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Gold/Mining/Energy : PEAK OIL - The New Y2K or The Beginning of the Real End? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Triffin who wrote (956)	9/10/2005 8:07:46 PM
From: Bill on the Hill	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1183

I have the parts assembled and ready to weld to finish a small water wheel power plant. 8 kw continuous duty. Driven by twin paddles hooked to the rearend of an old Ford Pinto rearend. The rearend mounts on an articulating frame that pivots from a crossmount going from one side of the irrigation ditch to the other. The whole thing is mounted solid on the top of 12" diameter cedar posts buried five feet deep in the ditchside. The generator is mounted to a shortened driveshaft which is driven by the paddles through the gear reduction of the 4 speed transmission the generator is hooked to first. Did that make sense? Anyway. I used the drive train with transmission to give me 1800 rpm at the generator. I still have to finish the design of the paddles themselves. And the flotation device to keep it at the proper depth in the channel. But I have all winter to finish that. By spring when the ditch comes in I will have solid 24/7 power for at least 9 months of the year. Winter power is another issue. I have not figured that one out without investing heavily in solar. But I think I will look at the conservation side of that. I have plenty of wood. I have propane cooking stove, space heating and hot water. So, I am considering methane digestion for my gas needs in the winter. If I produce enough I can build a small methane driven generator that could supply my electical needs if they were scaled down. I already have the digester container. I salvaged a 2300 gallon water tank used at a nursery i owned years back. It would make a great digester. I have the plans to create one. It could produce thousands of cubic feet of gas per digestion.... and the by product is the best feed for livestock money can buy. Could keep two cattle going with it. And you know what they make. Digestable manure. Great cycle. and no additional CO2 is added to the atmosphere...... I have LED lighting ready using a two panel solar system I own. Those panels can produce enough electricity to power small appliances, computer or radios a few at a time. That is ready. My personal need for power is very small. If I were to lose power for a week I would not feel its affect very much. I have lanterns and oil lamps for light if needed. Wood for heat. 2500 gallons of water in the cistern and with my solar panels enough electicity to power my on demand water pump. I will do fine without power for short periods.