Mélanie and Aurélien are a young couple from Moselle who live in a small wooden house. For practical and economic reasons, they want to become self sufficient by producing their own electricity.

After a long search, they become aware of the frequent scams existing in this area.

So, they decide to make their own wind turbine with a DIY training course with the Tripalium association.

« Building our wind turbine
allows us to cut costs,
to know how it works
and to be able to repair if needed,
and so be even more autonomous »

says Aurélien

Mélanie & Aurélien attend the DIY course which takes place in Henripont, a small Belgian village located about 19 miles from Brussel.

In a very lively cohousing community, Peter, one of the inhabitants, started organising all sorts of DIY workshops in order to take part in the transmission of various skills and knowledge.

After a short theoretical presentation, the dozen or so trainees of various profiles and skills sets to work with a perceivable motivation.

There are three workshops and everyone gets organised as they wish. As a result, collaboration between participants is made easier and the exchange of know-hows is set in motion. All the indications are in the wind turbine DIY guide given by Tripalium first thing on Monday morning. So, Jay Hudnall, the instructor, is just a person among many others who owns specific knowledge.

« DIY allows individuals to put the materials they have back into their own hands, adapt it to their specific use, be more self-sufficient and aware of what they use. »

Building wind turbines requires many skills which once picked up, will enable one to make many products by themselves such as: wooden furniture, iron objects and others.

This is precisely the reason why Axel, a former stage manager in the movie industry, decided to attend the training. He started DIY a few years ago in a rather forced manner.

« I had piping problems in the house I bought. The most economical solution was to build dry toilets. Afterwards with the residues, I made compost. And with the compost I made a vegetable garden. And that's how, little by little I changed my life. »

Axel left his job to devote himself to his family. He looks after his house and improves it steadily on his own. He recently build a mass stove all by himself.

« Life is much more enjoyable. Being a stage manager is particularly stressful, you have to be available 24 hours a day. I take time to enjoy my children, my house, nature. I am living. »

« When you work, you buy services, objects.
When you don't "work", you create them. »

Axel

Hugh Piggott

Hugh Pigott, is the man who created the plans for the DIY wind turbines most frequently found in France. His motivations were also very pragmatic.

Having decided at the age of 22, to go and live on the peninsula of Scoraig, Scotland, far from any electrical system, he, one day, got fed up with using candles for lighting.

He created his first turbine, which didn't work.. then a second one. At the seventh attempt, he achieved his goal.

His neighbours then asked him to build one for them too. And one thing leading to another, today he is invited in many places to give advice during DIY courses.

Jay met Hugh Pigott in 2004 doing his first DIY training. He invites him again, every year.

The Tripalium association has translated into French the guide of the DIY wind-turbines known as "Pigott", and regularly adds improvements from their experiences. This guide is a real practical encyclopedia on DIY wind turbine. All the instructions can be found, explained step by step.

It is also possible for the more experienced do-it-yourselfers to build their own wind turbine. For instance, the group "construction of the Transfo", a squat in Bagnolet, near Paris, built a wind turbine before mounting it with the help of Tripalium.

sharing knowledge
to enable everyone
to reclaim their energy