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anna_wingDepends entirely on the products of a high-tech, industrial society to be reasonably functional for anyone who doesn't actually want to live and die like a subsistence-level peasant.
http://www.beingsomewhere.net/
"Energy: Water and Electric
The buidlings are linked up to PV solar for lights and car-charger socket for laptops and other electrical items; there is plenty of south facing aspect for such a system. The hydro-electric is owned by all 9 Lammas properties and supplies up to 3 kw of 240V electric from a leat off of the river Gafel. The hydro-electric turbine is a valuable asset, providing such ample amounts of unmetered off-grid electric, especially during the winter, rainy months when it is most welcome. We used it for power tools, washing machine, electric oven and the hoover. A smart load control system in the workshop can automatically switch on and off selected appliances around the plot to divert surplus power to background uses such as space and water heating. The total amount of power varies with water levels, over the last four years our consumption has been around 10,000 units/year or about £1,700 worth. This provided for nearly all our heating, and water heating needs.The generation of renewable electric also yields FITs payments 4 x a year; this is nominally fed back into the infrastructures. The turbine itself requires regular maintenance and repair as befits a complex, powerful beast such as itself. Simon was active in keeping it going and instrumental in its design and maintenance...
Rainwater is collected from all roofs into ponds or tanks. There is over 2000 litres storage currently at the top of the hill for gravity feed to the Undercroft and has been sufficient for our washing selves in the bath, dishes in the sink and clothes in the washing machine. We had planned to double this capacity and the tanks are clean and ready to be connected at the plot. The main drinking water supply is from a high quality spring further uphill on the previous owner, Sue’s, land. Like the hydro-electric and tracks, the water supply is co-owned with the other Lammas plots. The spring is called Ffynnon Deg, and the water is delicious and never runs dry. We pumped it to a header tank using a low wattage electric pump. We were the only plot that pumps the water due to our elevation, although there are loose plans to bring it from further uphill by ram pump and then gravity feed down. There is also a small spring on the plot that runs for half the year, after rainy weather. It is also piped to the buildings, we used it for washing, irrigation or drinking as a back up supply..."
If you really want to be energy efficient, live in a modern apartment block with metered utilities, in a densely-populated modern city, and use public transport.
http://www.beingsomewhere.net/
"Energy: Water and Electric
The buidlings are linked up to PV solar for lights and car-charger socket for laptops and other electrical items; there is plenty of south facing aspect for such a system. The hydro-electric is owned by all 9 Lammas properties and supplies up to 3 kw of 240V electric from a leat off of the river Gafel. The hydro-electric turbine is a valuable asset, providing such ample amounts of unmetered off-grid electric, especially during the winter, rainy months when it is most welcome. We used it for power tools, washing machine, electric oven and the hoover. A smart load control system in the workshop can automatically switch on and off selected appliances around the plot to divert surplus power to background uses such as space and water heating. The total amount of power varies with water levels, over the last four years our consumption has been around 10,000 units/year or about £1,700 worth. This provided for nearly all our heating, and water heating needs.The generation of renewable electric also yields FITs payments 4 x a year; this is nominally fed back into the infrastructures. The turbine itself requires regular maintenance and repair as befits a complex, powerful beast such as itself. Simon was active in keeping it going and instrumental in its design and maintenance...
Rainwater is collected from all roofs into ponds or tanks. There is over 2000 litres storage currently at the top of the hill for gravity feed to the Undercroft and has been sufficient for our washing selves in the bath, dishes in the sink and clothes in the washing machine. We had planned to double this capacity and the tanks are clean and ready to be connected at the plot. The main drinking water supply is from a high quality spring further uphill on the previous owner, Sue’s, land. Like the hydro-electric and tracks, the water supply is co-owned with the other Lammas plots. The spring is called Ffynnon Deg, and the water is delicious and never runs dry. We pumped it to a header tank using a low wattage electric pump. We were the only plot that pumps the water due to our elevation, although there are loose plans to bring it from further uphill by ram pump and then gravity feed down. There is also a small spring on the plot that runs for half the year, after rainy weather. It is also piped to the buildings, we used it for washing, irrigation or drinking as a back up supply..."
If you really want to be energy efficient, live in a modern apartment block with metered utilities, in a densely-populated modern city, and use public transport.
