REPORT #600 January 2003
SMALL DIESEL POWERED GENERATORS RUNNING ON VEGETABLE OILS ARE MORE EFFICIENT, RELIABLE AND LESS EXPENSIVE THAN OTHER ALTERNATIVE POWER SOURCES AT HOUSE LEVEL. SOLAR CELLS, WINDMILL GENERATORS, forget it!


by Peter Singfield/Engineer/Xaibe, Belize
A Project Volunteer of the Belize Development Trust

By the way Susan -- solar and windmills don't make it because they are far to expensive.

Just the cost of battery replacements far exceeds the fuel cost of fuel for a small, properly designed -- highly efficient -- diesel power plant.

Never mind the availability of dual fuels that are nearly cost free -- except for village labor -- alcohol and plant oils.

Further -- the life span of solar and wind devices is much shorter than the small diesel -- plus orders more expensive in capital costs.

The target price for a 1000 watt -- continuous operation -- high efficiency -- long lasting reliability (minimum ten years before 'maintenance' -- but aiming for 50 years total life span) -- "power-plant" was established as being less than $350 US.

This was considered next to impossible when we started. But I have already put a package together that should cost less than $300 -- meeting all the above goals -- except making some people from industrialized nations rich selling it to 3rd world.

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