Alexis Zeigler: Solar Everything on the Living Energy Farm

Alexis gives us a tour of the Living Energy Farm's kitchen, which cooks for a dozen or more who live and visit the Farm in northern Virginia. The farm exploits the power generated by solar panels for nearly exclusive DC current to run well-insulated ovens and refrigerators, a blower from passive solar heat, and a workshop with standard power tools used on any farm. The farmers live by the cycle of the varying daylight energy from the sun, and learn to live without it when it's simply not needed. Learn more from Alexis the members of his farm at livingenergyfarm.org

[@GarbageDevon]

Wow! so much rare knowledge dropped in 1 video. Thanks for sharing this interview!

[@waylonk2453]

Alexis brought up a few points regarding so-called "green" tech that I've never hear before, but really make sense. Particularly how solar thermal is able to harvest more energy from the sun than photovoltaic, but the reason we don't use these systems is because they are less profitable for the companies that install them. He also gives battery-based AC systems their due criticism for all the loss along the way. And, how these expensive systems are easily marketed to Americans because we can clear our conscience without altering behavior. Alexis' interview makes me more aware of how much "green sell" is going on in the energy industry today. Wonderful interview! I'm subscribed for more insightful ones like it.

[@SolarCookingMuseum]

Thanks for subscribing and your kind words! I try to include as much broadly considered info about solar energy, for food processing, and Alexis' insights are incredibly helpful. Planning my 8th solar video road trip soon and have a backlog I'm editing up to the point I leave, so stay tuned!

[@nawfelbengherbia8302]

Thanks for sharing... I did not understand the physics behind why the solar powered oven and fridge are energy efficient. Could you share articles or videos explaining it from the basics?

[@SolarCookingMuseum]

You can look up the reports and writings of Pete Schwartz at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo--Pete's ISEC (Insulated Solar ELectric Cooker, same as Alexis') for how such cookers work. I'm still mystified by refrigeration in general but I think the main point is that the tub fridge is superinsulated so does not need constant, regular cycles of on-off for the refigerant pump. It'd be a good subject to run by Alexis and his companions on the farm, check out livingenergyfarm.org

[@nawfelbengherbia8302]

About the system of pumping hot air into the house instead of making heat from electricity. Was it just a tangential example about how to achieve leverage or was it related to how the DC oven works ?

[@waylonk2453]

The former, I'm sure. I would have liked to see the ducts and blower more closely to get a better sense of how it works.