Known types of alternative energy sources. Energy of the future: reality and fantasy. Alternative energy sources

Without electricity, the life of any home is almost unthinkable: electricity helps in cooking, heating the room, pumping water into it and in simple lighting. But what to do if there are still no communications where you live, then alternative sources of electricity will come to the rescue.

In our review, we have collected several alternative sources of electricity common in everyday life, which are widely used both in Russia and in European countries and on the American continent. In many ways, they are, of course, more expensive and more difficult to operate than the central grid; however, financial investments will be fully justified by high-quality and reliable service, as well as the creation of a favorable ecological environment.

Electric generators

The most popular alternative energy source in Russia, which is most in demand in private country houses. According to the type of fuel used, electric generators are diesel, gasoline and gas.

Diesel generators have a lot of advantages, including efficiency, reliability and a small risk of fire. If you use a diesel generator regularly, it is much more profitable than models running on gas or gasoline. The fuel consumption of diesel equipment is not high, the price of diesel is also kept at a low level, it does not require expensive repairs.

The disadvantages of a diesel generator are a large amount of gases emitted during operation, noise and the high cost of the device itself. The price of "medium" equipment with an output power of about 5 kW averages about 23,000 rubles; however, in one summer of work, it fully pays for itself.

gasoline generator ideal as a backup or seasonal power source. Compared to diesel generators, gasoline generators are small in size, emit little noise during operation, and are lower in cost - the average price of a 5 kW gasoline generator ranges from 14 to 17 thousand rubles. The disadvantage of a gasoline generator is its high fuel consumption, and the high level of carbon dioxide emitted will require you to place the generator in a separate room.

Gas generators- perhaps the most “profitable” models for use in everyday life, which perfectly recommended themselves from all sides: they can work both from natural gas and from liquefied fuel in cylinders. The noise level of this device is very low, and the durability is the highest; at the same time, prices lie in a moderate range: for a “home” device with a power of about 5 kW, you will have to pay about 18 thousand rubles.

life under the sun

Every year, another alternative source of electricity is becoming more and more popular - solar energy. It can be used not only to generate electrical energy, but also to provide autonomous heating. On the roof, and sometimes on the walls, solar panels of various sizes are installed, which have a battery and an inverter; some time ago we wrote about innovative technology - tiles with built-in photocells (). Here are the benefits that solar panels provide:

Use of renewable energy source;
Absolutely silent operation;
Environmental safety, the absence of any emissions into the atmosphere;
Easy installation, the possibility of self-installation.

Especially often you can find solar panels in the European and Russian south, where the number of sunny days in both winter and summer exceeds the number of cloudy ones. But there are some nuances that you also need to remember:

Even in the most “sunny” weather scenario, the total power of all installed photocells is unlikely to exceed 5-7 kW per hour. Therefore, if we take into account at least a rough estimate that energy is required to heat a house at the rate of 1 kW per 10 square meters, then we get that only a small country house can live on completely “solar” food; two-three-story houses will still require additional sources of energy from you, especially if the consumption of water and light is also high.

But even if the house is small, then at least 10 square meters of land will have to be allocated for the installation of equipment, therefore, on a standard six acres with a garden and a garden, this seems unlikely.

And, of course, there are quite "natural" difficulties - this is the dependence on daily and seasonal fluctuations in solar radiation: no one guarantees us sunny weather even in summer. And one more thing: although the photocells themselves do not emit toxic substances during operation, however, their disposal is not so simple, you need to take them to special collection points - just like used batteries.

The cost of a finished station starts from 100 thousand rubles, which also does not suit everyone. However, solar energy can also be used in a “cheaper” way: install a collector on the site to heat water - it will capture heat during the daytime, even on cloudy and rainy days. In principle, the collector for heating completely satisfies the daily need for hot water, and its price starts from 30,000 rubles. But this type of equipment does not generate electricity and can only function in the southern regions, where solar activity is quite high.

With the wind!

Wind-to-electricity plants are no longer a fantastic technological future – just look at the fields in Germany and Holland to see the ubiquity of wind turbines.

A bit of school physics: the kinetic energy of the wind is converted into the mechanical energy of the turbine, and the inverter, in turn, generates alternating current. You need to remember this: the minimum wind speed at which electricity will be generated from the flywheel is 2 m / s, and optimally if the wind speed is in the region of 5–8 m / s; that is why wind turbines are especially popular in the northwestern regions of Europe, where the average annual wind speed is very high. According to the type of construction, wind generators are divided into horizontal and vertical: it depends on the mounting of the rotor.

The horizontal design of the generator is good for its high efficiency, and a small amount of materials will be used during installation. But you will have to face some difficulties: the installation will require a high mast, and the generator itself has a complex mechanical part, and repairs can be very difficult.

Vertical generators can operate over a wider range of wind speeds; but at the same time, their installation is much more complicated, and additional fixation will be required to mount the motor.

In order to smooth the difference between the windy season and the calm and uninterruptedly supply the house with electric current, the wind farm is usually equipped with a storage battery. Another alternative to installing a battery to a wind farm is a water storage tank, which is used for both heating and hot water supply. In this case, you will be able to save a little on the purchase - however, the cost of the wind generator will still remain high: about 300 thousand rubles, without a battery - about 250 thousand.

Another nuance that should be taken into account when arranging a wind farm is the need to create a foundation for equipment. The foundation must be strengthened with particular care if in your area the wind speed periodically exceeds 10 -15 meters per second. And in winter, it will be necessary to ensure that the blades of the wind farm do not freeze, this greatly reduces the efficiency. In addition, vibrations and noise from the operation of a windmill make it desirable to place the station at least 15 meters from a residential building.

living good

Biofuels as an "environmental technology of the future" are now being talked about everywhere and everywhere. A lot of controversy and conflicting reviews flared up around it: it is attractive as a fuel for cars, as it has an attractive price, but at the same time, many drivers suspect the negative impact of biomaterial on the engine and power. Let's leave aside automotive problems: after all, biofuels can be used not only as a fuel for vehicles, but also as a source of electricity: they can replace gas, gasoline and diesel when refueling equipment.

Biofuels are produced by processing plant residues - stems and seeds. For the manufacture of biological diesel, fats from the seeds of oil crops are used, and gasoline is produced by fermenting corn, sugar cane, beets and other plants. Algae are recognized as the most optimal source of biological energy, as they are unpretentious in cultivation and easily turn into biomass with oily properties similar to oil.

This technology also produces biological gas, which is collected during the fermentation of organic waste from the food industry and animal husbandry: 95% of it consists of methane. Environmental technologies make it possible to collect natural gas in ... landfills! 1 ton of useless garbage produces up to 500 cubic meters of useful gas, which is then converted into cellulosic ethanol.

If we talk about the domestic use of biofuels to generate electricity, then for this purpose it is necessary to purchase an individual biogas plant that will produce natural gas from waste. It is clear that this option is implemented only in a country house, where there is a private dump of biological waste on the street.

A standard installation will give you from 3 to 12 cubic meters of gas per day; the resulting gas can then be used to heat the house and refuel various equipment, including the gas power generator, which we wrote about above. Unfortunately, biogas plants are not yet available everywhere: you will have to pay at least 250,000 rubles for it.

Tame the flow

If you have your own running water at your disposal (a section of a stream or river), then building an individual hydroelectric power station would be a good solution. In terms of installation, this type of energy generator is one of the most difficult, but its efficiency is much higher than that of all the sources described above - wind, solar, and biological. Hydroelectric power stations can be dammed and damless, the second option is more common and accessible - you can often find the synonymous name "flow station". According to their structure, stations are divided into several types:

The most optimal and common option that is suitable for DIY is a station with a propeller or wheel; You can find a lot of instructions and useful tips on the Internet.

The most difficult and inconvenient solution will be a daisy-chain installation: it has low productivity, is quite dangerous for people around, and the installation of the station will require a large amount of materials and a lot of time. In this regard, the Darier rotor is more convenient, since the axis is located vertically, and it can be installed above the water. At the same time, it will be difficult to mount such a station, and the rotor must be manually spun at the start.

If you purchase a ready-made mini-hydroelectric power station, then its average cost will be about 200 thousand rubles; self-assembly of components will save up to 30% of the cost, but will require a lot of time and effort. Which of these is better is up to you.

Prospects for the use of alternative energy sources

Traditional energy sources are becoming irrelevant. Many reasons make humanity refuse them. Today, the focus is on alternative methods already in practice and planned for the future. Research continues, so science is moving forward, not stopping at the results achieved. Now you can evaluate some of the achievements that have already yielded first results in order to understand how profitable new directions will become in a few years.

Alternative energy continues to spread. The reason is its clear advantages over traditional sources, which are difficult to refute. In some countries, the government is running complex government programs with huge monetary investments for gradual replacement, but so far the results have been negligible.

What are the main types?

Lightning energy;
The energy of the atom.

Endless research allows you to compare the possibilities offered by nature. Humanity continues to look for new directions, which in the future will surely turn into an ideal replacement for traditional sources. A detailed description will give general information, as well as indicate which species have already found use in the daily life of the planet's population.

The energy of the sun has been used by man for a long time. The original attempts were made in ancient times, when people used a directed beam to light a tree. Modern methods are based on the use of large areas of batteries that collect flows for further processing and accumulation in batteries.

With the help of such energy, all space stations and satellites fly. In orbit, access to the star is open, but on Earth, some countries are actively using the new source. One example is entire "fields" of batteries that provide power to small towns. Although it is much more interesting to consider new small autonomous sources, where the surface area does not exceed the roof of a small house. They are installed privately around the world to provide heating at no extra cost.

Wind energy has been used by mankind since ancient times. The best example of this is sailboats, propelled by constant airflow. Now scientific research has made it possible to create special generators that provide electricity to entire cities. And they work on two principles:

Offline;
In parallel with the main network.

In both cases, it is possible to gradually replace the traditional source, reducing the harmful impact on the environment. Now you can evaluate the results achieved, confirming the correctness of the choice. Data suggests that in Denmark, 25% of the energy received comes from wind farms. Many countries are trying to gradually switch to new sources, but this is only possible in open spaces. Because of this, in some areas, the use of the best option remains unavailable.

The energy of water remains indispensable. Previously, it was used in simple mills and ships, but now huge turbine hydroelectric power plants supply electricity to entire regions. Recent developments offer humanity to get acquainted with a fantastic future that will be built on the latest sources. What alternatives are already being used by countries?

Tidal power plants;
Wave power plants;
Micro and mini hydroelectric power stations;
Aero HPP.

Tidal power plants use the energy of the tides. Their height and power depends on the influence of the moon, so the stability of the feed remains a bit of a problem. Although in France, India, the UK and several other countries, the project has been implemented and is successfully used as an indispensable support.

Wave power plants are being built on the shores of the oceans, where the power of regular impacts on the coast exceeds conceivable limits. In this case, insufficient force becomes a limitation. It does not allow you to get enough energy.

Micro and mini hydropower plants are suitable for narrow mountain rivers. Their small size allows you to freely find time, and their power is suitable for supplying small settlements. Experimental models have been tested, so now operating facilities with good performance are being built.

Aero HPP is the latest technology that is still being tested. It is based on the condensation of moisture from the atmosphere. The operating installations are still a ghostly dream, but there are certain indicators confirming the expediency of investing in development.

Geothermal energy remains widespread. This alternative source is used in several different ways. It remains one of the most interesting for certain regions, so abandoning it does not make sense. The only problem is the high cost of installations, which limits their number. What options are available?

Thermal power plants;
Ground heat exchangers.

lightning energy

Lightning energy is a new trend. This direction is just beginning to be developed, but scientists say that it is possible to use the available gigawatts. They are lost in vain, leaving in the ground. The American company has begun research aimed at creating special installations for capturing thunderstorms.

Lightning energy is a powerful source that can provide electricity to a large metropolitan area. Estimated cash costs for construction should pay off within 5-7 years, so the expediency of such investments remains undeniable. It remains only to wait for the completion of research for the introduction of new technology into widespread use.

Non-traditional energy sources include the energy of the sun, wind, and also that which is produced by human muscular efforts. Find out the details below.

Alternative energy sources are a variety of promising ways to obtain, as well as transmit the resulting electricity. At the same time, such energy sources are renewable and bring minimal harm to the environment. These 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.

The use of mirror systems is popular, which heats water to high temperatures, resulting in steam that, passing through a system of pipes, turns a turbine. Windmills and wind farms generate electricity using wind energy, which turns special blades connected to generators.

The use of wave energy, as well as ebbs and flows, is popular.

As experiments have shown, such power plants are capable of generating about 15 kW, which is much more powerful than solar and wind power plants.

From geothermal sources, hot water 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 the simulators are connected by means of rods to generators, which, as a result of people's movement, generate electricity.

Non-traditional energy sources: methods of obtaining

Non-traditional sources of energy supply are primarily the generation 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:

Getting electricity from biomass. This technology involves the production of waste biogas, which consists of methane and carbon dioxide. Some experimental installations (Michael's humidifier) process manure and straw, which makes it possible to obtain 10–12 m 3 of methane from 1 ton of material.
Getting 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.
Hydrogen cell. This is a device that from ordinary water by electrolysis allows you to get a fairly large amount of hydrogen-oxygen mixture. At the same time, the cost of obtaining hydrogen is minimal. But such power generation 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 is a gas or liquid. With external heating, the volume of liquid or gas increases, the piston moves and makes the generator work in turn. Further, the gas or liquid, passing through the pipe system, cools and moves the piston back. This is a rather rough description, but it makes it clear 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 areas of alternative energy is the search and use of non-traditional types and sources.

Sources with which you can get electricity:

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

Equipping high-power piezoelectric elements of turnstiles in the subway and at railway stations makes it possible, 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 is the production of biogas, which can later be used to heat seaweed houses. It has been established that up to 150,000 m 3 of gas can be obtained from 1 ha of water surface occupied by green algae. Using the energy of dormant volcanoes, water is pumped into the volcano, under the influence of heat and high temperatures, it turns into steam, which enters the turbine through special pipes and turns it. Currently, there are only 2 such experimental installations in the world. The use of waste water with the help of special cells, which contain special bacteria that oxidize organic matter, leads to the fact that during chemical processes, electrons are generated and, as a result, electricity.

Energy sources at home: options

In connection with the increase in energy tariffs, many people are beginning to think not only about saving energy, but also about additional sources of energy. Some people prefer to make their own DIY, and some prefer any ready-made solutions, which may include certain options.

Namely:

Installation of solar panels on glass, which have high transparency, so that they can be placed even in multi-storey buildings. But at the same time, their efficiency even in sunny clear weather does not exceed 10%.
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 during the day, thus, the battery in order to get lighting in the evening.
Installation of traditional solar panels that allow you to charge batteries and from them, through an inverter, partially power household appliances and lamps. It is also possible to generate hot water during the warm season 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 who live in country houses. In a private house, there are much more opportunities to make an autonomous power supply. And also to make autonomous independent heating systems for a country house or in the country.

Heating for a private house: alternative energy sources

Among the most common ways to generate electricity is the driving force of the wind. It is enough to put a high mast with moving blades connected to a generator near the country house in order 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, as in a refrigerator, only when air or water is pumped through the pump, heat is obtained. Homemade designs are in no way inferior to industrial ones. At home, you can make such 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 get electricity and heating for a private house.

It is effective to use an ordinary generator, especially in the northern regions of Russia, since, with 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 use a biofuel boiler to produce heat; pressed sawdust, granules, including straw and peat, are used as the material for the furnace. But such biofuel boilers are somewhat more expensive than gas-fired ones.

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

Free electricity for an apartment or a private house has always been of interest to people, since in recent years the tariffs for heating and electricity have only been growing. And to save money, many people are trying 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 (assembling solar panels with your own hands):

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

Fuel-free free energy is obtained from electromagnetic waves - any fluctuations can be converted into electricity. True, the efficiency of such circuits is very small, 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 made system is a good option for generating thermal energy and heating the house, 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 of obtaining 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 enough energy.

The use of special thermoelectric converters of heat energy into electricity, in other words, the use of a thermocouple made of semiconductors, is topical. One part of the pair is heated, the other is cooled, as a result of which free electricity appears, which can be used in everyday life. It can be used as a power generator for children, it is enough to connect a swing with a dynamo in the playground 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, a power supply generator is by far the most common way to generate electrical energy. But, despite this, there are many opportunities for generating electricity using alternative sources around the globe.

The limited reserves of fossil fuels and global environmental pollution have forced humanity to look for renewable alternative sources of such energy so that the harm from its processing is minimal at acceptable cost of production, processing and transportation of energy resources.

Modern technologies make it possible to use available alternative energy resources, both on a planetary scale and within the power grid of an apartment or a private house.

The violent development of life over several billion years clearly proves the provision of the Earth with energy sources. Sunlight, the warmth of the interior and the chemical potential allow living organisms to carry out multiple energy exchanges, existing in an environment created by physical factors - temperature, pressure, humidity, chemical composition.

Circulation of matter and energy in nature

Economic criteria for alternative energy sources

Since ancient times, man has used wind energy as a propulsion for ships, which allowed the development of trade. Renewable fuels made from dead plants and human waste were the source of heat for cooking and obtaining the first metals. The energy of the water drop powered the millstones. For thousands of years, these have been the main types of energy, which we now call alternative sources.

With the development of geology and subsoil extraction technologies, it has become more economically profitable to extract hydrocarbons and burn them to generate energy as needed, rather than literally waiting for weather by the sea, hoping for a successful coincidence of currents, wind direction, and cloud cover.

The instability and variability of weather conditions, as well as the relative cheapness of fossil fuel engines, have forced progress towards the use of energy from the bowels of the earth.

Diagram showing the ratio of consumption of fossil and renewable energy sources

Assimilated and processed by living organisms, carbon dioxide, which has been resting in the depths for millions of years, is again returned to the atmosphere when fossil hydrocarbons are burned, which is a source of the greenhouse effect and global warming. The well-being of future generations and the fragile balance of the ecosystem are forcing humanity to reconsider economic indicators and use alternative forms of energy Because health is the most precious thing.

The conscious use of alternative energy sources renewable by nature is becoming popular, but as before, economic priorities prevail. But in a country house or country house, the use of alternative electricity and heat sources may be the only cost-effective option for obtaining energy if the installation, connection and installation of power supply lines turns out to be too expensive.

Providing a house remote from civilization with the minimum required amount of electricity using solar panels and a wind generator

Opportunities for the use of alternative forms of energy

While scientists are exploring new directions and developing cold fusion technologies, home craftsmen can use the following alternative energy sources for the home:

Sunlight;
Wind energy;
biological gas;
temperature difference;

According to alternative types of renewable energy, there are ready-made solutions that have been successfully introduced into mass production. For example, solar panels, wind turbines, biogas plants and heat pumps of various capacities can be purchased along with delivery and installation in order to have your own alternative sources of electricity and heat for a private home.

Commercially produced solar panel installed on the roof of a private house

Each individual case should have its own plan for providing household electrical appliances with sources of alternative electrical energy, according to needs and possibilities. For example, to power a laptop, tablet, charge a phone, you can use a 12 V source and portable adapters. This voltage, with a sufficient amount of battery energy, will be enough to light with.

Solar panels and wind turbines must charge the batteries, due to the volatility of lighting and the strength of wind energy. With an increase in the power of alternative sources of electricity and the volume of batteries, the energy independence of an autonomous power supply increases. If it is required to connect electrical appliances operating from 220 V to an alternative source of electricity, then apply voltage converters.

A diagram illustrating the power supply of household electrical appliances from batteries charged by a wind generator and solar panels

Alternative solar energy

At home, it is almost impossible to create solar cells, so designers of alternative energy sources use ready-made components, assembling generating structures, achieving the required power. Connecting the photocells in series increases the output voltage of the resulting source of electricity, and connecting the assembled chains in parallel gives a greater total assembly current.

Scheme of connecting photocells in the assembly

You can focus on the intensity of the energy of solar radiation - this is about one kilowatt per square meter. You also need to take into account the efficiency of solar panels - at the moment it is approximately 14%, but intensive development is underway to increase the efficiency of solar generators. The output power depends on the intensity of the radiation and the angle of incidence of the beams.

You can start small - purchase one or more small solar panels, and have a source of alternative electricity in the country in the amount necessary to charge a smartphone or laptop in order to have access to the global Internet. By measuring current and voltage, they study the volume of energy consumption, considering the prospect of further expanding the use of alternative energy sources.

Installation of additional solar panels on the roof of the house

It must be remembered that sunlight is also a source of thermal (infrared) radiation, which can be used to heat the coolant without further conversion of energy into electricity. This alternative principle is applied in solar collectors, where, with the help of reflectors, infrared radiation is concentrated and transferred by the coolant to the heating system.

Solar collector as part of a home heating system

Alternative wind energy

The easiest way to build a wind turbine yourself is to use a car generator. To increase the speed and voltage of the source of alternative electricity (the efficiency of generating electrical energy), a gearbox or belt drive should be used. The explanation of all kinds of technological nuances is beyond the scope of this article - you need to study the principles of aerodynamics in order to understand the process of converting the speed of the flow of air masses into alternative electricity.

At the initial stage of studying the prospects for converting renewable sources of alternative wind energy into electricity, you need to choose the design of the windmill. The most common designs are the horizontal axis propeller, the Savonius rotor, and the Darrieus turbine. A three-blade propeller as a source of alternative energy is the most common option for homemade.

Varieties of Darier turbines

When designing propeller blades, the angular velocity of rotation of a windmill is of great importance. There is a so-called propeller efficiency factor, which depends on the speed of the air flow, as well as the length, section, number and angle of attack of the blades.

In general, this concept can be understood as follows - in a small wind, the length of the blades with the most successful angle of attack will not be enough to achieve maximum efficiency of energy generation, but with multiple amplification of the flow and an increase in the angular velocity, the edges of the blades will experience excessive resistance, which can damage them.

The complex profile of a windmill blade

Therefore, the length of the blades is calculated based on the average wind speed, smoothly changing the angle of attack relative to the distance from the center of the propeller. To prevent breakage of the blades in a gale-force wind, the generator leads are short-circuited, which prevents the propeller from rotating. For approximate calculations, one kilowatt of alternative electricity can be taken from a three-bladed propeller with a diameter of 3 meters at an average wind speed of 10m/s.

To create an optimal blade profile, computer modeling and a CNC machine are required. At home, craftsmen use improvised materials and tools, trying to recreate the drawings of alternative wind energy sources as accurately as possible. Wood, metal, plastic, etc. are used as materials.

Homemade wind turbine propeller made from wood and metal plate

To generate electricity, the power of a car generator may not be enough, so craftsmen make generating electric machines with their own hands, or remake electric motors. The most popular design of an alternative electricity source is a rotor with alternately placed neodymium magnets and a stator with windings.

Homemade generator rotors

Stator with windings for a homemade generator

Alternative Energy Biogas

Biogas as an energy source is obtained mainly in two ways - this is pyrolysis and anaerobic (without oxygen) decomposition of organic matter. Pyrolysis requires a limited supply of oxygen to maintain the reaction temperature, while combustible gases are released: methane, hydrogen, carbon monoxide and other compounds: carbon dioxide, acetic acid, water, ash residues. As a source for pyrolysis, fuels with a high resin content are best suited. The video below shows a visual demonstration of the release of combustible gases from wood when heated.

For the synthesis of biogas from waste products of organisms, methanetanks of various designs are used. It makes sense to install a methanetank at home with your own hands if there is a chicken coop, a pigsty and a livestock of cattle in the household. The main output gas is methane, but a large amount of hydrogen sulfide and other organic compounds impurity requires the use of purification systems to remove odors and prevent clogging of burners in heat generators or contamination of engine fuel paths.

A thorough study of the energy of chemical processes, technologies with a gradual set of experience is needed, having gone through a path of trial and error, in order to obtain a combustible biological gas of acceptable quality at the output of the source.

Regardless of the origin, after cleaning, the mixture of gases is fed into a heat generator (boiler, stove, stove burner) or into the carburetor of a gasoline generator - in this way, a full-fledged alternative energy is obtained with one's own hands. With sufficient power of gas generators, it is possible not only to provide the house with alternative energy, but also to ensure the operation of small production, as shown in the video:

Thermal machines for saving and obtaining alternative energy

Heat pumps are widely used in refrigerators and air conditioners. It was noticed that it takes several times less energy to move heat than to generate it. Therefore, cold water from a well has a thermal potential relative to frosty weather. By lowering the temperature of running water from a well or from the depths of a non-freezing lake, heat pumps take heat and transfer it to the heating system, while achieving significant electricity savings.

Saving energy with a heat pump

Another type of heat engine is the Stirling engine, powered by the energy of the temperature difference in a closed system of cylinders and pistons placed on the crankshaft at an angle of 90º. The rotation of the crankshaft can be used to generate electricity. There are many materials on the network from trusted sources that explain in detail the principle of operation of the Stirling engine, and even give examples of home-made designs, as in the video below:

Unfortunately, home conditions do not allow you to create a Stirling engine with energy output parameters higher than that of a fun toy or a demonstration stand. To obtain acceptable power and efficiency, it is required that the working gas (hydrogen or helium) be under high pressure (200 atmospheres or more). Similar heat engines are already in use in solar and geothermal power plants and are beginning to be introduced into the private sector.

Stirling engine at the focus of a parabolic mirror

To get the most stable and independent electricity in a country house or in a private house, you will need to combine several alternative energy sources.

Innovative ideas for creating alternative energy sources

Not a single connoisseur will be able to fully cover the entire range of possibilities of renewable alternative energy. Alternative energy sources are available literally in every living cell. For example, chlorella algae has long been known as a source of protein in fish food.

Experiments are underway to grow chlorella in weightlessness, for use as food for astronauts during long-distance space flights in the future. The energy potential of algae and other simple organisms is being studied for the synthesis of combustible hydrocarbons.

Accumulation of sunlight in living cells of chlorella grown in industrial plants

It must be borne in mind that a converter and accumulator of sunlight energy better than the fluoroplastic of a living cell has not yet been invented. Therefore, potential renewable sources of alternative electricity are available in every green leaf that implements photosynthesis.

The main difficulty is to collect organic material, using chemical and physical processes to get energy from there and convert it into electricity. Already now, large areas of agricultural land are allocated for the cultivation of alternative energy crops.

Harvesting Miscanthus - an energy agricultural crop

Atmospheric electricity can serve as another colossal source of alternative energy. Lightning energy is huge and has destructive effects, and lightning rods are used to protect against them.

altDifficulties in curbing the energy potential of lightning and atmospheric electricity are in the high voltage and current of the discharge in a very short time, which requires the creation of multi-stage systems of capacitors for accumulating charge and then using the stored energy. Static atmospheric electricity also has good prospects.

alternative energy- a set of promising methods of energy production, which are not as widespread as traditional ones, but are of interest because of the profitability of their use with a low risk of harm to the environment.

Alternative energy source- a method, device or structure that allows you to receive electrical energy (or other required type of energy) and replaces traditional energy sources that operate on oil, extracted natural gas and coal.

Types of alternative energy: solar energy, wind energy, biomass energy, wave energy, gradient-temperature energy, shape memory effect, tidal energy, geothermal energy.

solar energy- conversion of solar energy into electricity by photoelectric and thermodynamic methods. For the photoelectric method, photoelectric converters (PVC) are used with direct conversion of the energy of light quanta (photons) into electricity.

Thermodynamic installations that convert the energy of the sun first into heat, and then into mechanical and then into electrical energy, contain a "solar boiler", a turbine and a generator. However, solar radiation incident on the Earth has a number of characteristic features: low energy flux density, daily and seasonal cyclicity, and dependence on weather conditions. Therefore, changes in thermal regimes can introduce serious restrictions on the operation of the system. Such a system must have a storage device to exclude random fluctuations in operating modes or to ensure the necessary change in energy production over time. When designing solar power plants, it is necessary to correctly assess meteorological factors.

geothermal energy- a method of generating electricity by converting the internal heat of the Earth (the energy of hot steam-water sources) into electrical energy.

This method of generating electricity is based on the fact that the temperature of the rocks increases with depth, and at a level of 2-3 km from the Earth's surface it exceeds 100°C. There are several schemes for generating electricity at a geothermal power plant.

Direct scheme: natural steam is sent through pipes to turbines connected to electric generators. Indirect scheme: steam is pre-cleaned (before it enters the turbines) from gases that cause the destruction of pipes. Mixed circuit: untreated steam enters the turbines, and then gases that have not dissolved in it are removed from the water formed as a result of condensation.

The cost of the "fuel" of such a power plant is determined by the cost of productive wells and the steam collection system and is relatively low. The cost of the power plant itself is low, since it does not have a furnace, boiler plant and chimney.

The disadvantages of geothermal electrical installations include the possibility of local subsidence of soils and the awakening of seismic activity. And the gases coming out of the ground can contain toxic substances. In addition, certain geological conditions are necessary for the construction of a geothermal power plant.

Wind power- This is a branch of energy specializing in the use of wind energy (the kinetic energy of air masses in the atmosphere).

A wind farm is an installation that converts the kinetic energy of wind into electrical energy. It consists of a wind turbine, an electric current generator, an automatic control device for the operation of a wind turbine and a generator, facilities for their installation and maintenance.

To obtain wind energy, different designs are used: multi-bladed "daisies"; propellers like aircraft propellers; vertical rotors, etc.

Wind farms are very cheap to manufacture, but their capacity is small and they depend on the weather to operate. In addition, they are very noisy, so large wind farms even have to be turned off at night. In addition, wind farms interfere with air traffic, and even radio waves. The use of wind power plants causes a local weakening of the strength of air currents, which interferes with the ventilation of industrial areas and even affects the climate. Finally, the use of wind farms requires huge areas, much more than other types of power generators.

Wave energy- a method for obtaining electrical energy by converting the potential energy of waves into the kinetic energy of pulsations and forming pulsations into a unidirectional force that rotates the shaft of an electric generator.

Compared to wind and solar energy, wave energy has a much higher power density. Thus, the average wave power of the seas and oceans, as a rule, exceeds 15 kW/m. With a wave height of 2 m, the power reaches 80 kW/m. That is, when developing the surface of the oceans, there can be no shortage of energy. Only a part of the wave power can be used in mechanical and electrical energy, but for water the conversion factor is higher than for air - up to 85 percent.

Tidal energy, like other types of alternative energy, is a renewable energy source.

This type of power plant uses tidal energy to generate electricity. For the device of the simplest tidal power plant (PES), a pool is needed - a bay blocked by a dam or a river mouth. There are culverts in the dam and hydraulic turbines are installed that rotate the generator.

At high tide, water enters the pool. When the water levels in the basin and the sea are equal, the gates of the culverts are closed. With the onset of low tide, the water level in the sea drops, and when the pressure becomes sufficient, the turbines and the electric generators connected to it begin to work, and the water gradually leaves the pool.

It is considered economically feasible to build tidal power plants in areas with tidal sea level fluctuations of at least 4 m. The design capacity of a tidal power plant depends on the nature of the tide in the area where the station is built, on the volume and area of the tidal basin, and on the number of turbines installed in the body of the dam.

The disadvantage of tidal power plants is that they are built only on the shores of the seas and oceans, besides, they do not develop very high power, and the tides occur only twice a day. And even they are not environmentally friendly. They disrupt the normal exchange of salt and fresh water and thus the living conditions of marine flora and fauna. They also affect the climate, since they change the energy potential of sea waters, their speed and the territory of movement.

Gradient temperature energy. This method of extracting energy is based on the temperature difference. It is not very widespread. With it, you can generate a sufficiently large amount of energy at a moderate cost of electricity production.

Most gradient-temperature power plants are located on the sea coast and use sea water for operation. The world's oceans absorb almost 70% of the solar energy falling on Earth. The temperature difference between cold waters at a depth of several hundred meters and warm waters on the surface of the ocean is a huge source of energy, estimated at 20-40 thousand TW, of which only 4 TW can be practically used.

At the same time, marine thermal power plants built on the difference in sea water temperatures contribute to the release of a large amount of carbon dioxide, heating and lowering the pressure of deep waters and cooling of surface waters. And these processes cannot but affect the climate, flora and fauna of the region.

biomass energy. When biomass rots (manure, dead organisms, plants), biogas with a high content of methane is released, which is used for heating, electricity generation, etc.

There are enterprises (pigsties and cowsheds, etc.) that provide themselves with electricity and heat due to the fact that they have several large "vats" where they dump large masses of manure from animals. In these sealed tanks, the manure rots, and the released gas goes to the needs of the farm.

Another advantage of this type of energy is that as a result of the use of wet manure for energy, a dry residue remains from the manure, which is an excellent fertilizer for the fields.

Also, fast-growing algae and some types of organic waste (corn stalks, cane, etc.) can be used as biofuels.

The shape memory effect is a physical phenomenon first discovered by Soviet scientists Kurdyumov and Chondros in 1949.

The shape memory effect is observed in special alloys and consists in the fact that parts made of them restore their initial shape after deformation under thermal exposure. When restoring the original shape, work can be performed that significantly exceeds that which was expended on deformation in the cold state. Thus, when restoring the original shape, the alloys generate a significant amount of heat (energy).

The main disadvantage of the shape recovery effect is the low efficiency - only 5-6 percent.

The material was prepared on the basis of information from open sources