Generating electricity:

• solar panels (http://www.sunshinesolar.co.uk/khxc/gbu0-prodshow/SS20W.html) - covers March to September,
• total of 200W, placed on the inside, half facing east, half facing west,
• generator bicycle - for when the sun doesn't shine (enough), see below.
• 18V power supply - for when there is no sun and i didn't use the generator bicycle enough.

Storing electricity:

• battery charger: Sunsaver MPPT http://www.morningstarcorp.com/en/sunsavermppt
• best feature must be http://www.morningstarcorp.com/en/pc-meterbus-adapter
• oh and it adjusts the voltage you feed it to the right level for the battery
• 115 VA leasure battery (lead acid)

Electricity usage:

• computer running 24 hours a day:
• extreme low power, needs approx 5Ah @ 12V a day 
• headless AMD Geo based, Voyage Linux (http://linux.voyage.hk/)
• used for sensor readings (temperature, humidity, solar charger info), wiki etc
• lights - phase 1:
• living room lights:
• low power led lights
• 2x 480 led lightstrip (5 meters), 1x 120 led lightstrip (1 meter) for general light (don't see the ones i got on ultraleds anymore):
• as they're very bright added a dimmer (also reduced power usage) which comes with a remote: http://www.ultraleds.co.uk/ct110rf-dimmer-with-remote-control-p-1999.html
• most of the time i tend to run them at just under 2A @ 12V
• 1x 24 led as reading light
• 150 mA @ 12V
• 1x 24 led as desk light for the hobby room
• 150 mA @ 12V
• lights - phase 2:
• in progress, still need to do all the other lights... got some bits already:
• http://www.ultraleds.co.uk/self-adhesive-cool-white-leds-metre-1041-lumen-p-2017.html
• http://www.ultraleds.co.uk/dial-dimmer-single-colour-tape-6078120-p-2077.html

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Generator bicycles

First of all the answer to the question why?:

• it's fun!
• good excuse to put in an hour of exercise a day or so when the sun doesn't shine

Bicycle 1:

• BH Fitness ZTX
• removed the magnets to make that that doesn't cause any resistance
• 120W electric motor (24V, 3500 rpm, 66% efficient)
• Brooks B66 saddle (http://www.brookssaddles.com/en/Shop_ProductPage.aspx?cat=saddles+-+city+%26+heavy+duty&prod=B66)
• 80-90 revs gives approx 24V, the solar charger gets 5A @ 14V
• i'd prefer 60-70 revs, so 80-90 is hard work
• the motor gets quite hot so now have put a 0.84W, 12V fan on it
• to drive the motor: 
• one of my old bread making machines donated the belt and gear
• gear is mounted on the flywheel
• not sure how long the gear and belt will last, have one more spare bread machine...
• status: operational

Bicycle 2:

• Apollo Unleashed (as it's now strapped to a wooden frame)
• 18 speed (fixed to highest possible gear to reduce energy loss of the gear changer etc)
• i've left in the front suspension, replaced the frame suspension with with bit of wood (again reducing energy loss), removing the fork would make it a bit shorter...
• 240W electric motor (MY1016, 24V, 2650 rpm, 75% efficient)
• back wheel is 22"x2" wood - maybe not heavy enough, have 60kg in weights lying around in case i want to build a heavier one...
• i never realised how hard it was to make a perfectly round bit of wood for the belt that drives the motor:
• tried using a handsaw - at least 5mm off in places
• tried using a jigsaw - better ... only 4mm off in places
• added a jig to the jigsaw - four broken sawbits later ...i guess you could call it a tapered oval
• drill stand, couple of jigs and finally it's circular!
• just ordered a Brooks B33 (http://www.brookssaddles.com/en/Shop_ProductPage.aspx?cat=saddles+-+city+%26+heavy+duty&prod=B33) 
• waiting for new pedals and toe clips (same order)
• status: experimental

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A couple of photos: