Not all the articles are about renewable energy but they are all interesting to read.

I've been watching the channel for a few years now and find the setup fascinating. Also many more great videos on his channel so highly recommend.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/6019065

> Some of this stuff would be very easy to copy or modify.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/1443988

> An article from PennState Extension. Click the link for more. > > >Roof-catchment cisterns may also be used to supply water to farms. Watering troughs and rain barrels can be filled by water collected from barn and other out-building roofs. A storage cistern built alongside a barn or other building could serve as an emergency source of water for firefighting in the event that a pond were not nearby. However, the use of rainwater for supplying domestic water needs is not without its problems. > > > >Water quality is of concern especially when the rainwater is to be used for drinking purposes in addition to other domestic uses. Rainwater and atmospheric dust that are collected by roof catchments contain certain contaminants which may pose a health threat to those consuming the water. Lead and other pollutants may accumulate in cistern bottom sediments; and untreated rainwater is quite corrosive to plumbing systems. Measures must be taken to minimize these and other water-quality problems in cistern systems. Recommendations for doing this will be presented, as well as guidelines for designing and building roof-catchment cistern systems. > > > >Rainwater cisterns can provide water of adequate quantity and quality if proper steps are taken in the planning and construction stages, and periodic maintenance is performed throughout the life of the cistern.

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/658474

> This looks like a fun little project that I think people here would enjoy! I have a little stack of tin foil takeaway boxes that I could use for this. Just need to get hold of the plexiglass (or the oven bag they suggest, but I'd like to do it entirely with reusables if possible). > > EDIT: Grammar.

Pysolar is a collection of Python libraries for simulating the irradiation of any point on earth by the sun.

Another great resource on setting up and using pelton wheels as part of your home-made renewable energy system.

This blog post/video shows a simple but effective home made hydroelectric system that has been running for 16 years in New Zealand.

A good page to get a handle on what Pelton wheels are. They can be 3d printed, made from soft drink bottles, PVC pipe, etc... In theory, Pelton wheels are a very efficient way of turning water with a fair bit of head (pressure) into mechanical energy.

I think this community might be having issues with visibility, possibly to do with language settings. If you can see this, can you give a quick comment? Thx.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/541698

> I repurposed the lightning element of an Ikea Solvinden lantern to fit a custom lamp shade. The lamp was created with OpenScad with a ton of customization options :D > Printed with yellow Prusament PETG

ENGINEERING EXPLAINED: The COMPLETELY NEW Category of Revolving-Wing VAWT Turbines use a SINGLE straight, expertly shaped, non-helical AIRFOIL to translate AERODYNAMIC LIFT-FORCE into a fast, sustained 360 DEGREE ROTATION around a vertical SHAFT which goes through the center-line of the Wing. Instead of a fast moving Blade continuously cutting rapidly through INCOMING WIND as is the case in almost ALL VAWT Turbine designs, lowering the efficiency of the turbine, this new Revolving Wing VAWT Rotor FLIPS OVER RAPIDLY IN-PLACE in wind using aerodynamic lift-force without moving horizontally or vertically, and does NOT cut through it.

A growing cadre of do-it-yourself enthusiasts is turning its attention to residential energy storage.

For these aficionados, Tesla's $3,000 Powerwall fails to impress. Instead, they're building their own DIY versions -- for a fraction of the cost.

In practical terms, I put in about 2kg of food waste each day and so far I have had enough gas to cook with, sometimes twice a day. If I ever needed more gas, I could put in more organic matter. I will continue to monitor the system as part of my research and will publish updates in due course. If interested, watch this space.

This is the housing I designed to mount a stepper motor to use as a small generator for use with the water wheel I posted earlier. !

Getting started with home wind energy projects can set you back a pretty penny if you buy a finished product. But if you're a little bit handy and don't mind scrounging for materials and getting creative in the garage or backyard, you can build your own DIY wind turbine for about $30 in materials.

I've been fiddling with this design for some time now. Attaches to a rope which turns a stepper motor. I got enough power to light up an LED, but haven't had a chance to really put it through it's paces yet. !