In the light of constant increases in the cost of utilities, more and more people are inclined in favor of the autonomization of private houses, apartments and farmsteads. Everyone solves this issue in their own way. Of course, a well drilled in the yard helps 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 it can be obtained, what are the initial costs for the necessary equipment and how difficult it is to equip an autonomous power plant for the home with your own hands.
Methods of obtaining energy from renewable sources
There are 3 types of equipment that can be used to produceelectricity:
- Probe with coolant 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 a 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 electricity being generated. A fairly common option in flat areas dominated by the steppe (Kazakhstan, Orenburg region). In mountainous regions (Urals, Caucasus) this method is unprofitable.
- Solar energy. This is the most popular method of obtaining alternative electricity for the home. Even on cloudy days, solar panels are capable of producing energy, although not as intensively as on clear ones.
There is another way to generate electricity - a biogas generator, but its use is so rare that it is not even worth talking about.
Using wind turbines to generate energy
A fairly common way to generate electricity in the steppe, flat regions of Russia, in Primorye. Here you should know thoroughly how the weather in the region changes in a given period. It depends on this whether it will be necessary to purchase additional power in addition to the wind generator.equipment. 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 with 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 has been used relatively recently, and it is not as widespread as in the United States, where every second family uses such devices.
Solar panels and the nuances of their installation
This option for obtaining alternative electricity for a private home 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 for using solar energy, which means that it makes sense to consider this option in detail.
If we draw analogies, then the operation of a panel with photocells can be compared with the operation of an LED, but in reverse order. The same p-n-transition process underlies the formation of energy under the action of sunlight. The only difference is that the LED emits light under the influence of electricity, while the photocell works in reverse, receiving the sun's rays and converting them into energy.
Alternative electricity for a private house with your own hands: what is required for this
In order to make a solar panel yourself, you will need to purchase special photocells. It is not difficult to do this - the World Wide Web is teeming with similar proposals. The work itself is divided into 5 stages:
- Production of the frame. For these purposes, it is best to use aluminum.
- Substrate. Its manufacture is not necessary, you can stick the photocells directly on the glass.
- Tracks are made with the help of special copper bars. They connect all the photocells into a single circuit.
- After soldering, the back of the glass with photocells is sealed with sealant or epoxy.
- Several panels are put together and connected to a battery that will store energy.
Installing a do-it-yourself installation for obtaining alternative electricity for the home is a rather laborious process, but the cost of your own product will be much lower than that of purchasing ready-made equipment. The only thing to consider is that you should not buy solar cells at a reduced cost on Chinese resources. Such an acquisition can seriously spoil the mood, refusing to work after a complete assembly.
Other uses of solar energy
In the southern regions of our country, the use of special installations that allow heating the coolant with ultraviolet radiation is quite common. Speechabout 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. Even a radiator from an old refrigerator can be used as such a flat device for heating. Enough energy on a warm sunny day to take a shower or wash the dishes. With an increase in the area of \u200b\u200bthe collector, heating of the building is also possible.
Vacuum collector and its features
This installation has a greater efficiency due to design features. It consists of copper tubes placed in glass ones of a larger diameter. A vacuum is created between them, which contributes to heat transfer - copper heats up through the glass quickly enough. This allows the use of such collectors for hot water and heating all year round. When installing such a system, you will have to additionally install a container around which (inside along the sides) a coil is installed. Antifreeze will be heated in the collector, 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 falls off the roof. As for air collectors, they are inefficient, have a very low efficiency, and therefore there is no question of self-sufficiency here.
Which equipment is better to use for heating
For an alternative heating device with electricity, the best option would be to install solar panels with 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 start generating completely free electricity. Quality equipment can work without any maintenance up to 50 years. The only thing the owner will need to do is occasionally dust off the panels.
If we talk about wind generators, they can become a full-fledged replacement for a solar battery only if there are a large number of them. However, to generate alternative electricity for a private courtyard, very significant initial investments will be required, which means that such a system will pay off much longer.
Another option to get alternative electricity
Russia has always been famous for the creativity of people's thinking and their "golden" hands. Recall at least Lefty, who managed to shoe a flea. And today there are craftsmen who can get energy from nature. Often, if a river flows near the house, villagers install small hydroelectric power plants 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 current of the river is strong enough, you can installhigh-power equipment that will provide housing not only with lighting, but also with electricity for heating and hot water supply. In this case, the owner will only have to drill a well and equip the sewer. If such work is done, the house will become completely autonomous, independent of housing and communal services.
But you can learn about rather unusual options for obtaining alternative energy from the video below.
Some wiring tips
Many believe that by installing equipment for obtaining alternative electricity, you can completely disconnect from the central power supply, but this is not so. Any device can fail due to wear and tear or force majeure. In this case, a private house will be left without light and heating, and it is not always possible to quickly fix the equipment. 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 lines - turning on the power supply from an alternative electricity source to the network in front of the meter. In this case, the consumed energy that 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 will have to pay for your own electricity.
In conclusion
The use of alternative energy sources is a fairly profitable option for heating or lighting. However, thisthe statement is justified only with the right choice of equipment, which depends on the average annual weather or natural conditions. If everything is thought out correctly, after a short period you can count on significant savings on utilities.
