ICAN21 - Camps, Environmental Awareness And Education, Energy Conservation

Renewable Energy, Sustainable Technology

For over a decade experiments with natural and renewable energy with respect for the environment were a major part of ICAN camps, beginning with our first solar hot shower. Built from recycled materials, it surprised everyone by it's efficiency. This developed into a new solar and wood fired hot water system providing unlimited hot showers even (on a good day in July) at 7am .

A combination of wind and solar electricity has produced a theoretical maximum of 3Kwh per day, enabling use of telephones, slide projector, computer, lighting, power tools, and sound recording equipment. The first ICAN wind generator was based on the traditional Cretan wind pump. Later a much more efficient high-speed two blade propellor design was used. They were entirely self built, mostly on-site, including coil winding and carving the blade from a single piece of hardwood Although our site is not ideal for wind power, output in excess of 100 watts has been recorded. Camp 2001 also demonstrated a 1950's US- built 200 watt Winco generator resurrected from years of storage.

We have designed and built inverters (providing mains voltage electricity from 12 volt wind and solar} from scrap-yard materials and even a device which can bring a dead battery back to life,
Interest in renewable energy projects led to the arrival of new solar modules from Germany, enabling us to at least double solar electric capability for 2002. Many thanks to our supporters in Germany and Switzerland for their donations and help.

In addition to some more impressive Renewable Energy displays, it is hoped to organise some formal educational workshops on the subject. This will, as ever, depend on time, resources and who turns up to help. Our goal of acquiring a year-round site will be the main factor in future development.

ICAN welcomes those who have knowledge to share, equipment to demonstrate, or who wish to learn about "hands- on ' small-scale renewable energy.
The Internet is a seemingly limitless "alternative technology" resource. You may begin by following on from our Links page. Better still, join ICAN and help make these technologies reality !