Sovereignty Module: Harness the Forces
Complete Energy Systems: From Muscle to Electricity
Energy multiplies human capability. This campaign covers energy sources from human/animal power through wind, water, solar, and electrical generation.
Chapter 1: Human and Animal Power
| Source | Output (watts) | Duration | Best For | Multipliers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Human (sustained) | 50-75W | Hours | Grinding, pumping, walking | Treadmill, crank, pedal |
| Human (burst) | 300-500W | Minutes | Lifting, sprinting | Lever, pulley |
| Horse (sustained) | 500-750W | Hours | Plowing, hauling, milling | Harness, whippletree |
| Ox (sustained) | 350-500W | Hours | Heavy pulling, plowing | Yoke, cart |
| Dog (sustained) | 30-50W | Hours | Cart pulling, treadmill | Harness, sled |
Mechanical advantage devices: Lever (class 1, 2, 3), wheel and axle, pulley systems, inclined plane, wedge, screw. Every complex machine is a combination of these six simple machines. A 3:1 pulley system lets one person lift 450 lbs. A lever with 10:1 ratio lets one person move 1,500 lbs.
Chapter 2: Water Power
| System | Output | Flow Required | Head Required | Complexity | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undershot wheel | 100-500W | High flow, low head | 2-6 ft | Moderate | Flat rivers |
| Overshot wheel | 200-2000W | Moderate flow | 10-30 ft | High | Hillside streams |
| Breastshot wheel | 150-1000W | Moderate flow | 5-15 ft | Moderate | Medium head |
| Pelton wheel (impulse) | 500-5000W | Low flow OK | 50+ ft | High | High head, low flow |
| Ram pump | Pumps water uphill | Moderate flow | 3+ ft fall | Moderate | Irrigation, no electricity |
| Turbine (micro-hydro) | 200-10000W | Variable | 10+ ft | High | Electricity generation |
Water wheel sizing: Power (watts) = Flow (L/s) × Head (m) × 9.81 × Efficiency. Overshot wheels: 60-85% efficient. Undershot: 20-40% efficient. A stream flowing 10 L/s with 5m head = 300W with overshot wheel. That's enough to run a grain mill, sawmill, or small generator continuously.
Chapter 3: Wind Power
| System | Output | Wind Speed | Rotor Size | Complexity | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windmill (grain) | 500-5000W | 10-25 mph | 15-30 ft diameter | High | Grain milling |
| Windmill (water pump) | 100-500W | 8-20 mph | 6-12 ft diameter | Moderate | Water pumping |
| Wind turbine (electric) | 200-5000W | 10-30 mph | 6-15 ft diameter | High | Electricity |
| Savonius (vertical axis) | 50-200W | 5-20 mph | 3-6 ft | Low-moderate | Low wind, pumping |
Wind power rule: Power = 0.5 × air density × swept area × wind speed³ × efficiency. Doubling wind speed = 8× the power. Location is everything — hilltops, gaps, coastlines. Tower height matters: 30 ft minimum, 60 ft ideal (wind increases with height). Average wind must be 10+ mph for viable generation.
Chapter 4: Solar Energy
| System | Output | Complexity | Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passive solar (south windows) | Heating | Very low | Free | Building design |
| Solar water heater (batch) | Hot water | Low | Low | Domestic hot water |
| Solar cooker (parabolic) | 300-700°F | Low-moderate | Low | Cooking without fuel |
| Solar still (distillation) | 1-3 L/day per m² | Low | Low | Water purification |
| Photovoltaic (if available) | 150-300W per panel | Moderate | High | Electricity |
| Solar dehydrator | Food drying | Low | Very low | Food preservation |
Chapter 5: Electricity Generation
| Method | Output | Fuel/Source | Complexity | Maintenance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hand-crank generator | 5-50W | Human effort | Low | Low |
| Bicycle generator | 50-150W | Human pedaling | Low-moderate | Low |
| Micro-hydro turbine | 200-10000W | Flowing water | High | Moderate |
| Wind turbine | 200-5000W | Wind | High | Moderate-high |
| Steam engine + generator | 500-5000W | Wood, coal | Very high | High |
| Biogas engine + generator | 500-3000W | Methane from waste | Very high | High |
Basic electrical system: Generator → Charge controller → Battery bank → Inverter (if AC needed) → Distribution. Battery bank: Lead-acid (car batteries) in series for voltage, parallel for capacity. 12V system for small loads, 24V or 48V for larger systems. Safety: fuses on every circuit, proper wire gauge, grounding.
Reference Card
- Water power is most reliable (24/7 if stream flows year-round). 2. Wind is free but intermittent (need storage/backup). 3. Solar is predictable but daytime only. 4. Batteries store energy but have limited life (3-7 years). 5. Start with mechanical (direct drive) before electrical (simpler, more efficient). 6. Match energy source to task (don't generate electricity just to make heat). 7. Conservation first — reduce need before increasing supply. 8. Micro-hydro: 10 L/s × 5m head = 300W continuous = enough for a household.