The Arbalk morning register!

[maybelateron]

2 hours ago, openspaceman said:

Big step change though, I'm hesitant about moving away from wood heat. A battery and inverter will fit well with the heat pump. Some PV panels too, Xmas day in the past was the day when I bought the most electricity, this year I ran on solar power alone.

Agreed entirely, and heat pump is by no means a definite plan yet. We had PV panels installed early on, so we are on the higher tariff, and our electricity costs us nothing over the year. Also have a storage battery and solar water heating tubes. Wife's car is full electric with good size battery which can be used for the house in an emergency. We even have a well that works, so ready for most problems.

[openspaceman]

35 minutes ago, maybelateron said:

Agreed entirely, and heat pump is by no means a definite plan yet. We had PV panels installed early on, so we are on the higher tariff, and our electricity costs us nothing over the year. Also have a storage battery and solar water heating tubes. Wife's car is full electric with good size battery which can be used for the house in an emergency. We even have a well that works, so ready for most problems.

I am having a quote for an air to air heat pump in January, the complete conversion, heat pump , radiators etc., came in at £11k, £4k net of grant, which I considered ridiculous for this little cottage. I simply do not want the disruption and this house will be gutted and extended when we're gone.

 

If it weren't for regulations I would fit A2A myself, many do. Similarly  I cannot avail myself of an EV tariff, apart from lying, many do. We have 4 cars to wear out first, one gifted 53 years ago, the others inherited. So I doubt I'll ever get an EV.

 

This year I bought £318 of electricity and that is mostly standing charge, I exported £385 ( but expect that to go down as export rates drop) and paid £134 for gas ( only for domestic hot water) I am loathe to give up gas as it may make a house sale less attractive. Plus I still receive about £2k for FIT which goes on for a few years yet.

 

It seems so strange that less than 10% of domestic properties have solar PV, yet on a day when Solar PV in UK only provides 3% of the total energy demand and Gas 40% I am actually self sufficient, and all for about £10k at current prices, which are still falling.

 

I too have a well but only use it for filling the water butts, it ran dry this last summer.

[maybelateron]

I reckon my 1975 Series 3 Land Rover is a very eco friendly vehicle. 50 years old and that has saved a lot of replacement vehicle carbon footprint, even allowing for the new chassis. Sounds like you must have at least one old interesting vehicle.

[openspaceman]

1 hour ago, maybelateron said:

I reckon my 1975 Series 3 Land Rover is a very eco friendly vehicle. 50 years old and that has saved a lot of replacement vehicle carbon footprint, even allowing for the new chassis. Sounds like you must have at least one old interesting vehicle.

In 1973 I collected 2 new safari 88 and 2 safari 109 13 seaters for my girlfriend's father's business, I preferred the latter, I had free use of them for his errands until they went to work, when they became redundant in 1980 I had one of the  88 as my work vehicle till about 1995, it frightens me to think how much petrol that burned while I had it, 14mpg IIRC. It never let me down that I couldn't get home, it was very slow. 

 

The MGB GT was my wife's 21st birthday present from her parents. It was our only personal vehicle from 1973 till about 1983 and has deteriorated a bit since then. I used to drive it to Brighton every year more recently but haven't used it for the last two summers.

[markieg31]

As far as I am aware a car produces the most emissions in its manufacturer. So driving it for as many years as possible instead of buying new every five years or so would be best. Getting an old diesel motor and running it kn used oil would probably be even better, nice old Citroen bx or something. 

[markieg31]

'nice' and 'bx' probably shouldn't be used in the same sentence although I wouldn't pass one up if offered.