Taking Matters Into Our Own Hands

Joining Pickens Plan and/or aligning with a political candidate is great if that is all you want to accomplish. Like a fan in the stadium, cheering while your team is on the field...your voice is there, but have you done anything to move the ball down the field?
As I see it the only thing we have been forced to do is conserve. As the price of fuel increased we were forced to cut back our consumption to make ends meet. This is a reaction.

But have you done anything proactive?
Have you put a insulating blanket on your water heater?
Have you turned and tuned up your AC unit?
Have you added insulation to your attic?
Do you turn off unused appliances and transformers?
These are the simple things to do and not very expensive. They actually pay you back over time.

As I see it however, most everyone is waiting for some else to solve the problem. I can assure you, when some one does provide a solution, you will pay as much or more for the energy they produce as before. You will end up no better...still a consumer of some one else's solution.

Well, I believe the answer is to start becoming an energy producer and too hell with being a consumer. You want energy independence then get off your ass and become independent!

All the energy we need hits us with every rising sun. It is free for us to harvest...no strings attached. Like having our own private oil well in our backyards.
The technology to harvest this energy is also available. Pick one.
They vary by efficiency, convenience, practicality, and cost. Do some research and find a solution that will free yourself. Why wait for some one to set you free?

My research into the area started with an interest in wind power. I had a dream about a vertical shaft windmill may years ago. Acting on that inspiration, I built one. I started with a scaled model and tested it with a home-made wind tunnel. I even mounted the thing on the hood of my old Honda Civic to test it. It worked well, but it would not scale to a size that was practical for an urban dwelling.

I became fascinated with work in 'over unity' machines, machines that report to produce more energy than they consume. Go to youtube and search on 'free energy' and you'll see many people trying to make the magic happen.
I have one design started, but again I have no great hopes that it will scale to my needs. It is fun to dabble with, and the magnets laying around scare the hell out of my wife when they suddenly leap at one another while she is dusting. Great fun.

Fusion became a real distraction for awhile, as Dr Bussard's work appeared on Google Tech Talks. It fit neatly into my paranoid inclinations that the solution is already been developed but is being hidden from view, like advanced battery technology and super efficient carburetors. He may well have been on the right direction, but he died trying and his research is out of public view for now. But again, I am not a high energy physics guy. I am not going to free myself with this approach.

Right now I am stoked by the promise of fresnel lens solar furnaces and steam engines.

Now here is a solution that I can get my teeth into.

Fresnel lens 50" X 50" are available on Ebay for under $100.

Some have linear focal points 7" long or 1" in diameter at a distance of around 30 inches.

Mounted in a simple frame, these lens produce a temperature hot enough to melt metal.

This heat when applied to water vessel produces steam. Steam engines convert the steam to mechanical torque for turning a generator. A 20 HP steam engine, available today on Ebay cost $4500. There are a whole host of generators available, depending on what you want to spend and how free you want to be. Input a little piece of sunlight, output electricity.

Old, old technology. No theory. No patent infringements. No middlemen. Free with a pray of thanks to He who gave it to me.