off-grid living needed for article in Times

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off-grid living needed for article in Times

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alternative-energy

Joined: 13 Dec 2005
Posts: 35
Location: Kent

Posted: Fri Feb 03, 06 8:20 am Post subject: off-grid living needed for article in Times

I have received this email today. Not much notice I know.

Times feature on off-grid living

Journalist Nick Rosen is looking for people in England who live “off-grid” i.e. without mains water or power - using renewable energy and local springs or rainwater for a main feature for T2 section of the Times.

His deadline is this weekend, so if you know of anyone please contact him on nick@off-grid.net or 07971 543703

Paul

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Fri Feb 03, 06 9:15 am Post subject:
Hm, water I survive without, but power I still have to buy. One out of two isn't bad, tho!

liddy

Joined: 15 Oct 2005
Posts: 24
Location: in the Wales

Posted: Fri Feb 03, 06 10:37 am Post subject:
is it just people in England he's looking for?

alternative-energy

Joined: 13 Dec 2005
Posts: 35
Location: Kent

Posted: Fri Feb 03, 06 10:58 am Post subject:

Quote:

is it just people in England he's looking for?

Sorry don't know best to give him a quick email
Good luck

Blue Sky

Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 7658
Location: France

Posted: Fri Feb 03, 06 7:31 pm Post subject:

nickhowe wrote:

Hm, water I survive without, but power I still have to buy.

One out of two isn't bad, tho!

Hi Nick, how do you get your water? I am very interested in "rainwater catchment" systems and hope to have one in place here very soon. We have a well but to be honest the energy expended pumping the water out to irrigate our veg patch cannot be justified as the price of "mains water" here is so low. I would like to go "off grid" with our water supply and also with our mains electricity supply and so I am hoping to have a 12 volt lighting system in place by the end of the year as a first step. I have learned that initially this can be charged by off peak mains electricity and can then be suplemented with solar panel eventually being extended to a complete "off grid" system. In a world of diminishing oil resources I believe this could well be the future. What a wonderful world for everyone to have their own energy supply in place and nobody be relying on "THE GRID"

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Sat Feb 04, 06 12:28 pm Post subject:
We have a well, and use an electric pump to get it into holding tanks in the loft. It's all automatic, and from there, it's similar system to other houses, except we lack pressure, which can be a pain.

Blue Sky

Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 7658
Location: France

Posted: Sat Feb 04, 06 1:07 pm Post subject:
Hi Nick I am assuming then that you have to buy in your drinking water or do you have a means of filtering the well water to purify it? This is all very interesting. Thanks Simon

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Sun Feb 05, 06 2:33 pm Post subject:
We have a mechanical filter in the well (a pair of maternity tights!) and that's it. We've had it checked regularly, as is a condition of a mortgage, but there's never been a problem.

Blue Sky

Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 7658
Location: France

Posted: Sun Feb 05, 06 2:36 pm Post subject:
That sounds great. I love the "Maternerty tights" idea I shall have to go and dig mine out of the wardrobe So no bottled water at all then?

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Wed Feb 08, 06 9:41 am Post subject:
Nope. All from a hole in the ground.

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