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 happens that the supply of electricity or gas to some settlements It is not economically justified, and residents cannot do this at their own expense. Therefore, owners of private houses do it themselves or purchase various settings to generate 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, surrounding nature 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 a large scale the whole country, but it is only possible 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 transforms 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.

As in 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.

Exist ready-made solutions 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 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 them plastic container the same volume as the capacitor. 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 sewer pipe. Using the pipe, the flow of water is regulated. The evaporator is lowered into a reservoir. 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 electricity. 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.

Regarding production solar panels with your own hands, then 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-made For solar panels, 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 clean look fuel obtained 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:

• Waste loading entrance;
• 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 it you can reset overpressure, if it is needed. 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 provide efficient work installation, you need to fill it 2/3. 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.

When the reserves of traditional energy sources, such as oil, gas and coal, are inexorably decreasing and their cost is quite high, and their use leads to the formation of a greenhouse effect on the planet, all large quantity countries in their energy policies are turning their attention towards alternative energy sources.

What it is

Alternative energy sources are environmentally friendly, renewable resources, when converted, a person receives electrical and thermal energy used for his needs.

Such sources include wind and solar energy, water from rivers and seas, heat from the earth’s surface, as well as biofuel obtained from the biological mass of animal and plant origin.

Types of alternative energy

Depending on the energy source, which, as a result of transformation, allows a person to obtain electrical and thermal energy used in everyday life, alternative energy is classified into several types, which determine the methods of its generation and the types of installations used for this.

Energy of sun

Solar energy is based on the conversion of the sun's energy, resulting in electrical and thermal energy.

The generation of electrical energy is based on physical processes occurring in semiconductors under the influence sun rays, obtaining heat - on the properties of liquids and gases.

To generate electrical energy, solar power plants are equipped, the basis of which are solar batteries (panels) made on the basis of silicon crystals.

The basis of thermal installations are solar collectors, in which the energy of the sun is converted into thermal energy of the coolant.

The power of such installations depends on the number and power of individual devices included in thermal and solar stations.

Wind energy

Wind energy is based on conversion kinetic energy air masses into electrical energy used by consumers.

The basis of wind installations is a wind generator. Wind generators vary in technical parameters, overall dimensions and designs: with horizontal and vertical axis of rotation, different types and numbers of blades, as well as their location (onshore, offshore, etc.).

The power of water

Hydropower is based on the conversion of the kinetic energy of water masses into electrical energy, which is also used by humans for their own purposes.

Objects of this type include hydroelectric power plants of various capacities installed on rivers and other water bodies. In such installations, under the influence of the natural flow of water, or by creating a dam, water acts on the blades of a turbine generating electric current. The hydraulic turbine is the basis of hydroelectric power plants.

Another way to obtain electrical energy by converting water energy is to use tidal energy through the construction of tidal stations. The operation of such installations is based on the use of kinetic energy sea ​​water during the period of high and low tides occurring in the seas and oceans under the influence of solar system objects.

Warmth of the earth

Geothermal energy is based on the transformation of heat emitted by the surface of the earth, both in places where geothermal water is released (seismically hazardous areas) and in other regions of our planet.

For the use of geothermal waters are used special installations, through which internal heat earth is converted into thermal and electrical energy.

Using a heat pump allows you to receive heat from the surface of the earth, regardless of its location. His work is based on the properties of liquids and gases, as well as the laws of thermodynamics.

Heat pumps vary in power and design, depending on primary source energy that determines their type are systems: “ground-water” and “water-water”, “air-water” and “ground-air”, “water-air” and “air-air”, “freon-water” and "freon-air".

Biofuel

Types of biofuels differ in how they are produced, their state of aggregation(liquid, solid, gaseous) and types of use. The uniting indicator for all types of biofuels is that the basis for their production is organic products, through the processing of which electrical and thermal energy is obtained.

Solid biofuels are firewood, fuel briquettes or pellets, gaseous ones are biogas and biohydrogen, and liquid ones are bioethanol, biomethanol, biobutanol, dimethyl ether and biodiesel.

Pros and cons of using

Like each specific energy source, regardless of what type it is, traditional or alternative, it has its own advantages and disadvantages of use.

In addition, each group of energy resources is characterized by general advantages and cons. For alternative sources, these include:

• The advantages of using are:
• Renewability of alternative energy sources;
• Environmental Safety;
• Availability and possibility of use in a wide range of applications;
• Low cost of energy obtained as a result of conversion.
• Disadvantages of use:
• High cost of equipment and significant material costs at the construction and installation stages;
• Low efficiency of installations;
• Dependence external factors, such as: weather conditions, wind strength, etc.;
• Relatively small installed capacity of generating plants, with the exception of hydroelectric power plants.

Alternative energy sources in Russia

In our country, as in many technically developed countries of the world, the use of alternative energy sources is given Special attention. This is due to large areas in which there are currently no centralized energy sources, as well as a global trend associated with the struggle for the ecology of the planet and saving traditional types of fuel.

IN different regions countries have developed different types alternative energy. It's connected with geographical location and the possibility of using one or another primary source of energy.

Solar energy

Solar power plants are currently becoming increasingly widespread among various segments of the population, as an alternative or backup source electrical and thermal energy.

On an industrial scale, this type energy sector is also present in our country.

Total installed capacity solar power plants exceeds 400.0 MW, of which the largest are:

• Orskaya named after A. A. Vlazneva, installed capacity 40.0 MW in the Orenburg region;
• Buribaevskaya, with a capacity of 20.0 MW and Bugulchanskaya, with a capacity of 15.0 MW, in the Republic of Bashkortostan;
• There are more than ten solar power plants with a capacity of 20.0 MW each on the Crimean peninsula.

Under development project documentation and various stages of construction, there are more than 50 solar generation facilities located in different regions, from Far East and Siberia, to the central and southern regions our country.

The total capacity of the facilities being designed and under construction is more than 850.0 MW.

Wind energy

Wind power plants, working to produce electrical energy on an industrial scale, also exist on the territory of our country, although their share in the total capacity of the energy system is significantly lower than solar power plants.

The total installed capacity of wind generators is slightly more than 100.0 MW, of which the most powerful are:

• Zelenograd wind turbine with a capacity of 5.1 MW, located in the Kaliningrad region;
• Ostaninskaya (25.0 MW), Tarkhankutskaya (22.0 MW) and Sakiskaya (20.0 MW) - on the Crimean peninsula.

There are 22 wind power plants at the design and construction stage with a total capacity of more than 2500.0 MW.

Hydropower

This type of alternative energy is most common in Russia. Currently, the share of electrical energy generated by hydroelectric power plants installed on rivers in different regions of the country exceeds 20.0% of the total generation of the entire energy system of the Russian Federation.

The total installed capacity of hydroelectric power plants, at the beginning of 2017, is 48,085.94 MW, and their number is 191 generation facilities of various capacities and designs.

Tidal energy is also used in our country to produce electrical energy. In the Murmansk region, since the second half of the twentieth century, the Kislogubskaya tidal power plant has been operating, which was reconstructed in 2007 and currently has an installed capacity of 1.7 MW.

Currently under development economic justification and design documentation for the construction of similar stations in the Okhotsk (Penzhinskaya and Tugurskaya TPP) and White (Mezenskaya) seas.

Geothermal energy

The energy from the interior of our planet, its heat, is widely used in a number of countries where volcanic activity occurs. In our country, this type of energy, due to its characteristics, is widespread in the Far East.

Currently, 5 geothermal power plants with an installed capacity of 80.1 MW are successfully operating, three of which are located in Kamchatka (Mutnovskaya, Pauzhetskaya and Verkhne-Muntovskaya) and one each on the islands of Kunashir (Mendeleevskaya) and Iturup (Okeanskaya).

Biofuel use

This type of energy resource is not as widespread as traditional types fuel or hydropower. However, due to the fact that the forestry and woodworking industries are developed in our country and large areas are occupied by the cultivation of agricultural crops, more and more attention is being paid to this type of energy.

Built in recent years a large number of factories for processing wood waste from which fuel briquettes and granules (pellets) are made. Briquettes and pellets, in turn, are used as fuel for various types boilers, as a result of combustion, generate thermal and electrical energy.

Agricultural waste is used to produce biogas and liquid fuel for diesel engines and combustion plants, resulting in the production of heat and electricity.

This type of fuel is not widely used in our country, but nevertheless, the prospects for its development are quite extensive and successful.

Use for a private home

Using alternative heating sources country house or a dacha, as well as for its power supply, can be carried out quite successfully. In this case, everything depends on the region of residence of the user and the location of the energy consumption facility.

The ability of solar stations and wind turbines to generate electricity depends on the activity of the sun and the wind speed where they are located, as well as other factors. weather phenomena characterizing this region.

The construction of a micro hydroelectric power station is possible only if there is a river or other body of water near the object of consumption, and a geothermal station is possible only if there are geothermal waters located close to the surface of the earth.

Biofuel in the form of firewood and wood waste products is possible in regions of the country rich in forests, with developed industry in this direction.

Biogas production and liquid fuel- available where large areas are allocated for growing crops, which allows you to have large stock biomass used to produce these fuels.

Can I do it myself at home?

If you have free time, desire, and the ability to work with hand tools, you can create installations with which you can use alternative sources for your needs, both in the form of electrical and thermal energy.

This applies to all of the above types of alternative energy, for:

• Solar power plants - you can independently manufacture solar panels using factory-produced solar cells, as well as assemble a charge controller and inverter, which are elements of such installations.
• Wind installations - as well as for solar stations, electronic devices(controller, inverter) are assembled quite simply using existing electrical diagrams and from factory-produced elements. Most important element, wind generator - can be made from existing spare parts and materials.
• Micro hydroelectric power station - anyone can manufacture and install it if there is a river or reservoir where a dam can be built. The design and type of hydraulic turbine depend on the type of reservoir and terrain.
• It will not be difficult for any rural resident to create a biogas plant; the conditions for this will be: availability required quantity biomass and ambient temperature allowing its fermentation process to occur.

What is alternative energy? The modern world offers ways to create free electricity. How to make it yourself?

Alternative

In 1901, the famous, brilliant scientist Nikolai Tesla designed the huge Wardenclyffe Tower in New York. JP Morgan took over the financial part of the project. Tesla wanted to implement free radio communications and provide humanity with free electricity. Morgan was simply expecting wireless international communications.

The idea of ​​free electricity horrified the industrial and financial “Aces”. There were no willing revolutions in the world economy; everyone was holding on to super-profits. Therefore, the project was canceled.

So what did Tesla build? How was he going to make free electricity? In the 21st century, the idea of ​​alternative energy, powered by other sources, is receiving increasing support. A kind of opponent to oil, coal, and gas here are the renewable resources of the Earth and other planets.

Where can you get free electricity from? Sunlight, wind energy, earth energy, the use of tides, and the muscular energy of the human body can change the future of the planet. Pipelines and reactor sarcophagi will become a thing of the past. Many states will be able to free their economies from the need to purchase expensive sources of electricity.

Much attention is paid to the search for alternative energy sources that are easily renewable. In recent decades, humanity has been concerned about problems of environmental cleanliness and resource efficiency.

Technology

Options for obtaining free electricity are discussed below.

Wind power plant. Holland is proposing to build a huge wind farm in the North Sea, and an artificial one equipped necessary equipment an island that will take on the role of an energy hub, distributing electricity between 5 states.

Saudi Arabia proposed creating turbines in the form of “ paper kites”, and place them in the air rather than on the ground. Several countries have their own wind turbine fields.

Solar power plant. There are roofs on sale consisting of solar panels, as well as photovoltaic glass panels that can be used to cover the exterior walls of houses. American scientists have produced solar panels in the form of transparent tiles that can be used to glaze windows to generate electricity for the home.

A thunderstorm battery is an energy storage device from discharges in the atmosphere. Lightning is redirected to the power grid.

The TPU toroidal generator consists of 3 coils. The magnetic vortex and resonant frequencies are the cause of the current. It was invented by S. Mark.

Tidal power plants - operation depends on the ebb and flow of the tides, the position of the Earth and the Moon.

Thermal power plant – high-temperature groundwater is used as a resource.

Human Muscular Strength - Humans also generate energy when they move, which can be harnessed.

Thermonuclear fusion is a process that can be controlled. Heavier nuclei are synthesized from lighter ones. This method is not used because it is very dangerous.

Your own master

You can create free electricity yourself. There are many methods to build devices that generate energy. To do this you only need a little knowledge and skills. For example:

Make a Peltier element - a plate, a thermoelectric converter. Heat is obtained from a burning source, cooling is produced by a heat exchanger. The components are made of different metals.

Build a generator that collects radio waves - paired capacitors, electrolytic, film, low-power diodes. An insulated cable of 15 m is used as an antenna. The grounding wire is attached to the gas or water pipe.

To construct a thermoelectric generator, you will need a voltage stabilizer, a housing, cooling radiators, thermal paste, and Peltier heating plates.

Build a lightning battery - metal antenna and grounding. Potential accumulates between the elements of the device. The method is dangerous because it attracts lightning, whose voltage reaches 2000 Volts.

Galvanic method - copper and aluminum rods are inserted into the ground to a depth of 0.5 m, the area between them is treated with saline solution.

What else?

Among the ordinary ones, you can also find quite unusual ways receiving electricity. Recently, scientists around the world have been intensively working on the development of alternative energy. The world is looking for opportunities for its wider use.

Below is a short overview of the best methods and ideas:

Thermal generator – converts thermal energy into electrical energy. Built into heating and cooking stoves.

Piezoelectric generator – works on kinetic energy. They are introducing dance floors, turnstiles, and exercise equipment.

Nanogenerator - uses the energy of vibrations of the human body during movement. The process is instantaneous. Scientists are working on combining the work of a nanogenerator and a solar battery.

Kapanadze fuel-free generator – works on permanent magnets in the rotor and biflar coils in the stator. Power 1-10 kW. One of N. Tesla's inventions is taken as a basis, but many do not believe in this principle. According to another version, the real technology of the device is kept a big secret.

Experimental installations that operate on ether - electromagnetic field. While the search is still underway, hypotheses are being tested, experiments are being conducted.

Scientists have calculated that the natural reserves used in modern energy may last for another 60 years. The best minds are working on developments in this area. In Denmark, the population relies on wind energy for 25%.

In Russia, projects are planned to use renewable sources in the energy system by 10%, and in Australia by 8%. In Switzerland, the majority voted for full transition for alternative energy. The world votes yes!

Photos of methods for obtaining free electricity

Many people believe that cheap heating private home is possible only on main gas. Let's think about what to do if it is not there, and no supply is planned, and what alternative energy could be for the home.

• How does a wind generator work?
• How to install a solar collector.
• How to install a heat pump.
• How to choose an inverter.

Today, when energy prices are rapidly rising, and the cost of connecting to a pipe with "blue fuel" unreasonably high, that's all larger number homeowners are abandoning traditional energy resources and turning their attention to alternative energy sources for the home.

Based on the knowledge of experts and the experience of site participants, we will tell you what can replace gas; how the wind, sun and heat of the earth become an alternative to electricity from wires - using them, you can light and heat a country house.

Alternative source of electricity: wind catcher

This is exactly what you can call a wind generator. People have been using the power of wind as a source of alternative energy for a long time.

Having passed long haul, familiar to everyone windmills turned into modern wind power plants capable of generating electricity.

On what principle does a wind generator work?

It's quite simple. The wind flow rotates the blades of the wind wheel, thus causing the shaft of the electric generator to rotate.

The generator, in turn, produces electric current.

It should be remembered that the generator produces a variable voltage at different frequencies. In case there is no wind, the wind energy system includes a battery pack, where the electricity generated by the generator is supplied.

Among individual homeowners, wind power plants with a power of up to 10 kW are most widely used. There are three main types of wind turbine designs:

• Small-lobed. Most often they have three blades. They are characterized by high efficiency and simplicity of design. Disadvantages: due to the small area of ​​the blades, the initial start of the engine requires a wind speed of at least 5-5 m/s. Users also note a high noise level.
• Multi-lobed. From 18 to 24 curved blades are mounted on the wind wheel. They begin to work at a wind speed of 2-4 m/s. They are distinguished by a low noise level, but also lower efficiency than small-bladed wind turbines. Disadvantages: the complexity of the design, which makes it difficult to install a wind generator with your own hands, and the gyroscopic effect that occurs during their operation.
• Rotary wind turbines have vertical blades that move in a circle rather than in a straight line. Advantages: stable work with constant wind, low noise level. A significant drawback of this wind turbine design is low efficiency, no more than 18%.

Let's see how to make a wind power plant effective in our conditions.

Interesting personal experience participant website Alexandra Kapustina (nickname on the forum Experienced 1406 )

– The wind generator should be located on a site where there is as little interference as possible for winds. Wind energy is cubic function wind speed. This means that small changes in wind speed cause large changes in power output. For safety reasons, it is advisable to place the windmill further away from residential buildings. About the height of the mast - set it as high as possible.

In the conditions of settlements near Moscow, we can recommend a mast height of at least 15 meters. And when independent calculation alternative energy supply systems for a private home, you first need to find out how much energy is required from the system. To do this, you will have to determine the peak instantaneous power, as well as calculate two values ​​of the expected daily energy consumption - its maximum and average values.

It should be remembered that in our climatic conditions wind turbines can run on full power approximately 20–30% of the days of the year, so the wind generator should be considered as an additional, backup system electricity supply to generate electricity for power household electrical appliances.

Suncatchers

How you can use the energy of the sun: the first thing that comes to mind is a solar battery.

No one can be surprised by photocells placed on the roof of a cottage.

But in our material we will not talk about them, but about a device capable of transforming solar energy in heat suitable for heating or hot water supply at home.

Solar collectors

For an answer to the question, what is a solar collector, let us turn to the deputy for clarification technical director companies "AquaBur" Evgeny Kasatkin.

– The basis of the solar system or, more simply put, solar collector the principle of obtaining heat from solar radiation and further transfer of accumulated energy to DHW system or heating.

There are two types of solar collectors:

• Vacuum solar collector. The potential in this system is removed using vacuum tubes. A vacuum tube is a double glass flask with air pumped out of it. The inside of the bulb is covered with reflective material, which lets in solar radiation but does not let it out. And in the inner part of the system, there are tubes with a rod containing the coolant. The vacuum layer makes it possible to save about 95% of the captured thermal energy.
• Flat solar collector. The potential removal in this system is based on the absorption of solar radiation by an absorbent plate, after which the energy in the form of accumulated heat is transferred to the liquid carrier. The reverse side of the solar collector is covered with thermal insulation.

Which system to choose, taking into account the work in our conditions

According to the head of the company's development department "Wiessmann" Mikhail Murashko:

– They work most effectively in cloudy weather, smog and scattered radiation.tubular vacuum manifolds. And flat solar collectors are more optimal for use in areas with high solar insolation.

Evgeny Kasatkin:

- IN winter period and in northern regions The solar collector can be used as additional system connected to the heating or hot water system. But we will get the best results in the summer, when the system, if installed and installed correctly, can fully satisfy your need for hot water, without using indirect systems heating water.

Installing a solar collector will allow you to get almost free heat. If the system needs forced circulation coolant, then electricity is only required to operate the pump. And on a sunny day, the solar system can heat the water to a temperature of 50-70 C.

Heat pumps

As the law of conservation of energy says: “Energy cannot arise from nothing and cannot simply disappear, it can only pass from one form to another.”

The earth, air and water contain a large amount of low-grade thermal energy that can be used to heat a house. All that remains is to collect this dissipated thermal energy and “launch” it into the heating system of the house. For this purpose, a special device is used – a heat pump.

What is this technology, explains the director of the company "SagaTherm» Alexander Sagalovich:

– A heat pump is a refrigeration machine. Under normal conditions, thermal energy is transferred from a more heated body to a less heated one. A heat pump can take heat energy from a cooler body and transfer it to a hotter body, heating it even more.

A heat pump is capable of extracting thermal energy from the following sources - air, water and earth. In our conditions, it is most advisable to build a heat pump system based on the extraction of heat from earth and water.

To pump 4 kW of thermal energy we need approximately 1 kW of electricity. But electricity will also not just disappear anywhere, it will turn into thermal energy, because The compressor also heats up during operation. Total - by spending 1 kW of electricity, we get 5 kW of heat.

What are the benefits of installing this device?

Evgeny Kasatkin:

– The following table best demonstrates the benefits of using heat pumps.

Now we know how a heat pump works. Let's consider what types of systems there are.

The choice of design will depend on the availability of additional free space or a body of water.

Namely:

• Vertical system. It is used if there is no space on the site to lay a pipe circuit or there are no water bodies that do not freeze in winter. To install a heat pump, 3 to 5 wells are drilled, with a depth of 50 to 150 meters.
• Horizontal system. Less expensive than vertical system, because there is no need to drill expensive wells. The pipe circuit is laid at a shallow depth, usually about 1.5 meters, but a fairly decent area of ​​the site is required.
• Water system. If near the site, no further than 100 meters, there is a reservoir that does not freeze in winter, then laying a pipe circuit in it will be the most reasonable choice.

Features of operation of heat pumps

Like any engineering system, heating and hot water supply based on a heat pump requires a very thoughtful approach.

Alexander Sagalovich:

– Vertical and horizontal system arrangement ground heat exchanger equally effective. A horizontal heat exchanger takes up a lot of space, but is much cheaper than a vertical one.

Drilling wells will cost more, but you can save space on the site.

For many, this is the only solution, because... the site does not allow placing a horizontal heat exchanger.

When installing a horizontal ground heat exchanger, you will need approximately 5 acres of land for every 10 kW of power. After completion of the work, this land can be used without restrictions, the only thing is that it will not be possible to build permanent buildings on it. One way to use heat pumps as heating circuit, can be the installation of a water heated floor system.

Inverter – as part of an alternative energy source system

As mentioned above, the electricity generated by an alternative energy source is stored in batteries. But what to do next with this energy, because rechargeable batteries do they produce direct current that is unsuitable for connecting household electrical appliances? A current converter - an inverter - comes to the rescue. Using this device, direct current is converted into alternating current.

He talks about the features of using inverters to create autonomous and uninterruptible power supply systems. Chief Engineer companies "SibContact" Sergey Leskov :

– Inverters are built into various systems for the production of alternative energy containing a battery, thereby providing the entire house with electricity with a voltage of 220V and a frequency of 50 Hz. Inverters with a sinusoidal output voltage are an essential part of an autonomous power supply installation, since any, even the most sensitive, equipment can be connected to them.

When creating an autonomous and uninterruptible power supply system, inverters have a number of advantages compared to diesel and gas generators:

• These elements of the system operate autonomously and do not require human presence;
• In mode idle move consume a minimum of electricity;
• Do not require special exhaust ventilation of the room;
• They do not require soundproofing of the room.

Thus, the choice of an effective source of alternative energy for a country house is integrated approach enough to solve the set complex tasks, requiring knowledge, experience and skillful hands.

TO non-traditional sources energies include the energy of the sun, wind, and also that produced 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 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.

It is popular to use mirror systems that heat water to high temperatures, resulting in steam, which, passing through a system of pipes, turns the 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.

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 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 generation of electricity using wind, sunlight, the energy of tidal waves, as well as 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 modern world due to some limitation natural resources 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 metro and on high power piezoelectric elements railway stations 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. Usage waste water with the help of special cells containing special bacteria that oxidize organic matter, resulting in 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-storey 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 produce hot water in the warm season by installing 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 is much more possibilities make an autonomous power supply. And also make autonomous ones for a country house or dacha independent systems heating

Heating for a private home: alternative energy sources

Among the most common ways to generate electricity is driving force wind. 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 generate 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 designs, are in no way inferior to industrial ones. You can make your own at home similar designs 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 northern regions Russia, because 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 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 last years Heating and electricity tariffs are only rising. And to save money, many people try to find options for getting heat and energy for free. For this purpose they make different systems, including trying to invent an eternal source, and coming 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 comes 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 good option for obtaining 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 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.

It is relevant to use special thermoelectric converters of heat energy into electricity, 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.