Energy

Gary and Bobbie Worker from Portland, had their heart set on an energy neutral home that was as financially-efficient, as it was ecologically effective. “We wanted it to make sense,” said Gary. “And we wanted to approach it from a standpoint of return on investment.” A typical family which clears its electric and water bill and uses an electric car to avoid filling up at the pump, will save more than $800 a month.

Their 2 acres outside Portland has an underground heat pump to heat their space. It also powers AC and ventilation. But they also have an electric car, which sometimes donates energy to the home and sometimes uses it, courtesy of the array of solar panels. At first, they used to see it as a backup power unit but increasingly they depend on the surplus energy it gives them when they drive it home at night after a day charging up in town.
And its proving a worthwhile investment.…

Fort Sam Texas is looking for a contractor to provide it with a  complete and usable 15KW-Hrs Off-Grid Hybrid system.  The specs are interesting as they provide a guide of what any group of individuals thinking of living off the grid might decide they need.

The system consists of: two 5KW Vertical Axis Wind Turbine for a total of 10KW. Each turbine with its own inverter; plus one  5KW solar photovoltaic system and one battery bank suitable for one  day of autonomy.…

Connect balloons to a canister on the extraction machinery of an oil facility in Binzhou…