by Steve Byrne | Nov 29, 2015 | renewable energy
Weeks like the one we’ve just had are an off-gridder’s nightmare. After some lovely cold autumnal days, it is now seven days since we saw anything approaching sunshine, and output from our solar PV is negligible, to put it kindly. It is weather like this...
by Steve Byrne | Nov 28, 2015 | buildings
Usually I post about the things that have gone right, but we are on a learning curve, and things often don’t work out first time around. The floor in the new build is one such case. After much deliberating, and mainly due to budget constraints, I put in a...
by Steve Byrne | Nov 8, 2015 | renewable energy
The windy weather we normally get in October didn’t put in an appearance, but finally it is here, and today’s weather perfectly illustrates the need for a mixture of generation to keep the lights on all winter. At 10m on an overcast day the PV is producing...
by Steve Byrne | Nov 4, 2015 | off grid
In our world turned upside down by changing climate, we began the year with a cold, wet ‘summer’, and have ended it with a warm sunny autumn. Strolling around in a t-shirt in November is definitely not normal here in Northern Ireland, but we (and our...
by Steve Byrne | Oct 7, 2015 | renewable energy
For those who can’t already claim some form of payment for generating their own energy, or who will face vastly reduced incentives from 2016, there would seem to be few reasons to invest in renewable energy such as solar PV. Â Recent coverage of the Tesla home...
by Steve Byrne | Sep 24, 2015 | off grid
As we come to Mabon – Â the Autumn equinox, our busy season draws to a close, and the place has quietened down as our band of volunteers head off, and we host the last events before we take a break. Last weekend’s course – ‘Finding You – A...
by Steve Byrne | Aug 31, 2015 | renewable energy
So twice this week I’ve had conversations with people who said something along the lines of “Well I’m no expert but really solar isn’t much good here in Northern Ireland because unless its really sunny they don’t work and its never really...
by Steve Byrne | Aug 28, 2015 | off grid
The last week I have despaired somewhat as I watch the government dismantle the renewables industry in the name of shaving a quid off people’s energy bills, whilst simultaneously propping up the oil and gas industry to the tune of £1 billion and shamelessly...
by Steve Byrne | Aug 19, 2015 | renewable energy
The last couple of weeks have seen our renewable energy setup almost completed, as the wind turbine was commissioned, although we quickly realised that we would need some additional capacity to deal with all the power coming in. Our Victron Multiplus 24/3000/50...
by Steve Byrne | Aug 3, 2015 | off grid
Solar power is wonderful but here in Northern Ireland sun is often in short supply, especially in winter when the days are short. Hence the need for an alternative – in this case a wind turbine. Bornay, who make this particular model have been building turbines...
by Steve Byrne | Jul 2, 2015 | self sufficiency
Where did you learn to do that? Is a question I get asked about all sorts of things, and the answer is always the same. “I just sort of did it”, I reply. Of course, when the person asks the question they are usually looking at a successful end result of...
by Steve Byrne | Jul 1, 2015 | off grid
Despite vast amounts of evidence pointing to a very real change in our climate, and the increase of extreme weather events, it seems that people generally like not to think of any of it as being part of some sort of pattern, and instead to put these events down to...
by Steve Byrne | Jun 26, 2015 | renewable energy
Something visitors always ask about here at Lackan Cottage Farm is our Rocket Mass Heater, and so we are honoured to be able to welcome Leslie Jackson, co-author of the definitive book ‘Rocket Mass Heaters’, to the farm on the evening of Saturday July 25th...
by Steve Byrne | Apr 8, 2015 | renewable energy
So the end of a sunny spring day, and although it is only April, we are finding that our 4kw solar pv (which is the most common pv installation size in Northern Ireland) has supplied our needs all day, including a couple of loads of washing, running a regular fridge,...
by Steve Byrne | Mar 26, 2015 | off grid
What an extraordinary week. Â We quickly forget that some of the things we get up to are perhaps seen as unusual, and that our view of the world is likewise not always terribly mainstream (whatever that is). So it is always interesting when people want to come and take...
by Steve Byrne | Feb 3, 2015 | smallholding
Well, Imbolc is upon us, and Steph came to cut some rushes to make St.Brigit’s crosses with. Surely one of the older surviving traditions from the dawn of Christianity and beyond. One thing we aren’t short of is rushes, and it looks like we’ll get...
by Steve Byrne | Jan 31, 2015 | renewable energy
On a day like today when the wind is bitingly cold, but the skies are clear, and we enjoy some winter sunshine, it is great to be able to celebrate the fact that for once, everything is working, and we are able to take a moment to marvel at the fact that we have all...
by Steve Byrne | Jan 24, 2015 | volunteering
This is the time of year when despite our recent obsession with all things solar, we need to get outside and start to prepare for the year ahead. Â All the the veg beds that don’t have anything in them need dressing with manure – both outside, and in the...
by Steve Byrne | Jan 23, 2015 | renewable energy
As we continue to grapple with our growing solar PV power station, we’re learning how to manage within our means, power wise (or not on occasion); and get it all running smoothly. Although we have batteries as a buffer, there are some things better done on a...
by Steve Byrne | Jan 12, 2015 | renewable energy
Here at Lackan Cottage Farm we like to experiment with technology, some of it very simple, such as our composting toilets and strawbale insulation, and some of it high-tech such as our solar pv arrays. We started off with just a couple of panels, and this has grown to...
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