Renewable Energy at Home: A Hands-on Guide to Crafting Your Own Power Plant

The book you are about to read provides a step-by-step guide for building a renewable energy power plant at home. Our goal was to make the book as practical as possible. The material is intended for immediate application with a small amount of theory. Yet, the theory is important as a foundation that saves time and effort by disabusing the readers of potential misconceptions. Specifically, upon having a firm understanding of photovoltaic physics, you will not be inclined to fruitlessly search for 90% efficient solar panels! We want our readers to be the “doers”. If the book gets covered in grime and some pages become torn while you are building your power plant – this is the best compliment to us. The book covers solar and wind energy. Also, a curious power source based on manure is discussed as well, giving the doers an opportunity to further develop the manure fuel cell. It is important to note that there are many companies offering installation of complete solar solutions. Upon installing the panels, the system is not owned by the customer. Therefore, there is no freedom for experimentation and optimization. Also, none can beat the cost of a DIY solution as well as the ultimate satisfaction. All that is written here is a result of us building a renewable energy solution in Southern California. As the book was completed, the energy began flowing! Search... Renewable Energy at Home All rights reserved Contents For Whom is This Written? Tools, Skills, and Supplies Learn CAD Data Logger Tools Suppliers and Supplies References Book Organization Abbreviations 1 • Helpful DIY Instruments Pi-logger Pyranometer 2 • Power from the Sky Theoretical Foundation Garage Powerplant Mounting Solar Panels On the Roof From Photons to Electrons 3 • Wind Energy Power in the Air Turbine Setup 4 • Curious Power Sources 5 • Conduits and Batteries Conduits Lead-acid Batteries Literature Appendix Program: Voltread Program: Voltlog Hybrid inverter DS18B20 SUVT Plexiglas LTC3108 Index