Rethinking Energy
Liam McDermott
March 18th, 2013
Pre-capstone Master's Degree
Summary
The design for this output packet is threefold:
1. Assemble data from solar classes and research to have a presentable 2 hour class on the nature of energy specifically outlining a homescale solar system.
2. Show interested persons the economy and ecology investing money in solar systems.
3. I aim to redesign my 1.12 kilowatt array on my acre in Baja, Mexico to utilize the recently imported grid and the changing nature of our needs.
I discuss
• Energy from the cosmic scale of the sun to batteries that we use in everyday life.
• The benefits of renewable energy compared with current non-renewable fossil fuel usage in the industrialized world.
• Consumption and production through the world.
• My 1.12 kilowatt solar system in Baja as a small scale example of what is possible for home scale consumption and cost and maintenance contrasting with conventional power plants. I hope to provide guidance to my family and anyone interested in living on solar energy.
• Economic and ecological information about going solar highlighting appropriate technologies of the permaculture flower.
• Regular usage for American homes and standard appliances.
• through a layered approach -- introductory videos and pages intended for those who know nothing about electricity or solar systems --
• in the supplemental material, optional pages, (for those with greater interest in solar power and myself in the future) the layers of complexity in implementing solar systems: electrical formulas, detailed battery information.
• Conservation techniques.
• Eonomic/ecological impacts of energy consumption.
Ultimately, this report forms the meat of a two hour class that I will present as an introduction to energy through the lens of a home scale solar system.
Creative Commons license
2.1 Rethinking Energy -- Abstract & Summary by Liam McDermott is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported license.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available from Liam McDermott.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
1 For my 2 hour class, I articulate through narrative, graphs and charts energy consumption on a global and home scale. With broad strokes, I attempt to paint the energy picture of our globe. Highlighting power plants and types of current energy production contrasting with renewable means we are hopefully moving toward.
2 I aim to participate in the design of a more sustainable energy system for our world by making the ecological and economic impact of energy more tangible for people. My basic premise is that the 12 cent average kilowatt hour charge isn't accounting for the impact our current energy system has on the environment. Investing in solar power ideally brings awareness around conservation, and in the long run is the economically viable solution.
3 I embed the data around power usage through stories of a homescale lens of my 1.12 kilowatt system in Baja, Mexico. Sharing the joys and the challenges of running on solar power and good design to move forward as a culture with good energy policy. I am taking in the new information of a recently imported power grid and our new energy needs (water pump) to design the most resilient system for a 1 kwatt array running a 1 acre homestead in Mexico.
2/12
O -- growing belief that energy is one of the core experiences of the world
B -- It could be an infinite OP, decided that I would most like to address the average person to consider how viable an option solar energy is hoping to impart economic ecological impacts of current energy usage and what life on a solar system looks like
R -- solar system in Baja, solar course at Real Goods Fuel, Electric Car, lots of good material on peak oil
E -- How does my system need to change to suit my needs
D -- two fold design --
designing a project that allows me to present a 2 hour course on energy highlighting a 1 kilowatt solar system
design elements / tweaking our 1 kilowatt systems to deal with the ability to grid tie, a dying battery bank, a need for a water pump
I implement new aspects to our solar system,
implement resources including energy consumption, basics of electricity, how solar PV systems work including components
M always with a battery based solar system;
E realizing that people are very tangible with money and i want to highlight how much electricity costs and how tangible a solar system is and what that translates to for burning fossil fuels
T more economic information
Comments
Liam McDermott
25 April 2013, 3:08
I really enjoyed this process of pulling together my experience of energy right now
Attachments (1)
Nicole Vosper
22 May 2013, 3:16
Really great to read such a huge amount of information condensed into a well organised and visually illustrative way. Very inspired by your mental switch around energy.
Attachments (1)
Liam McDermott
27 June 2013, 18:46
Liam McDermott
28 June 2013, 16:07
My sense is I am supposed to post my review of Ivy here as well?
Attachments (1)
Liam McDermott
28 February 2014, 21:25
My first review didn't have all the necessary pages. Here is the completed self review.
Attachments (1)
Jennifer English Morgan
26 March 2014, 17:01
Attachments (2)