Wind and Solar Maps

Many people have been asking us about the viability of wind or solar energy in their location. Wind power maps are readily available on the internet and are fairly easy to read. As a rule of thumb, a wind power rating of 3 or better means that wind turbines might be worth building, though at level 3 the return will be marginal.

Solar maps are a little harder to read. The Global Solar Maps and the Solar Atlas for Flat-Plate and Concentrating Collectors are probably the easiest to use. From them, you can get at least a general idea of how much solar energy your location receives. For a much more complete assessment of the solar potential of your location, along with many designs for solar heating, we recommend The Passive Solar Energy Book, which can be found in the Appropriate Technology section of the Mountain Sentinel bookstore. http://www.mountainsentinel.com/apptech.php

Wind Energy Resource Atlas of the United States
http://rredc.nrel.gov/wind/pubs/atlas/

State Wind Resource Maps
http://www.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/windpoweringamerica/wind_maps.asp

Global Solar Maps
http://www.solar4power.com/solar-power-global-maps.html

Solar Atlas for flat-plate and concentrating collectors
http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/old_data/nsrdb/redbook/atlas/

Solar Maps
http://www.nrel.gov/gis/solar.html

US Solar Atlas
http://mapserve2.nrel.gov/website/L48NEWPVWATTS/viewer.htm

 Peak Oil Solution Theory : By Tate Ulsaker

Every solution has a basis in theory. As man thinks, we create destiny in our minds and then try to manifest out thoughts by a set of actions—some conscious and others  unconscious.

Let's pretend that if we can just understand the problem well enough, then we will have the power to manifest a solution. By those guidelines, we are encouraged to enter the debate from three definite territories: Problem Definition, Solution Definition, and of
course the Solving Action required to get us from the problem to the solution.

Concerning peak oil, we have a healthy set of problems, so let's lay down a few of the critical fundamentals for the new folks. READ MORE...

Planning Ahead in the Age of Oil Depletion on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia: By Frances Oommen

 We live on the beautiful Island of Cape Breton in Nova Scotia, Canada. It is almost the end of the road, except for Newfoundland.

The community

It is what used to be termed a "depressed area." At the present time, the coal and steel industries are no more, the fisheries are shrinking and the young people are moving away in droves to find paying jobs in other parts of Canada. There are many early-retirees, and older workers who have a lot of practical abilities such as carpentry, welding, metal work, electrical, concrete and construction skills which they learned and used in the heavy industry jobs they had in the coal mines and Sydco Steel.

READ MORE...