Renewable Energy

The basement has been taken over to work on renewable energy projects.

The cellar space at Oaken Clough is currently unused and we plan to use this as a laboratory / workshop space for building and testing renewable energy projects.

Aims:

· Provide a laboratory / workshop space for local people interested in building renewable energy projects to build and test experimental ideas.

· Provide a focus for sharing information and skills.

· As far as possible make use of recycled materials such as discarded electrical appliances and automobile scrap.

· Projects to include wind turbine, solar heating and photo voltaics and possibly hydro electric power.

· The initial aim is to provide practical demonstrations of renewable energy techniques as an educational resource, but ultimately the goal is to supply some of the energy needs of the building from renewable resources.

Initial project:

The initial project is for a small wind turbine which can generate sufficient power to charge 12v lead-acid batteries in order to provide lighting for out buildings. This is based on a design successfully implemented by renewable energy enthusiasts in the Mojave desert in the U.S. Based on information from the Centre for Alternative Energy in Wales some modifications have been made to this design to allow for the local wind conditions. Many of the components of the design are obtained from re-cycled materials.

· Turbine blades constructed from a discarded length off drainage pipe

· Scrap automobile alternator provides the generated electrical power

· Belt drive and bearings recovered from an old washing machine

· Battery pack from a discarded computer power supply

[see diagram]

Future projects:

There are a number of possibilities for future projects

· Solar water heating. Simply solar water heaters can be constructed from scrap plumbing components such as discarded radiators.

· Solar reflector. This focuses the suns rays to generate heat for a Stirling Engine or other heat-based system.

· Stirling engine. A form of heat engine which can convert heated water into motive power to drive an electric generator.

Sterling Engine Model

· Photo voltaic cells. Photo voltaic cells recovered from discarded garden lights can be assembled into a solar panel array to provide electric power. A cost effective alternative to commercial solar panels.

Funding:

Funding is required to equip a workshop with the tools and test gear needed to build and test renewable energy projects. A fully equipped workshop would provide a resource for local people to acquire the skills to build their own renewable energy projects.

We are pleased to announce as of 17/7/11 that the MTVCA has acquired funding for these projects.

Projects we would like to undertake

	The storage area of the basement.
	The shelving and work slab area.
	Paint cans ready for the house refurb.
	Some of the materials for the turbine and heating projects.
	Turbine design.

	Susan cleans the glass for the solar radiator.
	The wind turbine in the process of construction.
	Siting the turbine will not be easy with trees in the way!
	Hexagonal array of solar cells built from garden lights.
	A sevonius concept model built from drink cans.
	The wind turbine showing test motors rigged to the rear.
	A turbine design based on commercial food tins.
	Video of turbine.
	Work being done to move the IBC tank to collect water to use as a hydro power source.
	Extra pipework installed to fill the IBC tank.
	As part of the hydro and water heating projects, the pipework in the garden is being redirected to make better use of the rainwater and pond overflow.
	Free solar lights installed around the Herb Tablet.
	Solar lights installed beside the memorial stone.
	The current state of the lab.
	The hide lights recharged from solar cells.
	2 Solar panels have been bought as part of the You Choose Grant along with a wind turbine,we plan to install these soon,so we have free power to continue recycling waste products into energy producing machines.
	The actual panels which were mounted vertically,to defeat weather and for ease of wiring.Installed 29/3/12.
	Wind turbine which we hope to erect soon.

Mini Turbine [Click for Details]	Turbines in development