One of BEES's strategic goals is to facilitate research and develop solutions for energy, water and waste management systems in the backcountry. Funds would be raised from various corporate and government sources and in-kind contributions from manufacturers, and consultants would be sought.
Several projects have been suggested. We would like your input to prioritize these projects. Or maybe you have a new idea for the next BEES next project. We welcome your comments and suggestions.
The future in off-grid energy production may lie with wind turbines. Photovoltaics are not practical in producing heat energy and are less effective in winter months when availability of sunlight is lower (just when you need energy the most). Micro-hydro works only in specific locations and may be seasonal. The best renewable energy option for many locations is wind power.
New designs have made wind turbines more durable for use in harsh environments. Antarctic research stations are replacing their generators with wind turbines. The main drawbacks include installation cost and the requirement for yearly visits by a helicopter to aide with maintenance. However, wind turbines are capable of producing a great amount of energy. With a wind turbine in place, wood burning for heating purposes and propane for cooking would not be necessary. An incinerating toilet could be installed. Costs involved in bringing in wood and propane, and flying out barrels of human waste would accelerate the payback period for the wind turbine installation.
BEES would like to install a wind turbine in an alpine or sub-alpine location for demonstration purposes.
In this website BEES has included a table that compares black water management strategies. However, life-cycle costs are not included. To our knowledge, this type of comparison has not yet been done. It would be extremely beneficial to operators of backcountry facilities to be able to compare installation, operation and maintenance costs of each of these options.
The pilot study carried out by Selkirk College identified an interest among operators of backcountry facilities in developing grey water management options. Requirements may vary from site to site, but some criteria are universal such as the removal of food particles and grease so as not to attract wildlife. Systems that are simple to operate are favoured. There is opportunity for research and development of grey water management solutions.
The pilot study carried out by Selkirk College identified an interest in constructing buildings that require less energy to heat. Canada Mortgage and Housing (CMHC) is currently supporting an initiative called Equilibrium Net Zero Housing. A few years ago CMHC solicited proposals from organizations across the country to build and demonstrate housing projects that were healthy, energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, and could operate off-grid. One house built in Edmonton has 16-inch thick exterior walls and solar electric and solar heating systems. There is no reason why the same technology could not be used in backcountry locations.
BEES would like to have an alpine or sub-alpine net-zero facility designed and built to demonstrate architectural technologies that make it possible. Site location suggestions are welcome.
Information about whether composting toilets work in the alpine is ambiguous. The manufacturer tells you one thing, but operators of backcountry facilities who have installed composting toilets say another. It appears they work only after some modification to the original design. There is opportunity for research, development, and demonstration of composting toilets installed at elevation.
Buildings with air-tight construction for energy conservation purposes still have to be ventilated. It is a building code requirement. Some cooking methods produce large amounts of moisture, which can condense on walls and result in mould growth. A fan in an outhouse is useful for odour control. It is clear that ventilation fans would have many applications in off-grid backcountry locations.
The question: Is it possible to get a fan to work that does not depend on electricity? Maybe. Such a fan existed in England in the 1940's and 50's, and probably earlier. It was a kitchen exhaust fan that ran on a mechanism similar to a cuckoo clock (pull a cord to set the fan in motion). The technology has long since become obsolete with increased availability of electrical power, but perhaps we can resurrect it. It still has application in off-grid locations. BEES would like to have such a fan built and in operation to evaluate its effectiveness.