All the benefits without the guilt

All the benefits without the guilt

by | Mar 10, 2015 | off grid

Something I am starting to understand about generating your own energy is that in the same way that you have to watch when there is little sun and no wind (which is pretty rare), you also have to find ways to use power when it is available. Here we cook, heat water...
Could you retire early?

Could you retire early?

by | Jan 27, 2015 | off grid

  A friend recently introduced me to the excellent website of the strangely named Mr Money Mustache, and I have to say that despite my initial apprehension about it all being rather money driven, it is actually a very helpful and interesting blog. The gist of it...
Connecting it all together

Connecting it all together

by | Jan 26, 2015 | off grid

Someone asked how we get the data about our power generation and usage to the side of our website. Well here is as concise an answer as I can manage. Here’s a schematic – Power comes from our PV Panel Arrays (shown top). The big array (centre) is wired as...
Their power comes from our obedience

Their power comes from our obedience

by | Jan 9, 2015 | off grid

  I had a conversation with a younger colleague today that serves as an example of why it is so important to question authority. We were talking about how there are times when I think it would be good to video or record ‘officials’ when they come to...
Say goodbye to ‘when’

Say goodbye to ‘when’

by | Dec 16, 2014 | off grid

‘When’ is one of those words that fills me with dismay, because it implies a condition. We can do this when such and such; you can have this when so and so. Primarily it dismays me because its inclusion means ‘not now’. It means ‘some...
Meet George

Meet George

by | Nov 29, 2014 | off grid

  Meet George. As our collection of solar panel arrays grows, I decided to give them names. As the panels were given to us by St.George’s Church in Belfast, George seemed appropriate. Plus when he stops working I have a name to hang the insults on. George...