Wind-produced power, solar collectors, homemade to

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Though the hydrogen is now used to fuel the formerly gasoline-powered generator (with a little gas to facilitate start-up), John plans to use his latest "hydrogen battery" — as he calls it — in an automobile. Along with a coinventor named Kenny Green, he hopes to take advantage of the seldom fully tapped potential of an auto's alternator to produce hydrogen as a supplementary fuel.

CREATIVE SCROUNGING

However, such innovative technology has a tendency to eclipse the other ingenious products of Mr. Lorenzen's apt mind and skilled hands. For example, the workshop where all the research takes place is about 90% solar-heated. John built the hot air collection and storage system from — primarily — scrounged materials. The collectors. themselves employ a rippled metal heatgathering surface made of discarded printing plates (from his local newspaper), which he bent on a handmade creaser.

The four collectors on the southern wall of the structure work by convection alone, but the building-long collector that's set atop the roof's peak is served by a blower . . . which feeds the warmed air into a rock storage area in the barn. Furthermore, all of the collectors — and the rock storage area — are insulated with plain old sawdust.

Such elegantly simple solutions to technical problems are — to MOTHER's mind at least — the highlights of this self-taught engineer's efforts. He builds electric drills from old generators . . . inverts DC power to AC by inducing a generator to function as a motor and thus spin an AC alternator . . . makes a battery charger from a string of light bulbs . . . and turns everyday junkyard candidates into useful pieces of equipment.

But John Lorenzen's work doesn't stop at his front gate, either. He's also passing on his invaluable knowledge — gained through years of direct experience — by working with local schoolchildren on alternative energy projects. John's sort of practical know-how may well be the missing link (the one we all lament the loss of, but are hard pressed to replace), in today's educational systems.

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