Hi Skygazer.
I am a doom and gloom merchant. I believe we are due for the end-of-civilization-as-we-know-it sooner rather than later.
When crazy Bush and his even scarier vice president Cheney attack Iran at the behest of the Israelis, the world economy is screwed.
When oil hits $150 a barrel countries like Australia - where everything is moved by trucks - are screwed.
The US economy is about to go into meltdown and then the rest of the worlds economies are therefore screwed. The stock market has doubled in "value" in a couple of years. Its a huge bubble that is just about to burst.
Global warming is happening incredibly fast. Remember that huge icesheet that broke off the antarctic a few years ago? Supposed to take 1,000 years to disappear and it was completely gone two years later?
-environmentally we are screwed.
That's where the aquaponics and chickens and water tanks and solar electricity and water come in for me.
The solar hot water is saving us a fortune in gas. We have gas to back it up.
The water tanks are saving us a fortune in water. Our water "footprint" has gone down by 75% since we started (and also changed our habits).
The chickens are laying an average of 6 eggs a day. We eat lots of eggs.
The aquaponic beds are providing a reasonable amount of veggies (but not enough) - I need more beds.
And the fish! - waiting for the fish!
Which brings me to the solar
Our power usage was 15kw a day. The old fridge was using about 1.2kw a day. My computer+power blocks was using 1kw a day. The big TV/dvd/surround sound - 1Kw a day. Lights left one - 1 Kw a day. Freezer 1kw a day.
Its amazing how the power gets chewed up.
We have changed our habits - always switching lights off. Replaced the fridge/freezer with a 5 star fridge that uses 25% of power of the old fridge. Replaced all incandescent bulbs with compact fluros.
For the aquaponics I bought the lowest wattage pump I could find - it draws 100w. I had it going on a 66% duty cycle, 24/7.
Going continuously would take 2.4kw. Its currently on a 50% duty cycle - 15 mins on, 15 mins off. So its using 1.2kw a day.
The solar system is 12 panels + batteries to provide a 2.5kw system.
So the amount of energy it can store a day depends on the amount of sunlight.
It supports my 1kw/day freezer, a computer, my music making gear (PA system) + 6x45w neons + the aquaponics system + spare capacity.
The system has an integrated battery charger. When the battery voltage gets too low, its supposed to charge them up from the mains.
About a month or so ago, when there was no sun for a whole week I got up one morning and the internet was down. The internet modem is also supported by the solar system.
It turns out that the battery charger had never worked since it was installed ( a bad connection). The solar system kept going for 3 days with no sunlight.
The system cost about $26,000. Thats with a $4,000 gov. subsidy (they have doubled it to $8,000).
Now, you make think - shit - that's not economically viable.
The thing is - if the grid goes down - I have power.
To me - that is a great insurance policy that I want to have.
Life of the panels is supposed to be 20years. I am betting that the cost of power is going to increase so substantially that it will have been a good deal.
The idea of "clean coal" is bullshit. The idea of sequestering co2 is bullshit.
When the "carbon economy" kicks in - the price of electricity is going to soar.
For a solar system - "on-grid" is a lot cheaper. But no batteries - when the grid goes down, so does your system.
So this is why I'm into aquaponics.
I am toying with the idea of breeding guinea pigs for food
My wife is dead against the idea, but guinea pigs are a delicacy in Peru!
Over in the poor ghettos the peasants have cages of rabbits and guinea pigs hanging over tanks full of tilapia. The fish eat whatever drops from the cages. And the peasants get plenty of protein for very little cost.
Some of those guinea pigs look big and fat and delicious
(gotta stop hanging aound the pet shop)
Backyard Aquaponics
