DRMousseau
100 W
A lot of various issues here, and I again feel, that many are overly complicated matters that ignore a great deal of the much more important "relative" factors, if any. Heck,.. ya can't even use "apples and oranges" to relate woodgas/biogas and DYI electric. The relative relationship here is more like rocks and lightning!
My initial choice of a DYI powered bicycle, was in a low cost basic IC engine using relatively cheap gasoline. Aside from the low initial costs of base equipment,... about $.02 a mile to get me from here to there on a daily basis. All things being "close" to the same, the high initial costs of a DYI e-bike reduced that daily cost to about half or much less depending on a lot of other various factors. Given the same "lifetime" of all equipment used,.... the overall cost of getting from here to there on a daily basis was nearly the same. I personally chose electric purely on the basis of the lifetime efforts of maintenance and other time consuming efforts. As an ageing life long mechanic of various fields with a strong basis of engineering and physics,... my time and efforts have become increasingly valuable to me even if not fully utilized. A very personal choice based on my very personal requirements. Retirement is rather nice, and I much enjoy my available time. My decision may have been quite different had it been necessary for me to consider other requirements. Social and cultural changes, and even changes of environmental awareness over my lifetime were influencing in my decision, but not really contributing factors in my choice. And I greatly appreciate the technologies of today that even allowed an opportunity of choice!!!
Solar, wind and other "bio" technologies are such today that I can ALSO choose to give somewhat greater economical consideration now, to the source of energy I use. Although I still find a great deal of disappointment in the energy factors of producing such technologies for my use. I've found DIY fuel production and even recycled "bio" sources, jus isn't practical on a home scale. Even renewable resources suffer a huge inefficient use on the DYI home front that also makes them somewhat impracticable for me. And my personal efforts have basically ignored the environmental impacts in these ventures!!!
I currently live alone year around in a "rolling upstairs apartment" (a 34' motorhome) and will be "winterizing" with passive solar heating AND a greater utilization of "waste" heat to survive the harsh sub-freezing Great Lakes winter this year (I typically winter in FL!). Solar AND wind together, seem the most practical energy sources for my current "daily needs" and lifestyle,... although it's still not very realistic to sail a "land yacht"!!! MOST all of my current daily electric use is "bled" from the grid via an extension cord set. A small amount is from the genny occasionally, via fossil fuels until a solar/wind system is installed. I don't travel much in my home, so my annual fuel consumption is far less than the average home-owner/commuter. The big block 460 is jus a whopping flat 6mpg on the road!!!!
Believe it or not, over all economy is probably the biggest factor in my choices, jus as it is with most others. And for me, "an aging hippie" a DYI e-bike beat out a motorcycle, motor-bike, and auxiliary automobile, jus as my RV beat out a conventional home, mobile home, or renting.
My initial choice of a DYI powered bicycle, was in a low cost basic IC engine using relatively cheap gasoline. Aside from the low initial costs of base equipment,... about $.02 a mile to get me from here to there on a daily basis. All things being "close" to the same, the high initial costs of a DYI e-bike reduced that daily cost to about half or much less depending on a lot of other various factors. Given the same "lifetime" of all equipment used,.... the overall cost of getting from here to there on a daily basis was nearly the same. I personally chose electric purely on the basis of the lifetime efforts of maintenance and other time consuming efforts. As an ageing life long mechanic of various fields with a strong basis of engineering and physics,... my time and efforts have become increasingly valuable to me even if not fully utilized. A very personal choice based on my very personal requirements. Retirement is rather nice, and I much enjoy my available time. My decision may have been quite different had it been necessary for me to consider other requirements. Social and cultural changes, and even changes of environmental awareness over my lifetime were influencing in my decision, but not really contributing factors in my choice. And I greatly appreciate the technologies of today that even allowed an opportunity of choice!!!
Solar, wind and other "bio" technologies are such today that I can ALSO choose to give somewhat greater economical consideration now, to the source of energy I use. Although I still find a great deal of disappointment in the energy factors of producing such technologies for my use. I've found DIY fuel production and even recycled "bio" sources, jus isn't practical on a home scale. Even renewable resources suffer a huge inefficient use on the DYI home front that also makes them somewhat impracticable for me. And my personal efforts have basically ignored the environmental impacts in these ventures!!!
I currently live alone year around in a "rolling upstairs apartment" (a 34' motorhome) and will be "winterizing" with passive solar heating AND a greater utilization of "waste" heat to survive the harsh sub-freezing Great Lakes winter this year (I typically winter in FL!). Solar AND wind together, seem the most practical energy sources for my current "daily needs" and lifestyle,... although it's still not very realistic to sail a "land yacht"!!! MOST all of my current daily electric use is "bled" from the grid via an extension cord set. A small amount is from the genny occasionally, via fossil fuels until a solar/wind system is installed. I don't travel much in my home, so my annual fuel consumption is far less than the average home-owner/commuter. The big block 460 is jus a whopping flat 6mpg on the road!!!!
Believe it or not, over all economy is probably the biggest factor in my choices, jus as it is with most others. And for me, "an aging hippie" a DYI e-bike beat out a motorcycle, motor-bike, and auxiliary automobile, jus as my RV beat out a conventional home, mobile home, or renting.