Energy Archives - Living Off the Grid: Free Yourself

Energy

Solar Panels for Palestine – Donate Now

Whatever your views on the Arab-Israel conflicts, and on the Hamas atrocities of October 9th, nobody can no doubt that the humanitarian crisis demands immediate action by all of us – especially now that UNWRA has been exposed as a deeply suspect organisation. Sending money to huge bureaucracies like Save the Children or UNWRA – you know for sure that much of it goes in admin, bribes and other priorities than your own.

So if you want to help Palestinians on the ground in Gaza, who are surviving on tiny morsels of food, limited water and intermittent energy, if you want all your money to go straight to those in need – then we have a way.

Our cameraman in Gaza, will spend what we send him on buying solar panels, and film himself donating them to ordinary families. He has already been donating cash this way – brought in via Egypt.

He shot our latest Youtube footage, showing him distributing donated money – 50 shekels at a time. You can see the ID cards of the women as he hands them the money. You can see they are innocent citizens and not terrorists. Watch the video on our socials, and tell your friends.

Insta
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3SFn31IQld/?igsh=a3Nxa3R4YjFnNDZo

Facebook
https://fb.watch/qaYFhPNFqc/

Tiktok
Banned

Youtube shorts

But solar panels are more valuable than money – they are the gift that keeps on giving. We have found a supply of panels in Gaza, and any donations received will be used to purchase them and give them to communities in need of energy to power their lights and phones.

Please paypal to nick@off-grid.net and we will get the money straight out there the next day.

Mark your paypal: Solar Panels for Palestine.

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February 28, 2024 No Comments

Community

Windy Winter Boating Nights

Richard Stabbins begins an occasional series on the joys and heartbreaks of living on a boat in the middle of a big city.

It’s early evening on the canal towpath and I’m almost home. My hands are frozen and even getting my bike lock open had me yelping expletives. I cut a dishevelled figure on the dark stretch between Broadway Market and Victoria Park, dimly lit by LED lights of neighbouring boats. Hopping onto the bow of my floating home, crouching my way through the front door, my first thought is: “I’m so glad I’ve got a dog!”. Bruno is an excitable 30kg hound, a blessing in himself. I had stocked the stove that morning with a generous heap of coal to keep him warm. It made me love him even more. It’s been 1 degree all day and, boaters returning to a frozen tin box usually despair for an hour or more at the lack of heating that we can monitor from an app on our phone. Praise be, though – I have a hound!

That contentment does not last long. Backpack stowed away in its spot between front steps and cupboard (every boater knows, space is at the key), I set to washing last night’s dishes. I turn on the taps, hear the boiler kick in, and then that splattering sound that every boat-dweller hates to hear: the water tank is empty! I slump down on to my couch made of old pallets and recycled cushions. The serenity of a warm night with dinner and a book is replaced by the knowledge that I must cruise to the nearest waterpoint. Bruno looks on from his bed with eyes that know what’s coming. At least the batteries are full and I’ve got diesel – a (hopefully) short trip like this will use very little fuel.

First things first, I check the weather forecast on my phone. I know it’s cold, but that’s not the biggest factor – it’s the wind. Google says I’ve got two hours before wind speeds really pick up, so that’s my window to get fuel and safely find a mooring spot elsewhere. It wasn’t long ago that I had been awoken at 05:00 by a fellow boater shouting for help. Wind speeds had suddenly hit eighty-plus mph and several boats had come free from their makeshift moorings (their pegs had been dislodged as there are no mooring rings available in that part of Haggerston). One boat had swung around and was resting horizontally across the canal, blocking anything coming through. Four of usin our pyjamas fought the wind and just about managed to heave in the barge Other boats were tied up to the balcony railings of canalised flats. Ropes stretched across the towpath at neck height like deadly rubber bands – a measure taken temporarily to regain some calm and order.

That feeling of …

February 20, 2024 No Comments

Energy

50-year old Diesel Generator In Mirissa Beach

Mirissa beach is known for cool Eurotrash, beautiful surfing and whale-watching. In common with most of the country outside the dapital, the beach community struggles with an unreliable electricity grid. But it is not known as a centre of off-grid technology – and for good reason. Like most of the country, households in Mirissa depend for backup power on diesel rather than solar. The Perkins generator at the Seastar Hotel is a relatively modern example of a near-century-old design.

It sits in the courtyard of this friendly hotel, maintained by locals, at the end of the long golden beach, that has become increasingly popular over the years.

Western surfers share the waves with Sri Lankan fishermen, who hover near the shore all day, line fishing, while most of the catch is hoovered up by industrial vessels on the horizon.

When the power goes out, about once every couple of days, the huge old generator roars into action. It certainly helped me out when I was trying to go online. Happy Birthday, Generator. You can see the film here.

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February 5, 2024 No Comments

Energy

Poorest Countries Barred From Building Green Economy

UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan has issued a rallying call for 2024, in a statement claiming that the rich countries are using the green transition as an excuse to boost their own economies at the expense of developing ones. According to the UN’s trade chief, the world’s advanced economies are greenwashing to make their own eco-credentials look better, while preventing poorer countries from developing quickly.

Grynspan attacked the EU for taking Indonesia to the WTO over its restrictions on nickel exports and requirement to process the ore locally. She said Jakarta wanted to move up the value chain by making products from the nickel. It is only reasonable for a country with an overstretched electricity grid to want to use its own nickel tp produce its own batteries, fro example – rather than being forced to export to China or Canada.

UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan has issued a rallying call for 2024, in a statement claiming that the rich countries are using the green transition as an excuse to boost their own economies at the expense of developing ones.

“They don’t want it to be exported in the raw form, but with value added. So they were taken to arbitration in the WTO. They lost in the first instance precisely because global trade rules have not been adjusted,” she said. She said that the Agreement on Trade-Related Investment Measures should be reformed. Jakarta has appealed but because the US has blocked the formation of a WTO appellate body, the case has stalled. The EU is considering taking enforcement actions such as tariffs on Indonesian goods. It makes for a “chaotic system” where richer, bigger countries have more power.

“Many trade rules forbid policies that can be used by developing countries. And the developed countries have more fiscal space to subsidise in the areas that are good for ‘quote, unquote’, the environment,” Grynspan, told the Financial Times in an interview.

She said the international trading system, which had allowed states such as South Korea and her native Costa Rica to progress, was no longer working for the poorest. “Trade and investment have been the two pillars for developing countries to really go on to a path of dynamic growth,” she said. But they now face two big problems, locked out of markets by the fast pace of technological change and facing new barriers erected in rich countries. “The least digitally prepared countries are falling farther behind in digital,” said Grynspan. “The other problem is that industrial policy …could affect developing countries’ ability to compete.”

The US landmark Inflation Reduction Act has $369bn of subsidies and tax breaks for domestically produced goods such as electric vehicles. The EU has responded in kind with increased subsidies and policies to stimulate production of silicon chips, critical minerals and green technology. “Developing countries see a lot of these policies as protectionist. They don’t have the …

January 2, 2024 No Comments

Energy

LED Lights are not just for Christmas – Affordable, Compact, and Bright!

Illuminate Your Off-Grid Adventures with a Tent Lamp Portable LED Light!

Compact, bright, long-lasting and economically affordable at just $13.99 in the US, these lights are tailored to brighten your outdoor experiences.

Unlike their Xmas counterparts, these LED lights rank high in portability due to their lightweight and compact design for backpackers and minimalists, can be effortlessly stowed in your gear, and emit a stunning 150 lumens – sufficient to illuminate your entire campsite. Stumbling in the dark would be a thing of the past.

Click Here to get your very own Tent Lamp Portable LED Tent Light 4 Packs Hook Hurricane Emergency Lights Camping Lantern Bulb Camping Equipment for Hiking Backpacking Fishing Outage today and embark on a journey towards a more organized and clutter-free life.

These lights come equipped with hooks, offering versatile hanging options -m inside your tent for a cozy ambiance, attached to your backpack for hands-free hiking lighting or simply hook them to a nearby tree branch at your campsite. The choice is yours!

Being off-grid can be unpredictable and the last thing you’ll need is a gadget failing you midway through. Our LED lights are powered by three AAA batteries and promise long-lasting battery life offering hours of continuous illumination, so you don’t have to worry about running out of light.

Crafted meticulously, these lanterns are weather-resistant and shockproof. Be it heavy rain, gusty winds or even accidental drops, your Tent Lamp Portable LED Lights ensure continuous, bright and functional lighting in even the toughest outdoor conditions.

In an uncertain world, these portable LED lights double as hurricane emergency lights, acting as a lifeline in case of a power outage or natural disaster.

At an incredibly economical price of $13.99, you receive a pack of four lights. That’s enough to spread across your campsite or keep backups for emergencies.

The Tent Lamp Portable LED Lights bring to you the perfect blend of affordability, function, and durability. Don’t let lack of light limit your expeditions into the wilderness of the off-grid life. Illuminate your path, set up your cozy nooks under the stars and witness the beauty of off-grid living with our LED lights. Brands like LuminAID, BioLite, and Goal Zero stand tall along with these lights, offering you a wide range of options to choose from. Pack these lights, and you’re one step closer to experiencing the freedom that off-grid exploration has to offer. Now light up and live on!

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December 19, 2023 No Comments

Energy

COP 28 BOSS DITCHES 1.5DEG TARGET

COP 28, lost whatever remained of its credibility today, after revelations this year’s Convenor of the annual Net Zero negotiations told his audience that the target of limiting global warming to a specific target of 1.5 degrees was “not justified by the science.”

This statement, delivered at a fringe meeting on November 11th, was quite a dramatic departure from the script, and will cause huge loss of confidence in all current climate goals and affect the preparations being made by government and corporates.

CoP President A Jaber, who is also head of the UAE state oil company, is emblematic of the way regular COP meetings have been transformed into a Woodstock for green energy capitalists in genera and the oil industry in particular. There are up to 30,000 lobbyists now attending the event, plus tens of thousands of journalists politicians and civil servants. All networking and talking up their own green initiatives, perspectives and plans.

It was Cop 26 that first turned the whole show into the Green Davos. Held in November 2021 under the patronage of the UK’s Boris Johnson, who wanted it to be the perfect meeting of minds between venture capitalists, government and lobbyists, it was the first time that the oil industry lobbyist outnumbered other corporates.

And Al Jaber is correct that Prof Nordhaus, who won the Nobel Prize in 2018 for assessing the costs and benefits of action on climate change, recently concluded that the optimum target for the world to aim for is not 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, but nearer to 3C, which means there may be scope to delay the net zero target beyond 2050.

Other leading scientists on the IPCC – the United Nations own panel of climate experts, agree that the impact of climate change on the economy: “will be small relative to the impacts of other drivers. Changes in population, age, income, technology, relative prices, lifestyle, regulation, governance, and many other aspects of socio-economic development will have an impact on the supply and demand of economic goods and services that is large relative to the impact of climate change.”

There is a now a hope among the fossil fuel lobby that it may be able to seize control of the agenda. Meanwhile John Kerry, the USA’s chief climate negotiator, commenting on Al Jaber’s statement, said he was not there and could not comment on the words used, but assured listeners that the final statement would settle doubts about the continued commitment of the COP process to end fossil fuels.

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December 4, 2023 No Comments

Energy

Shortage of cables means grid delays and rising costs

Every major economy is fighting for supplies needed to expand their electricity grids. Over 80 MILLION kilometers of cable will have to be replaced by 2040 under current decarbonisation plans, says the International Energy Authority.

In the UK alone that is 100 km of heavy-duty overhead cable per DAY from now until 2040. the rate of cable laying is unprecedented – approximately 16 TIMES the rate over the past 30 years. The manpower and the resources do not currently exist.

Demand is pushing up prices, and queues for energy are growing longer. New housing developments in West London are being quoted 10 YEARS, before they can get a grid connection, and the same is happening everywhere.

Britain’s first electricity networks commissioner, Nick Winser, warned in a landmark report earlier this year that the UK would need to connect about four times as much new transmission capacity to the network in the next seven years as has been built since 1990.

To meet this challenge, Britain will need to halve the time it takes to build and install pylons and cables for a new transmission project from 12-14 years to just seven.

He also said existing energy policies were “badly out of date”, and the UK needed a new strategy to shore up its manufacturing supply chain, which would involve training skilled workers.

High-voltage cables and equipment looked set to be in short supply for years or even decades, said Winser, because already producers were struggling to meet demand. As happened with vaccines during the pandemic, companies and even governments will find themselves competing to snap up available stocks.

And skills gaps threatened to “haunt” the UK’s green agenda, he added, unless there was heavy investment to create a new reservoir of trained staff.

Already energy companies have been “scrambling” to secure manufacturing slots, according to Alistair Phillips-Davies, chief executive of SSE. He told the Observer that his company, which has this year committed to investing more than £40bn in green energy and grid upgrades over the coming decade, had secured “around 80%” of the materials it would need for its grid upgrades.

British-owned cable manufacturer XLCC is planning to build the UK’s first factory making high-voltage undersea cables in Ayrshire to help meet demand. Production could begin as early as 2026.

Ian Douglas, XLCC’s chief executive, believes demand for high-voltage cables will increase sixfold over the next seven years, as global use of renewable energy expands. Its first order is from its parent XLinks, for four 3,800km cables to connect solar and windfarms in the Moroccan Sahara to the UK.

“The whole impetus and momentum of net zero risks being hamstrung by a lack of cable,” said Douglas. “The requirement to upgrade the grids is global, and it’s treble what we’re investing globally today.”

The government has accepted the recommendations of Winser’s report, and has already announced steps to …

November 27, 2023 No Comments

Energy

How often can a LifePO4 Battery recharge a Mac Powerbook?

A new generation of Lithium power stations will transform home and outdoor energy use over the next few years. When you choose a battery, the product description is full of confusing data – so how do you make your choice? Keep in mind that the number of recharges will depend on the battery capacity (expressed in ampere-hours, Ah) of the LiFePO4 battery, and the MacBook’s power consumption. A MacBook 13-inch typically has a battery capacity of around 50-60 watt-hours (Wh). This guide uses the Macbook as an example – the same would apply to any laptop with a similar power consumption and similar-sized battery.

LifePo4 Batteries are widely available and have the following advantages over other technologies –

Long Cycle Life: LiFePO4 batteries are known for their exceptional cycle life. They can typically withstand thousands of charge-discharge cycles, making them ideal for long-term off-grid use.

Deep Discharge Tolerance: LiFePO4 batteries can safely and consistently be discharged to around 80% or even lower without significantly affecting their lifespan. This means they can handle being drawn down to 5% effectively.

High Efficiency: LiFePO4 batteries have a high charge and discharge efficiency, which means you get more usable energy from them compared to some other battery chemistries.

Safety: LiFePO4 batteries are considered safer than some other lithium-ion batteries. They are less prone to thermal runaway and are less likely to catch fire, which is crucial for off-grid installations where maintenance might be less frequent.

Low Maintenance: These batteries require minimal maintenance compared to lead-acid batteries. They don’t need regular topping up with distilled water, for example.

Compact and Lightweight: LiFePO4 batteries tend to have a high energy density, allowing for a compact and lightweight design, which can be advantageous for off-grid setups.

Cost-Effective: While LiFePO4 batteries may have a higher upfront cost compared to some other battery types like lead-acid, their longer lifespan and reduced maintenance requirements often make them more cost-effective in the long run

Here are some recommended batteries with the approximate number of times each battery can recharge a 13-inch MacBook. Keep in mind that the number of recharges will depend on the battery capacity (expressed in ampere-hours, Ah) of the LiFePO4 battery and the MacBook’s power consumption. A MacBook 13-inch typically has a battery capacity of around 50-60 watt-hours (Wh).

Renogy Lycan Powerbox:

Approximate Price: $1,000 – $1,200
Weight: Around 28-30 kg
Battery Capacity: Varies (check product specifications)
MacBook Recharges: Multiple recharges possible

Victron Energy LiFePO4 Battery:

Approximate Price: $1,200 – $1,400
Weight: Approximately 35 kg
Battery Capacity: Varies (check product specifications)
MacBook Recharges: Multiple recharges possible

Relion LiFePO4 Battery:

Approximate Price: $900 – $1,100
Weight: Around 30 kg
Battery Capacity: 100Ah (1,200 Wh)
MacBook Recharges: Approximately 20 recharges

Renogy Smart LiFePO4 Battery: (UK)

Approximate Price: $800 – $1,000
Weight: Approximately 25 kg
Battery Capacity: Varies (check product specifications)
MacBook Recharges: Multiple recharges …

November 13, 2023 No Comments

Energy

Utility Vote In Maine Asks Wrong Question

In tomorrow’s ballot, Mainers are poised to vote on an unprecedented plan to rid themselves of the state’s two largest electric utilities and start with a non-profit.
But voters are being offered a false choice, since it will not affect how their power is generated, and one of the two companies that is set to be booted out is already a publicly owned company, controlled by the city of Calgary, Canada.

There is no option for power to be generated locally, thereby reducing transmission costs, nor increasing local control of energy. Nor is there any reference to renewable energy.

The proposed takeover of two investor-owned utilities that distribute 97% of electricity in the state would mark the first time a U.S. state’s utilities were forcibly removed at the same time. The referendum calls for dismantling Central Maine Power (CMP) and Versant Power and replacing them with a nonprofit utility called Pine Tree Power to operate 28,000 miles (45,000 kilometers) of transmission lines.
CMP serves more than 600,000 customers in central and southern Maine, while Versant Power delivers power to more than 165,000 customers in northern and eastern Maine. Combined, the two investor-owned utilities (IOUs) serve about 97 percent of the state.

CMP is a subsidiary of Avangrid, which is is owned by the Spain-based Iberdrola. That company’s primary shareholders include the governments of Qatar and Norway.
Versant is a subsidiary of Enmax, whose sole shareholder is the City of Calgary in Canada.
Across the country, ratepayers who are unhappy with their utilities are watching what happens when Mainers vote on Nov. 7 in the off-year election.
Question 3 asks:
“Do you want to create a new power company governed by an elected board to acquire and operate existing for-profit electricity transmission and distribution facilities in Maine?”
A “yes” vote on Question 3 would form The Pine Tree Power Company.
The first-of-its-kind plan would create a new “consumer-owned utility” (COU) would still be tasked with operating, maintaining and upgrading the state’s power grid. To do that, Pine Tree Power would buy out CMP and Versant’s assets.
While it’s still unclear how much that would cost, the new utility would pay for it by borrowing against future revenue. Supporters of the proposal say as a non-profit, the new utility could qualify for lower-interest loans that would be paid back through ratepayer revenue with no taxpayer dollars being used.
Pine Tree Power would be independent of the state and instead be operated by a 13-member board. Seven members would be elected by Maine voters. The other six, who have been labeled as expert advisors, would be appointed by the elected members.
To run the grid and continue supplying electricity to the state, the board would also be tasked with appointing Pine Tree Power’s senior leadership and hiring a private grid operator to over see the day-to-day operations like billing, metering and customer service. …

November 6, 2023 No Comments

Energy

UK Labour Party Suckered by Big Energy

Liverpool, UK – UPDATED 15.55 9/10/23 – The opposition Labour Party has launched its policy on modernising the grid. It plays into the hands of the Energy Industry, and is set to be a disastrous and expensive mistake that will leave the UK dependent on foreign energy for the next decade and beyond.

The wrong-turn on energy policy was announced today at annual conference by failed former party leader Ed Milliband. The proposals will feature heavily in Labour’s election campaign.

The party aims to establish a UK electricity system fully based on clean power by 2030, with the largest expansion of renewable power in Britain’s history, and establish “GB Energy”, a publicly owned energy company announced by party leader Keir Starmer last year.

Labour intends it becomes law soon after a general election win. One source said the act showcased “modern public ownership, working with the private sector without the need to nationalise”. The history of private-public partnership in the UK is that it usually results in cost overuns, excessive bonuses and profits for the private partner, and endless delays in major projects.

In his speech on Monday, Miliband, the shadow secretary of state for energy security and net zero, rightly attacked the Conservatives’ record on energy security, saying the UK was the most exposed economy in western Europe to the energy price spike caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, telling Labour party conference: “You’re paying record energy bills because they left us exposed to Putin’s war. Every time they turn their back on a clean energy future, they leave us exposed to global fossil fuel markets, at the mercy of dictators and petrostates, driving up bills, making us more insecure.”

But the decision to play Big Energy at its own game is doomed to failure because of shortage of supply of the miles of copper cable needed to roll out the national grid to contain up to 300 Gigawatts of renewable energy currently planned, not to mention 150 Gw of new demand from planned housing estates and other developments. Meanwhile, local energy initiatives, which would bypass the grid and allow much faster rollout of new energy supplies have been sidelined

Milliband’s biggest round of applause came when he announced £1b a year for local renewable power owned by local people. A great initiative, but it costs £30bn to build a nuclear power station currently planned. Why so little for local energy? And over what period is it being budgeted?
A speaker from the floor added that an incoming Labor government would spend £6bn per year on a “Warm homes plan £6bn a year “for the next 10 years, to cut bills, and cut emissions.”

Milliband had already stated where the bulk of Labour’s energy investment will be focused – floating off-shore wind-farms. And that means large centralised, slow-moving projects, dependent on the same utility companies that caused the …

October 9, 2023 No Comments

Energy

World’s Largest Carbon Capture Facility: Game-Changer or Fossil Fuel Smoke-Screen?

In the race to Net Zero, the construction of the world’s largest carbon capture facility in Texas exposes all the contradictions of the energy industry in one emblematic project.

The importance of the Petra Nova plant cannot be overstated. By burying the CO2, its backers believe they can eliminate the biggest single criticism of fossil fuel consumption. Bloomberg breathlessly reported it would sequester “1.4 million tonnes” of carbon per year. This sounds like a lot, and The Guardian report says “The plant will inject 500,000 tons of carbon dioxide into the ground each year.” Whichever, its success would be a proof of concept for the fossil fuel industry. Hundreds more plants would follow, say the owners, JX Nippon. But a careful look at their figures shows their claims just do not add up.

Positioned as a crucial solution to avert climate catastrophe (if it actually works) the “$1bn” facility aims to capture and store carbon dioxide emissions from a nearby coal-fired power plant. Petra Nova began operating in 2016 at the power plant in Texas, and shut down less than four years later after a fire (and following a plunge in oil prices during COVID-19). It restarted on Sept. 5, JX Nippon said last month.

The W.A. Parish Generating Station is a 3.65-gigawatt (3,653 MW), dual-fired power plant located near Thompsons, Texas. The station occupies a 4,664-acre site and consists of two four-unit plants; one natural gas and the other coal (2,697 MW). With a total installed capacity of 3,653 MW, it is the second largest conventional power station in the US, and supplies about fifteen percent of the energy in the Houston area. Critics argue it was initially responsible for the rolling blackouts of the 2021 Texas power crisis.

As mentioned above, and reported in breathless tones by Bloomberg, the carbon capture plant claims it can bury 1.4 million tonnes a year – but the coal-fired power station emits over 16 million tonnes per year, (assuming it is operating at 70% capacity). And the Gas-fired plant would emit another 3 million tonnes (at 70% capacity). So the claims of 1.4 million tonnes of CO2 per year, which Reuters reports as a target but Bloomberg report as an actuality, is less than 10% of total emissions from the power plant. It would require another $9 billion of investment just to sequester all the CO2 from this plant alone.

With some viewing carbon capture as nothing more than a distraction backed by the fossil fuel industry, the above analysis shows the maths of the Petra Nova project just dont add up. If it wasnt for the government subsidies the plant would not make anything like enough to pay for itself, and produce a return on investment.

So if the Petra Nova project really is a huge white elephant, then what is it all about really? Why would some …

October 5, 2023 1 Comment

Solar

“Gas-Free Town” Launches Solar Offer

As one of the westernmost towns in the country, Esperance is at the leading edge of Australia’s renewable energy generation. It is transitioning from gas to solar energy, and the process, started in 2017, is almost completed with a new initiative to include the remaining households that were unable to do their own solar installation.

The story begins in 2019 when 14 remote farms ditched their electricity supplied via conventional powerlines for solar energy based micro power systems (MPS).

A Government-owned corporation supplying electricity to around 100,000 residents and 10,000 businesses scattered across approximately 2.3 million square kilometres, had tired of maintaining long stretches of powerlines servicing small communities and farms, and subject to hazards such as lightning strikes, falling trees and high winds; creating a major cost burden.

Micro Power Systems – Safer, More Reliable, Cheaper

Since 2017 the government agency, Horizon Power, has been trialling solar power based stand-alone systems at various locations that have not only proved to be more reliable, but also cheaper for Horizon to operate and maintain.

The MPS units use solar panels and battery storage sized to a property’s requirements, along with a back-up diesel generator for emergency charging when needed. Battery storage will be sized to ensure it can meet a customer’s energy requirements for a typical 24 hour period without any solar electricity input. Diesel top-ups will be taken care of by Horizon, which will be remotely monitoring fuel levels.

All costs associated with design, installation and maintenance of the units are met by Horizon Power, which owns and operates the systems. Customers pay the same tariff that currently applies for electricity from the overhead network.

The newly established Shark Lake Renewables Hub, comprising solar panels, wind turbines, and a battery energy storage system, is set to expand its capacity, making Esperance a beacon of sustainable energy for the entire region.

Horizon Power has recently launched “Sunshine Saver,” a subscription service that aims to make the benefits of renewable energy accessible to all residents, including those unable to install rooftop solar.

In this gas-free town, where over 50% of power comes from a mix of solar, wind, and battery storage, Sunshine Saver aims to empower households to save on energy bills and contribute to a greener future. Designed for up to 500 eligible customers, the base subscription fee of only $1 per day provides five units of energy daily, resulting in an average 11% reduction in energy bills or A$186 savings per year.

But the savings don’t stop there. By shifting their energy use between 6am and 6pm, when excess solar power is fed to the local grid, customers can enjoy an additional 10% discount on power costs, even without direct access to rooftop solar panels or electric vehicles.

The town’s electrification process began in 2021 when the reticulated gas network ceased operations, prompting Horizon Power to facilitate the transition to …

October 2, 2023 No Comments

Energy

Solar Panels for Palestine – Donate Now

Windy Winter Boating Nights

50-year old Diesel Generator In Mirissa Beach

Poorest Countries Barred From Building Green Economy

LED Lights are not just for Christmas – Affordable, Compact, and Bright!

COP 28 BOSS DITCHES 1.5DEG TARGET

Shortage of cables means grid delays and rising costs

How often can a LifePO4 Battery recharge a Mac Powerbook?

Utility Vote In Maine Asks Wrong Question

UK Labour Party Suckered by Big Energy

World’s Largest Carbon Capture Facility: Game-Changer or Fossil Fuel Smoke-Screen?

“Gas-Free Town” Launches Solar Offer

Micro Power Systems – Safer, More Reliable, Cheaper

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Micro Power Systems – Safer, More Reliable, Cheaper

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