Lo-Cost Energy: A whole different approach

Most low-cost energy approaches are about reducing your daily energy consumption by changing lights and temperatures, adding insulation, etc. The lo-cost energy (LCE) I will talk about here is a WHOLE different concept that focuses on basic energy service needs using appropriate hi-technology and science, mixed with a dash of proven simple ancient principles.

Let's start with something easy.

LED lights

These are so appropriate and so slam-dunk, I can't figure out why everyone is not cleaning out Ikea's LED inventory. That's unfortunately the only source we have in the USA for reasonable LED technology: www.ikea.com

Most of Home Depot and Lowe's LED lights are boring and expensive:

update:  The above comments were written in June 2011.  Now, in April 2013 the big box stores have embraced LEDs and the price has come down dramatically.  On a recent trip to Europe, for the first time in over 10 years I did not buy a single LED light there - high prices and poor selection. Amazing how in less than 2 years and entire market can flip-flop.

I know I have a lot to learn about fickle consumer behaviour, and I have to put my engineering brain on stand-by for a while - but com'on - this ain't rocket science! LED's are at least three times more efficient, they last at least five times longer that CFLs.


I think I've blogged about this before: It's a very cool stand-alone solar LED light made by Ikea. I gave a friend one of these recently, and it was wonderful to see the reaction and appreciation. It should be in every single home. It would do more to change our fossil-fuel addicted, unaware-of-the-sun, flip-a-switch-if-you-need-it, addicted-to-fossil-fuel, mass-media-addicted-consumerism-blinded behaviour. Oh, that's a mouthful!

Here's the link:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70196857#/70196857/

It's only $19.99.  And for each light you purchase, Ikea gives one free light to a poor kid somewhere.
I can't vouch for your payback (and if you need to calculate it you're missing the point). What I like even more about this lamp is that it requires you to move it into the sun each day. That's a behavioural change that some people will object to - and that's at the root cause of our energy addiction issue. We've stopped living with current solar income. So ya gotta move de light into the sun once a day - whass de big deal, huh?


Biomass
A close second to LED lights is the gasification of biomass. The NEW technology of biomass gasification without sacrificing ANY food nutrients or materials for this purpose. The OLD biomass technology was filled with emission and smoke issues along with inefficiencies. In Denmark, it is now common practice to have waste incinerators located in the middle of dense urban areas to produce electricity and heat (co-gen). The Danes have leverage hi-tech and scientific know-how to turn a growing resource (garbage) into locally produced energy without emissions or toxic waste byproducts.
An entire blog will address this very large field.

Rocket Stoves
A close cousing to biomass gasification is another highly appropriate LCE concept that is fast gaining momentum in permaculture circles: rocket stoves.

It's difficult to describe how a rocket stove works without getting into technical details.
Here's Wikipedia's definition: A rocket stove is an innovative clean and efficient cooking stove using small diameter wood fuel which is burnt in simple high-temperature combustion chamber containing an insulated vertical chimney which ensures complete combustion prior to the flames reaching the cooking surface.

This is a very cool example of how some innovative NGO's set about to reduce developing countries' deforestation (wood for cooking) and design/built numerous rocket stoves which are now finding their way back to these NGO's homeland - us!

One can use a small tin-can type rocket stove for quick cooking, a rocket mass heater for large space heating, or as shown below - for water heating. With a rocket stove's low emissions, low-operating temp, ease of construction, efficient + effective burning, this is truly an example of appropriate lo-cost energy technology.

LCE Database:

For starters, I have developed a database of appropriate, lo-cost concepts, products, services, and strategies; that I will provide links for at a later time. If any of these specifically interest you, please email me.


1. ABS solar pre-heater
2. Greywater + Rainwater
3. Slow Sand Filter
4. LED lighting
5. DIY Solar PV + SHW
6. Solar Space Heater
7. Solar Dehydrator
8. Solar Cooling
9. Pot-in-Pot Cooler
10. Root Cellars
11. Rocket Stoves
12. Ridin’ the gradient
13. Thermal mass + curtains
14. Thermal Chimney
15. Geothermal, subterranean
16. Earth Tubes


12 step LCE program

There's also a 12 step program (tongue-in-cheek) approach for those totally addicted to high cost energy:



‘ Cure your energy addiction ‘
1. We admit we are powerless as energy hogs, and that our utility bills are unmanageable.
2. We believe that an LCE Power greater than ourselves can lower our energy costs.
3. We decide to turn our will and our lives to a simpler yet fulfilling lifestyle, to turn over our basic energy needs to LCE.
4. Made a searching + fearless asset inventory of our needs for energy services.
5. Admitted to ourselves and others that we can overcome our energy transgressions.
6. We are ready to have the Energy Power remove all these defective energy transgressions.
7. Humbly ask to adopt a new Energy Power.
8. Made a list of all energy transgressions, and are willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends of our energy transgressions wherever possible, without inconveniencing others.
10. Continue to stay conscious of our energy transgressions, when we are wrong we admit it.
11. Sought thru wisdom of ancients, (real) science and technology to use appropriate energy for needed services, continually searching for knowledge to simplify and power to carry it out.
12. Having had a Energy Power awakening as the result of these steps, we carry this message to other energy hogs practicing these LCE principles in all our affairs.