ReNew Issue 123

ReNew Issue 123 is out now!

  • Urban strawbale: the ups and downs of a DIY home
  • Making a shed liveable
  • Using technology to improve efficiency
  • Communities and wind power
  • Keeping electronics out of landfill
  • Aussie-made solar: inside Tindo’s factory
  • Solar boats quietly moving forward
  • Solar in China
  • Know your renewables: battery basics
  • No peaks
  • A process for battery sizing
  • Insights into using lithium batteries
  • EVing your bike
  • Electric bike buyers guide
  • EV Prize and EV Expo
  • DIY garage-door opener
  • Much easier to push around
  • Free heat from the sun
  • A more efficient wood heater
  • Pears Report – If I ran an electricity network….
  • Salvage It! – The best bits to save
  • Book review

Issue Contents:

Urban strawbale: the ups and downs of a DIY home

Owner-builder Nikki McCoy shares her home, building experiences and lunch with Beth Askham from ReNew.

Making a shed liveable

It’s amazing how comfortable a converted shed can be. Vadim Pantall explains how he and his family renovated an ordinary shed into an off-grid home.

Using technology to improve efficiency

Common in Europe, but fairly new here: David Coote describes how thermal imaging and air change measurements are driving his energy efficiency retrofit.

Communities and wind power

It’s a vastly different community wind power landscape in Europe. Jarra Hicks from Community Power Agency explores the implications for wind power in Australia.

Keeping electronics out of landfill

Jeff Angel describes the complicated process of getting e-waste recycling happening in Australia.

Aussie-made solar: inside Tindo’s factory

Alan Strickland takes us on a tour of Tindo Solar’s highly automated solar PV factory.

Solar boats quietly moving forward

Could solar-powered watercraft revolutionise marine transport? Stephen Williams looks at solar sailing progress.

Solar in China

Peter Reefman recently took a trip to China to talk to solar power system manufacturers. He shares the highlights of manufacturing on a grand scale.

Know your renewables: battery basics

Lance Turner takes a look at battery types, how they work and the importance of maintenance.

No peaks

Does it make financial sense to charge batteries from the grid at off-peak times for peak-time use? The ATA reports.

A process for battery sizing

Phil Hapgood explains how to size your battery bank for a long and useful life.

Insights into using lithium batteries

Lithium batteries are at the heart of Gordon Garrad’s household renewable energy system.

EVing your bike

Why not convert your old faithful bike to electric? Alastair Ryan puts a kit to the test.

Electric bike buyers guide

Our guide lays out the options for a cleaner, easier way to get from A to B.

EV Prize and EV Expo

Calling student-designed electric bike entries for the annual EV Prize. Plus visit the ATA EV Expo for all (transport) things electric.

DIY garage-door opener

Martin Chape reduces his grid power use even further with a 24 volt garage-door opener.

Much easier to push around

When it comes to high power and high capacity for less weight, nothing beats lithium batteries. Lance Turner describes his rechargeable mower upgrade.

Free heat from the sun

If your house has the right type of roof and insulation, you can use the roof cavity as a huge solar heater. Alan Leenaerts describes his setup.

A more efficient wood heater

It took Tom Chalko eight years to get around to it, but he wishes he’d done it earlier! He describes a simple modification to use a cool air intake that’s made his wood heater much more efficient.

Pears Report – If I ran an electricity network….

As Australia looks for leadership on energy policy, Alan Pears rates the recent Energy White Paper as a fail. Find out why.

Salvage It! – The best bits to save

Julian Edgar names his ten favourite parts to recover from waste items.

Book review

After the Future: Australia’s New Extinction Crisis, a Quarterly Essay by Tim Flannery.