Homemade energy sources with your own hands. Alternative energy sources for the home. Heat pumps for home heating

Examples of the use of alternative energy in the form of ready-made solutions and do-it-yourself devices

Hydrocarbon reserves on our planet will sooner or later run out. Even taking into account the introduction of various technologies to save them, the depletion of coal, oil and gas reserves is not far off. The cost of energy resources is rising and people understand that only they themselves can take care of the safety of their budget. Therefore, they pay attention to alternative energy sources. In addition, interest in alternative energy is also caused by the banal absence in some places of the “benefits of civilization” in the form of gas and electricity. It often turns out that supplying electricity or gas to some settlements is not economically justified, and residents cannot do this at their own expense. Therefore, owners of private houses do it themselves or purchase various installations for generating heat and electricity. After all, energy is contained in sunlight, wind, the bowels of the Earth, ebbs and flows. In addition, they use temperature differences, the energy of falling water and other sources of alternative energy. In this material we will talk about various interesting DIY installations in the field of alternative energy.

As you know, the surrounding nature is full of energy. Surely, everyone has heard that it is possible to quite effectively use sunlight, wind, tides and other renewable energy sources. Moreover, this energy can be used on the scale of an entire country, or it can only be used to provide energy to a private home or cottage.

Below are some examples of installations that convert alternative energy into light and heat:

• A solar panel;
• Installation for biogas production;
• Wind generator.

If you have available funds, you can purchase such installations and pay for installation. Due to the presence of stable demand for such installations, manufacturers abroad and in Russia have launched the production of similar products. But if you are limited in funds, then you can try to make such installations yourself.

Let's look at some examples.

The operating principle of all types of heat pumps is based on Carnot cycles. The installation is a refrigerator. During operation, it takes in low-potential energy as it cools. And then it converts it into thermal energy with high potential. The environment can be air, earth, water. These substances contain a certain amount of heat at any moment. The heat pump includes the following main components:

• The external circuit in which the natural coolant is located;
• Internal circuit filled with water;
• Compressor;
• Evaporator;
• Capacitor.

Like a household refrigerator, such systems use freon. The outer circuit, as a rule, is immersed in a well with water or simply in a reservoir on the surface. There are options when the outer circuit is buried in the ground. But this is expensive and not always possible.

There are ready-made heat pump solutions, and there are do-it-yourself models. How to make this device for using alternative energy with your own hands? First you need to find a compressor. If you have an old air conditioner or refrigerator, you can remove it. The power required for heating is up to 10 kW.

The heat pump collector can be installed either horizontally or vertically. The second option is used if there is not enough space. Then several wells are drilled into which the circuit is lowered. If the location is horizontal, then the collector is buried approximately 1.5 meters into the ground. A heat exchanger in water is made when the heated housing is located near the shore of a natural reservoir. The condenser will require a capacity of 120-140 liters. A copper coil is placed in it, where freon circulates.

The evaporator can be made of a plastic container of the same volume as the condenser. A copper coil is inserted into it, which is combined through the compressor with what is in the condenser.

When making a system with your own hands, the evaporator pipe is usually made from a piece of sewer pipe. Using the pipe, the flow of water is regulated. The evaporator is lowered into a body of water. When water flows around it, it starts the process of freon evaporation. That, in turn, rises up into the condenser. There it gives off thermal energy to the water in which the coil is located. This water heats the house by circulating through the heating system.

It is worth noting that the temperature of the water in the reservoir is not so important. The main thing is that she is there all the time. If the pump is designed and installed correctly, it can heat the house in winter. Even if the water temperature in the reservoir is very low. In the summer, the heat pump can act as an air conditioner to cool the room.

Solar panels

This is perhaps the most common use of alternative energy. In this case, the source of alternative energy is sunlight, and it is converted into electric current. can be viewed via the link.

Solar batteries are offered as part of ready-made solutions and you can make them yourself. If these are factory-made installations, then, as a rule, the kit includes a controller, an inverter, sometimes batteries, the necessary wires and fasteners. Although you can find many offers where solar panels are sold separately.

As for making solar panels with your own hands, for many this activity has become a real hobby. Sometimes there are even exhibitions on the use of alternative energy. On them, enthusiasts show solar panels that they made with their own hands.

To make solar panels yourself, you need to buy photocells (mono or polycrystalline) and solder them into a series circuit. The number of cells is determined by the required voltage and power output of the battery. It is impossible to make photocells with your own hands. The technology is complex and can only be implemented in a factory environment.

So what needs to be done step by step:

• Solder photocells into a series circuit;
• Attach them to a stele, polycarbonate or other material that allows sunlight to pass through. Execution varies. Photocells are located between the glasses, and the joints are insulated. Sometimes the elements are simply fixed to the glass with a protective automotive film;
• Make a housing for the battery from aluminum corners;
• Install the panel with photocells into the housing;
• Connect the panel with other elements of the solar system.

Biogas is a clean fuel produced without harming the environment. The technology for its production is based on the activity of anaerobic bacteria. Food waste is used as a raw material for biogas synthesis.

Waste, both liquid and solid, is placed in a container. This should be a sealed container equipped with a screw. It is used to mix this mass. In addition, the following must be provided:

• Entrance for loading waste;
• Output for residual waste that has not been recycled;
• Gas outlet pipe.

The tightness of the installation must be carried out especially carefully. If gas is planned to be taken from the tank periodically, then a special valve must be provided. With its help you can relieve excess pressure if necessary. When biological waste decomposes in this installation, hydrogen sulfide and methane, which contain carbon dioxide, are released.

In general, creating a plant for biogas synthesis with your own hands is not an easy task. Usually, in practice, ready-made solutions are used, but some craftsmen independently make such installations to obtain alternative energy. To do this, you need to solve several problems outlined below:

• You need to arrange a place for the container. Its volume is selected based on how much waste will be processed simultaneously. To ensure efficient operation of the installation, you need to fill it 2/3 full. The container itself can be made of metal or concrete. As for productivity, 100 m3 of gas is obtained from 1 ton of food waste;
• Organize heating. To speed up the process, the waste container must be heated. There may be several options here. For example, a coil around a container or a heating element under the container. Anaerobic bacteria become active when heated to a certain temperature. Therefore, heating is necessary;
• Automation. The heating should turn on when a new batch of waste is loaded and turn off when a certain temperature is reached;
• A gas electric generator is needed to convert the resulting biogas;
• Collection of waste raw materials should be organized. This waste can be used to fertilize garden beds.

Such installations for generating biogas are used in the USA and China in various private households and farms. The main problem here is to organize the continuous production of biogas. And this will require a constant flow of food waste or manure.

Energy tariffs are constantly rising, forcing people to turn to natural energy sources. Alternative energy sources are practically inexhaustible; only 0.001% of them are used by humanity.

Humanity uses non-renewable energy sources - coal, gas, oil - to generate energy. The reserves may not be enough for the living generation, so energy resources are constantly becoming more expensive. A modern family spends up to 40% of its budget on electricity, heating, and fuel for cars. According to economists' forecasts, in the next 15 years the cost of energy resources will become the main one - up to 70%.

Almost any natural factor can be converted into energy: the sun, wind, water movement, subsoil heat, biomass decomposition. In Russia, the most relevant energy for a private home is solar, wind and subsoil heat. Water energy - tidal, pressure, geothermal sources are technically difficult to implement, problems with the use of subsoil beyond the boundaries of the site are possible.

The issue of using natural resources has not been worked out at the legislative level. According to current legislation, all natural resources belong to the state. Therefore, even the use of solar energy could theoretically be taxed.

Wind

People have been using wind energy for a long time; they learned to use it effectively 40 years ago with the construction of wind power plants. A wind generator is a system of blades connected to the generator through a gearbox or directly. Wind generators achieve acceptable performance with a mast height of more than 15 meters, which is problematic to equip in a private home. Low masts “work” 15% of days a year, high masts – up to 30%.

Modern developments in the shape of blades have adapted wind generators to all operating conditions and air movement: low-speed, high-speed, rotary.

Low-speed ones are designed for wind speeds of 2-6 m/s, they are a wind wheel with a large number of blades 15 - 30 pcs. They are low noise, launch well in low winds, but have low efficiency and high windage.

High-speed ones are designed for winds of 5 -15 m/s and have 3 - 4 blades. They are characterized by high efficiency and noise, the most common in the world.

Rotary ones are a barrel with vertical blades. They do not require orientation to the wind, the lowest noise level, but everything is canceled out by the lowest efficiency.

The use of wind generators in private housing construction makes sense as one of the energy sources.

Sun

Solar energy is the most promising source of inexhaustible energy. In a year, the surface of the earth receives 30,000 times more solar radiation than the annual electricity consumption of the entire population of the planet. Constant work is underway to improve the efficiency of photovoltaic converters and solar power plants. This allows them to be used for industrial generation of electrical energy.

It is possible to independently manufacture photovoltaic panels and solar water heating units. However, the parameters of such installations are, at best, 40% of industrial models. Solar water heating units are especially demanding in terms of manufacturing quality. Industrial ones with vacuum tubes allow you to heat water for heating and domestic needs even in cold weather, even if there is sun.

Solar systems can be divided into direct and indirect heating. Direct – these are greenhouses, greenhouses, tanks for heating water in the sun. A glazed loggia or veranda is also a source of heat, but it is used irrationally. Indirect heating allows you to place the heat generation installation in the sun in a convenient place - the roof, any open place. Most often, non-freezing liquids are used as a coolant; heat transfer occurs in heat exchangers - storage tanks, from where water is drawn for domestic needs and heating.

Modern solar installations are produced in two types - tubular and flat. Flat ones are a box with a spiral-shaped blackened heating element, usually a copper tube. The spiral is thermally insulated on three sides and covered with glass on the sun side. This installation is cheap, available for self-production, but has low efficiency. Water or non-freezing coolant is used as a coolant.

Tubular are a block of parallel tubes from 1.3 to 4 m high. Any quantity can be selected due to the ease of connecting the tubes to the collecting manifold using the dry connection method, in which the tubes are assembled and replaced during operation. The tube is a glass vacuum flask with an internal black light absorption tube, filled with a special coolant with a low boiling point, which increases the efficiency of the installation. Tubular solar systems are 30% more economical than flat ones, but more expensive to purchase. For efficient operation, they are equipped with a pump, a system of thermally insulated pipelines, and a heat exchanger. Such a panel is mounted permanently due to its heavy weight - up to 300 kg with an inclination to the horizon, for the latitude of Moscow - 30 degrees.

In central Russia, tubular solar water heating units, which operate effectively at any air temperature, find the greatest practical application in individual construction. They are able to provide not only the need for hot water, but also participate in heating.

Warmth of the earth

Everyone has heard about heat pumps, which allow you to take the free heat of the earth and heat for free. The principle of their operation is based on collecting any low-temperature potential and converting it into heat. Anything from which you can get a positive temperature is suitable: soil, water - a well or a reservoir, air. The physical processes are the same as in a refrigerator compressor, only on the contrary, it produces heat rather than cold. A liquid with a low boiling point circulates in a closed circuit, taking heat from the environment and boiling, condensing and releasing heat to the house.

But you need to take a critical approach to assessing the capabilities of newfangled heating systems. The temperature at the heat pump outlet is 40-60C, more often 40C, which is good for heated floors, but not for radiator heating. The cost of reliable European heat pumps starts at $8,000, which is unreasonable for the average Russian - it will never pay off. In addition, it is necessary to remodel or supplement the existing heating system under a warm floor, connecting it with a heat pump system. Even with a ready-made well, the most efficient heat exchanger, a heat pump system will cost at least $12,000.

Economic feasibility is possible by making a heat pump with your own hands, which can be made from a refrigerator compressor from 1.5 kW. The conversion technology is quite well presented on the Internet.

All that is good is good

To be able to save on energy resources, you need to use all the means described above. Photocells and a wind generator themselves are not expensive, especially since they can be made independently. Their effective use is possible only with rechargeable batteries (AB) and voltage converters. And this already requires adding 50% of the cost of the units. It is the parallel operation of AB photo and wind generators that allows you to achieve noticeable results. It is advisable for all heating elements to work as a heat accumulator, allowing you to “store” heat for future use for heating and hot water. But the most important thing to start saving is insulating your home. Without insulation it is impossible to achieve any noticeable results.

Alternative energy sources

Tariffs for “classic” energy resources (gas, coal, gasoline, oil) are steadily increasing day by day. And this is understandable. After all, humanity has long traditionally used non-renewable energy sources. And although there are many of them in nature, they are still limited in number. Someday the time will come when they will run out. And you will have to switch, at least on a private level, to something else. Making alternative energy sources for your home with your own hands is the best option for a private owner, the owner of a small building or a compact production facility that does not require huge energy costs.

Forecasts of economists and scientists

Some scientists warn: the natural resources used by humanity may not be enough for representatives of current generations, not to mention their descendants! It is estimated that in modern conditions an ordinary family spends up to 40 percent of its budget on paying for electricity, heating, and gasoline for a car. And according to conservative forecasts of economists, this share could grow to 70%! Therefore, for many representatives of the so-called middle class (and not only) alternative energy sources for the home, created with their own hands, are an excellent and very economical way out of the current situation.

Most Popular

In fact, almost any natural factor can be converted into energy. For example, wind, sun, water power, warmth of the earth's interior, decomposition of biomass. The most popular are the use of alternative energy sources from the sun and wind. However, this issue has not been sufficiently addressed at the legislative level. In theory, all resources belong to the state. Therefore, using such types of alternative energy sources as wind power or solar radiation, you will most likely have to pay a tax.

Wind

This kind of thing has been used for a long time (a striking example is windmills that existed in ancient times). About forty years ago, the construction of wind power plants began actively. Alternative energy sources for the home, created with your own hands (mini wind generators), as a rule, consist of special blades for capturing wind, connected to the generator directly or through a gearbox. It must be borne in mind that such a device is effective only in areas where there are constant winds (for example, on the sea coast). You also need to remember that wind turbines will only be effective with a mast height of fifteen meters or more (which is quite problematic in the private sector).

Varieties

There are low-speed windmills. They are designed for wind speeds of up to six meters per second and are characterized by the presence of many blades (sometimes up to thirty). Such devices are low-noise, start even in light winds, but have low efficiency with a fairly large windage. High-speed wind turbines use winds of up to fifteen meters per second. They have three or four blades, are quite noisy and have high efficiency. Of all the species, they are the most common in the world. Rotary wind generators have the shape of a barrel with vertical blades. They do not require orientation to the wind, but they have the lowest efficiency.

How to use

It is quite easy to install wind turbines as alternative energy sources with your own hands. First, you need to mark a place for the mast in the yard or in a convenient place in an area where the wind constantly blows (having previously analyzed the location). It is necessary to lay a strong foundation so that the high (preferably more than 15 meters) mast is firmly held on the ground. A windmill (or several devices) should be chosen to be high-speed. You can buy it in a store, or for those whose hands have “grown properly”, you can make it yourself according to the appropriate drawings. There is now quite a lot of such information in the media and specialized literature.

Choose the option that, according to user reviews, seems the most reliable and feasible to use. When connecting the machine, as experience shows, it is better to call a professional electrician. He will probably tell you how to connect your windmill correctly, even if there is a tutorial and instructions. And one more thing: in order to power several light bulbs and devices (for example, a TV or computer) from this energy, it will be necessary to install several windmills at once. So think about how much you can afford. Do not forget about the main condition - the presence of a constantly blowing wind. After all, installing a wind generator in a deep forest, as they say, is a waste of time and money. In general, it seems quite possible to make and install windmills as an alternative energy source in a private home, both financially and physically.

Sun

His energy is truly inexhaustible. And also quite promising to use. We have all seen on TV European versions of a “smart home”, where heating, lighting, and water heating are produced through the use of solar energy. It is interesting that in one year so much solar radiation reaches the surface of the soil and water that it (if fully used for energy) would be enough for all of humanity for many thousands of years! All that remains, as usual, is just to take what is “lying” under your feet. And this is not so simple. The catch lies in the rather low efficiency of photoelectric converters and solar power plants invented by mankind. But scientists are constantly working in this direction.

Solar power plants

It is certainly possible (and even necessary) to make high-tech devices such as solar alternative energy sources for the home with your own hands. Just be prepared for the fact that this will most likely not be so easy, and you won’t be able to do it without certain skills or the help of a specialist!

For heating water

The most appropriate and simple use of devices is for heating water. Separate direct and indirect heating. Direct ones include a variety of greenhouses, tanks for heating water in the sun, greenhouses, glassed-in loggias, verandas, for example. This type of heating allows you to use free solar energy to generate heat in any convenient place: on the roof, in any open space. Non-freezing liquids (antifreeze) are used as a coolant, and the subsequent one occurs in storage heat exchangers. It is from them that water is drawn for heating and domestic needs.

By the way, there is a children's construction set “Alternative Energy Sources” (“Connoisseur”), which allows you to assemble up to 130 projects. Children aged five years and older can also get involved in the creation of windmills and use mechanical, water, and solar energy to generate electricity.

Solar panels

Development led to the creation of solar panels as the most efficient way to use the sun's radiation. This kind of panel is a system of semiconductors that convert solar energy into electricity. Such systems provide an uninterrupted, reliable, cost-effective supply of electricity to a private home. They are especially effective in hard-to-reach areas. For example, in the mountains, where there are many sunny days a year, but the “official” electricity supply is absent or irregular. Or in an area where there are frequent interruptions in the supply of electricity from the main source.

Installation benefits

Such an installation has the following advantages:

• does not require laying cables to supports, which significantly reduces the cost of production;
• minimized costs for installation and maintenance of batteries;
• environmental cleanliness of the energy produced;
• light weight of solar panels;
• complete silence during operation;
• quite long period of use.

Flaws

The problems with alternative energy sources such as solar panels are:

• in the labor-intensive assembly process;
• the fact that they take up a lot of space;
• sensitive to mechanical damage and contamination;
• do not function at night;
• their effectiveness is highly dependent on sunny or cloudy weather.

Installation

Alternative energy sources - solar panels - are quite easy to install with certain skills. First you need to select the necessary materials for the structure. We will need high-quality solar cells (made of mono- or polycrystalline silicon). It is better to take those whose operation is effective even in cloudy weather - polycrystals, which are easily available in the kit. We buy cells from the same manufacturer so that everything is compatible and interchangeable. You will also need conductors connecting the photocells. The body is made of Its dimensions are determined by the number of cells. For the outer covering - plexiglass. For fastening to the roof of the house we use self-tapping screws. For soldering wires - an ordinary soldering iron. In general, nothing “military”. With the help of good instructions, usually included with the kit, you can figure it out yourself. As a last resort, invite your dacha neighbor to help.

In an environment where energy prices are constantly rising, private home owners are more often thinking about alternative energy sources. Some homeowners do not have the opportunity to connect to the main line at all due to the high cost of installation work. Engineers, and along with them craftsmen, paid attention to what nature itself gives to humanity and created a number of devices that can be used to renew energy resources. The video will demonstrate the best practices in action.

Bio waste generator

Biogas is an environmentally friendly type of fuel. It is used similarly to natural gas. The production technology is based on the activity of anaerobic bacteria. The waste is placed in a container; during the decomposition of biological materials, gases are released: methane and hydrogen sulfide with an admixture of carbon dioxide.

This technology is actively used in China and on American livestock farms. To continuously obtain biogas at home, you need to have a farm or access to a free source of manure.

Bio waste generator

To construct such an installation, you will need a sealed container with a built-in auger for mixing, a gas outlet pipe, a neck for loading waste, and a fitting for unloading waste waste. The structure must be perfectly sealed. If the gas is not constantly taken out, then you will need to install a safety valve to relieve excess pressure so that the “roof” does not blow off the tank. The procedure is as follows.

1. We choose a place to arrange the container. Select the size based on the amount of waste available. For efficient operation, it is advisable to fill it two-thirds full. The tank can be metal or reinforced concrete. A large amount of biogas cannot be obtained from a small container. A ton of waste will produce 100 cubic meters of gas.
2. To speed up the process of bacteria, you will need to heat the contents. It can be done in several ways: place a coil connected to the heating system under the container or install heating elements.
3. Anaerobic microorganisms are found in the raw materials themselves; at a certain temperature they become active. An automatic device in water heating boilers will turn on the heating when a new batch arrives and turn it off when the waste warms up to the set temperature.
   The resulting gas can be converted into electricity through a gas-fired electric generator.

Advice. The waste is used as compost fertilizer for garden beds.

Energy from wind

Our ancestors long ago learned to use wind energy for their needs. In principle, the design has remained almost unchanged since then. Only the millstones were replaced by a generator drive, which converts the energy of the rotating blades into electricity.

To make a generator you will need the following parts:

• generator. Some use a motor from a washing machine, slightly transforming the rotor;
• animator;
• battery and its charge controller;
• voltage transformer.

Wind generator

There are many schemes for homemade wind generators. All of them are equipped according to the same principle.

1. The frame is being assembled.
2. The rotating unit is installed. The blades and generator are mounted behind it.
3. Mount a side shovel with a spring tie.
4. The generator with the propeller is mounted on the frame, then it is installed on the frame.
5. Connect and connect to the rotary unit.
6. Install the current collector. Connect it to the generator. The wires are connected to the battery.

Advice. The diameter of the propeller will determine the number of blades, as well as the amount of electricity generated.

Heat pump

To obtain energy from the depths of the earth, you will need to build a fairly complex device that will allow you to obtain alternative energy from groundwater, the soil itself, or from the air. Most often, such devices are used for heating rooms. In essence, the unit is a large refrigeration chamber, which, when cooling the environment, converts energy and releases it in the form of heat with high potential. System components:

1. External and internal circuit with freon.
2. Evaporator.
3. Compressor.
4. Capacitor.

Heat pump operation diagram

The collector can be installed vertically if the area of ​​the site does not allow for horizontal installation. They drill several deep wells and lower the circuit into them. It is placed horizontally in the ground to a depth of one and a half meters. If the house is located on the shore of a reservoir, the heat exchanger is laid in the water.
The compressor can be taken from the air conditioner. The condenser is made from a 120 liter tank. A copper coil is inserted into the container, freon will circulate through it, and the water from the heating system will begin to warm up.

The evaporator is made from a plastic barrel with a volume of more than 130 liters. Another coil is inserted into this tank; its combination with the previous one will be carried out through a compressor. The evaporator pipe is made from a piece of sewer pipe. The flow of water from the reservoir is regulated through the pipe.

The evaporator is lowered into the reservoir. Water flowing around it causes freon to evaporate. The gas rises into the condenser and gives off heat to the water that surrounds the coil. The coolant circulates in the heating system, warming the room.

Advice. The temperature of the water in the reservoir does not matter, only its constant presence is important.

Solar energy - into electricity

Solar panels were first made for spacecraft. The device is based on the ability of photons to create an electric current. There are a great many variations in the design of solar panels and they are improved every year. There are two ways to make your own solar battery:

Method number 1. Buy ready-made photocells, assemble a circuit from them and cover the structure with transparent material. You need to work with extreme caution, all elements are very fragile. Each photocell is marked in volt-amperes. Calculating the required number of elements to assemble a battery of the required power will not be very difficult. The sequence of work is as follows:

• To make the body you will need a sheet of plywood. Wooden slats are nailed along the perimeter;
• holes are drilled in the plywood sheet for ventilation;
• A sheet of fiberboard with a soldered chain of photocells is placed inside;
• performance is checked;
• Plexiglas is screwed onto the slats.

Solar panels

Method No. 2 requires knowledge of electrical engineering. The electrical circuit is assembled from D223B diodes. They are soldered in rows sequentially. Place in a housing covered with transparent material.

Photocells come in two types:

1. Monocrystalline plates have an efficiency of 13% and will last a quarter of a century. They work flawlessly only in sunny weather.
2. Polycrystalline ones have lower efficiency, their service life is only 10 years, but the power does not decrease when it is cloudy. Panel area 10 sq. m. is capable of producing 1 kW of energy. When placing on the roof, it is worth considering the total weight of the structure.

The finished batteries are placed on the sunniest side. The panel must be equipped with the ability to adjust the angle in relation to the Sun. The vertical position is installed during snowfalls so that the battery does not fail.

The solar panel can be used with or without a battery. During the day, consume energy from a solar battery, and at night, from a battery. Or use solar energy during the day, and from the central power supply network at night.

If there is a stream or reservoir with a dam on the site, a homemade hydroelectric power station will become an additional source of alternative electricity. The device is based on a water wheel, and the power will depend on the speed of the water flow. The materials for making a generator and wheels can be taken from a car, and scraps of corner and metal can be found in any household. In addition, you will need a piece of copper wire, plywood, polystyrene resin and neodymium magnets.

Homemade hydroelectric power station

Sequence of work:

1. The wheel is made from 11 inch rims. The blades are made from a steel pipe (we cut the pipe lengthwise into 4 parts). 16 blades will be required. The discs are bolted together, the gap between them is 10 inches. The blades are welded.
2. The nozzle is made according to the width of the wheel. It is made from scrap metal, bent to size and joined by welding. The nozzle is adjusted in height. This will allow you to adjust the water flow.
3. The axle is welded.
4. The wheel is installed on the axle.
5. The winding is made, the coils are filled with resin - the stator is ready. We assemble the generator. A template is made from plywood. Install magnets.
6. The generator is protected by a metal wing from water splashes.
7. The wheel, axle and fasteners with nozzle are coated with paint to protect the metal from corrosion and for aesthetic pleasure.
8. By adjusting the nozzle, maximum power is achieved.

Homemade devices do not require large capital investments and produce energy for free. If you combine several types of alternative sources, then such a step will significantly reduce energy costs. To assemble the unit you will only need skillful hands and a clear head.

Alternative energy sources: video

Energy sources for the home: photo

Non-traditional energy sources include energy from the sun, wind, and also that generated by human muscular efforts. Find out the details below.

Alternative energy sources are a variety of promising methods for obtaining and transmitting electricity. Moreover, such energy sources are renewable and cause minimal harm to the environment. Such energy sources include solar panels and solar stations.

They, in turn, are divided into 3 types of energy production using:

• Photocells;
• Solar panels;
• Combined options.

A popular use is the use of mirror systems that heat water to high temperatures, resulting in steam that, passing through a system of pipes, turns a turbine. Wind turbines and wind farms generate current using wind energy, which spins special blades connected to generators.

The use of wave energy, as well as ebb and flow of tides, is popular.

As experiments have shown, such power plants are capable of generating about 15 kW, which significantly exceeds the power of solar and wind power plants.

Hot water from geothermal sources is widely used to generate electricity. It is interesting to use kinetic energy in some rooms, for example, in gyms, where the moving parts of exercise equipment are connected via rods to generators, which, as a result of people’s movement, generate electricity.

Non-traditional energy sources: methods of production

Non-traditional sources of energy supply are primarily the production of electricity using wind, sunlight, tidal wave energy, and also using geothermal waters. But besides this, there are other ways using biomass and other methods.

Namely:

1. Generating electricity from biomass. This technology involves the production of biogas from waste, which consists of methane and carbon dioxide. Some experimental installations (humireactor from Michael) process manure and straw, which makes it possible to obtain 10–12 m3 of methane from 1 ton of material.
2. Generating electricity thermally. Converting thermal energy into electricity by heating some interconnected semiconductors consisting of thermoelements and cooling others. As a result of the temperature difference, an electric current is produced.
3. Hydrogen cell. This is a device that allows you to obtain a fairly large amount of a hydrogen-oxygen mixture from ordinary water through electrolysis. At the same time, the costs of producing hydrogen are minimal. But such generation of electricity is still only in the experimental stage.

Another type of electricity generation is a special device called a Stirling engine. Inside a special cylinder with a piston there is gas or liquid. When external heating occurs, the volume of liquid or gas increases, the piston moves and in turn causes the generator to work. Next, the gas or liquid, passing through the pipe system, cools and moves the piston back. This is a rather rough description, but it gives you an idea of ​​how this engine works.

Alternative Energy Options

In the modern world, due to some limitation of natural resources of heat and electricity, some people use alternative energy sources. One of the main directions of alternative energy is the search and use of non-traditional types and sources.

Sources from which you can get electricity:

• Are renewable;
• Can successfully replace traditional ones;
• We are constantly improving, developing and researching.

Equipping turnstiles in the subway and at railway stations with high-power piezoelements allows, when stepping on special plates, to generate electricity from the pressure of human weight. Such operating installations have been installed as an experiment in some cities in China and Japan.

Green energy - producing biogas, which can subsequently be used to heat houses from seaweed. It has been established that from 1 hectare of water surface occupied by green algae, up to 150,000 m 3 of gas can be obtained. Using the energy of dormant volcanoes, water is pumped into the volcano, under the influence of heat and high temperatures, turns into steam, which flows through special pipes to the turbine and spins it. Currently, there are only 2 such experimental installations in the world. The use of wastewater using special cells containing special bacteria that oxidize organic matter leads to the production of electrons and, as a result, electricity during chemical processes.

Home Energy Sources: Options

Due to rising energy tariffs, many people are beginning to think not only about saving energy, but also about additional sources of energy. Some people prefer to DIY, while some prefer some ready-made solutions, which may include certain options.

Namely:

1. Installation of solar panels on glass, which are highly transparent, so they can be placed even in multi-story buildings. But at the same time, their efficiency even in sunny, clear weather does not exceed 10%.
2. To illuminate some areas of the room, LEDs and LED lamps on small batteries connected to a solar panel are used. It is enough to charge the battery during the day so that you can get lighting in the evening.
3. Installation of traditional solar panels, which allow you to charge batteries and partially power home appliances and lamps through an inverter. It is also possible to generate hot water during the warmer months by installing a vacuum pump and a heat collector on the roof.

Residents living in urban areas, unfortunately, have a limited choice of additional energy sources, unlike those living in country houses. In a private house there are much more opportunities to make an autonomous power supply. And also make autonomous independent heating systems for a country house or dacha.

Heating for a private home: alternative energy sources

Among the most common ways to generate electricity is wind propulsion. It is enough to place a high mast with moving blades connected to a generator near a country house to receive electric current and charge the batteries.

To obtain heat, you can use heat pumps; when using them, you can take heat from almost anywhere:

• Air;
• Water;
• Earth.

The principle of their operation is the same as in a refrigerator, only when air or water is pumped through a pump, heat is produced. Homemade structures are in no way inferior to industrial ones. At home, you can make similar structures yourself; just find the drawings and make a windmill to get cheap electricity literally out of thin air. There are other types and opportunities to obtain electricity and heating for a private home.

Using an ordinary generator is effective, especially in the northern regions of Russia, since if there is a lack of sunlight, the panels are simply useless.

The same applies to thermal convectors, which are designed to heat water. It is somewhat easier to obtain heat by using a biofuel boiler; pressed sawdust and granules, including straw and peat, are used as the combustion material. But such biofuel boilers are slightly more expensive than gas boilers.

Do-it-yourself current and heat: alternative energy for the home

Free electricity for an apartment or private house has always been of interest to people, since in recent years heating and electricity tariffs have only been increasing. And to save money, many people try to find options for getting heat and energy for free. To do this, they make different systems, including trying to invent an eternal source, and come up with unusual and new ways to generate current and heat.

Relative free energy (do-it-yourself solar panel assembly):

• It is possible to purchase solar battery parts from China;
• Collect everything yourself;
• As a rule, each kit comes with an assembly diagram.
• All this allows you to independently assemble the panel and power supply circuit, in particular for an apartment or private house.

Fuel-free free energy is obtained from electromagnetic waves - any vibrations can be converted into electricity. True, the efficiency of such circuits is very low, but, nevertheless, with the help of specially made devices you can charge phones and other small household appliances.

True, charging will take quite a long time.

To generate heat, some craftsmen use methane, which in turn is obtained from animal manure and other waste. A properly designed system is a good option for generating thermal energy and heating your home, as well as for cooking.

Sun and wind as alternative forms of energy

An alternative to obtaining both heat and electricity is relevant for many people. Small solar energy is the use of silicon-based solar panels, the amount of energy received depends on the number of batteries, the latitude of the location of the house or other premises.

The technology for generating energy using generators is interesting; it is enough to connect a charge controller to the generator and connect the entire circuit with batteries, so you can get a sufficient amount of energy.

The use of special thermoelectric converters of heat energy into electricity is relevant, in other words, the use of semiconductor thermocouples. One part of the pair is heated, the second is cooled, as a result of which free electricity appears, which can be used in everyday life. It can be used to generate energy for children; it is enough to connect a swing on a playground with a dynamo in order to receive a small percentage of electricity that can be used to light the playground.

Do-it-yourself free electricity (video)

An alternator or, more simply put, a power supply generator is today the most common way of generating electrical energy. But despite this, there are quite a lot of opportunities for generating electricity using alternative sources around the globe.