Alternative Energy – What solution you are opting for?
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This is an open discussion I’m asking the community to participate and let us share our knowledge on this very important, need of the time issue!
1:00 PM today, right on dot as ever, the light went away for an hour – load shedding. But I’m quite comfortable today! Fans, some lights, peripherals like router, modem, desktop PCs used by the staff etc. are working on a 3kva refurbished APC UPS powered by 4, 92 amp batteries. This is one investment one had to make for the minimal working conditions.
But this raises a very important question: What other options do we have for Alternative Energy?
I’ve seen a lot of press coverage on mega pipeline, wind, solar, thermal etc. projects – but these are all large scale infrastructure projects and will take some good time to start and providing the electricity to masses like me and you.
As an individual or a small company, what options do we have? Is solar energy we can think of as an alternative? What other options do we have?
2:00 pm
I dont think anyone has a solution for small companies yet – there are solar-powered geysers and gas-powered generators available, and there are two companies offering solar-battery solutions as well (but it becomes cost effective for factories).
The problem with SMEs would probably always be cost-effectiveness, because alternate-energy is going to be a bigger short-term investment and has returns in the very long-term (maybe in 5-10 years you’ll be able to REALLY thank yourself for investing in it).
I dont even know if SMEs would consider it – considering that most arent even investing in productivity or organization apps (atleast in this money-conscious-gimme-a-civic-but-I-wont-invest-in-productivity industry).
2:50 pm
I happen to come across this project done by a UK Uni student. He made this see-saw which was being used by students in break time for couple of minutes and in return, the school remain lit for the evening whole time.
You can read it here http://www.springwise.com/nonprofit_social_cause/seesaw_power_for_schools/
Other than that, in Saturday THE NEWS, there was mention of FATHER & SON belonging to SWAT and they have developed their own 10MW power plant. This is what news mentioned…
A father and son emerged successful after 12 years of experiments in manufacturing a 10,000-horse power plant that would produce 10 megawatts of electricity. A mechanical engineer, who worked in Saudi Arabia and Karachi in Mercedes car assembling factories for about 35 years, and his son Ikram Shah succeeded in manufacturing the plant at a cost of Rs70,000. The plant could be mounted in 60×60 feet area. Talking to media, the father and son said pollution could be controlled to a maximum extent with use of the plant, which could run for about 80 hours with 20 litres of fuel.
8:37 pm
Couldn’t be any other appropriate time to bring up this topic on G&W. Somehow, i was just wishing someone could bring it up on this forum. And also, i wish the solution i came across could be publicized to general masses.
Can we use WATER as FUEL????
The single compound available in large quantity on planet earth. If thats possible… the way inventors say IT IS, then its clean green and definitely efficient…. coz it got no CARBON.
Check out the videos listed below:-
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=1088369086
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/128967/water_as_fuel/
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Tf4gOS8aoFk
http://youtube.com/watch?v=2v3wiZufCbk
This is just the appetizer… Enjoy your fuel alternative.
10:06 am
Not exactly an alternate, but we can get maximum out of UPS by using the efficient power supplies
“…Instead of the typical efficiencies of 60-70%, our [Google] servers’ power supplies now run at 90% efficiency or better, cutting down the energy losses by a factor of four.”
http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000868.html
http://64.233.179.110/blog_resources/PSU_white_paper.pdf