Joeboy,
Just for you and others here that may have known our antics all those years ago...........
If I wrote down everything we have done here the past 20 years, and wrote down the stuff we will do the next 10 years, then i would fill a book.
Oh yea, I am actually writing several books at the moment, and it seems that I am bringing the French nation with me.
Since you got your stuff written down at the base of your posts, here is some of mine.
Remember we think well outside the normal box here at' Le Vivray' Normandy.
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Sustainability, 20 years of the ‘LE VIVRAY’ Project, Normandy, France.
This book is written for my 3 boys and family and good friends, it is Not an academic paper, it is a true Empirical evidence practical publication.
However, things have really changed in the last few years, and many people are constantly asking us many questions about our activities here. So, this book will join other ‘How to make’ books that are published here by Bryan Microengineering.
We are at present a ‘Independent non-commercial Sustainability & Renewable Energy Project’, and been doing the research and development for over 20 years now. And NO, we do not just throw money at this stuff, and if necessary, we will re-invent the wheel if it works out more cost effective. Our Mantra ..... Keep it Simple, Make it Robust, and keep it Cost Effective.
Over the past 20 years we have seen many changes in the issues surrounding our planets health and its Future.
When we started here at ‘Le Vivray’ in 2002, we knew we had the opportunity to start from a clean plate, as the land and old buildings, local red brick and oak framed barns were basic constructions, and in the past 50 years had only received limited emergency maintenance. Therefore, we had the opportunity to design and implement sustainability strategies at the project’s creation.
We wanted to live and walk lightly on this planet and we could use our skills to help others in the future. We were older parents of a young family, however being a slightly older dad, I was fortunate to know many good friends that were, farmers, engineers, builders, surveyors, architects, electricians, master masons, true bricklayers, master joiners and many more professions and good friends who have offered their free help and advice over the years. And yes, most of them thought that we were ‘mad as hatters’ taking on such a large and complicated project.
CHAPTERS. A1. Short Introduction. Saving the Planet on a budget.
1. Explain Sustainability in a practical context at ‘Le Vivray’. Why, How, and the Future.
2. Planning and cost effectiveness resolution.
3. Development, Testing, cost effective and minimum environmental impact. Capital Costs kept minimum; work done by our own team. ROI, Return On Investment
4. Reliability and effectiveness of commercial products, and sourcing locally.
5. Regulations and conforming to Country codes and Safety.
6. Skills required.
7. Insulation of old buildings to Passive House standards, what and how.
8. Garden and food growing
9. Our own FR approved Sewage system.
10. Grey water system and re=use, Reed beds, holding fish pond, etc.
11. Heating & Energy Creation and self-consumption, using second hand etc.
12. What’s required for a normal Domestic House/Dwelling.
13. 2kW Solar PV Trackers.
14. Solar PV differing types mounting installations.
15. AC coupling with used Grid Tied PV Inverters.
16. Wind Turbines.
17. OzInverter. Creating your own 240vac 50HZ Mini Grid.
18. PLANTE Battery, and notes on batteries technology.
19. Other interlinked projects, Transportation, ECO salt swimming pool.
20. Acknowledgements.
21. Tables and graphs for size and volumes etc.
22. Further research links and other useful contacts.
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Each of the above chapters breaks out into full explanations with hundreds and hundreds of Photos, as most folk wanting info from around the World, English or French may not be their native language. Some of the above chapters already have detailed "HOW TO MAKE" books.
Now where was I Joeboy, here is my little stuff.
48v battery bank, Golf cart Lead acid 63kW, 3off Hugh Piggott design 3.7m dia wind turbines, 3off 2kW PV solar trackers, 12kW PV on roofs or static arrays (another 10kW PV static array under construction, Father Christmas brought me a full pallet of 400w Mono Trinas), 12 separate buildings here with 5 accommodation buildings insulated to Passive House standards. (The last 4 bedroom house works is now under way). Underfloor electric heating in all buildings, Wood burner in main house, 2 acres of woods what ever chopped down replaced with double new saplings, Heated Salt Eco swimming pool, OzInverter runs everything with SMA used GTI's Ac coupled to the OzInverter Mini Grid it creates. Etc etc etc.
As regards our Energy creation here, sorry no exact figures as data watching is not my ball. But I have now installed meters on the 3 wind turbines after 14 years of not bothering. What data i have collected over approx 6 years is 221758kwh with a saving against the local utilities provider of 55,439 euros.
Dancing Girls? Here is a pic of my French local Pool Girl who comes twice a week in the summer to clean the pool and hoover out the fine sand from the sea salt.
Happy New Year.
Nice one. Was it a job lot or just accrued over time?
The two smart plugs I have are in the loft metering supply to ashp's and are great, however they do not record the number of hours the pumps are operating which would be really useful to know. Unfortunately I haven't yet found any that will cover this aspect!
