Alternative Power Section? (Anchorage, Bethel, Susitna: how much, home, live in)

[msta999]

Do we have an alternative power section? I have been looking and can't find one.

Here is something new if anyone is interested.

Technology Review: Better Wind Turbines

[mal_flisk]

I read the same article a couple of weeks ago, and they are still a ways from production. But for smaller home units, when it goes into production, it will be a really great thing.

[msta999]

That is what I was thinking, it sounds good. We'll have to wait and see how it turns out.

[msta999]

Here you go, this one will help you stay warm while your making power. What will they think of next?? :=)

Foot Powered Generator from Freeplay Energy

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by msta999

Do we have an alternative power section? I have been looking and can't find one.

Here is something new if anyone is interested.

Technology Review: Better Wind Turbines

I get a kick out of all the "Green" stuff that is posted all over the place.

Basic fact is there is nothing wrong with being green, but knowing what you can do "where" is what is the proper question.

Building a wind generator in an area that gets no wind is pretty dumb to spend thousands of dollars for a few days worth of power...

Solar don't work very well when you only have a few hours of sunshine in the winter when you need the power.

Hydro is great, but if you live nowhere near the water, that is kinda lame too.

Anyway, there are lots of ways to create power for personal use, but knowing where you are at and what is available for something you can use is what you should be asking first.

I have solar panels on my cabin, but it only keeps the batteries from freezing when I am gone at best, there may be three usable hours of weak sunlight in the winter here in interior Alaska, in the summer I don't use any power to speak of because I am outside most of the time. A generator is used for most of the power. There is little wind, and when it does hit, it would rip out most wind generators from the ground...

They could put a dam over the Susitna River and create a massive amount of Hydopower for Interior/Anchorage Alaska, but the far left tree huggers would have them in court before the first shovel of dirt was turned. Should be done but I doubt that would happen in my lifetime....

[msta999]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of the green people. Land is a lot cheaper where there is on power yet, but I would wont power where ever I live, wether it is on or off grid. Besides, for me it is interesting to see what people are coming up with in this field. Yes, you do have to have the right type of alternative power for the location you live in. What good is a micro hydro in northern Alaska?? It's not.

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by msta999

Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of the green people. Land is a lot cheaper where there is on power yet, but I would wont power where ever I live, wether it is on or off grid. Besides, for me it is interesting to see what people are coming up with in this field. Yes, you do have to have the right type of alternative power for the location you live in. What good is a micro hydro in northern Alaska?? It's not.

If you are in the mountains or have a bit of a drop by a creek, a micro hydro would be perfect!

[Barkingowl]

Hydro seems like the best bet to me... Provided you live near a source. Are there any geothermal sources that could be tapped?

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by Barkingowl

Hydro seems like the best bet to me... Provided you live near a source. Are there any geothermal sources that could be tapped?

Anchorage uses hydro-electric power from Lake Eklutna. Since the lake surface freezes every winter, a conventional dam would not work. So they put in a large drain in the bottom of the lake that feeds the lake water through pipes to the turbines to produce electricity year-round. Other than a giant whirlpool in the middle of the lake, you wouldn't even know that it is there.

I'm all for using geothermal energy as a supplemental energy source, but I wouldn't want to be completely dependent upon it. At least not until we know a great deal more about its availability and stability.

Wind turbines are useful in areas that get a constant wind, like in western Alaska out by Bethel and the Yukon Delta area. The Chinook Winds that hit the Mat-Su Valley only occur once a year and only last about a week or so. That is not very useful as an energy source.

The best source of energy besides hydro-electric in the Mat-Su Valley because of its abundance and low cost, is natural gas, coal, or oil. Alternative sources are great, until you figure out how much it actually costs to produce the energy you require.