Digiphon for this OP
• iMovie -- so much more to go, nice to take the first step
• youtube -- some things are so easy, I just need to do it.
• Dropbox
• TextEdit -- learned to use lists and charts -- simple and empowering
RESOURCES / MENTORS
I had three wonderful classes at the Solar Living Institute http://www.solarliving.org/courses/solar-trainings/
I highly recommend Doug Livingston as an incredible teacher for installing PV systems.
I had some mentors helpers in Baja as well: Adam Heidel, Brian MacMahon and Adolpho the electrician all assisted in my understanding and assembly of solar systems.
What was Challenging
The weakest element of my design was becoming overwhelmed with all the possible information I could share regarding the energy crisis facing our world today, I neglected to document (while in Baja) the simple maintenance of our 1 kWatt system as well as I would have liked. One of my design intentions for the project was to have a report that my family could read easily and feel empowered to take better care of our solar system. I think they can understand the system more but not sure they can care for it better.
In my OP 2, one intention was to give people a fairly simple lens into what a small scale solar system can do. I understand the layers of complexity more and why it is difficult to say non-qualified statements (like my solar teacher answers almost any question with "It depends.") Deciding what size water pump to buy had implications on how we were going to grid tie the system with 4 old batteries or go to a straight grid tie inverter without batteries or run the water pump solely on grid and run the households on inverter plus batteries with back up grid if needed. So many design elements. It's like the yield is theoretically unlimited. with all these little tricky switches and transfers.
On a personal note, I found the process of assembling this OP inspiring, stressful and enjoyable. It is true that I look back with gratitude at what I have been encouraged to pull together and I know this will help me access data when managing systems and teaching courses. And pulling the information together takes time and boundaries when many opportunities and challenges continually emerge in my life. I recognize even more powerfully the gift of giving myself structure to which I am committed.
Pathway following my LIPD
The summary for my second OP that I wrote as part of my LIPD helped shape my intention and give me clarity and focus along my path.
The most empowering piece was the experience of consciously being the designer with this project which was both designing a resilient solar /energy model that fit together with a new plumbing/irrigation system and designing material that makes me confident to lead a 2 hour course on Energy.
Improved skills of interest from my LIPD spreadsheet
Solar Energy, Strategic planning, Hard skills of homesteading, Permaculture design, Family time, Leadership capacities, Project/promise management, Capacity to reframe adversity as opportunity, Transition capacity, Digital literacy
I read several of the books on my LIPD list during this OP: Principles & Pathways informed my thoughts around energy the most. I watched several movies: Fuel and Who Killed the Electric Car were the most relevant to this OP.
Un/Learning
Holmgrens Principles & Pathways / Catch & Store Energy
I unlearned using the term alternative energy, recognizing that what I am interested in is renewable energy.
I learned that truly the sun is the primary source of almost all energy on our planet and in our lives.
I learned how to use a hydrometer.
I rewired a 2 string 8 battery pack into a 1 string 4 battery back. This was something i conceptually understood but had never actively done.
I had rubbed a little corrosion off the terminals but after rewiring and cleaning terminals and recrimping connectors, I feel much more in touch with my batteries. And much more adamant that we shouldn't be using this 150 year old technology.
In distilling the elements of designing a solar system down, some fundamental aspects of electricity/energy have arrived in my body: series/parallel, battery maintenance, components and their function. Again, all things i understood theoretically, and now i feel they are more engrained in my body and knowing.
Perhaps most importantly is a new lens on all the energy of the world from my breath to fossil fuels and thoughts regarding where I hope to put my focus: working in the garden; creating mulch basins and compost piles; growing forests and sprouting seeds, I continually reflect on what the nature of energy is in our world. I hope to scale back from the idea that energy is just these fossil fuels that we burn or even solar systems or microhydro creating electricity. Energy is all around us, to be felt in yoga, in healing, to be honored in crystals, forests, friends and still moments of peace. To understand that energy nourishes life and seeds and soil and trees and plants which nourish our lives more significantly more than combustible fossil fuels through which we can power our screens.
Responding to Feedback from Previous OP's
Jennifer's recommendation, I attempted to spend more time on the layout and formatting of my boxes and to speak to a wider audience than Gaia U. This is challenging for me because ultimately, I feel like I am doing this for myself. That leap to presenting something to the world is an edge for me.