Description:
Discussions of practical solar thermal energy use.
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"Designer" for solar reflectors
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The idea here is that if you line up a reflector with the path of the sun across the sky, the best shape for getting maximum concentration of light over one hour, 2 hours, 3, etc is NOT going to be parabolic. In fact, nobody knows what shape it will be. Check 5 minutes into this video from Bill Gross for an idea. (It will... more »
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The scary mathematics behind energy depletion and population growth
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Dear fellow "greenies" Recently I came across a series of 8 video-clips on YouTube showing a lecture with Dr Albert Bartlett, Professor Emeritus in physics at the University of Boulder, Colorado about arithmetic, population growth and energy depletion. Usually a lecture by an old professor in front of a group of students is not something one would consider to be a... more »
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Solar design Challenge - off-grid workshop
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I'm building an off-grid workshop, and want it to be solar heated or at least solar tempered. The building site has reasonable south exposure. I would like to arrive on a random winter morning and find the inside temperature at or above 10deg C. Additional heat would come from a wood stove. The problem is how to get enough thermal mass !... more »
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The "beauty" of wind turbines (as will be recognised by future generations)
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We love windmills and there's no denying it - they definitely have a certain appeal. They creaked noisily around in their charmingly inefficient way and did an amazing thing. They harnessed the power of the wind to facilitate activities like the baking of bread. Modern wind turbines are beautiful things. Within their graceful... more »
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Solar System Basics
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Is 0.03 gpm per square foot a good number to shoot for on a MTD collector? Is 2-3 gallons of storage per square foot a good number to shoot for on a MTD collector? Any suggestions on a source of large sheets of mylar?
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Oil! Will discovery dampen solar energy uptake?
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With the recent news regarding BP's new oil find, do you feel this sort of headline gives consumers a 'false' hope that oil and other traditional fossil fuels won't run out and that there's no need to explore alternative energy generation?
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External thermal mass idea. Cool idea need help
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This my idea, I have search the internet and can't find where someone has done this. I am building a new house with radiant floor heat. It is a 2000 sq ft concrete slab 4 inchs thick. It will be insulated under the slab. I want to build and external slab also insulated 4 inchs under and around the slab that will have 2 layers of clear... more »
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