More About the Solar Heater.
This solar energy project received second place in the 2007 Bordeaux Energy Colloquium's Annual Sustainable Energy Futures Casestudy Competition, an international competition for the most innovative renewable energy initiative.
Among the other contenders of the 2007 Sustainable Energy Futures Case Study Competition were:
* Electric cars in India
* Sustainable village in Mazatlan
* Palm oil biofuels in Laos
* Solar home heater in Canada (me!)
* Wave energy in Europe
* Biomass at a vineyard in the Middle East
The project exceeded proof of concept.
The furnace helped heat a 250sq ft room and did so quite well even in intermittent sunlight. It does not replace conventional home heating. While the results were impressive, I have chosen to wait another year before rebuilding it.
Next Version
The next version will be self-sustaining. I've procured a small 12v battery and solar panel and will be installing them to power the thermostat and fans, replacing the 12v power supply. I will change how the glass sits on the chassis to ensure a tighter fit, but have no plans for reworking the galvanized or the chassis.
Contact
Although I appreciate the email messages, I cannot respond to all, and generally do not respond to questions about building techniques or materials (that's what these photos are for). If you like my project, go out and build your own. If everyone did, we'd actually make a difference. This isn't rocket science and I am no expert. I can not answer technical questions.
Media inquiries are always welcomed.
Want to build your own?
View the complete photo instructions Day One – Building the Frame
Day Two – Painting, Metalwork, and Electronics
1 comment:
Thanks for sharing the useful information. It was really amazing and very informative. Keep sharing more article.
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