Renewable Energy Options
The emerging hydrogen/alternative economy is part of a shift in our social reality. This paradigm shift is changing the way our economy and society functions. The development of disruptive technologies has the potential to transform the economy and empower the sustainable socially conscious communities of people towards increased self-reliance (see decentralization). An ecovillage design allows for a more open and diffuse community and a market based economy which would be guided by a sustainable vision of socioeconomic transformation. These green communities must be the backbone of any sustainable redevelopment of our socioeconomic system. The only way to make the sustainable future-think that clogs our minds into practical solutions, thinking embracing and experimenting with new technologies as well as rediscovered old technologies with the ultimate goal of creating a sustainable and socially just society.
Decentralized Distributed Power
Energy production for the Edenspace project is anticipated to be evolutionary, and transitional bridging technologies intending to a model for grid-tied decentralized (distributed) renewable energy systems.
Bridging Technologies
Renewable energy technology development will base itself on the most cost effective renewable technologies that fit within the location and the subsystems of the particular project/ecovillage. Biomass bridging technologies include methane digestors that process biological waste materials that otherwise be burned or land filled, and extract methane for use in energy production to sustain the site/project. These technologies should be scalable and modular, demonstrated on a small scale first then upgraded when rising economic fortunes allow.
Paolo Lugari of Gavoitas says that biomass loss is more destructive than CO2 rise. We are altering ecosystems and we have cut 40% of forested lands. Therefore he says there is a need for regeneration of biomass through the rebuilding of ecosystems. His concern is about the ability of biomass to maintain the atmosphere. The Japanese finianced Gaviotas in return for carbon sequestration, which Gavoitans did by planting 25000 acres of trees.
The goal is to develop these systems along with a energy efficiency and conservation plan that minimizes resource consumption and use onsite leading to a small ecological footprint that requires minimal energy and resource imputs. What this means is that energy production can increasingly be sold to the power company, allowing for a paydown of external (bank and institutional loans) debts and refinancing that might expand the renewable energy production capacity on site.
Importance of Site Selection
The location of a sustainable project is important to maximizing the various renewable energy resources. For example if you were to site an sustainable project on land with a river that was suitable to micro-hydro, and had enough sun and wind to make those technologies feasible there as well you are maximizing the value of your land investment.
Potential Technologies include:
Wind
Micro-hydro
Geothermal
Waste (byproducts of agricultural production and home use) biomass can be recycled and also became an important energy source through the use of a methane digestor. Methane while a greenhouse gas, can be controlled and harnessed as an energy source through the proper design of of living machines.
Biofuels: produced from items like corn, sawdust or cow manure, provide roughly 4 percent of the country's energy. Production of one biofuel in particular, ethanol, is expected to soar as California is forced to use the oxygenate instead of the additive MTBE, a water pollutant.
The goal of the Edenspace project is not to “live off the grid” as is the case for many ecovillages but to actually become an “experimental merchant power producer” and promoting alternative energy, which will be sold as green power.