April 10, 2008

Solar Energy Need to Know

If you are installing or have installed a photovoltaic (PV) system we have found some helpful resource to make it not only easier but safer for you and your home.

First if you are debating on installing the system as a DIY (do it yourself) then we found a resourced guide that can save you time and money and best of all it’s free. It is a guide on installing PV systems by the California Energy Commission as part of their Renewables Buydown Program. This guide is for the current state-of-the- art PV system installation, though revisions are set to made as the technology changes.

Second a telephone seminar on fire safety for PV systems will be held by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) on April 30, 2008 at 2pm EDT. Various fire districts throughout the U.S. have been raising concerns about the safety of fire fighters in building with PV systems over the last several years. Most of the concern was how to ventilate a roof that was cover in solar panels and how to disconnect the live circuits with out being shocked. This lead to the California Solar Energy Industries Association (Cal SEIA) working with the California State Fire Marshall’s office to develop meetings between representatives from the solar industry and others interested in fire protection. They worked out some guidelines for PV fire safety. These guidelines are focused on required area needed on rooftops for access of firefighters to ventilate the roof in event of fire. You need to pre-register but any interested parties are able to attend, you will then be sent the access phone number a week before the event.

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Rocket Stoves and More…

I found this site while looking for rocket stove info, there is a great video with detailed instructions on how to build a rocket stove, these stoves will burn smaller twigs, something I have lots of on my property, you can use less fuel, it’s clean and I hope to be able to use one to at least boil water, something we do a lot to make coffee and such. This site also has the Humanure Handbook and other great info, all free!

https://weblife.org/

I plan on making a rocket stove in the near future, Bob has not been very excited about it though, he doesn’t think it will be “all that” or work as good as I think it will, I still want to make one though. I showed him the video and he saw that I am really interested in it, so he said to remind him next time we are in town so we can get the parts necessary to build it. I can’t wait!

2 Comments

b16-rounded-4008479 Dragon said…

I have a few pictures of my portable rocket stove over at my blog.
https://circleoftheoroborous-dragon.blogspot.com/2008/04/barter-anyone.html
The pictures are of the smallest of the rocket stoves I’ve made. A few small sticks for fuel and it boils my morning coffee.
Bob sounds handy enuff to get one really cooking. You can tell him for me he will be surprised at how well they work.
feel free to email me with any questions about the stoves and I help all I can…Dragon

April 13, 2008 7:35 PM

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b16-rounded-4008479 Wretha said…

Thanks Dragon, I just read it on your blog, I know Bob can make one for me, he has agreed to make one for me, we just have to collect the stuff to make it, I have no doubt it will become a well used part of my kitchen, since the weather has gotten warmer, I am not using the wood stove to cook on, so we have been using propane, something we don’t want to have to rely on. I found a set of plans for a rocket stove bread oven, I really want to start baking bread again, I’m pretty good at it, it may even make us some extra “dough” too… :) You also gave me an idea about selling rocket stoves too, thanks!!!

Wretha

April 14, 2008 1:15 PM


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