Power Sources, Equipment for Life on a Few Acres

By Wesley Gunkel and David Ross.

Modern farming and our style of living require the use of energy in much greater quantities than in the past. While returning to nature on a few acres may reduce dependence on energy and modern equipment for some, it is hard to escape their use. Power is needed to perform the many tasks found in maintaining and using a few acres.

The few acre site may open new energy sources to the owner. Natural energy from wind, water, the sun, wood or coal may be locally utilized. Electricity, natural gas, fuel oil and coal may be supplied by commercial companies.

Equipment such as tractors and tractor-operated implements, household appliances, and power tools use many sources. Family living requires surprisingly large quantities of energy. More than 20 percent of all the energy in the United States is consumed in the home. Over half of this energy is used for heating.

Both your life style and the nature of any operations on your few acres will determine energy requirements. The location of your place will determine the most likely energy sources. Most few acre operations will be near electricity or a petroleum fuel source. However, the electrical service may be inadequate for large electrical motors, particularly 3-phase motors. Accessibility for fuel deliveries may be poor during some months, and larger storage facilities may be needed.

Electricity obtained from a central station is fairly dependable and reasonably priced as a rule. Electrical generators on your few acres are ideal for standby operation. If generators are your only source of electricity, some form of energy storage is needed; direct current (d.c.) and storage batteries are used.

These systems are satisfactory for electric lights but have limited capacity for large power demands.

Other sources of commercial energy that may be available at your site are natural or LP gas, gasoline, fuel oil or coal. All of these fuels can be used for both power and heat. Gasoline and diesel fuel are used regularly for tractors. LP gas is normally used for heating, but can be used in cars, trucks and tractors fitted with special LP gas carburetors.

In select locations, water and wind energy may be useful for performing some operations. Work on utilization of wind energy has come from many sectors and may result in equipment directly coupled to a windmill, or in wind-generated electricity.

In 1850, one percent of the total energy consumed in the United States was supplied by wind. Since then more than 6 million small windmills of less than 1 horsepower each have been built. These windmills pumped water, generated electricity, and performed other similar tasks. Over 150,000 are still in use.

The amount of power available is directly proportional to the cube of the wind velocity, which illustrates the importance of wind velocity. Doubling the wind velocity means 2 x 2 x 2 or eight times the power. As a rule of thumb, continuous winds over 8 miles an hour average are needed to operate a wind-powered electrical generator.

Suitable site characteristics include high annual wind speed, no tall obstructions upwind for some distance depending upon the height of the windmill, top of a smooth well-rounded hill, open plain or shoreline, or mountain gap that produces a wind funneling. Consult the windmill manufacturers for specific information.

Waterpower is another potential source of natural energy available at a few farm sites. In the past, waterpower provided the energy for grinding flour, sawing wood, and generating electricity. Today waterpower is used primarily for generating electricity in large central hydroelectric plants. Very few of the original small scale systems remain. Interest has developed in harnessing water in rivers and streams for limited supplemental energy.

Wood, Solar Energy

Wood is a source of energy available at many sites. While only a small fraction of America's fuel needs are now supplied by wood, it can be used advantageously if a sufficient, low cost supply is available. Fireplaces have been installed in many homes for decorative purposes. Few are used for primary or supplementary heating, as the efficiency is a low 10 percent. Improvements have been made in wood-burning equipment to increase the combustion efficiency of fireplaces and stoves.

Wood can be obtained from your own well-maintained woodlot or from forest land nearby. State and local regulations will govern wood collection from public lands where a permit may be needed.

Solar energy has been used in recent years to heat and cool buildings, dry agricultural products, power irrigation pumps, generate electricity, heat water, and for other purposes. Solar cells are used to generate electricity from solar energy. Costs of solar cells and associated equipment are expected to come down with time.

Passive solar systems make use of the building design to capture and store heat. Windows or structural components which absorb heat energy are examples. Passive systems are relatively inexpensive and use few or no moving parts. They are designed into the structure and not added onto it later.

Active solar systems use large heat-collecting panels, pumps or fans and storage facilities. The equipment is relatively expensive, requires space, and must be maintained. Except in moderate temperatures, the solar system cannot economically provide all the heating needed. A backup conventional heating system will provide 50 to 70 percent.