Some Glimpses from the
SOLAR HOMES TOUR
Saturday, October 14th

From Indonesia (by way of France where she's studying),
Avanti enjoys her 5th day in the U.S.
She took a break from her research
to visit solar homes in Athens County.


Photovoltaic panels convert the sun's energy
directly into DC electricity. No moving parts.
The more panels you have,
the more electricity you can generate.
This owner-built home is completely "off the grid"
and receives all of its electricity from the sun in order to
operate lights, tv, vcr, computer,
energy-efficient washing machine,
and most other appliances found in any typical home.

The back of the panels. Cables will carry
the electricity into the house.

Inside the house, the control panel
routes the electricity to where it's needed.

The control panel feeds excess electricity into
the batteries. When the sun isn't shining,
appliances draw energy from the batteries.

These are gel type batteries.
Some people use lead-acid.

The Inverter. It converts DC (direct current) into
AC (alternating current) which is what most appliances use.

This is a passive solar home meaning that it
gets its heat from the sun. Large south-facing windows
allow the sun to gently warm the massive concrete floor.
The floor in this house has water pipes running through it
to circulate warm water when its cold.
Concrete, rock, or water can all act as "heat sinks"
to store extra heat and then radiate it back into the house
when its needed.

On cold nights these thermal, quilted shades
are lowered to keep the heat inside the house.

These custom-made, thermal shades
have a sheet of reflective mylar
sewn inside which helps make them more efficient.

On to another home...


A 2000-square-foot passive solar, log house
built from locally grown and milled poplar.
The house gets its electricity from...

A wind generator.
(Lots of wind up on the ridge).
Also, it gets electricity from...

Photovoltaic panels.

Avanti makes a shadow on the panel
to see if the lights will go out in the house (they don't).


Ruth wears her solar shades to protect her eyes
from the nearby thermonuclear reactor
(93,000,000 miles away).

Inside the greenhouse.
South-facing windows let in plenty of sun.
In this room there is also a hot tub (just part of
the spartan existence the residents must cope with
in this beautifully designed and crafted home).
As the air warms, it rises and there are vents
at the back top of the room to allow the hot air to flow
into the attic.
During the summer months, vines grow up outside
the windows to protect against overheating.


The control panel.

The batteries.


More of the technical magic: This controller
will disengage the wind generator
if it's spinning too fast.

The composting toilet. No water.
No odor (unless something isn't working properly).
Occasionally, lamps underneath will be turned
on to provide more heat for the compost.
Over several months, gravity moves the compost
down an incline.

To learn MORE about local SOLAR ENERGY,
CLICK HERE

and

HERE and HERE

Sunday, October 15th
(another beautiful day in Southeast Ohio).
A nice drive out to beautiful Cherry Ridge near Albany
to visit an organic farm...

"Welcome."
This is one of the worker-residents
who eats away the brush.
Sometimes, a portable electric fence gently
reminds her of the area where she should eat.

"Hi."
Guarding the baby Paw Paw trees.

A somewhat vicious rooster and some hens.
Living in their portable cages, these guys help clear
the garden of weeds. The cages are moved
to a new spot each day and the chickens just eat away.

A few of the 100+ chickens being raised.

The goat residence.
With very few modifications,
this could be made into
some terrific student housing.

Back in the woods, one of the wild mushrooms
growing on the root of a huge oak tree.
This one will be protected from the deer with its
own little cage. (Mushrooms in captivity?)
Later, it will be harvested, sauteed, and eaten.

.
Hiding under the forest canopy, a Spicebush.

The Spicebush berries can be dried and used as
a substitute for Allspice.
They have a nutty texture.

A Paw Paw tree. Grows wild in this area.
It produces a delicious fruit that's
sold nationally.
To learn more about Paw Paws,
CLICK HERE.

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