Build your own solar panels? E-book scam!
Ads like these are all over the Internet these days:
"FINALLY REVEALED: The secrets to making your own solar and wind power for less than $200."
“Hi, my name is xxxxx and I'm going to help YOU reduce your power bill by 80% or even eliminate it completely. Not only that, if you create more energy than you use, your power company will actually pay you! After 15 years in the renewable energy industry I know what works and I know how you can start saving money.”
Efficient Lighting Basics
By Dan Fink
Otherpower co-owner, Huffington Post blogger.
Originally published by the Huffington Post.
Amidst much media buzz about efficient new lighting technologies and a general uproar about government light bulb "bans" worldwide, the most fundamental rule for saving energy on lighting seems to be fading: Make only as much of the right kind of light as you need, and shine it only where you need it. That's the key to saving money on your lighting bill.
New Gas Can Idiocy
It's getting really, really difficult to find a decent gas can anymore. The old kind, with a vent cap on the back, and a flexible plastic nozzle to pour from.
Living off the grid, gasoline cans are in important part of life. Gas for the portable jobsite generator, chainsaw, weed whacker, snowmobile, and fire pump, extra for long 4WD trips in remote areas, I need to carry gas around!
Now we are stuck with engineering FAILS like this:
And this:
Otherpower turbine power curves for Midnite Classic MPPT controller
Our friends at Midnite Solar are extremely supportive of do-it-yourself renewable energy enthusiasts, which is one reason we are pleased to have them as an educational sponsor.
Homebrew Wind Power Book Blog
Thanks for your interest in our book "Homebrew Wind Power"!
We became overwhelmed with posting new content on a variety of platforms, so we have discontinued the Wordpress blog for our book.
We are now the new owners of Otherpower, and have switched it to a blog format now. At this time, user comments are still disabled, but we will be enabling them in the near future.
To keep track of everything that's going on with updates to our book, corrections, errata, and our classes, just keep checking in here at Otherpower, catch our RSS feed, and follow us on both Facebook and Youtube.
Chadron Classes 2012
Too many pictures to share so I'm going to post this in parts. Check out parts 2 and 3 at left.
Early in May we were invited to teach workshops in Chadron Nebraska. We had lots of help too, including:
Amy Sue from WI
Roy R from Long Island (electronbaby on fieldlines.com): http://windsine.org/
Marc S from Chadron NE: http://www.windfarmer.us/