Greenhouse Windmill Heating in Winter

[@SimpleTek]

Love to hear your comments and if you've ever seen anything like this before for heating!

[@TurbineGuy]

Hey check out my channel , maybe we can collaborate and we can discuss how to make this happen. The hivawt wind turbine would be perfect for this because there is absolutley zero maintenance and can handle extreme Temps.

[@tomkelly8827]

My friend has a wind turbine that helps his solar system charge their batteries. Once the batteries are charged, the turbine shunts the powwer to a heating element to give the powwer somewhere to go. It just gets vented into his battery room but to use it to heat water and store it in an insulated tank is a brilliant idea! Aircrete is a nice touch too. I like the way you think

[@robertlackey7212]

There was a popular science "Adventures in alternative energy" where someone had used a windmill to turn a large paddle in a water tank through a right angle gearbox , the paddle heated the water in the tank . This eliminates the cost , complexity , and inefficiency of making electricity.

[@l0I0I0I0]

Yes water is an excellent option having researched a hundred different heat storage materials. Challenge is high pressures if exceeded. If controls fail, tank explodes 😭. This is the most important issue. Btw it's not a matter of if they fail, it's a matter of when they fail for they WILL fail. With this in mind, redundancy in safety and inspections can save your property and your life. Now, I have recently been researching boiler systems so I can design or buy and incorporate the most reliable fault checks for my designs to reduce the inherent risk. Secondly, I have also been looking at a new low pressure system that has less volumetric thermal storage ability, but can hold more heat per volume due to its ability to get hottet without exploding. Lol. Low pressure makes it safer and able to store as much or more heat in the same amount of area. Still looking into cost but the safety factor may be worth it. Need to go crunch some numbers. ;)

[@l0I0I0I0]

@@robertlackey7212 Interesting? Paddle, please explain?

[@richardross7219]

Nice video. In the 1970s, Mother Earth News(MEN) Magazine looked at solar hot air collectors that used bins of stone to store heat. The advantage was low cost and air leaks don't ruin anything. I thought the same as you to supplement the heat with wind electricity and a heater to add to the stone. Several years later, MEN came out with such a system. By the time I built my house, in the 1990s, I made it passive solar with wood backup. The main floor is 11" of concrete that absorbs the sunlight, warms up, and releases heat at night. I am a retired civil engineer and from experience I know that the simpler that you can make a system, the more likely it is to work right for a long time. I want to build a wind generator but haven't had time. Good Luck, Rick

[@SimpleTek]

@@richardross7219 thank you for sharing!

[@edgeprep]

This is my very first video of yours that I’ve ran across, and the content was great and sparked quite a few ideas for my current greenhouse build project. I’ve got a large 3000gallon water cistern that I piped into my gutters on my shop. I’m currently building 2 separate lean to style greenhouses on adjacent walls of the building and I’m incorporating the cistern as an ambient heat source in the corner between the 2. After this video I will incorporate a windmill generator with a small solar array to charge a small battery backup system and after reading the comments I’m now confirmed that implementation of a heating element into the water cistern will be the perfect excess power dump! What a perfect idea to utilize the leftover power being produced. I know a heat element may not do much for 3000 gallons but every little bit helps and what a perfect way to ensue the longevity of the windmill! Also, I’m very impressed looking through the comments section at all the many different ideas being shared and discussed amongst this community; very open minded community, and no one seems to be offended by other comments suggesting an educated challenge to their own idea. However, the primary reason I am going to subscribe is the engagement of the Presenter of this video with almost EVERY SINGLE comment I read. I really can appreciate from, again this very first visit to your channel, that you are openly engaged and completely open minded to your audience. Bravo! And I’m off to view more content! Have a wonderful day everyone!

[@SimpleTek]

That's awesome! Thank you for the kind words!

[@rubetube4727]

Full proof system. The only thing that I see as a weak point is the elements.

[@keng528]

The aircrete can be the tank perhaps...just add epoxy liner.you are a true researcher...inventor

[@SimpleTek]

possible I guess - to use a concrete tank and aircrete insulate it. My sewage holding tanks at the resort here are aircrete and 1500 gallon

[@BrunoBGarcia79]

i have been running an experimental 45kw biomass boiler connected to 4 ibc tanks in parallel since 2016 tipically going up to 60ºC without any issues

[@SimpleTek]

That’s awesome

[@scottykonovalov4518]

I like to see that set up

[@SimpleTek]

@@scottykonovalov4518 mee too

[@tomkelly8827]

Wind heated greenhouse! That is brilliant! Ideas like this keep me coming back. I live off grid with solar panels and batteries and heat with wood to heat my hydronic floors and water. For a greenhouse, I would opt for a heater for a biogas digester. Then you still get the thermal radiation from the liquid but also the fermenting biogas chamber will give off more heat and gas too. I would connect the windmill in with my solar panels through a charge controller that would top up the batteries if they need it and then shunt the power directly to the hot water heater once the batteries are full. It is how I heat water in summer with my solar PV panels right now. I always have lots of hot water in summer. In winter the wwoodstove does the trick but cutting down on wood usage with a windmill would be sweet!

[@SimpleTek]

Thank you for the kind words! I love the idea of generating massive heat during a storm with a windmill!

[@rantasia360]

I remember the Green Cube Research Institute was promoting this "wind turbine" for greenhouses many years ago. I'm guessing he read it in their publications.

[@peterk.6093]

3:30 is the core problem in my opinion. We need systems that transform wind into heat as directly as possible. I mean something like a mechanically operated heat pump powered by wind. Any transformation to electricity, storing it in batteries and then making heat from it means loss of lots of energy. To the contrary, direct transformation with a heat pump allows for maximized effect.

[@ryuuguu01]

Or you could go electricity to a heat pump and store the heat in water, but I don't what the efficiency of a heat pump is in Manitoba, and the cost to install it is more than direct heating of water. The main advantage of using wind to electricity is that you can use a standardized mass produces wind turbine so for the same money you get a much larger wind turbine than you would with a customer turbine.

[@SimpleTek]

I agree but electric systems are commercially made

[@peterk.6093]

@@SimpleTek Thanks, yes, you are right both of you. As far as I know there is no such system available right now. I did not even find any purely mechanical heat pump by searching. Although in principle as far as I know there is nothing in the functioning of heat pump where the mechanical work of electric engines might not be replaceable by other mechanical input. Human or animal work, gravitational battery, wind energy, water energy. Thus, an off grid, zero emission, purely mechanical system of heating might exist.

[@peterk.6093]

I think the simplest and least risky version would by just compressing the air by an air compressor powered by wind power. Any heat released migh be captured e.g. in a water tank or sand container. The compressed air might then be (1) used for cooling down the space that needs lower temperatures such as fridge, (2) released freely back into athmosphere thus chilling down the environment, (3) used in combination with 1 or 2 for electricity generation or just for increasing the efficiency of the initial wind powered compressor.

[@SimpleTek]

@@peterk.6093 might work…

[@Shaboynga]

Bring back the videos! I love seeing innovation in marginal environments. I’ll be watching anxiously from Sask!

[@SimpleTek]

Thank you soo much. Already shooting more

[@ryuuguu01]

Love hearing about a greenhouse in Manitoba. Not living there now but considering moving back.

[@SimpleTek]

Thank you!

[@smob0]

It's worth noting that it's basically required to have a heating element in wind turbine circuit as a dump load. When your batteries are fully charged, you have to disconnect the power from them or they will get too charged and become damaged. Without the wind turbine powering something though, catching the wind will make it spin faster and faster. It can easily spin so fast it will destroy itself, so the most common solution is to hook it up to a heating element to get rid of the energy. (All this is done by the wind turbine controller)

[@SimpleTek]

interesting - that 'dump load' could easily be captured and used here....

[@michaeloconnell8083]

I'm so sorry you recieve some snarky and uncontructive comments. I like that you present ideas and concepts that are practically available. You suggest further research and ask for input. It's fun and interesting. Please keep it coming! Thank you

[@SimpleTek]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@georgiabelle3717]

Welcome back. I’ve been missing your content.

[@SimpleTek]

Thank you for the words

[@sj6404]

Great video. My wife saw some Russian Monks who were growing pineapples in Siberia during the winter using windmill electricity.

[@SimpleTek]

That’s awesome

[@richardcooney7021]

Some thing I saw in Montreal when I was a Kid working in a Greenhouse, The owners hand a room in the greenhouse and they dried onions and herbs sold them all over to cooks ect . It was gas pizza like ovens . The heated the whole greenhouse it went 24\7 They made soup base also .

[@SimpleTek]

I like soup!

[@Hero4Hire4]

I’ve thought about using windmills to produce power. The sticky point for me is the required maintenance. I don’t see myself as being able to handle it myself. In my area the best winds start at 20m up.

[@TurbineGuy]

If you get the hivawt wind turbine you won't need to do any maintenance. Only certified vawt in the USA

[@Hero4Hire4]

@@TurbineGuy No maintenance??? Really? 🤔 kzbin.info/www/bejne/e36QmHasnbabhrc

[@TurbineGuy]

@@Hero4Hire4 yes Rosie has ignored the hivawt when making videos and hasn't responded to any messages I have sent her or comments I have left on her youtube channel. I have been installing these for a decade, and have never done mechanical maintenance on these. Only had an electrical issue from a lightning strike at one location.

[@WhatDadIsUpTo]

I have built and used wind turbines for over 50 years. I employ a large air battery I made myself from repurposed scrap.

[@SimpleTek]

Would love to talk more with you!

[@WhatDadIsUpTo]

@@SimpleTek I have a (public) YT chanel, but it is just to keep kids and grand kids in the loop. I am currently building the MOAW (mother of all windmills). When it's done, I'll post a video. Until then, there are tid-bit building posts.

[@MrFlippingHappy]

Very good video thanks ehhhh 😊😊😊

[@SimpleTek]

Thank you for the kind words

[@bulentaytekin8098]

Hi , where were you? Are you ok? I haven’t seen your videos for a few months. Wellcome

[@SimpleTek]

Thank you for the concern! I own/run an RV park and get caught up with that business sometimes. I should have time now through winter to put out a lot more videos!

[@naumanzakir8005]

I have free standing oil heaters in which oil remain hot for sometime. I really liked the idea of aircrete for insulation

[@SimpleTek]

Cheers

[@wjrong]

Very good idea! I believe the point here is the cost of having a windmill and keeping it working properly year after year. I had a friend who is working on the installation of the huge windmill in the shallow sea. They cost a lot. But those are the huge ones. I guess for a farm in a prairie provice, we might need a much smaller one. But still, it all depends on the cost.

[@SimpleTek]

Yes I agree

[@AbidAli-bv2gl]

Excellent video.

[@SimpleTek]

Thank you very much!

[@josephdupont]

Great thought.you can bury heating elements under ground

[@SimpleTek]

anything is possible LOL

[@David_Mash]

Actually this is been done and you've got one missed opportunity, you really want to fill the tank with sand and have a pipe run through the tank so that the sand holds the heat because it will hold the heat a lot longer than water will

[@SimpleTek]

I have a video on sand as a thermal battery actually in my archives ;)

[@FordsInCanada]

@@SimpleTek Water has a much higher Specific Heat Capacity than sand (approximately double) therefore for the same volume, water can store twice as much heat as sand. It cheaper & easier to move/pipe around too.

[@SimpleTek]

@@FordsInCanada but sand can take 10x the heat

[@unionse7en]

@@SimpleTek , trade off between larger volume at a lower heat, vs very intense heat in a smaller volume. Lots of variables such as the max temp of your heat source,vs surface area vs more heat loss vs R value when temp differential is higher. Sand could be easier to maintain than water (bacteria). Case by case.

[@donalddalley7274]

@@FordsInCanada Yes, but a larger volume of cheap sand, even clay, could retain more heat through higher temps for more days of heat independence, too. It's all in the math.

[@stephenross4333]

Harmony Turbines is supposed to have some revolutionary tech for operating turbines in low and high speed wind, as well as some kind of flywheel to multiply the energy output. However, they are not commercial yet.

[@SimpleTek]

Been watching a few new turbine companies, this technology is on the edge of becoming great for small scale users in a few years

[@johnkersten9184]

A suggestion for a tank, would be old milk tanks, they are stainless steel and already insulated. And the are pre plumbed with gas lines for refrigeration, which might be able to be switched to a heating tank. There are alot of old dairy farms around that would have them. They range in size from 1000 to 10000 litres. And you will find them right across North America. One downside is you probably have to cut a wall out of someone's barn to get them out. Just an idea do with it as you will.

[@johnkersten9184]

Or a bulk transport trailer. They already have the wheels under them. Stainless steel and insulated already as well.

[@SimpleTek]

great ideas

[@Swampwild1]

If you want to try wind power make sure you listen to lots of Missouri Wind and Power podcasts and KZbin. You really need this advice first. Very special electronic systems and very special circumstances vrs solar. This will become a major hobby before any payback. Plus, cheap windmills- you get what you pay for. Very people will successfully go the wind route.

[@SimpleTek]

I've seen their stuff and they seem to be on point!

[@pipe2devnull]

I wonder if it would be more efficient to have the windmill create heat through mechanical friction like two plates rubbing together rather than generating electricity and using electric elements. In a sci Fi book I read(Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson) friction windmills were being used to warm Mars.

[@SimpleTek]

it might be but the problem is cost - electric windmills are mass manufactured and what you suggest has to be built - way more expensive!

[@yellowgreen5229]

Good idea

[@-LightningRod-]

My friend, ..YOU get it. Keep Going subscribed

[@SimpleTek]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@thehazelnutspread]

I was wondering what to do with that empty old oil tank...Thanks. I'd sure appreciate if you did a video on aircrete or link to a GOOD video on it. I seem to come across a lot of ones that just aren't very informative.

[@SimpleTek]

I plan to this summer!

[@ВВоронеже]

very interesting. I grow in a portable greenhouse-thermos. I recently tested the first module on my channel.

[@SimpleTek]

That's awesome!

[@donalddalley7274]

What kind of heater could be used to heat a large tank filled with sand? Sand could be heated to higher temps. Right?

[@SimpleTek]

Something like liquid pipes

[@oliverchrobok1455]

Hi there. Nice idea. What about using heat mat´s for seedlings and put them in raised beds into the soil with a thermostat and using power from a car battery wich is charged from the windmill. or pipes from the floor heating into the raisedbeds. i think soil temperature is more important than air temperature.

[@SimpleTek]

Good idea

[@yellowgreen5229]

I use pipes of hot water buried

[@adamgriffiths9989]

The perfect water tank for storage. Would be one of the galvanised steel tanks farmers use for water storage? 25,000Litres for £1,500 in UK.

[@SimpleTek]

absolutely but it's expensive

[@qolspony]

Most people don't live in Canada. Plus, solar is more efficient and less maintenance intensive. We don't get the wind as often as the sun. But I guess if you are in Canada, this would work.

[@SimpleTek]

wait.....wait...wait.... there are people who live ELSEWHERE than Canada?!?!?!?!?!?! why?

[@qolspony]

@@SimpleTek because Canada is so cold and people want a happy life.

[@SimpleTek]

@@qolspony how could anywhere be happier than Canada?!?!?

[@qolspony]

@@SimpleTek Because the climate affects mood. And because Canada is cold most of the time, people are depressed there.

[@SimpleTek]

@@qolspony clearly you haven’t been to Canada. The licence plates here say “friendly Manitoba”

[@iseetheglory4593]

Did you forget about the windmills that froze up in Texas when they had the the snow storm last year

[@SimpleTek]

Manitobans aren't Republicans

[@dreamer77dd]

@@SimpleTek ? Sorry, that comment went over my head.

[@slaplapdog]

@@dreamer77dd There were ways to avoid the problems that happened, but political bias toward free markets and against regulations kept those solutions from being used.

[@SimpleTek]

@@dreamer77dd the windmills only froze cause they weren’t serviced correctly, stupidity.

[@williamrudder6136]

Old hot tub a few hundred gallons, decent insulation when covered, may have working heater, if heater is broken people may give the tub away and use the water heater

[@SimpleTek]

cool!

[@lemagreengreen]

Thanks for making the video, this exact thing was one of my shower thoughts and I spent entirely too long building a system in my head... and wasting hot water. My plan in my head focused on electrical heating and checking the price of appropriate sized batteries... it'd be an investment. Your plan would be much more budget friendly. How is the insulation value of the two part foams? aircrete undoubtedly a cheaper option though in that large a quantity... probably less environmental concerns too.

[@SimpleTek]

Thank you for the kind words

[@jamesalanstephensmith7930]

Love it, designing now! N Maine

[@SimpleTek]

Right on!

[@aaronfranklin324]

There is no problem with hot water in one of those 1000litre plastic cube tanks you express concern over. The plastic does not start to soften until over 130C. A better answer is to use your heat to heat air that you use to dry zeolite clay. This then requires no thermal insulation. Then when you need heat out you simply add water to the zeolite. This can be by blowing humid cold air through a container or pit of zeolite pellets. It will come out hot and dry. Or by circulating cold dry air from your greenhouse, while dripping water in. Zeolite clay is inexpensive, and easier to contain than water, a pile of it in the middle of your greenhouse would do fine. Adding water to dry zeolite clay can easily raise it to boiling point temperature.

[@SimpleTek]

interesting, I'll have to test that

[@facts247]

Using a plastic tank shoul dbe fine as water only heats to 100 c before becoming steam so at that temp should be ok except totes are a bit thin but a holding tank for sewage or other thick plastic tank should be fine.

[@SimpleTek]

some plastics become soft before 100'C though

[@Snowwie88]

Let's get some grammar straight: - "Windmill" = the old fashion mills, like they have in The Netherlands, to pump out water and / or grinding grain - "Wind turbine" = the newer versions of the windmill with the sole purpose of producing electricity.

[@SimpleTek]

Good point. I need a secretary

[@abefehr6155]

Large propane tanks would work great for your idea

[@SimpleTek]

ok

[@dismayedtrinket2518]

Look for places that sell bulk oil, they will have empty oil drums that you can usually get for free.

[@SimpleTek]

Thanks for the tip!

[@leogallant1127]

My house heat pump is 18k btu and draws 20 amps at 120 volts

[@SimpleTek]

we find the heat pumps tend to stop working here at -20'

[@briantrout7051]

Interesting idea. But not nearly enough energy being produced unless your windmill is HUGE. Even if your windmill produces 1,000 watts continuously, think about how much heat 1,000 watts of energy will give you in a 30 x 96 greenhouse. Won't even be a blip on the radar screen. You'll dump your entire stash of heat within a few hours on a cool night and then have your 1,000 watts of heat coming from your windmill to try to recharge it. Some kind of geothermal setup, maybe.

[@SimpleTek]

I'm thinking several 3000-5000 watt windmills and seasonal energy storage

[@qolspony]

I researched wind turbines. You need a regulator controller like you need for a solar system. But you also need a controller that controls the speed of your blades. If you don't purchase this important component, your blades will speed out of control, which will burn out your mechanics for making electricity. Besides this, you need constant maintenance of your turbine, because of dirt and bird poop.

[@SimpleTek]

most come as systems with all that - but yes!

[@qolspony]

@@SimpleTek must be a new thing. Because when I was shopping for one on eBay, I had to know what I needed to make this turbine work for me. And once I saw what I needed, it became obvious that maybe it was better to do without it.

[@SimpleTek]

@@qolspony all sellers are different and there’s soo many different ones

[@qolspony]

@@SimpleTek True. I spoke to three sellers before I made the conclusion not to purchase a turbine. Many told me that my climate of eastern North Carolina is not desirable for this application.

[@l0I0I0I0]

Heat storage and heat pump is ideal and this is why! It is simply cheaper to use a heat pump as they required 4:1 or 5:1 less power than simply creating heat. Why? Because it requires less energy to move heat then to create it. Heat pumps work on temp differences. They are granted the least efficient at -30 below. 😂. BUT if the lower limit is above 0 celsius or perhaps 30c, then you can get those higher efficiencies were talking about. If the outside coil of the heat pump is placed in warmer water or warmer air created by the heat storage we have already been speaking of IN COMBINATION WITH the heat pump, it will have miniscule electrical demands and high efficiencies. Yes it has a demand needing electricity, but again only 1:4 or 1:5 that of direct heat creation. So to keep the heat pump running will require grid or battery 1/4 to 1/5 the size of done in conjunction with a lower heat storage solution. Let me know if anyone wants one, but not until I can answer a few more questions. I'm going to do one for myself but going to do a little more research into which volumetric heat system I'm going to use. No pressure hot water will work well, but I'm always fine tuning. :). Heat pump in conjunction with a Geothermal heat storage would be ideal for some locations as the heat source for the heat pump will be 50 degree fahrenheit higher is good enough to reach high efficiencies I have spoke of without the need of a tank. But the geothermal ground coverage for ground heating will need to be deeper in cold climates and 2-2.5 times the size of the heated space. Question? Please sound off. Greenhouses are usually not as insulated as a home. Will the heat pump be required to run continuously in such a low insulated environment and how much would that effect efficiency?

[@SimpleTek]

I have no idea - it needs to be tested

[@l0I0I0I0]

@@SimpleTek yes I'm a little over a year away from any major greenhouse operation or I would do one now. Loan office wants me to manage some sort of farm operation for a year before I can get any major financing.

[@SimpleTek]

@@l0I0I0I0 have you tried other lenders?

[@l0I0I0I0]

@@SimpleTek yes need to call around. Need to first buy this house then get a farm afterwards. Can't wait!!!!

[@stephengerth1189]

Have you ever heard of making hot water directly with a windmill using a water break (A kind of torque converter/pump)? Circuit filled with glycol.

[@SimpleTek]

no but I'm looking it up!!!!!

[@justinweatherford8129]

Insulated sand batteries can store energy longer and can store a lot more energy.

[@SimpleTek]

nice

[@justinweatherford8129]

@@SimpleTek I don't suggest that you get your sand battery hotter than 1000°C.

[@SimpleTek]

@@justinweatherford8129 lol

[@thedomestead3546]

Humanity could be doing so much more and in living in better ways.

[@thedomestead3546]

Great video btw

[@SimpleTek]

@@thedomestead3546 thank you for the kind words

[@vincentjean6756]

Directly hooking the wind mill to a DC heating element would be a very good thing.

[@unionse7en]

could be more efficient to drive a heat pump in many cases

[@steveciarico9824]

Why not store the energy as compressed air? Or use that compressed air to lift water and then use hydroelectric? Easy peasy.

[@SimpleTek]

in theory - compressed air needs a HUGE expensive tank for large volumes and lifting water requires large areas to store the water - hydro dams create lakes behind them. easy but yet not so easy for the everyday guy

[@steveciarico9824]

@@SimpleTek can you friend me on Facebook? We can talk more about it there.

[@SimpleTek]

@@steveciarico9824 did you send a friend request?

[@steveciarico9824]

@@SimpleTek no. Are you under simple tek? I will look now. I have a bad signal where I'm at so I apologise for any delay

[@JohnGuest45]

@@SimpleTek Compressing air generates a considerable amount of heat that can be used to heat water. You dont have to store all of the air you create, simply vent the excess via a pressure relief valve. You can run it 24/7 as long as the wind keeps blowing

[@trench01]

why not store it in a gravity battery? that way it stores indefinitely, its cheap, and less issues.

[@SimpleTek]

interesting - huge but possible

[@rogerhull2062]

gitting better 🥶

[@SimpleTek]

;)

[@lolawalsh9187]

Isn't thos overkill?

[@SimpleTek]

Depends

[@edwardgrossman295]

The general idea is fine however the commentator doesn’t discuss the Engineering behind windmill technology. Electricity needs a steady turning generator produce by a engine consuming fuel at a steady rpm; since the wind is variable direction change, wind surges…etc the only way to produce a steady output of electricity at a given KVA or KW would require a Intragraded power drive system using power converters-inverters to provide a smooth ac signal output at a given KVA. Extremely expensive and highly technical for the ordinary laymen. I think this author needs to do more research

[@SimpleTek]

Ever heard of a battery?

[@edwardgrossman295]

Yes I did hear of batteries however if your going to use batteries as part of your primary / secondary/ backup system for heating for greenhouse the batteries would need a charging system including a battery power management software package; in addition to the Intragraded power drive system I mentioned in my previous comments. The batteries would have a different type of construction designed specifically for/used in power generation rather than batteries used in Electrical Vehicles or for Vehicle starting. I’m not saying it can not be done however this is not a project for layman or people who watch your KZbin channel; it’s very technical snd expensive because you would need a Automation/Electronics/Software Engineer to put it together such as myself; the idea 👍 however Cost to much

[@SimpleTek]

@@edwardgrossman295 sounds like we have to talk to Tesla about their power wall then!! Buhahahahaha I love these idiots that think they’re smart and have no real world experience what so ever

[@extract]

Good idea, except for the fact that it requires moving parts, in windmill and pump. And that means wear and tear and that is stuff that can break down. Now, if you could find a windmill with bearings rotating in magnetic levitation, that would be interesting.

[@SimpleTek]

good point but many windmills now are rated for 10-20 years with little to no maintenance

[@markhorson8858]

Kool!

[@SimpleTek]

Thanks!

[@Go2Results]

Forget water tanks, salt is the way to go :)

[@SimpleTek]

interesting idea!

[@tombouie]

Pretty-smart

[@SimpleTek]

Thank you for the kind words

[@sucrier007]

It is of course the way to go using thermal mass. There’s a wide array if options going this path. Your proposition is great, I would think it would work best with an existing greenhouse or other type of building someone wants to upgrade. If it’s a new construction, I think more thermal mass can be integrated in the design based on the Earthship concept. There would be then less energy used for heating and more of it available for lighting as the temperature in the greenhouse would tend to be stable at 21c.

[@SimpleTek]

Well said - thank you for the kind words!

[@josephdupont]

What about a compressed air windmill and cool the compressed air in coils under your Greenhouse you could use tanks under your Greenhouse the cool the compressed air as it cools Andis top Xs + 2 and to stop excessive pressures vent the tanks in Venice to a turbine to run some electricity

[@SimpleTek]

@@josephdupont might work but there isn't many options for this to buy ready built - you'd have to manufacture a lot of it

[@evad6220]

You never once showed a greenhouse using wind power . You get an "F" This nothing but fluff

[@SimpleTek]

I’m not aware of any in existence, it’s a video that explores the idea… duuuu

[@steveciarico9824]

Look up climate battery.

[@SimpleTek]

I have videos on that

[@rubetube4727]

I would love to build a large system this way. Dump loads for days. Lol I would heat my side walk Driveway Pool Hot tub Dog houses neighbor's houses' I could add inline a mass boiler rocket stove booster. Lol

[@SimpleTek]

Me too

[@williamzimmerle2004]

I'm confused. The reviews on the new "Fancy Dancy" windmills ... all suck? Who cares how the reviews are written. I don't care if a review sucks. I care if it says the windmill works well. I think this sounds like you only want to talk about the standard windmills and you are making an excuse to move the "Fancy Dancy" new windmills out of the conversation.

[@SimpleTek]

New windmill designs in the last year seem very promising.

[@thomasg4324]

*The epitome of complicated.*

[@SimpleTek]

That’s complicated? Oh my

[@FordsInCanada]

Why not just heat the water directly in UNINSULATED black water barrels in the greenhouse - then the warmth from the barrel will just directly heat the greenhouse - smoothing out the energy from the windmill. No pumps, radiators or fans required. Also, as used by passive solar greenhouses, on sunny winter days, the same barrels will double as heat mass & be heated by the sun - even if no wind.

[@SimpleTek]

Takes up huge amounts of growing space though

[@FordsInCanada]

@@SimpleTek This is standard practice for solar passive greenhouses. Stack black barrels full of water to store heat inside the greenhouse. Unless you have a tiny grenhouse, I think this would be fine. Esp. since you get the benefit of it also trapping excess solar heat in the winter.

[@SimpleTek]

@@FordsInCanada it’s ok for the shoulder seasons here…

[@thevaultohio]

Could you make yourself smaller on the screen?

[@SimpleTek]

Yes and no. I’ve wanted to do that for a while actually. But… It’s extremely hard with my current free editing software, I’d need more space in my office so I could sit further from the camera and it’s a very small office. If I buy better software then yes it would just be an editing software easy thing to do. So you need to watch more of my videos and share this so I can make more money and afford to upgrade to Final Cut Pro from iMovie to shrink me!!!

[@yellowgreen5229]

Turbine not mill

[@cmdrbudman1ao580]

So.. I have heard it twice... and (sorry) it kinda triggers me. You seem to be somewhat educated and I have now heard you say expodentially... it's exponentially... with no "d".

[@SimpleTek]

So you’re saying you don’t want me to give you any “d”?

[@cmdrbudman1ao580]

​@@SimpleTek lol ... yes.. no "D" please.

[@SimpleTek]

@@cmdrbudman1ao580 lol

[@Bobsmith-ot6si]

These are not windmills!!!!!!!! Turbine!!!!!!

[@SimpleTek]

umm, turbines are PART of these windmills, but turbines can be on lots of different power generation devices like hydro dams...These are windmills with turbines.

[@TurbineGuy]

There is a reason I'm the turbine guy and not the windmill guy ;)

[@tomkelly8827]

@@SimpleTek I get the sense that windmill means a wind powered mill. Sawmill or grain mill, whereas windturbine means a wind powered turbine.

[@Bobsmith-ot6si]

What are they milling?!?!?!

[@naybobdenod]

way too much body language :(

[@SimpleTek]

What?!?!?