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THEY PRODUCE THEIR OWN ELECTRICITY WITH ENERGY FROM THE SUN AND WIND
An Earthship produces household electricity and heats water with the help of modern solar and wind technology. Solar power is the main source of energy. Wind is used as a supplement where sunlight is scarce. Technological developments have led to efficient extraction of solar energy which can be converted into electricity and heat to a lower cost. There are two main types of technology to obtain solar energy. The first type is photovoltaics, which convert solar energy into electricity. The second type are solar panels used to convert solar energy into heat.
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ELECTRICITY FROM P H O T O V O LTA I C Solar cells are used in an Earthship to convert sunlight directly into electricity. The process is silent, without moving parts or fuel, and without anything in the solar cell being consumed. Several paired solar cells become a photovoltaic panel. The number of photovoltaic panels that are installed depends on the demand for electricity and the availability of sunlight. An Earthship stores energy from the photovoltaic panels in batteries that are integrated into compartments in the roof. This is to ensure access to electricity also during the night and during days with less sun. 3
View from the roof ,photovoltaic panels and batteries
POM – POWER ORGANIZER MODULE POM is a prefabricated unit that is specially designed for Earthships. POM is a central system for household electricity, which includes the necessary components such as inverters, switches, controllers and meters on the same panel. The electricity passing through the POM can be used to power household appliances such as washing machines, computers, appliances, printers, vacuum cleaners, etc. With POM, it is also possible to connect the building to the electrical grid.
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H E AT I N G W AT E R W I T H S O L A R PA N E L S Water is heated to desirable temperature by running cold water through heaters driven by
SOLAR PANEL
solar panels. The heated water must pass through a backup system before the water
BACK UP SYSTEM
reaches the household faucets. The backup system consists of a small gas heater, which ensures that the water keeps the desired temperature. This ensures hot water even during days when the sun is not available. After the water has passed through the backup system it is distributed to the household.
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WATER HEATER
COLD WATER
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
AVRAGE ENERGY CONSUMPTION
CONVENTIONAL SWEDISH HOME - 25 000 kWh/year
When designing solar-powered homes it is important to reduce overall energy
Hot water, 5 000 kWh
consumption to be able to limit the cost
Heating, 15 000 kWh
of the equipment. Earthships are a result of energy-conscious design, they have come a long way by reducing the need for
Electricity, 5 000 kWh
heating. An Earthship consumes only 9500 kWh/year, while a conventional house in Sweden consumes about 25 000 kWh/yr.
EARTHSHIP- 9 500 kWh/year Hot water, 4 250 kWh
Heating, 0 kWh
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Electricity, 4 250 kWh
P H O T O V O LTA I C PA N E L S S O L A R PA N E L
B AT T E R I E S
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