Possible workable renewable energy?

[Hoosier]

I will have two sets of cisterns. One at the top of the property and one set at the bottom. There will be some flow and head downstream the cisterns at the bottom of the property that can send some (not all) of the water back up to the upper tanks to keep them filled (taking some load off the pump system at the top) with the water ram. Not talking about perpetual motion. Thanks.

Ok, as long as you aren't talking about perpetual motion. How are you getting water into the cisterns, rain collection or a well? I'd love to live off-grid -- except I need internet. ;P

H.

[Glock Shooter]

I work for an Energy company in Boulder providing efficiency & sustainability solutions for Utilities and major end users. I'll ask one of my research team to look into this technology and I'll follow up. Would love to see Colorado leading the way for energy independence.

[68Charger]

I work for an Energy company in Boulder providing efficiency & sustainability solutions for Utilities and major end users. I'll ask one of my research team to look into this technology and I'll follow up. Would love to see Colorado leading the way for energy independence.

Here in Colorado, put something on the top that will use the wind current to pull air out of the chimney... that should give a boost with the winds here

[Ronin13]

A friend and I came up with a pretty neat renewable energy concept some years back- but we're not engineers so not sure how exactly to do it- but in theory it should work. It involves using trash to keep a fire lit that heats up water to rotate a hydro-electric turbine, while also using water to filter the smoke and other toxins that are burned. The only labor would be keeping the fire stoked and theoretically would create limitless energy as long as you have stuff to throw away.

[Hoosier]

A friend and I came up with a pretty neat renewable energy concept some years back- but we're not engineers so not sure how exactly to do it- but in theory it should work. It involves using trash to keep a fire lit that heats up water to rotate a hydro-electric turbine, while also using water to filter the smoke and other toxins that are burned. The only labor would be keeping the fire stoked and theoretically would create limitless energy as long as you have stuff to throw away.

Burning trash normally is pretty yucky. However there are Gassifiers that I think someone else mentioned. They burn trash and use the heat to pre-heat the trash before they burn it. That preheated trash releases gasses that are flammable, and are used to burn the trash at a much higher temperature. The net result is you end up with mostly carbon and black glass-like shards. There isn't a lot of surplus energy out of the system, and it still produces CO2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incineration

I saw a neat system that uses the CO2 rich gas coming out of a power plant and funneling it through clear plastic bags filled with pond water. The algae bloomed in the sunlight (bags hung in greenhouses). The algae was then processed into an oil. Essentially the algae took the CO2 from the power plant, hydrogen from water, and sunlight for power to produce a hydrocarbon. Presumably it could run on any source of CO2.

[netsecsys]

Ok, as long as you aren't talking about perpetual motion. How are you getting water into the cisterns, rain collection or a well? I'd love to live off-grid -- except I need internet. ;P

H.

Preferably, spring fed. Realistically, well powered by solar w/small battery array (generator as a backup).

You can be off grid and still have internet..but satellite internet sucks (ask me how I know... )

[Ronin13]

Burning trash normally is pretty yucky. However there are Gassifiers that I think someone else mentioned. They burn trash and use the heat to pre-heat the trash before they burn it. That preheated trash releases gasses that are flammable, and are used to burn the trash at a much higher temperature. The net result is you end up with mostly carbon and black glass-like shards. There isn't a lot of surplus energy out of the system, and it still produces CO2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incineration

I saw a neat system that uses the CO2 rich gas coming out of a power plant and funneling it through clear plastic bags filled with pond water. The algae bloomed in the sunlight (bags hung in greenhouses). The algae was then processed into an oil. Essentially the algae took the CO2 from the power plant, hydrogen from water, and sunlight for power to produce a hydrocarbon. Presumably it could run on any source of CO2.

Well our idea, and I'd like to get an engineer input on it, was not focused on burning trash- hydro electricity from heating water to turn a turbine. But the algae/water filter was kind of what we were playing around with the idea of since most toxins can be absorbed through water and not pollute the air.
Here is a concept drawing we did (I'm no artist and there is not much detail- simple concept art from MSPaint):

[Hoosier]

This article seems to sum up the pros and cons of what you're talking about:

http://blogs.forbes.com/energysource...ash-for-power/

Another interesting technology for turning a temperature differential into power is the Sterling engine. It's a closed cycle heat engine that works by having hot on one side and cold on the other. Anywhere you have a thermal gradient you can use this technology.

H.