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

The hydrocarbon reserves on our planet will run out sooner or later. 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 growing 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 happens that the supply of electricity or gas to some settlements is not economically justified, and residents cannot do this at their own expense. Therefore, the owners of private houses do it themselves or purchase various installations for generating heat and electricity. After all, energy is contained in sunlight, wind, bowels of the Earth, ebbs and flows. In addition, they use the temperature difference, the energy of falling water and other sources of alternative energy. In this article we will talk about various interesting do-it-yourself 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 use sunlight, wind, tides, ebb and other renewable energy sources quite efficiently. Moreover, this energy can be used on a national scale, or it can only be used to provide energy to a private house or cottage.

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

• Solar panel;
• Plant for biogas production;
• Wind generator.

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

Let's look at some examples.

The principle of operation of all types of heat pumps is based on Carnot cycles. The installation is a refrigerator. In the process of work, it takes away low-potential energy when it is cooled. 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 composition of 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.

Freon is used in such systems as in a domestic refrigerator. 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 solutions for heat pumps, and there are those models that are made by hand. 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 them. The power required for heating is up to 10 kW.

The heat pump manifold can be installed both horizontally and vertically. The second option is used if there is not enough space. Then several wells are drilled, into which the contour is lowered. If the location is horizontal, then the collector is buried in the ground by about 1.5 meters. A heat exchanger in the 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 do-it-yourself system, the evaporator pipe is usually made from a piece of sewer pipe. With the help of a pipe, the flow of water is regulated. The evaporator is lowered into the reservoir. When it flows around, water starts the process of evaporation of freon. That, in turn, rises up into the condenser. There he gives off thermal energy to the water in which the coil is located. This water heats the house by circulating in 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 was always there. 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 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 at the link.

Solar panels 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 comes with a controller, an inverter, sometimes batteries, the necessary wires and fasteners. Although you can find a lot of offers when solar panels are sold separately.

As for the manufacture of solar panels with their 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.

For self-manufacturing of solar panels, you need to buy photocells (on single or polycrystals) and solder them into a series circuit. The number of cells is determined by the required voltage and output power of the battery. It is impossible to make photocells with your own hands. The technology is complex and can be implemented only in factory conditions.

So what needs to be done step by step:

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

Biogas is a clean type of fuel produced without harming the environment. The technology of 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. It should be a sealed container that is equipped with a screw. It is used to mix this mass. In addition, there should be:

• Entrance for loading waste;
• Output for waste residues that have not been recycled;
• Pipe for gas outlet.

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 it, you can relieve excess pressure if necessary. During the decomposition of biological waste in this plant, hydrogen sulfide and methane are released, which contain carbon dioxide.

In general, creating a do-it-yourself biogas synthesis plant is not an easy task. Usually, ready-made solutions are used in practice, but some craftsmen independently make such installations to obtain alternative energy. To do this, several tasks should be solved, as follows:

• It is necessary to arrange a place for the container. Its volume is selected based on how much waste will be processed at the same time. To ensure efficient operation of the installation, you need to fill it 2/3. The container itself can be made of metal or concrete. In terms of productivity, 100 m3 of gas is obtained from 1 ton of food waste;
• Arrange heating. To speed up the process, the waste container must be heated. There may be several options here. For example, a coil around the tank or a heating element under the tank. 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;
• Need a gas power generator to convert the resulting biogas;
• Organize the collection of waste raw materials. This waste can be used for fertilizing garden beds.

Such biogas plants are used in the USA and China in various private households and farms. Here the main problem is to organize the continuous production of biogas. And this will require a constant stream of food waste or manure.

For owners of private houses, there is an opportunity to significantly reduce utility bills or not use the services of heat, electricity and gas providers at all. You can even provide a considerable economy, and if you wish, you can sell the surplus. This is real and some have already done it. For this, alternative energy sources are used.

Where can you get energy and in what form

In fact, energy, in one form or another, is practically everywhere in nature - the sun, wind, water, earth - there is energy everywhere. The main task is to extract it from there. Humanity has been doing this for more than one hundred years and has achieved good results. At the moment, alternative energy sources can provide the house with heat, electricity, gas, warm water. Moreover, alternative energy does not require any super skills or super knowledge. Everything can be done for your home with your own hands. So what can be done:

All alternative energy sources are able to fully meet human needs, but this requires too large investments and/or too large areas. Therefore, it is more reasonable to make a combined system: to receive energy from alternative sources, and if there is a shortage, “to get” from centralized networks.

Use of solar energy

One of the most powerful alternative energy sources for the home is solar radiation. There are two types of installations for converting solar energy:

Do not think that installations work only in the south and only in summer. They work well in winter too. In clear weather with snowfall, energy production is only slightly lower than in summer. If your area has a large number of clear days, you can use this technology.

Solar panels

Solar panels are assembled from photovoltaic converters, which are made on the basis of minerals that, under the influence of sunlight, emit electrons - they generate an electric current. For private use, silicon photoconverters are used. In their structure, they are monocrystalline (made from one crystal) and polycrystalline (many crystals). Monocrystalline have a higher efficiency (13-25% depending on the quality) and a longer service life, but are more expensive. Polycrystalline ones generate less electricity (9-15%) and fail faster, but have a lower price.

This is a polycrystalline photoconverter. You need to handle them carefully - they are very fragile (single-crystal too, but not to the same extent)

Assembling a solar battery with your own hands is not difficult. First you need to purchase a certain amount of silicon photocells (the amount depends on the required power). Most often they are bought on Chinese trading platforms such as Aliexpress. Then the procedure is simple:

A few words about why the substrate for the solar panel (batteries) should be painted white. The operating temperature range of silicon wafers is from -40°C to +50°C. Operation at higher or lower temperatures leads to rapid failure of the elements. On the roof, in summer, indoors, the temperature can be much higher than +50°C. That's why white is needed - so as not to overheat the silicon.

Solar collectors

Solar collectors can heat water or air. Where to direct the water heated by the sun - to hot water taps or to the heating system - you choose. Only heating will be low-temperature - for underfloor heating, what is required. But in order for the temperature in the house not to depend on the weather, the system must be made redundant, so that, if necessary, another heat source is connected or the boiler switches to another energy source.

There are three types of solar collectors: flat, tubular and air. The most common are tubular, but others also have a right to exist.

flat plastic

Two panels - black and transparent - are combined into one body. Between them is a copper pipeline in the form of a snake. From the sun, the lower dark panel heats up. copper is heated from it, and from it - the water passing through the labyrinth. This way of using alternative energy sources is not the most efficient, but it is attractive because it is very simple to implement. Thus, you can heat water in. It will only be necessary to loop its supply (using a circulation pump). In the same way, you can heat water in a container for or use it for domestic needs. The disadvantage of such installations is low efficiency and productivity. It takes either a lot of time or a large number of flat-plate collectors to heat a large amount of water.

Tubular collectors

These are glass tubes - vacuum or coaxial - through which water flows. A special system allows the maximum concentration in the tubes of heat, which is transferred to the water flowing through them.

The system must have a storage tank in which water is heated. The circulation of water in the system is provided by a pump. Such systems cannot be made on your own - it is problematic to make glass tubes with your own hands and this is the main drawback. Together with the high price, it hinders the widespread adoption of this source of energy for the home. And the system itself is very efficient, with a bang it copes with heating water for hot water supply and makes a decent contribution to heating.

Scheme of organizing heating and hot water supply from alternative energy sources - using solar collectors

Air collectors

In our country, they are very rare and in vain. They are simple and easy to make by hand. The only negative is that a large area is required: they can occupy the entire southern (eastern, southeastern) wall. The system is very similar to flat-plate collectors - a black lower panel, a transparent upper one, but they directly heat the air, which is forced (by a fan) or naturally into the room. Despite the seeming frivolity, in this way it is possible to heat small rooms during daylight hours, including technical or utility rooms:, cottages, sheds for living creatures.

Such an alternative source of energy as the sun gives us its heat, but most of it goes "to nowhere". To catch a small fraction of it and use it for personal needs is the task that all these devices solve.

Wind turbines

Alternative energy sources are good because they are mostly renewable resources. The most eternal, probably, is the wind. As long as there is atmosphere and sun, there is also wind. Maybe for a short period the air will be still, but not for long. Our ancestors used wind energy in mills, and modern man converts it into electricity. All that is required for this:

• a tower installed in a windy place;
• generator with blades attached to it;
• storage battery and electric current distribution system.

The tower is built any, from any material. A storage battery is a battery, you can’t imagine anything here, but where to supply electricity is your choice. It remains only to make a generator. It can also be bought ready-made, but it is quite possible to make it from an engine from household appliances - a washing machine, a screwdriver, etc. You will need neodymium magnets and epoxy resin, a lathe.

On the motor rotor we mark the places for the installation of magnets. They must be at an equal distance from each other. We grind the rotor of the selected motor, forming “seats”. The bottom of the recess should have a slight slope so that the surface of the magnet is tilted. Magnets are glued to the carved places on liquid nails, filled with epoxy resin. The surface is then smoothed with sandpaper. Next, you need to attach brushes that will remove the current. And that's it, you can assemble and run a wind generator.

Such installations are quite effective, but their power depends on many factors: wind intensity, how well the generator is made, how effectively the potential difference is removed by brushes, on the reliability of electrical connections, etc.

Heat pumps for home heating

Heat pumps use all available alternative energy sources. They take heat from water, air, soil. In small quantities, this heat is there even in winter, so the heat pump collects it and redirects it to heating the house.

Heat pumps also use alternative energy sources - the heat of the earth, water and air

Principle of operation

Why are heat pumps so attractive? The fact that having spent 1 kW of energy for its pumping, in the worst case, you will get 1.5 kW of heat, and the most successful implementations can give up to 4-6 kW. And this does not contradict the law of conservation of energy in any way, because energy is spent not on obtaining heat, but not on pumping it. So no inconsistencies.

Heat pumps have three working circuits: two external and they are internal, as well as an evaporator, a compressor and a condenser. The scheme works like this:

• A coolant circulates in the primary circuit, which takes heat from low-potential sources. It can be lowered into water, buried in the ground, or it can take heat from the air. The highest temperature reached in this circuit is around 6°C.
• The internal circuit circulates a heating medium with a very low boiling point (typically 0°C). When heated, the refrigerant evaporates, the vapor enters the compressor, where it is compressed to high pressure. During compression, heat is released, the refrigerant vapor is heated to an average temperature of +35°C to +65°C.
• In the condenser, heat is transferred to the coolant from the third - heating - circuit. Cooling vapors are condensed, then further enter the evaporator. And then the cycle repeats.

The heating circuit is best done in the form of a warm floor. Temperatures are the best for this. The radiator system will require too many sections, which is ugly and unprofitable.

Alternative sources of thermal energy: where and how to get heat

But the biggest difficulty is the device of the first external circuit, which collects heat. Since the sources are low-potential (there is little heat at the bottom), large areas are required to collect it in sufficient quantities. There are four types of contours:

• Rings laid in water pipes with a coolant. The body of water can be anything - a river, a pond, a lake. The main condition is that it should not freeze through even in the most severe frosts. Pumps that pump heat out of the river work more efficiently; much less heat is transferred in stagnant water. Such a heat source is the easiest to implement - throw pipes, tie a load. There is only a high chance of accidental damage.

  

• Thermal fields with pipes buried below freezing depth. In this case, there is only one drawback - large volumes of earthworks. We have to remove the soil over a large area, and even to a solid depth.

  

• Use of geothermal temperatures. A number of wells of great depth are drilled, and coolant circuits are lowered into them. What is good about this option is that it requires little space, but not everywhere it is possible to drill to great depths, and drilling services cost a lot. It is possible, however, but the work is still not easy.

  

• Extraction of heat from the air. This is how air conditioners with the possibility of heating work - they take heat from the "outboard" air. Even at sub-zero temperatures, such units work, though at a not very “deep” minus - up to -15 ° C. To make the work more intensive, you can use the heat from the ventilation shafts. Throw a few slings with coolant there and pump heat from there.

  

The main disadvantage of heat pumps is the high price of the pump itself, and the installation of heat collection fields is not cheap. In this case, you can save money by making the pump yourself and also laying the contours with your own hands, but the amount will still remain considerable. The advantage is that heating will be inexpensive and the system will operate for a long time.

Waste to income:

All alternative energy sources are of natural origin, but you can only get a double benefit from biogas plants. They recycle animal and poultry waste. As a result, a certain volume of gas is obtained, which, after purification and drying, can be used for its intended purpose. The remaining processed waste can be sold or used in the fields to increase yields - a very effective and safe fertilizer is obtained.

Briefly about the technology

The formation of gas occurs during fermentation, and bacteria living in manure are involved in this. Any livestock and poultry waste is suitable for biogas production, but cattle manure is optimal. It is even added to the rest of the waste for the "sourdough" - it contains exactly the bacteria needed for processing.

To create optimal conditions, an anaerobic environment is necessary - fermentation must take place without oxygen. Therefore, effective bioreactors are closed containers. In order for the process to proceed more actively, regular mixing of the mass is necessary. In industrial plants, electric mixers are installed for this, in self-made biogas plants, these are usually mechanical devices - from the simplest stick to mechanical mixers that "work" by hand.

There are two types of bacteria involved in the formation of gas from manure: mesophilic and thermophilic. Mesophilic are active at temperatures from +30°C to +40°C, thermophilic - at +42°C to +53°C. Thermophilic bacteria work more efficiently. Under ideal conditions, gas production from 1 liter of usable area can reach 4-4.5 liters of gas. But maintaining a temperature of 50 ° C in the installation is very difficult and costly, although the costs justify themselves.

A little about designs

The simplest biogas plant is a barrel with a lid and a stirrer. The lid has an outlet for connecting a hose through which gas enters the tank. You won’t get much gas from such a volume, but it will be enough for one or two gas burners.

More serious volumes can be obtained from an underground or above-ground bunker. If we are talking about an underground bunker, then it is made of reinforced concrete. The walls are separated from the ground with a layer of thermal insulation, the container itself can be divided into several compartments, in which processing will take place with a shift in time. Since mesophilic cultures usually work under such conditions, the whole process takes from 12 to 30 days (thermophilic cultures are processed in 3 days), therefore a time shift is desirable.

Manure enters through the loading hopper, on the opposite side they make an unloading hatch, from where processed raw materials are taken. The bunker is not completely filled with biomixture - about 15-20% of the space remains free - gas accumulates here. To drain it, a tube is built into the lid, the second end of which is lowered into a water seal - a container partially filled with water. In this way, the gas is dried - already purified is collected in the upper part, it is discharged using another tube and can already be choked to the consumer.

Anyone can use alternative energy sources. It is more difficult for apartment owners to implement this, but in a private house you can at least implement all the ideas. There are even real examples of that. People fully provide for their needs and considerable economy.

The issue of electricity production has not lost its relevance over the years. It seemed to scientists that with the advent of nuclear power plants, humanity would receive an unlimited amount of energy and would never ask this question again. But everything turned out to be somewhat different - the reserves of U 235 uranium necessary for nuclear power plants are not endless, and already now in many countries, even in the USA, its shortage is felt. There are methods for obtaining other necessary fuel, for example, plutonium P 239, by artificial methods, but this is far from enough. It comes to the point that it is necessary to use previously created nuclear weapons to extract the embedded nuclear charge from them in order to use them at stations.

To solve the energy issue completely, many developers have turned their attention to alternative sources of electricity.

These traditionally include the following:

• solar panels;
• wind generators;
• the warmth of the earth;
• biogas generator;
• the power of the ebb and flow, some others.

Consider the use of these alternative sources of electricity in more detail.

By means of solar rays, approximately 1000 kW of power is transferred to Earth annually, which is equal to the energy that is released during the combustion of 100 liters of diesel fuel. This is a fairly large number, and its development occupies the minds of many modern researchers. The best option today for using solar radiation are solar panels, often combined into large blocks of several dozen, so-called panels. The principle of operation of such products is simple - photons from the rays of the sun, passing through the batteries, create a potential difference on the semiconductor material, which causes the movement of current in the electrical circuit.

A typical battery of this kind, having a surface area of ​​60-80 cm 2, in good sunny weather, can provide a current of about 1 A, which is enough to charge a mobile phone, listen to the radio and other simple tasks. If you build a large panel of 40-50 such elements, then you can get, respectively, an energy source for 40-50 A of current and 20-25 V of voltage. Such power will be enough already for more serious tasks: lighting a room, charging a car battery. To cover the needs of a private house in electricity, the entire surface of its roof is covered with such solar panels.

Solar alternative power generation is a good option for generating electricity, but the method has several drawbacks, the main among which are the high cost of organizing your own power plant, as well as complete dependence on weather conditions: in case of cloudy weather, the generated power will be very small.

Wind turbines

Windmills are widely used in many developed countries of the world: Holland, Denmark, Japan, USA and others. Their use is especially effective in mountainous areas or on sea coasts, where strong winds are constantly raging. The power of a modern power plant from wind generators is enough to cover the needs of large agricultural facilities remote from civilization, or the infrastructure of small cities.

The design of the windmill is as follows: it has blades of a certain shape, which are rigidly connected to the rotor of the generator installed inside. As the blades move, the rotor rotates and the generator generates electricity. The larger the blades, the more they create rotation, the larger and the more often the wind occurs in a given area, the more the electric generator will produce electrical energy. It is estimated that the minimum wind speed at which a wind generator can operate is about 2 m/s. If the constant wind speed is more than 8-10 m / s, then the generated electricity will be enough to power the electrical network of a private house.

The disadvantage of this method is that the battery included in the system fails rather quickly (due to too frequent charge-discharge cycles), and its cost is a significant part of the entire wind turbine. Structural parts can be damaged from the wind, which will require regular repairs.

Increasingly, you can see how people equip windmills for the home. Despite some difficulties, they are able to work with goals and bring many benefits to the owner.

geothermal springs

Deepening into the bowels of the Earth showed: under the layers of the surface - a high temperature. This can be seen in such phenomena as, for example, geysers - fountains of hot water gushing out of the ground. The heat of the earth also belongs to alternative energy sources - it is very convenient to use it with a heat pump. True, it is worth noting that the operation of the pump also requires the supply of a certain amount of current, but, as practice shows, the ratio of the power spent on the operation of the pump in relation to the heat received from the bowels of the earth is approximately 1: 4–1: 6, which completely covers the costs and makes this method very advantageous.

The principle of implementing this method is also quite simple - a well is drilled to the zone of elevated temperature in the ground, where a heat pump is then installed. It serves to cool hot underground water, and as a result of this, additional energy is released, which is sent to the consumer through special communications.

The benefits of using this method of generating electricity are obvious, but there is also a significant disadvantage - for a house with an area of ​​​​150 m 2, you will have to spend about 20-30 thousand dollars on the necessary work and equipment.

Biogas plants

The use of biomass has gained considerable popularity in recent years. Its essence lies in the fact that from various biomass (bard, bird droppings, manure and other similar substances) during fermentation, a special gas is released called cellulosic ethanol. Here, alternative electricity can be obtained by simply burning the gas thus obtained.

To realize this idea, scientists have developed special biogas plants, which are now sold at fairly affordable prices. It is most beneficial to use them for various farms, where biological waste is an integral part of the production cycle. Once spent on a biogas construction, a farmer can get an excellent source of gas close to natural, which in the end is easily converted into both heat and electricity.

Another interesting alternative energy source that is widely used in maritime countries. Due to natural ebb and flow, the water is constantly moving. If water turbines are installed at a certain depth, they, using this movement of water masses, will generate quite a lot of power. It is noteworthy that even considering the low speed of water from the ebb and flow, water turbines can show high efficiency. This can be seen in the world's largest tidal power plant, located in France and capable of delivering as much as 240 MW of power.

As a conclusion, it is worth saying that these are not all possible ways to obtain current. They are constantly being improved and developed, but the greatest practical result was achieved precisely by these methods. They are already able to make a worthy alternative to traditional options for generating electricity, and in some cases completely replace them.

Today, energy conservation issues are very tough, especially on the territory of some independent states from among the former republics of the Soviet Union. One of the most discussed topics in many forums concerns the financial feasibility of installing sources that reduce energy consumption. Do-it-yourself alternative energy - is there an effective solution? Let's try to understand this issue.

It is worth immediately stipulating the fact that it is unlikely that it will be possible to create alternative energy sources with your own hands. But there is the possibility of using equipment produced on an industrial scale. It is the installation of such devices that can not only reduce the cost of electricity and heat supply, but also completely eliminate dependence on central energy networks.

Technologically, all alternative energy installations can be divided into two main types:

• Devices for generating electrical energy.
• Units used to obtain thermal energy in its pure form or to generate gaseous fuel for boiler equipment.

Autonomous power supply installations

Among the existing devices for obtaining free electricity, the following types of equipment have found widespread use:

• Solar panels that convert the energy of our natural light source directly into electricity. Panels of this type consist of a plurality of light-receiving semiconductor elements. These units are recommended for use in regions with a large number of sunny days. It is advisable to install such panels using mechanisms that provide a change in the angle of inclination of the structure. This will help to avoid the negative effects of precipitation and ensure the reception of the maximum possible solar radiation.
• Another do-it-yourself alternative energy generator can be installed in regions with a significant wind load. At first glance, an ordinary windmill is able to provide electricity to several consumers at the same time. The performance of the unit depends on the type of generator used, the wingspan of the drive unit, the ability to turn the device depending on the prevailing wind direction.

Heat supply installations

• Heat pumps operating on the principle of transferring heat energy from a medium with a higher temperature. In practice, heat exchangers operating on the energy of water, air and geothermal installations are used, capable of converting the temperature of various soil layers into thermal energy.
• Biogenerators, allowing to collect the gas released during the decomposition of organic substances. This design can operate on various types of fuel, the most efficient and safe installations with automatic control.

Of course, the cost of installations of this class is considerable, but their acquisition will ensure the independence of the energy supply of your own home.

After building a house and putting it into operation, the main costs will be precisely for energy. This circumstance makes it advantageous to use alternative sources. At the same time, devices for obtaining alternative energy are expensive in themselves and their payback period is at least 10 years. The solution will be alternative energy sources for the home with their own hands. Their production is much cheaper. In this case, not manufacturing from scratch is used, but assembly from ready-made components. There are many solutions here. They can be divided into energy generation systems and energy storage systems.

Wind turbines for a summer house

First of all, they are interesting because of their low cost for self-manufacturing. If they are purchased new in finished form, then they do not provide much benefit in comparison with solar panels. The exception is windy places, such as mountainous areas. By doing it yourself, the benefits can be huge.

When installing, you need to remember that wind turbines make noise. High-speed models when working in strong winds are unsafe, due to the possible expansion of the elements of the blades. Windmills are best suited for large windy areas with low land costs. There, under them, it is quite possible to take several acres in a remote corner. They are not suitable for compact plots, adjacent territories in cottage settlements.

Vertical low-speed wind turbines are safe and produce less noise. Their wind wheel is much easier to manufacture, but the electric generator itself requires a step-up gearbox.

Solar panels

They can be called the best source of alternative energy. They have no moving parts, are extremely reliable and efficient, and are suitable for any inhabited climatic zone. Solar panels can be placed in cottage settlements, in compact urban areas, on the roof of a house. They are very functional, but their distribution is hindered by a high price. Buying Tips:

• purchase panels of at least 250 W of power;
• do not buy solar panels from intermediaries;
• do not purchase ready-made kits with inverters;

It is profitable to buy solar panels on Aliexpress and manufacturers' websites. Chinese manufacturers are beyond competition in terms of price. Panels of 200 - 250 W are the most convenient (area 1 - 1.5 m). Flexible film solar cells are also functional.

Such alternative energy sources as the sun have a daily cycle. Therefore, part of the cost of the system will need to be spent on batteries. Many options have been proposed.

We store electricity

Solar alternative energy requires batteries. There are no special requirements for the weight and dimensions of batteries in the house, so the choice must be made according to the price and number of cycles. Now the best option is lead-acid batteries. They have an energy intensity of 50 W / kg and the lowest cost. It is unprofitable to consider other types of batteries.

Purchase only the largest battery form factors. The larger the capacity of one unit, the cheaper the entire set will be in terms of one W of stored energy. Avoid car batteries. It is better to use batteries for trucks or traction batteries for forklifts. Profitable options are available in battery packs for industrial UPSs.

DC power grid in the house

If you look at ready-made solar power plants for the home, you will notice that 30-50% of the cost is occupied by a DC-to-AC converter (inverter). With self-assembly of a solar power plant, this node can be excluded. In this case, there will be a low voltage and direct current network. It will require specialized equipment. Ordinary household appliances will not work, so this decision is justified only when such electrical appliances are available.

This can be, for example, a specially made electric stove, LED lighting system, a pump with a DC motor and other devices. The manufacture of such consumers of electricity is justified, since in comparison with a ready-made solar power plant, you save 30-50% of the cost.

It is not recommended to directly connect solar panels even to specially manufactured electricity consumers. A voltage stabilizer is required (for direct current). Its cost cannot be compared with the converter. In addition, it can also be made independently.

Thermal energy and heating for a private house

The best solution in this area is a heat pump. Ready-made models of such boilers are inexpensive. Only heat exchangers need to be manufactured independently. Sources of additional heat are soil, indoor air, water. It is very beneficial to develop the direction of heat accumulation. Water is the most convenient coolant. It can be used in classical solar heater systems. The main material is copper and steel pipes, finished elements of radiators.