I am very interested in learning more about energy planning in intentional communities. I want to know about the personal experiences of past and present members of the intentional communities, specifically how their community was/is approaching energy independence and resilience. If you are willing to talk to me and share your experience, let me know so we can set up a Zoom call.
When I read your first sentence, I thought you were asking about how communities get their members to have enough (physical) energy in order to get anything done. That is a very hard question, in these days of electrons. ~But then I guessed you actually meant machine energy. That’s much easier.
We have a museum. We’ve collected 40+ buildings built during the last 200+ years. We intend to have every trade and every skill for living in a non-electric world. We have just about every tool there is for a self-reliant/self-sufficient life. And we can use them. ~~Plus, we have many multiples of most everything. So that when the kids grow up, marry, and establish their own homes, we can supply them with what they will need, … wood cook stoves, cast iron ware, sewing machines, anvils, looms, shovels, rope beds, rope making tools, etc. Nobody will go without if we ever achieve a 16th Cent. world.
But, for now, we still use electricity. Why not? It’s easy. We don’t need it, but it is easy. We can flip a switch and have instant hot water. With saves us a great deal of time from pumping/carrying/heating water. Which (along with other labor-saving devices) allows us the time to run a Farm School/homeschool for about 40 neighbor kids.
So I guess it all depends on what your goals are. We are ready for whatever happens in the world. The good, the bad, the ugly (actually, for us, it’s all good because everything is a lesson, and that’s good). But if you want to be off grid now, but want to still keep playing with electricity, that’s a different question. And for that I don’t have much experience. --Because I’m more of a “what did grandfather do” kind of person.
I’ve yet to put together mine own system[s]; i regommend utilizing multiple sources rather than focusing on a single. Wind & aqua can be of the same/similar sytem designs & interchangeable; either system uses the same power controller unit (however accurately identified). There’s also multiple batteries that can be utilized, efficiency also includes disposal; its more expensive to properly dispose the batteries in the electric vehicles than (at lease word of mouth) it does to make them. In mine opinion, vehicle batteries (the same yi’d put in sedans to trucks (ATV batteries likely for smaller systems)) would be sufficient (I’d recommend the battery brand with the best warranty; also ensure if it covers resource power systems). One of the difficult things about putting up a resource system is location & maintenance. Obviously, if noth stored appropriately/properly, it’ll eventually fail & end up being expensive - similarly taking care of a vehicle. Within mine plans is finding electromagnetic motors (small remote cars to appliance sizes) for the wind systems. Yi’ll likely need the polarity switch(?) included in the appliances for directional changes. Yi’d likely save buying your system[s] in pieces & comparing prices than buying whole systems &/or leasing/renting - I strongly discourage leasing/renting such resource systems; yi’d might as well still be connected to the city source… If noth confident in your skills/knoweth, i recomment the smaller motors for practice & perhaps on devices yi noth worried damaging - led lights would be decent practice pieces. If to use vehicle batteries, I also recommend treating as if in a vehicle, at least as far as the anticorrosion rings; Coca Cola is an acid cleaner. Regardless of lack of direct sunlight; perhaps noth forget how green other plants get - a percentange under 100% is still usable & could be that additional to team with the other sources; similarily where an antimalware software misses, having another installed could catch.
I suggest/recommend starting with a list of what yi[z] want to power and for how long, find out how much energy it needs in a time frame & calculate the disperment/discharge rate & anticipate the materials/products. Many reasons why cables come in differ gages; temperature being a big factor. Yi’d also want to determine if yi needeth circut breakers, &/or circut braker/junction box. Please also strongly note whether your system[s) unnecessary violate regulations/laws (if yi’ll need inspections) & what [common sense] laws help protect yi[z] & your/yiz’ systems - the regulations/laws that cover ceiling sprinkler systems allow nigh anything within six inches of the system so as long as it noth hinders operations, yet if to put led lights (or receded lights) they can be within less than an inch without hindrances. Yi’d need to essentially doth a risk & benefit assessment fore & aft installation[s]. Likely more to follow; hope this helps. God[s] bless/speed!!