SolarGizmo

Archive for the ‘How To’ Category

If you have been considering a wind turbine for your home but have been put of by the high prices involved in buying one why not consider building your own. This blog brings you the best instructional videos from the internet giving information and instructions on how they are built enabling you to have a go at building your own. As they are built from scratch and provide the lists of parts required you could scavenge most of the parts from skips and dumpsters from around your local area. The costs involved are far lower than buying one from a retailer and it gives you the ability to sit back and say “I did that” a sense of satisfaction in the knowledge you have taken one step closer to self sufficiency. REMEMBER THAT ELECTRICITY IS DANGEROUS AND THIS SHOULD ONLY BE ATTEMPTED BY PEOPLE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITY TO CONSTRUCT THEM SAFELY.

PART 1

PART 2

This is a great example of how to build a small wind turbine in you kitchen using recycled parts for a science class experiment. If you arnt technically minded its very simple to do and will give you good results and satisfaction to impress your friends with what you’ve made.

There are many more videos out there and I will be adding them over the next few weeks so keep your eyes open for more guids and hints.

When most people think of water it generally consists of the thought “you turn the tap and out it comes” however water is one of the most valuable resources on the planet, life as we know it couldn’t exist without it. Water keeps us from being thirsty, helps the plants grow and cleans the car and its uses are nearly endless so why do we waste so much of it. This simple guide is aimed at helping you save water and contribute to ensuring that it is always there when we need it the most this summer and as usually it will save you money (especially if you have a water meter fitted to your property).

1- Always ensure that if you see a water leak from a mains supply you report it to the local water authority straight away. You would be amazed to find out how many people see something like this and don’t report it thinking “it’s not my problem”. A mains leak can loose gallons of fresh water every minute it’s left to leak and your local water authority will provide a free phone number for you so it won’t even cost you to call. This number will be provided in your local yellow pages or emergency contact details n the nearest phone box.

2- Don’t leave taps running when brushing your teeth or cleaning. This is just a total waste of water; the water you paid for is literally going down the drain. If you turn the tap off when not in use you can save up to 10 litres a minute of perfectly good water. Dripping taps also offer another waste of water, always ensure you repair a leaking tap before the problem becomes too serious and this saves time, money and water.

3- Wash the car with a bucket of water and not the hose pipe. The bucket will contain enough water for you to make you car shine and the amount of water saved will be in the gallons. How many people do you see in the summer with a running hosepipe in one hand, sponge in the other just talking to the neighbor with the water hitting the ground being wasted?

4- Have a shower not a bath. This hint has been used in hundreds of guides but earns its place in this one because of pure practicality and common sense.

5- Collect rain water in a butt or container for use in the garden. Rain water is pure and readily available here in the UK so no excuses for not doing it really.

6- Have an empty pop bottle full of tap water in the fridge ready for when you need a drink. This save running the tap for a while till cold water arrives.

7- Use an old brick or something similar in your toilet system, this will save large amounts of water and still give the same result. Remember the toilet is one of the most used items in the house.

8- Use you washing machine or dishwasher when you have a full load instead of each occasion you want something cleaned. Not only does this save water but results in a lot less associated cleaning products being flushed down the drain.

9- Turn the temperature of you household boiler down. This saves money and water because of the following reason. Have you ever wondered why the water is the temperature it is? you have to pay to heat the water up then use more water and cost to cool it down to a usable temperature. For example the bath, you fill it with hot water then top up with cold to cool it down so you can get in it? Just reduce the boiler to a more user friendly temperature.

10- As with the carbon emitions guide, speak to as may people as possible about what they are doing to save water and you will find more great ideas and people willing to give it a go themselves. Individually we cannot do a great deal but everyone working together can make a huge impact on the water consumption in each country. Just remember that living in the UK the worst we need to consider is a water shortage and hose pipe ban. Some people in the world die of thirst.

There is a video on the internet regarding the ability to get free electricity from thin air, while this is not technically true it does work and he even shows you how to do it. The source of the electricity is contained within the atmosphere and is formed naturally but also human activity contributes to this from mobile phone signals, radio waves, etc. (basically it takes the waste electricity from the environment and enables it to be used by other electrical items so its recycled electricity) This electricity can be changed back into a usable source of electricity and the video shows you how to do it. The cost of this free electricity source is around £3 to build the circuit in the video but if you use more efficient parts and on a larger scale the ability to generate large amounts of free electricity is possible, the scale is just determined by budget and size.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/915226/

Have a go at building your own simple circuit or if you want another source of free electricity try our water powered clock available in store for £16.99.

(Follow the link http://www.solargizmo.co.uk/gadgets/gadgets-for-home/water-powered-clock.html)

Solar powered road signs are becoming common place now within the UK and they can be found all over the place in our villages, towns, and cities and along the road side.  From time to time these signs will get damaged or need repair.  If you look closely at the signs you will find a sticker with the phone number of the traffic sign rental contractor. Write down the name and number.

When you get home give them a call and ask for the maintenance manager or chief mechanic and ask very nicely if they have any damaged panels they are will to give to you or sell cheaply.   Most contractors have solar panels that have some cracks or slightly damaged and all they do is replace them and throw away the damaged ones away.

If you do manage to get hold of some panels you’ll find that they will need repairing.  Cracks can be resealed with clear silicone. Wiring can be soldered back together.  Remember to thank the contractor with a box of donoughts and they may reward you with more free panels.

We’d be interested in knowing what you make with the solar panels you get hold of so leave us a comment.

This article takes you through the minefield of information regarding electricity generation and what you need to know before you set out on the journey to self sufficiency. Most of the power companies in the UK will buy electricity from you and provide information relating to how the process is done.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

1-Know your current usage and try to reduce this, also try to find out at what times of day you use the most electricity and the times of day you use the least amount of electricity.

The main reason for people wanting to sell electricity to the grid or system is because they are producing more power than they actually need during specific times of day. Before you even think about producing your own electricity you need to log your power requirements and discover how much power you need when and where. In order to do this a electricity monitor is required, there are many makes and models available to consumers with prices ranging from £10 to over £100. These devices can be a minefield themselves (please follow this link to see the range of product available). Electricity monitors show how much electricity you use at any given time and this in turn will show which appliances in your home are consuming more electricity than you think, and mow much this is costing in £’s. Before you think about needing to generate you own electricity you need to cut back on the electricity you currently use by finding where savings can be made and at what times of day this can be done. For example during the day if the house is empty because everyone is at school and work you electricity requirements will be far less than the evenings when your demand will be high. It is these peaks an troughs in you demand/usage that will identify where savings can be made and at what points of the day you could possibly sell electricity to make money.

2-Know what tariffs are available from the utility companies and get the best deal you you and your individual requirements.

The selling of electricity is done in the same way you make a purchase from your current provider; the energy/electricity is sold in pence per kilowatt hour (p/kwh). The money you pay for getting electricity will be different to the value you get for selling your energy/electricity. In order to get the best possible price for the energy/electricity you sell you need to find the right company with the right tariff for your particular requirements. As each utility provider regularly changes its pricing and options to reflect current market demand and regulations as well as everyone generating different amounts of electricity at different times we would strongly advise you ring as many as possible utility companies to find the best deal for you. Remember the more people you speak to the more deals, prices and options will be made available to you to ensure you get the right package/tariff your you individual requirements.

The next piece of information you need to know is about ROCs (Renewable Obligation Certificate).  These are issued by Ofgem, the industry regulator to people who generate electricity from renewable sources and can be sold for around £40 per ROC as an income on top of the money you make for the electricity. First you must go to the Ofgem website and register for an account.  Once this is done you will be paid extra money for the energy/electricity you make.

3-Planning permission may be required.

We would also strongly advise you speak with your local council regarding any planning permission you may need to be granted before you go down the road of generating you green electricity as you don’t want to be spending £000’s just to be told to remove it due to “regulation”.

Once you have decided on what your electricity requirements are, when you need the electricity and how much you will get for selling your excess you will then need to decide on what equipment will best suit you needs in order to achieve your goals of being self reliant in electricity.

WHAT EQUIPMENT YOU NEED

1-What equipment is available

The main two pieces of equipment you need are the type of system you chose i.e. wind, solar or air/ground heat pumps, and an export meter. In regards to the equipment please see section 2 of this guide and follow the web link for a full range of products. The export meter is also very important because this will allow you to take electricity from the grid as well a sell your green electricity to the provider you have chosen. The export meter will be fitted by the provider and will replace your current electricity meter, the provider you chose will be able to give full detailed descriptions relating to the meter and any costing involved with the installation.

2-Where is this equipment available from

There are many ways to generate your own electricity and these include solar, wind (HAWT & VAWT), hydro (water), air/ground source heat pumps. As each one of these options works differently, space, money and practicality play very important role in the decision making process. A very good source of information regarding what systems are available and which companies operate in your area is to visit the following website The Renewable Energy Centre this site covers all aspects of the systems including descriptions of what they are and how they work.  It also carries a good source of information relating to which companies supply the products you need and they can be sorted into local regions so you get local businesses to support you through the process of becoming a green energy producer.

Following on from our previous post “Carbon Footprint – What is is and how to calculate it” we now discuss how you can reduce your own carbon footprint in 10 easy steps.

Everyone is talking about reducing their carbon footprint, but what exactly are greenhouse gasses ad how can you help reduce them and what impact do they have on the environment.

Humans add significantly to the level of naturally occurring greenhouse gases:

• Carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere by the burning of solid waste, wood and wood products, and fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, and coal).
• Nitrous oxide emissions occur during various agricultural and industrial processes, and when solid waste or fossil fuels are burned.
• Methane is emitted when organic waste decomposes, whether in landfills or in connection with livestock farming. Methane emissions also occur during the production and transport of fossil fuels.

Below are 10 simple steps everyone can take to help reduce human impact on the environment without putting in much effort.

1- TRANSPORT – think about your journeys, we all have a need for transport which relies upon petrol/diesel but how may of these journeys are actually required. If it’s just a short trip think about walking or using a bike. This not only will help reduce harmful gas from you vehicle but will help you keep healthy. If for example you make 10 journeys a month which could easily be done by walking you will not only cut your carbon footprint but save money on fuel and costs as well as exercise while enjoying being outside and seeing things you would usually let pass you by.

2- RUBBISH – think about not only recycling but the actual products you buy. Are the products you but actually required or are they more impulse purchases, by reducing the amount of products you buy you reduce the waste you create and save money in the process. If more people shopping in supermarkets for example stopped buying over packaged goods and instead bought them from independent retailers the amount of waste created would be significantly reduced. For example meat. In a supermarket meat us usually purchased on a polystyrene plate wrapped in plastic with a cardboard wrapper showing a picture of the contents? As well as descriptions. If the same product was bought from an independent butcher t is usually placed into an individual plastic bag with far less packaging (also the meat tends to be a lot fresher and often cheaper). It is the over packaging of most products which produces the most waste.

3- INTERNET – most people have the internet, it’s a fact but how can it be used in a more environmentally friendly way you ask. Well as most people are aware Google is the most popular search engine available, but did you know that they operate a service called Google Black? Try the service its Google but with a black background, this saves energy because the computer screen uses less electricity to show the colour black as it does to show white. Not only does Google black save energy but it shows how much energy has been saved by its users. Follow this link and bookmark it as your homepage to help save energy http://www.blackle.com/

4- ELECTRICITY – as you are aware electricity is made by power stations either coal, gas or nuclear. This need for electricity is the biggest cause of climate change, the easy option is to use less energy. Turn off any appliances not in use and never leave anything on standby. This not only saves energy reducing your electricity bills therefore saving you money but also helps to reduce your carbon footprint. Try to get your electricity from a renewable source many power companies will sell you renewable energy as a tariff of your bills just ring your current provider and ask for details.

5- RECYCLE – try to use some of the items you would usually throw in the bin for a different purpose. Instead of throwing away old items of clothing cut it into pieces and use it for washing windows, cleaning the floor or car, etc. There are many charity shops which will make use of old items or advertise them in the local papers as buyer collects even if you get rid for free it saves them going to landfill where it can take hundreds of years for it to bio degrade.

6- GROW YOUR OWN VEG – this may not seem like a carbon footprint reduction but think about the vegetables you buy. They are grown on farms go through machinery and get packaged, they are then driven sometimes hundreds of miles between the farm, storage, retail outlets and finally back you your home for use. If you grow your own it’s a simple matter of walking out the back door into the garden and picking fresh tasty vegetables without the transportation and therefore reducing environmental impacts from numerous angles. Not only is it better but it’s cheaper as well.

7- HEATING – when your at home or have go to see friends and family have you ever noticed how in cold weather people put the heating on then open a window “for some fresh air”. As most people radiators are near windows you are basically paying you heating bills for the heat to go directly out the window so it serves no purpose what so ever. Try to have the heating on and close the windows this ensures the heat is kept within the house and therefore save money and energy.

8- PICK UP LITTER – if you are walking around or have nothing better to do, try litter picking. This not only ensures waste and rubbish can be recycled properly but makes the environment look nicer for others.

9- AT WORK – everyone takes things seriously at home but tend to relax there beliefs at work. Do you really need to print that email, when possible use double sided printing. Instead of driving to meetings try using the phone its cheaper and easier for those non essential meetings and discussions. The workplace is full of energy saving concepts and as well all know in a recession saving money is crucial to all businesses.

10- OTHER PEOPLE – talk to people, this is probable the most important carbon reduction you could make. Many people have good ideas and concepts which can be taken on by other people. Sharing of ideas and beliefs is what is going to reduce mankind’s carbon emitions the most. The green movement is spreading because people are talking and sharing ideas and concepts, the more people you talk to regarding carbon reductions and how they can be made the more people will act on this information.

If you want to reduce your carbon footprint without spending money or making massive changes to your lifestyle these above points will help. Not only does it cost nothing to do but it actually makes you financially better off. If people want to comment and leave more ideas by commenting on this story please feel free to do so the more ideas that get listed the more choice is on offer to people therefore the more carbon reduction we will see.

Carbon Footprint Advert

Carbon Footprint (CF) – also known as Carbon Profile – is the overall amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (e.g. methane, laughing gas, etc.) associated with a product.  The carbon footprint of a product includes its entire life-cycle from creation right through to end-of-life recovery and disposal. Causes of these emissions are, for example, electricity production in power plants, heating with fossil fuels, transport operations and other industrial and agricultural processes.

The carbon footprint is quantified using indicators such as the Global Warming Potential (GWP). As defined by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a GWP is an indicator that reflects the relative effect of a greenhouse gas in terms of climate change considering a fixed time period, such as 100 years (GWP100). The GWPs for different emissions can then be added together to give one single indicator that expresses the overall contribution to climate change of these emissions.

How can I measure my own carbon footprint?

There are some really good online calculators that can take the hard work out of what can be a complex calculation.

WWF Carbon FootPrint Calculator WWF Carbon Footprint Calculator This simple calculator calculates your families footprint by asking you 4-8 questions in four categories; food, travel, home, and stuff.  After answering the multiple choice questions the calculator then presents you with your carbon footprint in planets.  The idea being that if everyone on earth lived like you, this is how many earth-like plants we’d need to sustain us. The forums and hints & tips pages give useful information of how you can reduce your footprint

Act on CO2 Carbon Footprint Calculator Act on CO2 Carbon Footprint Calculator This is the official Carbon Footprint Calculator from the UK Governments ‘Act on CO2‘ campaign. The calculator is split in to several categories -Individual or Household Heating & Lighting, The first set of questions allows you to calculate the footprint of an individual or a UK Household.  It focuses on your CO2 contribution for your heating and lighting.  The results pages tells you how much CO2 (in tonnes) you contribute. The second set of questions calculates the CO2 contribution of your electrical items and tells you approximately how much CO2 is emitted (tonnes per year). The third, and final,  set of questions asks about your travel regime.  At the end it gives you your total CO2 contribution as well as a useful CO2 planner to help reduce your impact on the environment.

Google’s UK Carbon Footprint Project Google UK Carbon Footprint Project Use the Google Carbon Footprint calculator to measure your carbon footprint and find out what practical steps you can take to make it smaller. On a personalised page, you can track your progress, update your carbon-reducing actions and see a Google Map featuring the footprints and actions of everyone taking part. To share ideas, ask advice or find people in your local area to collaborate with, join the UK Carbon Footprint discussion group.

Carbonica Carbonica Carbon Footprint Calculator Carbonica’s Carbon Footprint Calculator provides several calculators for both individual and business calculations. The great thing about Carbonica is that they not only give you great information about how to reduce your carbon footprint but you can buy trees to offset your carbon footprint.  Offsetting one tonne of CO2 costs just £2.99, and for that one tree is planted in the rainforest which is about 10% of your annual carbon footprint.  You can even purchase 1 tonne offset packs which is great for households or businesses with larger footprints.  They offer a 25% discount when you buy 10 packs.

The Nature Conservancy The Nature Conservancy Carbon Footprint Calculator Use The Nature Conservancy’s carbon footprint calculator to measure your impact on our climate. Their carbon footprint calculator estimates how many tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases your choices create each year. The calculator walks you through a set of simple questions in subjects  such as home energy, driving & flying, food & diet, and recycling & diet.  At the calculator provides you with some pie charts showing and comparing your carbon footprint against the U.S. average. Like many of the tools listed here they also provide some useful hints, tips, and ways to reduce your footprint.

Carbon Footprint www.carbonfootprint.com Calculator www.carbonfootprint.com provides calculators for both home and businesses.  After entering details about the home/business, travel, food, and recycling it provides your CO2 footprint in tonnes per year.  The results page compares you against the rest of your country and against the rest of the world so you can see how good, or bad, you fair. Other areas of the site offer helpful suggestions for reducing or offsetting your carbon footprint.

There are many more Carbon Footprint Calculators out there.  If you find a good one let us know.