- 02 Aug 2017 04:14
#14829266
Dams have their own ecological problems. Nevertheless, it is possible to achieve electrical self-sufficiency for individuals and small groups - and to do so in a responsible manner. It's possible, for instance, to repurpose commercial standby power inverters (they can be purchased at reasonable prices when large buildings upgrade their equipment). Known as Uninterruptible Power Systems, these units have batteries that are normally maintained by a trickle charge from the grid - but they can be maintained by solar panels or wind turbines instead. These can be operated in tandem with diesel generators that take up the slack when the system fails or you have an unexpected load (run the generators with biodiesel).