Joined: 28 Oct 2004 Posts: 25795 Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism
Posted: Wed Dec 14, 05 12:04 pm Post subject: Home power questions
Just some idle thoughts that I wonder if they are workable. Can you separate out the electrical generation for the mechanical energy gathering? I.e. could you have a single generator that can run off wind energy, failing that, water energy and failing that steam or a diesel engine? Would too much energy be lost transmitting the mechanical energy to the generator?
As fridges and freezers turn electrical energy back into mechanical energy again could you power the compressors using the water power direct?
How efficient would a steam engine be at generating power compared to a veg-oil powered generator? If you have access to plenty of free fire wood would it be possible to generate domestic electricity using a steam engine or some form of micro steam turbine?
As electricity prices rise at some point in the future would it be possible to make a living selling electricity to the national grid? For example if you had a 20 acre coppice or 20 acres of other bio-fuel crops could you generate the power and sell it back?