Batteries
Sodium-Ion Batteries in 2026: Cost Reality vs. LFP, CATL's Naxtra, and the Hard Carbon Bottleneck
China holds 95%+ of sodium-ion capacity. CATL's Naxtra hits 175 Wh/kg. Yet at 2026 prices, SIB cells still cost more than LFP.
Sustainability
Technoagriculture
Bioshelters in 2026: Passive-Solar Food Production Proven at Scale in China, Unproven in the West
Bioshelters promise year-round food at minimal energy. In 2026, passive solar scales to 810,000 ha in China but stays unproven in the West.
Philosophy
Output Concentration Risk: Why High-Performing Systems Become Fragile
A system is not truly diversified if one crop, supplier, product, technology, or sector generates most of its output.
Energy
Plastoline and Microwave Pyrolysis: Assessing Julian Brown's Plastic-to-Fuel Claims Against the Peer-Reviewed Science
Separating the peer-reviewed science of microwave pyrolysis from the unverified 110-octane, carbon-negative claims behind Plastoline fuel.
Offgrid
DIY Push Sickle-Bar Mower: Open-Hardware Plans / Recycled Salvage
Open-hardware plans for a push sickle-bar mower: salvage-first BOM, honest physics, and why a ~$120 electric-assist build beats a $4,000 BCS.
Sustainability
Soil Chemistry for Off-Grid Homesteads: pH, Moisture, Crop Selection, and Basic Outdoor Growing
A practical guide to soil pH, moisture testing, crop preferences, and outdoor soil management for off-grid homesteads.
Offgrid
3D Printing for Off-Grid Homesteads: Practical Repairs, Tools, and Open-Source Libraries for Resilient Communities
How off-grid communities can use 3D printers for repairs, tools, sensor mounts, archives, and open-source local manufacturing.
Philosophy
Solar Energy and the 5% Rule: Why Off-Grid Homes Need Redundant Backup Power
A practical guide to solar overpaneling, backup generators, battery storage, and three-pillar energy redundancy for off-grid homes.
Batteries
Sand Batteries and Thermal Energy Storage: Viability, Economics, and Industrial Decarbonization Outlook
Decision-grade analysis of sand batteries, thermal storage economics, efficiency limits, vendors, and industrial heat use cases.
Water
Containerized Water Treatment for Residential Development: MBR, MBBR, and Modular Bioreactors as an Alternative to Centralized Sewers
Containerized MBR bioreactors can serve greenfield subdivisions in weeks, not years.
Permaculture
Permaculture for Urban Food Production: Growing Potatoes in Small Balcony Containers
Learn how a simple balcony potato tub uses permaculture principles for small-scale urban food production in apartments.