Commentary:

Living off-grid in an Earthship home is about many things. It is not just an ethical choice or a building type choice, it is also a lifestyle choice. When you start to live off-grid, and self-sufficiently, you embark on a break out from the matrix/zeitgeist. You start to unplug yourself from the normal, dependent, vulnerable, and highly controlled way of life that many people are used to in cities and highly developed countries. When you are truly self-sufficient and out of debt you take away some of the main sources of stress: buying food, paying the bills, covering the mortgage or rent, and needing to work full-time to allow this to continue. We can also look at environmental issues and great need to build smarter and in a more connected way, especially in the face of climate change. Our global population is rising and with it the poverty level and inequality of wealth in all forms. To compound this issue, the cost of living is also hurtling up! We are moving toward a very unsafe and unsustainable future if we continue to build and live in the same way that we have been doing.

In this Q&A we look mainly at power, and batteries. There are a lot of choices and options when it comes to power, but the priority is always toward low maintenance and a long life. With Lithium Ion Batteries starting to become an option there is a lot to consider when making your investment in batteries. Batteries are the most expensive and weakest link in the whole solar system. Whilst there are many criticisms you can make about batteries, and their environmental impact, we can also look at them as a stepping stone. Sometimes in life we have to take a sideways step, or even a step down to continue on the journey to Nirvana. So, batteries are a necessary step in the evolution of a low impact sustainable power source, and we all look forward to the day that power cells / generators that can run indefinitely using what today sounds quite futuristic!

We also look at the pros and cons of centralising power on a small scale, for example in a small off-grid community. This is VERY important to think about, and the simple answer is that to some extent at least, such as for lighting, every home should be independent for power. For higher power requirements it may be best to centralise it on a small scale.

Earthship Seminar Transcription: Session 2 Part 12

(Question) Have you experimented with different kinds of power systems and storage?

We have looked into that, there's lots of different ones like flag-wheel is one I kind of like. They do it they do it in the space modules where they power up with solar a giant flag-wheel that's spinning so fast they have to put it underground, or in a steel vault in a in a spaceship... the power goes off and the thing keeps spinning in a vacuum, so there's no friction and it just keeps spinning and producing power as it slowly slowly winds down. So you're storing power in momentum. Then there's a you know storing power by getting something up high and then letting it come down slowly. Cell battery technology is getting better because of battery cars, so I think batteries are the weak link in what we're doing, but people will give us static about that. They'll give us static about anything they can. And what I'm saying is it's worth it all. I realized that well, we actually came up with a good line for that. We're gonna make a t-shirt of it, there is a lot wrong about the way we try to do things right. And that's the truth.

Batteries are bad, but they give us the freedom... they give us a dependency... and from that dependency we're opening up our minds to the point where we can see way way beyond. Batteries got us there, batteries are wrong, but they got us there. It's kind of a thing like if you're climbing a mountain, you're not always going up... sometimes you're going horizontal even down to get to a place that you can go up from. We experience that all the time, so when people rag us about batteries, or the bad installations that we use... you know which there are many things that we do that aren't perfect, but we're just simply trying to get to a level from which we can see the level beyond. It's like I've even made a diagram, I have to visualize, I have to make little pictures for myself to understand what the hell I'm thinking.

So I'm standing here and here's a big plateau and there's a peak here in another plateau and over here, and there's a peak here, well my line of sight see this is the ultimate peak right here. This is Nirvana or whatever. You want to call it the solution, but I can't even see it you... so I don't even know it's there. So I get here, and I still can't see it, and and maybe I have to do some weird stuff to get here, and some weirder stuff to get here, and to get here, and finally I just get so I can see it... but what I'm saying is I have to get however I can to a place where I can at least see where I want to go... And that's that's a big issue with the whole situation right now.

People are stymied down here, because they can't even see where they're going. And all I'm saying is just get me higher, get me higher. Then I'll be able to see what's beyond, and who knows when I get here maybe I can see something else... but it's hope, it's an approach to everything really, that filters back down to whether to use a windmill or solar panels and in what kind of a climate.

(Question): Have there been any applications on an Earthship build where you have used hydro wheels or things like that using a river source?

Yeah. We've had a few of them that have . The one in Scotland had a little hydro, had a little spring coming out into the loch, so we tapped into it, and a windmill. So between the hydro and the windmill we made up for the fact that Scotland doesn't have much Sun. The hydro is worth it. There there are many places where hydro is cool.. but the percentage of places where hydro is cool is very minimal.. you know compared to Sun or even wind. So hydros is last on the list, but it's certain anytime there's any form of energy we would be tapping into it.

(Question): Have you used high end electrolysis to separate hydrogen molecules which are stored in hydrogen fuel cells?

I've heard about it but not that familiar with it. Hydrogen is being talked about a lot, it is coming . But they can do it from solar and there, it's it's up and coming, it's just not as easily available yet.

And there are a lot of other ones, and we're set up just you know, to glom them in to this whole concept concept, anytime they're there and available What we're looking at is there's a part of our work that is totally research, but then there's a part of it that is mainstream. What have we got from all of this forty years of work that we can put into the mainstream right now and have an effect on where the mainstream is going.

(Question): Did you talk about different kinds of batteries and which ones are best to use?

We used to use the golf cart batteries that you that last five to seven years, because they were cheap, lighter easier to handle. But when I got into so many buildings out here there's always one building that you're replacing batteries on... so I didn't want to switch to the 20-year batteries because I figured battery technology is going to radically change in 20 years... and be stuck with these 20 year old batteries that I don't need. But the power system is set up so you can interchange batteries as battery technology evolves, but we have moved to the 15 year batteries and the Phoenix has 20 year batteries, and it is nice because we don't have to do anything. They cost a grand a piece and there's six of them, but once they're there, they're there... and I don't have to think about it for 20 years, and that's kind of good.

So we're down to a brand we like.. they're big, and heavy, they are four hundred pounds, they take a lot of people to carry them, and they're there. But they just last, they're deep cycle. And that's technology itself is is evolving rapidly cuz of the electric cars because that's where the battery technology is getting money put into it from, and so where that stuff will be available to us they're not too distant future.

(Question:) Why don’t you just get a less tropical fish to reduce your power demand in the Phoenix?

That's a good question ...we could just get trout, and well I guess there's not a good reason for that, other than Tilapia (fish) taste good. Tilapia grow fast, they prolifically multiply, there were some rationales, but nothing really worth anything. We're just doing it.

(Question:) I was wondering as far as communities go if you have looked at any small scale centralisation of power... Because we are looking to build in forests, so we cant put solar on each unit.. so were thinking about doing like a central location for power. Have you done anything like that?

No I can't say that I have. See like the eve project, it will be approaching that thinking... We are looking at like, yeah there's $25,000 to $30,000 worth of utilities in each one of these buildings. So the Eve is going to have have something on the order of that. In other words this whole jungle this Amazon jungle that goes from the end of this building to the other one is the gray and black water system for 25 people. That's centralization on a small scale. The the water catchment is going to be shared throughout all the buildings... were putting cisterns wherever we can and tandeming everything up for everybody.

And the power, that's one of the major things we're trying to work on with Eve is the power, is going to be room at a time. In other words.. see if you get down to a very minimal amount of power with a few LED lights trying to light up a room, then we hang a piece of thin solar film out somewhere on the south panel, and run some 2 watt LED lights, and that power is so small that the battery to store it can be sealed and inline and can be in a drawer of a dresser. So it all of a sudden gets to be for $350 bucks you can light up a room, as opposed to 30 grand for six rooms.

So what I'm getting at there is in some ways we're adding the element of centralization small-scale, in some ways were even decentralizing further to make every room... because see this is going to house 25 people, each person's really just gonna have a room... they're gonna be sharing the Amazon jungle... and there's even shared showers and toilets and stuff. So their room is the only thing they have, and they have their own power for their room because it's 350 bucks per room to to power up a room. They will probably share the a/c.. in these in this group of buildings already there's three power modules, we're going to try to use those three power modules to do all the a/c for the computers and TVs and whatever... and then give everybody in each room or maybe a couple lives in one room or whatever... but everybody in each room their own power.

So we're thinking on a small scale in that direction and it's it's not that we that I would say you have to be a fanatic and totally decentralize but, when you get into a situation you'll find that if you're willing to decentralize to some extent you can take steps. We're always willing to do anything, we don't really have any rules, we just have directions, because you make rules and all of a sudden you're encumbered by your own damn rules.

 

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Earthship Seminar Video 2009 - Part 12

I would like to thank Mike Reynolds for giving me permission to transcribe, edit and reformat this work for the Steem Blockchain! If you do read or watch this and have any questions please ask in the comments. I am happy to educate and help you to understand this. Biotecture is amazing in so many ways, and even after 20 years I still have not seen a model of sustainable building that even comes close in so many important areas such as performance, carbon footprint, longevity, ease of build, etc... Now you can also come to understand what Biotecture Really Is about!

READ PREVIOUS TRANSCRIPTS

SESSION 1

Part 1: The Global Model
https://steemit.com/ecotrain/@eco-alex/earthship-biotecture-101-learn-with-michael-reynolds-part-1

Part 2: Staying Cool: The Convection Engine
https://steempeak.com/ecotrain/@eco-alex/earthship-biotecture-transcribed-seminar-with-michael-reynolds-transcribed-part-2

Part 3: The Evolution of the Global Model Earthship:
https://steempeak.com/ecotrain/@eco-alex/earthship-biotecture-transcribed-seminar-with-michael-reynolds-part-3

Part 4: Heating your home with body heat in Norway, about permits in USA and Europe... How to get them fast
https://steempeak.com/ecotrain/@eco-alex/earthship-biotecture-transcribed-pt4-heating-your-home-with-body-heat-in-norway-about-permits-in-usa-and-europe-how-to-get-them

Part 5: How to Retrofit, Getting Permits, Tire Toxicity?
https://steempeak.com/ecotrain/@eco-alex/earthship-biotecture-transcribed-pt-5-how-to-retrofit-getting-permits-tire-toxicity

Part 6: Bottle / Can Walls, Tyre Foundations / Snow Water
https://steempeak.com/ecotrain/@eco-alex/earthship-biotecture-transcribed-pt-6-q-and-a-bottle-can-walls-tyre-foundations-snow-water

Part 7: Can you insure an earthship?, the double/triple greenhouse, the global model evolution + more
https://steempeak.com/ecotrain/@eco-alex/earthship-biotecture-transcribed-pt-7-q-and-a-can-you-insure-an-earthship-the-double-triple-greenhouse-the-global-model

Part 8: Final: Year round fruiting trees, sizing greenhouses + more
https://steempeak.com/ecotrain/@eco-alex/earthship-biotecture-transcribed-pt-8-final-q-and-a-year-round-fruiting-trees-sizing-greenhouses-more

SESSION 2

Part 1: Water, how to size your roof, choosing the right materials for water catchment.
https://steempeak.com/ecotrain/@eco-alex/earthship-biotecture-transcribed-session-2-part-1-water-how-to-size-your-roof-choosing-the-right-materials-for-water-catchment

Part 2: Cisterns, Filtering Water, Designing Down & Layered Thinking.
https://steempeak.com/ecotrain/@eco-alex/earthship-biotecture-transcribed-session-2-part-2-cisterns-filtering-water-designing-down-and-layered-thinking

Part 3: Water! Be Self Sufficient Secure & Sustainable.
https://steempeak.com/ecotrain/@eco-alex/earthship-biotecture-transcribed-session-2-part-3-water-be-self-sufficient-secure-and-sustainable

Part 4: Botanical Cells, Using Water 4 Times, Food Production.
https://steempeak.com/ecotrain/@eco-alex/earthship-biotecture-transcribed-session-2-part-4-botanical-cells-using-water-4-times-food-production

Part 5 : The Solar Toilet, Making Mistakes and Evolving is Part of the Process.
https://steempeak.com/ecotrain/@eco-alex/earthship-biotecture-transcribed-session-2-part-5-the-solar-toilet-making-mistakes-and-evolving-is-part-of-the-process

Part 6: Black Water Treatment In Any Climate, Food Production.
https://steempeak.com/ecotrain/@eco-alex/earthship-biotecture-transcribed-session-2-part6-black-water-treatment-in-any-climate-food-production

Part 7: Q&A: Water, Botanical Cells, Water Treatment
https://steempeak.com/ecotrain/@eco-alex/earthship-biotecture-transcribed-session-2-part-7-q-and-a-water-botanical-cells-water-treatment

Part 8: About Solar Power, Doing It Yourself? Solar Vs Wind.
https://steempeak.com/ecotrain/@eco-alex/earthship-biotecture-transcribed-session-2-part8-about-solar-power-doing-it-yourself-solar-vs-wind

Part 9: SOLAR POWER: Designing Down, Making Smart Choices.
https://steempeak.com/ecotrain/@eco-alex/earthship-biotecture-transcribed-session-2-part-9-solar-power-designing-down-making-smart-choices

Part 10: Decentralisation means security and self sufficiency
https://steempeak.com/ecotrain/@eco-alex/earthship-biotecture-transcribed-session-2-part-10-decentralisation-means-security-and-self-sufficiency

Part 11: Biotecture Is a movement
https://steempeak.com/ecotrain/@eco-alex/earthship-biotecture-transcribed-s2-p11-biotecture-is-a-movement

Did you know, I built four Earthships in India as well as being instrumental the creation of the first Earthship in the UK, Earthship Brighton. If you are also on this path and would like to read my story, I have recently published a book. It is not only a great story, but a valuable resource for you to learn from. I had no experience or training when I embarked on my mission, but managed to successfully build a gorgeous home called Earthship Karuna.

You can buy this book with Steem on the homesteaders co-op. Whilst you are there please do have a look at some of the other products as there are all kinds of great things there!

https://homesteaderscoop.com/product/earthship-chronicles-ebook/

If you don't have any Steem you can also buy the ebook and paperback on amazon.
http://mybook.to/Earthship-Chronicles
or
https://www.amazon.com/Earthship-Chronicles-sufficient-luxurious-experience-ebook/dp/B07MYCBXYB

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