Consumable goods to start an economy

I've already been lurking quite some time and saw a thread about wanting to implant 1) water 2) electricity 3) an economy

The problem that limits an economy is the 'build and have for a lifetime'.
You get 500 ore, 500 silves ore. Make the things you need and you are done. Then if you want, you can make another building and get the ores/wood.

What i was thinking, to have clean drinking water and electricity, you could start to make items consumable.

Electricity
- Small windmill, the windmill contains a metal spring that breaks down after X amount of running hours and is useless. To replace this, you need 5 aluminium bars.
- Generator for bigger buildings. The build the generator you need lots of iron/aluminium. To keep the generator running, you need to add coal. Like, 1 piece of coal for 30 minutes of light.

Once in a while, something in the windmill or generator breaks down. And you need to 'add' one of those needed metal bars to repair it.
Which could also be an idea for a new tool. The hammer (the ones you hit nails with)

Water
People most likely want to have drinking water (make your hydration go down a little bit faster for the added survivial effect maybe?)
To have drinking water, you need a small cleaning machine.

- The cleaning machine contains a sieve to sort the dirt out of the water. This sieve needs to be replaced after X amount of running hours. You need some kind of metal for that.
The cleaning machine also needs heat to kill the bacteria. To kill bacteria, it needs fire and that means COAL.
Nope, a campfire is not enough heat for the bacteria to die.

Economy

Now because you have a system that requires a consumable to have something 'better'. You can now succesfully have an economy.
People will trade the stuff they need for other goods or even create co-operation.

I have lots of coal i don't use, because my building only needs a small windmill to get electricity.
My next door neighbour on the other hand, needs more coal to fuel his gigantic building and his generator, but he doesn't have any coal.
What he does have, is some stone ore. I'm too lazy to get ore myself or could use some extra to finish the roof of my own building.
Yo, neighbour lets trade?

As last, since i'm making a thread anyways. I want a way for people to show off what they have.
For example, i want to make a tower of Ignots. But when i place them, i also want to be able to pick them up (just like you put something and take it out of the furnace)
Or an armory rack, to place and take stuff in/out.

Let me know what you think about my idead

-Merc