open source / hardware renewable energy projects
I’ve got a great opportunity to improve the bike phone charger I made for occupy bristol (that never got finished properly). Sustrans have commissioned me to make a pair of static bike powered mobile phone charging stations for festival usage.
I’ve started a page on the wiki with my work so far. And here’s a pic of testing the stands and motor.
I’ve put this together quickly as something that will hopefully be useful for occupybristoluk (twitter web)
It’s based on the mobile phone wind charger I’ve been working on recently, with an added frame for a bike and a 24v scooter motor.
Gas and electricity monitoring with a battery powered, wireless monitor, uploading to pachube via a nanode! Read more about it here: http://openrenewables.org.uk/wiki/index.php/Gas_and_electricity_monitor
I was asked by the Calthorpe project to come up with a project that combined hands on building and science with renewable energy, into something useful and interesting to visitors.
We finally decided on a wind powered mobile phone charger; the wind charges a battery and then this power is available to the garden’s visitors to charge their phone or make an emergency phone call.
I’m developing the design and the electronics now, so we can build the whole thing on site with their young people. This will involve making the blades, mounting the motor, erecting the mounting, connecting the electrics and the battery. I’m hoping we can make a lot from old bike parts. This section of the project will be delivered in 4 half day segments in July.
After we’ve done the Calthorpe install, I’ll be looking for other locations for more wind chargers!
Check the wiki for more information about the design as it progresses…
The bike cinema kept getting broken because it was being used for a purpose that it wasn’t designed for. After talking with Chris and Gustavo we came up with a set of upgrades that would ensure the bike cinema keeps working!
The solar irrigation system has now been installed and calibrated. The water is running in the poly tunnel - rain water pumped with solar energy!
I was just reading about river simple’s hydrogen car - a really excellent concept. Not only is it a breakthrough in technology (50% efficient at recovering energy lost through braking), it’s a breakthrough in car ownership.
Their motto is ’sustainable mobility’, and this is achieved by leasing the cars rather than selling them. This puts the focus on long life and low running costs, both positive things when it comes to sustainability.
Finally, the whole car is an open source/open hardware project! So people are free to build and modify their own versions - much like our own projects here at openrenewables.org.uk
Check out the latest update to the wiki: a DIY solar rainbow maker! For £10 you can get everything you need to build a cool solar powered rainbow maker. It works by collecting energy from the sun and using it to turn around a lead glass crystal. When you the sun shines you get cool rainbows moving round the room!
I’m excited, pleased and proud to announce that I’ve been awarded money from UnLtd!
The money will go to pay for the development of the modular bike charge controller and the open charge controller project, which will make it easier for us DIY green hackers to create renewable energy systems.
I’ve been trying to make sense of all the different options for measuring current in a circuit. I’ve started a page on the wiki here.
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