KaiserJeep wrote:I get by with two solar panels (400w) on top of the Jeep when camping. You can easily design a temporary residence, boat, or road vehicle for reduced power, but let's be honest, that does not represent your average energy consumption. But I'm betting, you also have a galley stove and space heating burning some form of hydrocarbon fuel. Just like I buy seasoned fire wood and use a propane Coleman stove/oven.
I would dearly LOVE to put up a 15-25kVA wind turbine on Nantucket, but the zoning and permits for a "Historic District" (not to mention I'm a mile from a busy airport), are formidible hurdles. I am thinking of building 1 or 2 rental properties first, then a single wind turbine to power several homes, all all-electric (except backup heat), with efficient applliances and heat pump HVAC systems.
Our galley stovenis kerosene. We use less than 2 gallons a month. For showers we use a camper propane heater, small cylinder. That lasts months. Probably gonna buy a solar shower soon. We have a diesel forcdd hot air heater installed but don’t use it in the Caribbean. No AC.
A couple of points which I’ve made before. I disagree with all this focus on the development of alternatives. The primary focus should be on conservation, then alts to furnish the balance. Living in temperate zones or exceedingly hot zones is a luxury we can not afford in the future. Heat and AC are generally outside the average persons ability to use for heat and AC on alternatives alone.
Yeah I know some of you guys do it, but it wont scale to NYC, even Topeka sized loads.
So good on you all for developing alternates. Seriously. But we must come to grips with our profligate ways.