In the light of the constant increase in the cost of utilities, more and more people are leaning towards the autonomy of private houses, apartments and farmsteads. Each solves a similar question in his own way. Of course, a well drilled in the yard helps to save money on water supply, but the liquid still needs to be heated, and this requires expensive energy. That is why in today's article the problem of generating alternative electricity will be raised. It makes sense to figure out how to get it, what are the initial costs of the necessary equipment, and how difficult it is to equip an autonomous power station for a home with your own hands.
Ways to get energy from renewable sources
There are 3 types of equipment with which electricity can be generated:
- Heat transfer probe lowered into a drilled well. This method is called geothermal. Due to the constant temperature at depth, energy is generated that can be used either to heat the home or to generate electricity. However, this method is used extremely rarely due to the low coefficient of performance (COP).
- Wind energy. A generator with blades is installed on the roof of a private house or on a high rack in the yard. Gusts of wind rotate the “fan” resulting in the generation of electricity. A fairly common option in the flat areas where the steppe prevails (Kazakhstan, Orenburg region). In mountainous regions (Ural, Caucasus), this method is unprofitable.
- Solar energy. This is the most popular method of generating alternative electricity for the home. Even on cloudy days, solar panels can generate energy, although not as intensively as on clear days.
There is another way to get electricity - a biogas generator, but its use is so rare that you should not even talk about it.
Using windmills for energy
A fairly common way to obtain electricity in the steppe, lowlands of Russia, in the coastal region. Here you should thoroughly know how the weather in the region changes in a given period. It depends on whether it will be necessary to purchase additional equipment in addition to the wind generator. The installation itself begins to generate electricity at a wind speed of only 2 m / s. However, under such conditions, it will be necessary to install batteries capable of storing energy. But at a wind speed of 8 m / s, such an alternative source of electricity can already be connected directly to the home network.
In Russia, such equipment began to be used relatively recently, and it was not so widespread as in the USA, where every second family uses such devices.
Solar panels and the nuances of their installation
This option for producing alternative electricity for a private house is more common, and its popularity is constantly growing. The fact is that, depending on the intensity of energy consumption, such equipment pays for itself in 2-3 years (sometimes faster) after which the owner almost completely stops paying management companies. There are a lot of areas of solar energy use, which means that it makes sense to consider this option in detail.
If we draw analogies, then the operation of the panel with photocells can be compared with the action of the LED, but in the reverse order. The formation of energy under the influence of sunlight is based on the same pn junction process. The only difference is that the LED emits a glow under the influence of electricity, and the photocell acts in the reverse order, taking the sun's rays and processing them into energy.
Do-it-yourself alternative electricity for a private house: what is required for this
In order to independently produce a solar panel, you will need to purchase special photocells. Make it easy - the World Wide Web is teeming with similar offers. The work itself is divided into 5 stages:
- The manufacture of the frame. For these purposes, it is best to use aluminum.
- Substrate. Its manufacture is not necessary, you can stick photocells directly on the glass.
- With the help of special copper bars, tracks are made. They connect all the solar cells in a single circuit.
- After soldering, the back of the glass with photocells is closed with a sealant or epoxy.
- Several panels are assembled together and connected to a battery, which will accumulate energy.
Installing a plant to produce alternative electricity for your home with your own hands is a rather time-consuming process, but the cost of your own product will be much lower than than purchasing finished equipment. The only thing to consider is that you should not buy photocells at a reduced cost on Chinese resources. Such an acquisition can seriously spoil the mood by refusing to work after a complete assembly.
Other options for using solar energy
In the southern regions of our country, it is quite common to use special installations that allow using the ultraviolet to heat the coolant. It is about solar collectors. They can be flat, vacuum or air. The simplest option is to use collectors in the form of a coil, closed with glass, inside which the coolant circulates. As such a flat device for heating, you can even use a radiator from an old refrigerator. There is enough energy on a warm sunny day to take a shower or wash the dishes. With an increase in the area of the collector, heating of the structure is also possible.
Vacuum manifold and its features
Such an installation has a greater efficiency due to design features. It is a copper tube placed in glass, a larger diameter. A vacuum is created between them, which facilitates heat transfer - copper heats through the glass quickly enough. This allows the use of similar collectors for domestic hot water and heating all year round. When installing such a system, it is necessary to additionally install a container around which (inside the sides) a coil is installed. The collector will heat the antifreeze, which will transfer heat to the water.
Such systems are used extremely rarely due to their high cost, long payback period and fragility of glass tubes, which can be damaged when snow comes off the roof. As for the air collectors, they are ineffective, have a very low efficiency, and therefore there is no question of self-sufficiency.
What equipment is better to use for heating
For alternative heating with electricity, the best option would be to install solar panels with rechargeable batteries. The advantage of such systems is that the higher the load on them and the intensity of use, the faster they will pay off and begin to generate completely free electricity. High-quality equipment can work without any maintenance for up to 50 years. The only thing the owner will need to do is occasionally brush dust off the panels.
If we talk about wind generators, then they can become a complete replacement for the solar battery only if there are a large number of them. However, to generate alternative electricity for a private farmstead, a very significant initial investment will be required, which means that such a system will pay off much longer.
Another option for alternative electricity
Russia has always been famous for the creative thinking of people and their "golden" hands. Just recall the Lefty, who managed to shoe a flea. And today there are craftsmen who can get energy from nature. Often, if a river flows near a house, rural residents install small hydroelectric power stations on it. The principle of operation of such an installation is simple. The flow of water rotates a wheel with blades. Torque is transmitted to the shaft, and from it to the generator.
If the river flow is strong enough, you can install equipment of high power, which will provide housing not only with lighting, but also with electricity for heating and hot water. In this case, the owner will only have to drill a well and equip the sewer. If you carry out such work, the house will become completely autonomous, independent of the services of housing and communal services.
But rather unusual options for producing alternative energy can be found in the video below.
Some electrical tips
Many believe that by installing equipment for alternative electricity, you can completely disconnect from the central power supply, but this is not so. Any device may fail due to deterioration or force majeure. In this case, the private house will be left without light and heating, and it is not always possible to fix equipment quickly. If you do not turn off the centralized power supply, then in the event of an accident, you can easily switch to it simply by switching the feeder to the desired position.
It is worth noting the main mistake made by beginners when installing the lines - turning on the power supply from the alternative electricity source to the network in front of the meter. In this case, the energy consumed, which is generated by the generator, will be taken into account, and it will not be possible to prove to the controller that the power was supplied from an alternative source. You have to pay your own electricity.
In custody
Using alternative energy sources is a rather profitable option for heating or lighting. However, this statement is justified only with the right choice of equipment, which depends on the average annual weather or environmental conditions. If everything is thought out correctly, after a short period you can count on significant savings in utilities.