.
Solar Water Heaters
Grow Your Fresh Air With Houseplants
 As we made are homes and workplaces more energy efficient and air tight, the quality of indoor air greatly decreased. Use these houseplants to remove indoor air toxins. Plants are ordered by their ability to remove chemical toxins, how easy they are to grow and their resistance to pests.
Grow Fresh Air
OPA Issues 700 MicroFit Contracts for Solar Rooftops
The Ontario Power Authority issued 700 contracts today (Dec 16) for MicroFit Solar PV systems. These solar installations will be paid 80.2 cents per kilowatt hour (kWH) for the next 20 years, for every kWh of power produced. More...
Germany Posts Record Solar Installations
(Reuters) – Germany will add a record of up to 3 gigawatt (GW) of photovoltaic capacity this year due to unexpectedly strong demand in the final months of 2009, the head of Germany’s BSW solar industry association said on Monday. Read More...
60 Million in the Dark in Brazil
Associated Press,Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Heavy rain, lightning and strong winds caused blackouts that left nearly a third of Brazilians — 60 million people — in the dark, officials said Wednesday as they scrambled to restore confidence in the country’s infrastructure before soccer’s 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics.
The blackout cut electricity to 18 of Brazil’s 26 states and left them without power for up to four hours Tuesday night. The federal district that includes the national capital of Brasilia was spared. About 7 million people also lost water service in Sao Paulo. All of Paraguay briefly lost power.
Read More...
How Home Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Works
Interested in a small solar photovoltaic (PV) project for your home, cottage or camp ground? Here’s a quick overview of how it works and how to setup your own small solar PV system.
How Solar PV Works
Tesla Roadster Travels 313 Miles on a Single Charge
It’s EPA rated for 244 miles on a single charge, but with a bit of control, and below highway speeds, the crew at Tesla achieved 313 miles (501 km) on a single charge.
Read More: Tesla Roadster
Hand Sanitizers vs Soap
Which works best against H1N1, germs and bacteria?
Hand Sanitizers vs Soap
Bee-Inspired Small Wind Turbine
Video of a home wind turbine designed after the wing movements of a Bee.
Bee Inspired Wind Turbine
Hybrid Vehicles
What is a Hybrid Vehicle - full hybrids, mild hybrids and more...
Hybrid Vehicles
Honeywell Builds Home Wind Turbines in Windsor, Ontario
We're reviewed the Honeywell WT6000 home wind turbine earlier (Home wind turbines) and found issues with mounting and production numbers. Read the CBC News announcement on their new factory in Windsor.
Honeywell to Build Home Wind Turbines in Windsor
Prepare Home For Winter
Sealing air leaks with caulking, expanding foam and tape. And add a little insulation if you need it. Read more..
Prepare for Winter
Chickens Chickens Chickens
Having mastered the backyard garden, most people wishing to grow or raise more of their own food, add a few chickens to the mix.
Rasing Chickens
Chicken Coops
Chicken Recipes
DIY Solar Pool Heaters
Extend your pool season while saving on heating bills by making your own solar pool heater.
DIY Solar Pool Heater
Green Driveways - Grass Pavers
Green driveways reduce storm water runoffs and the pollution that carries as well as reduces the island heat effect of large dark surfaces.
Green Driveways
Another New EV for 2010
Sept.4 - Peugeot Citroen and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. have agreed to launch an electric car in Europe by the end of 2010, the companies said Friday.
The French and Japanese car makers said the as-yet unnamed vehicle will be based on Mitsubishi's i-MieV, which was launched on the Japanese market in June.
Past Newsletters
We have added an archive of all past newsletters. They can bee seen here: newsletters
Alternative Fueled Vehicles
Mazda has worked on electric and hydrogen fuel vehicles for several years, though they seem to keep a low profile. The Mazda Premacy Hybrid RE Vehicle uses their rotary engine and a combination of electric and hydrogen power. The Premacy and RX-8 hybrid can also use gasoline as a backup fuel if needed.
Mazda Premacy Hybrid RE Vehicle
Greenest Cars
List of greenest cars updated...
Greenest Cars
VAWT- Ready for Testing
We have finished our first Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT). However, we still have concerns about our gearing system. Once we have some test results, we'll be sure to post them here.
DIY VAWT
Honeywell WT600 Home Wind Turbine
Honeywell has redesigned the home wind turbine, placing the generator around the outside edge of the blades. Read more..
Honeywell WT6000
New Project - VAWT
We have started to build our first Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT). Follow along, as we document our experience.
DIY VAWT
Natural Mosquito Repellent
With the arm weather, mosquitoes have also arrived. Don't let them spoil your outside fun. You can make your own natural mosquito repellents, just remember - they don't last as long as DEET based repellents, so reapply often.
Natural Mosquito Repellent
Energy Saving Tips
Energy saving tips for your heating, cooling, water, fridge, etc...
Energy Saving Tips
How to Compost
Warm weather has arrived or almost arrived and my composter is hard at work making new soil for this year's garden. Learn how to setup your own compost bin.
How to Compost
DIY Rain Barrels
We setup our rain barrels in 5 minutes this week. Flip them over and connect to the downspout. If you don't have rain barrels yet, we have some simple instructions to show you how to make one or two or four.
DIY Rain Barrels
DIY Solar PV Panels
We take a look at building your own solar PV panels. It's a very nice project - requires soldering skills and a bit of woodworking and you learn lots.
DIY Home Solar Panels
Wind Turbine Furling
You worked hard building your DIY wind turbine and now you look forward to days when the wind blows hard. The power output increases as a CUBE of the increase in wind velocity - a 3 fold increase in wind speed means a 9 fold increase in power output.
Problem is, your DIY wind turbine won't survive very many of those "extreme" wind days. You need a way to protect your wind turbine from high wind damage, while allowing it to still produce power at the top end of it's output curve. You need to FURL your wind turbine in high winds.
Wind Turbine Furling
Build an Axial Flux Alternator for Wind Turbines
DIY Wind Turbines are very popular and usually very quick and simple to build. The permanent magnet D.C. motor has a lot to do, with making this process EASY. However, good D.C. motors (Ametek 30), that produce a workable voltage and current, at low revolutions per minute (rpm) are becoming hard to find. Ebay is loaded will people selling motors for wind turbine projects, that simply WILL NOT WORK at the rpms that a homemade wind turbine can produce.
A homemade axial flux alternator could be your best alternative. While the process to make your own, may seem complex, why not give it a once through. Some of the plans on the internet, show you how to make top of the line jigs and tools, which can be reused many times. If you only want to make one or two alternators, the steps can be simplified.
Homemade Axial Flux Alternator
DC Wind Turbine Motors on eBay - BEWARE
DIY Wind Turbines have become very popular items in the past year. We have DIY plans forboth horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWT) and vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) on this site. And yes, in the beginning we recommended people take a look on eBay for used DC Motors to use in their DIY Wind Turbines.
Unfortunately, as the demand for DC Motors has increased, so has the supply “of inappropriate” motors.
DIY Solar Ovens
2 sets of plans for DIY Solar Ovens - one very portable, one insulated for use in cooler areas - both for under $10.
Box Solar Oven
Windshield Shade Solar Oven
DIY Home Air Pressure Test
7 easy steps to perform your own air pressure test - find and fix those air leaks. Not only reduce your cost to heat & cool your home, but feel more comfortable without the drafts. See more here: DIY Home Air Pressure Test
Cheap & Easy Solar Projects
7 inexpensive, easy solar projects - from easy landscaping to diy solar heating: Easy Solar Projects
11 Money Saving Tips for Tough Times
All 11 of these tips cost NOTHING to implement - start saving today: 11 Money Saving Tips
DIY Wind Turbines
As the price of electricity rises, so does the interest in making your own windmill or wind turbine. We have designs and links for the do it yourself builder for both:
Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWT)
Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines (HAWT
The HAWT we have built ourselves. The VAWT will be our next project.
Electric Plug-in Vehicles
Electric plug-in vehicles are available today, that can travel over 100 kms (60 miles) before a recharge, with top speeds exceeding 100 km/h (60 mph). Even greater ranges and speeds are on the horizon.
Read more on Electric Plug-in Vehicles.
How much CO2 does Electric Vehicle produce vs Gasoline Power Vehicle?
Pounds CO2 per kwh of Electrical Production - Listed State by State and Provinces
Just how much Power is in the Wind, for producing electricity? - Wind Turbines
There's just a little bit of math involved, but you can easily figure out how much power a small wind turbine can produce, given the length of the blades and the wind speed. With this information, you'll know if you should listen to that Salesman, or walk away.
How Much Power is in the Wind
Step by step instructions with parts list and tools list. Makes a great science project.
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - starting with reduce. Lower your carbon footprint by carefully considering each purchase. Is this a “want” or a “need”. Can I get it in good used condition from someplace else? Does it have minimal packaging.
- Operate your large electrical appliances in off-hours. If you use a dryer, run it in off-peak hours. (using a clothes line is even better)
- Turn down the temperature on your hot water heater.
- Make your own household cleaners. It’s easy and quick. See http://greenterrafirma.com/cleaners.html for recipes.
- Shorten your shower times and take fewer baths. (if you buy a low flow shower head you can greatly reduce your hot water usage and keep those longer showers).
See the full 16+ items here. |
