Renewables NB

The owner decided to install this type of stove instead of a wood stove because the wood pellets were made from wood industry by-products. However the pellets she purchases now are made from whole trees. In comparison to a wood stove, the pellets appear to be dustier. And the pellets also create more waste because they are delivered in plastic bags. The owner burns 140 bags per year to keep her 140 squared metres home heated. The stove requires little attention, other than keeping the stove hopper full, every 24 hrs and cleaning the ash out ever week. Fire ash is very fine and makes a mess because as you remove the ashtray, the ash flies everywhere. The pellet stove is constantly on during the winter. The owner uses electric baseboard heaters as a back up. The owner believes her pellet stoves to be safer than woodstoves.

Pellet Stove

Hoppers

Gauges

This large solar hot water collector system is mounted on the Rodd Moncton Hotel roof. Oriented perfectly toward the southern sky, it is an enormous array. However, very little information about the manufacturer and initial installation are available, because it was installed in 1975, when the hotel was built, making it one of the oldest solar hot water installations in the province. The manager has observed that the pipes coming from the collectors were at one time hotter than they currently are. The collectors appear to be worn with some leakages around the panels and the pipes. Hot water collected from the two-dozen or so collectors on the roof is pumped to eight hot water tanks. The hotel pool draws on that stored energy during the summer months to raise pool temperatures to a comfortable level. The system is drained each year before winter to prevent freezing. Although they may be in need of a refurbishment, the fact that the collectors still function after 35 years of service is a testament to their durability and cost-effectiveness.

Storage Tanks

Solar Collectors

Rodd Park House Inn Moncton

Insulated Pipes

Glycol Pump

A NB LEED project – going for Gold rating.

http://www.cagbc.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Programs/LEED/Certificationprocess/default.htm

Geothermal has six zones in building.

This installation will have very high capital cost due to the LEED standards but will have lower energy cost in the near future.

Rexton Medical Clinic

Geothermal Pump

Geothermal Pump

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A testament to the quality and durability of heat pumps. This 20-year old open-loop geothermal heat pump has provided consistent heat without any major problems during its lifetime. Four employees enjoy the warm in-floor radiant (hydronic) heating throughout the heating season. The 3200 ft² (300 m²) floors are heated to 22 °C (72 F) for most of the winter by water from a well, which is heated by surrounding rock beneath the surface, and then circulated through ten in-floor radiant heat loops, and discharged into another well. Although the store doors are opened and closed all day long, which allows for plenty of cold air to enter, the warm floors provide quality heat and comfort. Read more…

Nestled on top of Uniacke Hill near Baie Verte, there is a unique off-grid passive solar home. Located on an old country road, it is surrounded by open fields that allow a rolling wind to cool the home in the summertime.

It is a passive solar home because almost all of the windows are located on the southern facing side of the home, which allows for passive solar light and heat gain. Passive solar homes require significantly less energy because they harness heat through the windows on the sunniest side of the home. Read more…

Solar photovoltaic panels

Owner feels strongly that electricians need to be more aware of how to install solar panels and other alternative technologies. Solar panels are net metered.

When he first moved geothermal was working full tilt but it wasn’t very efficient because the house wasn’t finished i.e. the insulation was not put in yet. Too early to see if there was any reduction in his electrical bills.

Read more…

HeronWood Welcome Sign

The owner has a vision of educating as many people as possible on environmental issues specifically to do with energy issues and energy independence. The owner is demonstrating that comfortable carbon neutral off-grid living is possible.

The owner strongly recommends three things before going off-grid:

1) Inform yourself beforehand of all aspects of this lifestyle.

2) Prepare to make lifestyle changes to accommodate the new way of living.

3) Finally make sure to shop around and get quotes from different companies for the equipment and the installations. Read more…

Solar space heater

The owner has chosen to use a combination of systems to help lower electricity payments and test renewable energy.

The systems include

• solar hot air space heating (Cansolair), and
• solar hot water heating (Thermodynamics).
• electricity generation from a wind turbine Read more…

Original Skystream

The owner has chosen to use a combined set up of different systems to help lower her electricity costs and test renewable energy.

The system includes:

• electricity generation from the wind turbine,
• solar hot air space heating, and
• solar hot water heating. Read more…

The EQuilibrium project is a national sustainable housing demonstration initiative, created and led by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

One of the winning entries for the Sustainable Housing Demonstration Initiative is the VISION home located in Moncton. Read more…

Solar PV panels

The owners built a solar home, including 6 x 130 Watt Sharp solar panels. The systems was installed by Harvest Energy Solutions.

Here is what the owner says about off-grid living in New Brunswick: Read more…

Passive solar home

The owners built a passive solar home with approximately 2000 ft² and installed domestic hot water solar panels in 2007.

They used Don Roscoe’s design for passive solar homes.

The house is rated above R-2000 with an EnerGuide rating of 84,  and was built by Sackville-based EnerGreen Builders Cooperative. Read more…

In 2006, Cape Jourimain Nature Centre, at the foot of the Confederation Bridge, installed a 4 feet by 8 feet solar panel (Thermo Dynamics Ltd.) to preheat some of the hot water needed for the restaurant.

• In order to reduce the amount of electricity used to heat water for the kitchen, a solar hot water panel pre-heats the water used in the kitchen whenever the sun shines.
• The system started operating in May 2006, and we would need a few more panels to cover the entire hot water needs for the kitchen!

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60 W photovoltaic panel and fountain

In 2006, Cape Jourimain Nature Centre, at the foot of the Confederation Bridge, installed a small photovoltaic panel to run the water pump for a demonstration water fountain.

• Cape Jourimain’s 60 Watt photovoltaic panel generates electricity when the sun is out.
• The current flows in one direction (like a battery) and thus the electricity generated is termed direct current (DC).
• There is no battery to store electricity. Even minor shading will cut the circuit and stop the pump from running.

Read more…

In 2001, Cape Jourimain Nature Centre, at the foot of the Confederation Bridge, installed a geothermal system to heat the buildings in the winter, and help cool them in summer.

• The temperature of the buildings is maintained year-round using the geothermal system, eliminating the need for separate heating and cooling appliances. Read more…

10 kW Bergey wind turbine

Since the fall of 2008, Cape Jourimain Nature Centre, at the foot of the Confederation Bridge, has been served by a 10 kW Bergey wind turbine (net-metered).

• As the wind speed increases, the turbine output increases and the amount of power purchased from the utility is proportionately decreased.
• When the turbine output is more than the Centre needs, the extra electricity is fed into the grid (net-metered).
• The power bill at the end of the month is based on the net difference between the amount of energy used by the facility and the excess amount produced by the wind.
• We estimate that the turbine will cover between 10–15% of the facility’s electricity requirements.

Cape Jourimain also uses a solar panel to heat some of the hot water needed in its restaurant, has an extensive system of composting toilets, uses rainwater for hand washing, use geothermal heat for heating in the winter and cooling in the summer, and has a small photovoltaic panel that generates electricity for a water fountain. Read more…