CHOICE
ENERGY
GREEN JOBS &
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Need a job or some extra side work? Here are some ideas. A slew of new jobs and businesses comes with the massive change that we need to make our world sustainable. Yes there are risks, but they are relatively low. Yes they will require lots of time, but spending time going in the right direction is rewarding, much like going skiing! So jump in and see where it goes....
Choice Energy has initiated a cloning program to address the variety of projects we would like to do but simply do not time for. We are now taking applications to develop the projects described on this page:
- Must be developed with minimal input and assistance from
Choice Energy;
- Seed money provided, final award to be issued
upon successful demonstration of the project meeting all goals listed;
- Choice Energy owns all equipment & materials when project is complete, but
not the rights to production - we encourage independent business
development.
Seed $ is what it should take to purchase supplies for the project. Additional expenses must be pre-approved to be reimbursed. Award $ is to cover labor and thinking costs for completed, proven projects.
PROJECT LIST
Small or Large Scale Sustainable Landscaping
Market installation of small edible and/or sustainable landscaping, reducing
mowing needs and providing xeroscaping. Search Google for 'bozeman
edible landscaping' and you'll see that no businesses come up.
Alcohol Still for fuel
Seed $ = $200 to successful applicant
Award $ = $500 after product demonstration
Fuel stock must be local product, preferably waste or easily collected fuel
such as field potatoes after harvest. Still must be net energy
positive, meaning you can't use a bundle of natural gas or electricity to
produce less alcohol energy. Energy inputs should be scavengable, ie.
oak firewood, solar, vegetable oil dregs, etc. Output must be at least
20 gal per month, either as fuel or consumable product (vodka). Apply
here.
Solar Air
Heating Panel Kit TAKEN AND COMPLETED, FALL 08
See Solar Air Heating page for information and
to order your solar heater!
Seed $ = 400
Award $ = 300
Produce a solar air heating panel as described here:
http://builditsolar.com/Projects/SpaceHeating/solar_barn_project.htm,
install on shop wall, and create templates. Finished unit size to be
16 feet wide x 12 feet high. All pieces must be drawn and documented for easy
reproduction, so a detailed supply list and instruction manual must be
included with first unit, including suggestions for improvement.
You'll notice that this is a very low tech heating unit. We have built
and installed one already, which can be studied before embarking.
Prototype unit needs to be completed in time for pre-production for Winter
2008 installations. Apply
here.
Flatbed Bike
Trailer TAKEN AND COMPLETED APRIL 2010 USING THIS TRAILER KIT:
http://www.wike.ca/cargo_diy_kit_bicycle_trailer.php
Seed $ = 50
Award $ = 150
Build a flatbed bike trailer with a minimum width between the wheels of 25".
Must be lightweight as well as capable of hauling 150-200 lbs. Bike
attachment must be quick and easy to use, and obviously durable. Build
one, evaluate, build many and sell them to people who won't need their car
for grocery store trips anymore. Apply
here. Great web sites to start off with:
http://bikesatwork.com/hauling-cargo-by-bike/
For more info on electric mowers, bikes &
cars, start with my EV page on the left link bar.
Micro Greenhouses
Utilize used, heavy duty mattress bags with internal hoop supports
to create micro greenhouses.
Sell Solar Ovens
Construct carboard box solar ovens and sell at Farmer's Market, baking bread
or something as demonstration oven. Total materials cost is $5-7 each.
This design just won the $75k Kyoto Challenge award!
http://earthblips.dailyradar.com/story/eco_gadgets_5_solar_oven_wins_75_000_green_innovation/
We think these would sell well at Farmer's Markets along with the ingredients to make a kick butt cobbler, the summer desert you don't want to have your kitchen stove at 425 for 45 min!
Collapsible Fruit Dehydrator
TAKEN AND COMPLETED AUG 09
Seed $ = 50
Award $ = 150
Build a fruit dryer that can be collapsed for traveling. We currently
use metal framed storm window screens, but need them placed in a rack that
holds 10-20 screens, and itself is screened off from bugs. Should be a
good ReStore project. Must be light weight and fold up to the size of
the screens and be less than 1 foot high when collapsed. Consider
making a giant closet shoe bag, sewing clips into the sides that the metal
screens can attach to.
Wood Stove Oven/Water Heater
Seed $ = 100
Award $ = 300
Our wood stoves should also accomplish water heating and baking, in addition
to space heating. That's the way they used to make them!
Construct a box that sits on top of a wood stove that doubles as an oven for
baking, and included heat exchangers to heat water which in turn is used to
provide heat for floor heating, hot tub heating, and domestic hot water (tap
water). Water portion must have safety release for pressure and
temperature; optimally uses thermocycling to circulate hot water. Oven
portion should incorporate temperature control, optimally bimetalic spring
operated for non-electrical operation. Look at Russian Wood Stoves.
Vegetable Oil Dregs Utilization
Open project, just figure out a use for the heavy constituents of the
vegetable oil collection, including animal fats, saturated fats, batter,
flour, french fries, crispy bits of shrimp and anything that falls through a
fryer screen and ends up in the used oil collection drum. Think soap,
dog biscuits, compost, fertilizer.... Remember, in its last phase this
stuff was good enough to go on plates at a restaurant. The dog
biscuits we've made as test batches are easily preferred in a double blind
taste test by humans as well as dogs!
Bike Delivery Service
Bozeman could really use a bike messenger service, bike taxi, and bike
delivery of everything from pizza to ice cream. Denver now has taxi
trikes all over downtown. With an electric bike and some backup
batteries, the 2-wheel option would beat any car service by a mile, and
think of the tips you'd get! Team up with a local cafe and develop a
regular route to offices and businesses, showing up dependably with muffins,
coffee, sandwiches, and any other treat or commodity you can think of.
To be notified of additional projects on this page, click here and send me an email.
Bringing Renewable Energy to Bozeman
and Southwest Montana
Fuel Local - Drive Sustainable - Be A Solution