A crash course in changing the world.
Part One of the Evoke Administration Community Challenge
As described here http://www.urgentevoke.com/profiles/blogs/a-evoke-redesign-idea-for, I'd like to build collaborative projects within the community. The basic idea for the format goes something like this:
- An agent (in this case, me) releases a blog post with a specific issue AND a number of detailed steps to follow through.
- YOU, the community, choose a step you think you could address by doing appropriate research and submitting a blog post with the tag EACC followed by the reference number of the step you are addressing (EACC-1A if you choose the first step of the first challenge). Also, leave a link/message in the comment section directing the coordinating agent (again, in this case, me) to your research.
- The coordinating agent reviews all submitted posts and chooses one or more posts from each step and edits the original post detailing how each piece fits together into a coherent strategy that addresses the issue at hand.
For the first challenge, I have decided to make it somewhat easy. Electrical power. As we've already had a administrative challenge on the subject, I'll accept all submissions from previously posted work. Just drop me a line and edit the tag into the original post.
Steps:
A. I need an efficient energy production machine capable of being built IN COUNTRY with minimal imported material and as little maintenance as possible. Objective: have locals build power systems with limited outside assistance and maintain said systems without the need of specialists. Keep in mind the cost of production and the specialization required for assembly. (By all means, send me something you wrote a few weeks ago for the mission)
B. I need a design for a power sharing system that could move electricity around the network as needed. If someone comes up with a distributed windmill or solar farm production system, we'll need some way to get that power from the rural areas to the high-use sectors of the landscape. Objective: power needs will be variable across the system; the system will need to supply peak need to various areas as the situation progresses.
Bonus idea: it'd be awesome if the power lines were underground. Investigate any country's infrastructure to see if we could piggyback on existing tunnels.
C. I need an efficient energy storage system. Whether the power comes from solar, water, wind, or something I haven't thought of, it probably won't always be running. Objective: Have excess power stored for times of need either locally or nationally.
D. I need an inexpensive material for the power lines. The areas most in need of power are the ones most in need of money. Objective: Both for lessening the financial burden of maintenance and for discouraging theft/sabotage, the power lines should be cheap.
E. I need a cheap way to get materials imported. Whether you show me production centers for semiconductors in the under-developed world or discover a way to use the current transportation networks cheaply, materials need to get from wherever they are to wherever we need them to be. Objective: find an cheap/exploitable method for moving material around the Third World.
F. Lastly, for mega-Sustainability kudos, I need a way to make the power grid work for the people and the legitimate government with as little risk of corruption as possible. Objective: find ways to insert checks and balances into the system without seriously compromising its financial promise.
Well, that's it for now. I eagerly await your submissions and will review them as they come in, asking questions where I can. If you feel there is a facet of this I have overlooked, either alert me directly (PM/comment) or plug the gap with your own post; I'll highlight your insight. Also, don't be afraid to look over each others' work and reward sustainability and entrepreneurial insight.
Tips: I'll be looking for ideas that 'play well with others'. If it can fit into a plan, I'll try to work it into mine.
Here are some stuff people dreamed up a while ago for the power challenge. I'll nominate them personally for the first step. Remember, the key to sustainable national energy lies in the ease of operation and the low cost of shipping/assembly.
The first one is the crazy/cool one. I think we could (with minimal design changes) make one with a rotary head that works with changes in wind direction.
I'm sorry that I haven't responded to the latest comments. I have been unable to post comments for the past few hours.
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Tags: EACC-1
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Comment by Chelsea Howe on April 6, 2010 at 1:12am -
I like the idea of more people in the community playing the role of the aggregator, especially as EVOKE enters its later stages. Everyone started out disjointed - excellent ideas, but separate. Now, we're finally seeing people come together. To me, that was the main goal of this game - way to make it happen!
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Comment by Chris Frueh on April 6, 2010 at 1:30am -
Thanks. I only hope that this concept will underscore the brilliant ideas that the lesser-known members of the community are working on.
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Comment by Cian Gregory Accuardi Shelley on April 6, 2010 at 2:10am -
hope it works
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Comment by Ursula Kochanowsky on April 6, 2010 at 2:56am -
I can't act on this tonight but i'll give it full consideration tomorrow.
Excellent idea.
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Comment by Ursula Kochanowsky on April 6, 2010 at 2:07pm
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Comment by Chris Frueh on April 6, 2010 at 3:59pm
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I'd urge everyone to take a look at Ursula's blog post (link above). This is exactly the sort of thing I was looking for. Anything like this would be great. If anyone has further information on regenerative fuel cells (such as any overly expensive materials to make them), please drop by any relevant updates =) Oh, and power vote the ever-living crap out of Ursula's post, please =D
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Comment by Nicholas Nagao on April 6, 2010 at 4:46pm -
I'd like to suggest you start a Google Wave or some other sort of collaborative tool to help you with your project. I like the idea, and the clarity in which you have stated your objective and the procedure you want to use. I'll give this more thought later, but reading through the process, thought you could use some additional tools to help the collaboration take place more effectively.
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Comment by Chelsea Howe on April 6, 2010 at 4:59pm
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Nicholas - there's actually a tool in the works right now specifically for EVOKE projects like this :) I think it should be released probably today or tomorrow. Though, yes, Google Wave is pretty awesome!
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Comment by Chris Frueh on April 6, 2010 at 5:04pm
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Well, if/when something that would help us comes out, I'd love to try it out. Also, I'm volunteering this thing to be a pseudo-flagship for the tool's launch.
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Comment by Radhika Darbari on April 6, 2010 at 8:28pm -
I have already created EvokeForever, with evokeforever.groupsite.com being the main platform where all are immediately connected, blogs organised in discussion forums and sub groups available and group blogs, sub group blogs to co-ordinate knowledge from discussion boards into real life projects and collaboration. Please see my blogs and check out the groupsite, you will see the vision and its capabilities to make this so much easier; collaboration.
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