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Self-Sufficiency

Gridless in Gaza

The tragic war in Gaza has left hundreds of thousands off the grid – with no water or power and very little food.

Off-grid has obtained exclusive footage from the streets of Southern Gaza – available to watch on our youtube channel – offgridnet .

It is quite dangerous to gather this footage and our thanks go to our long-standing cameraman in the region. We are not naming him for security purposes.

After they queue for hours at aid stations for tiny amounts of sustenance, and to recharge their phones – Gaza residents then return to bombed-out shelters to cook morsels of bread on campfires and go to the toilet in whatever unused corners they can find.

They search the trash for materials for their fires to cook by. Off-Grid.net is trying to send solar panels and batteries to Gaza but there are many obstacles.

The Israeli army prevents batteries and solar panels from getting through, claiming the equipment has a military purpose. But this claim ignores the humanitarian emergency unfolding, and makes Israel’s IDF look as though they are deliberately imposing siege conditions on the Gaza population.

Hospitals are another place where Gazans can charge their phones and pick up water.

Please contact us if you want to help us provide off-grid aid to Gaza – contact

news@off-grid.net

Please contact us with footage from off-grid zones, anywhere in the world.

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January 4, 2024 No Comments

Energy

The House with No Bills

An Australian housebuilder has launched a search for a family to live in its prototype Home with No Energy Bills.

Mirvac is building the house in a suburb of Melbourne – the least sunny spot in Australia, with a total of 2028 hours of sunshine per year. The problem is striking the right balance between free energy from the sun, and power-hogging cooling bills in the hottest months.

The company is currently searching for a photogenic young family to live “free” in its “house with no bills” “for a year.”

And the idea that a brand new prototype home will generate no bills is laughable when you consider the number of little things that go wrong in every new home during the first year. The moving costs alone on this project will be excessive.

It will be hard to find just the right individuals – sassy enough to give good interviews, but willing to play along as the PR department dreams turn into a DIY nightmare.

Mirvac has teamed up with a group of tech companies around the Pacific rim including Fujitsu and Fischer & Paykel, both renowned for putting PR stunts ahead of reality.

Off-Grid forecasts the story if it appears, will be less than forthcoming about the actual cost of the huge number of batteries that will be needed so that their typical family can always flick on the light switch. There is also considerable doubt over the size of the solar panels and inverters. These numbers will no doubt be kept away from prying eyes as part of the “ proprietary information” that will give Mirvac the “commercial edge” in its future eco-builds.

The company is trying to wrap itself up in the sustainability flag, while building developments of 2,000 homes. Surely the local media outlets are not going to fall for that one?

“The first ‘House with No Bills’ will become home to a key worker family of four over a 12 month period,” says the press release. In an industry-first initiative, Mirvac will utilise a long-range study to follow their energy useage (sic) within the home to uncover how average families consume energy and how the house design and associated sustainable technology performs.”
Leaving aside the bloopers, how will a 12-month freebie for this unfortunate family turn into a “long range study”? And given the energy is all free for the family, what possible motive will they have to limit their consumption? Saving the planet is all very well, but once the “key worker family” are tucked up in bed and one of them remembers she left the lights on in the kitchen, will she really respond in the same way as if she was paying?

The rest of the PR blurb runs as follows: “The House with No Bills is an innovative initiative forming part of Mirvac’s ambitious sustainability strategy ‘This Changes Everything’, which …

February 19, 2018 1 Comment

Community

Eclipse Monday

I suspect that unless you are living under a really big rock, you know about the solar eclipse that will be happening on Monday. It’s been all the rage on Facebook and other social media, actually giving us a welcome reprieve from all the other social garbage that has been floating around the last few weeks.

There have been a glut of “eclipse glasses” being sold all over the internet, I’ve been hearing warnings about some of them being fake and could potentially allow damage to your eyes if you use them to look at the sun, even during the eclipse. I’ve also been reading the obligatory “Where will you be during the eclipse?” posts, well for me, I’ll not be looking at the sun, not with special glasses or anything else.

I’ll not be where the total eclipse will be happening, I will also be working tomorrow, if everything lines up correctly (pun not intended), I’ll be on the road, leaving Presidio Texas heading toward Marfa Texas when the sky will go dim. I will have my camera and hope to snag some interesting photos if anything picture worthy presents itself to me.

Perhaps I’ll even make an impromptu pinhole projector and see what I can see. Sooooo, what are you going to be doing tomorrow assuming you live where the eclipse is going to fall?

https://youtu.be/KUAnKsW93xU

https://youtu.be/QHVFYsQn9uM

https://youtu.be/0QOLPHHDGj8

https://youtu.be/cZhFOB8_ses

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August 20, 2017 No Comments

Community

It’s solar, what could possibly go wrong?

When you are doing your own solar system, the key words here are “doing your own”, you will have to be in charge of troubleshooting if things go wrong.

Sometimes, often you can recognize there is a problem but can’t quite figure out what or where the problem is. You test each separate component and each of them seems to be working, but altogether there is a problem somewhere and it’s frustrating.

I am the unofficial “Geek Squad” tech person in my neighborhood, I can’t tell you how many times I have been working on a computer, taking everything apart, putting it back together and have it work, and I have no idea what I did to make it work, the same thing happens with solar systems. Perhaps it was just a loose connection, or who knows what, call it a happy accident.

I recommend building your system yourself rather than paying someone to do it, mainly because you will have a better understanding of how things go together, the hows and whys. The only exception I can think of is if you have the money to pay someone to come out and fix things each and every time things go wrong, of course then you are at the mercy of someone elses time schedule. There is nothing better than being able to do it yourself.

Watch this video about troubleshooting a solar system.
https://youtu.be/7zOodG3F_Ds

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June 24, 2017 No Comments

Solar

Spain’s Sun Tax to be axed

In October 2015, Spain’s Council of Ministers approved a controversial tax on those using electricity produced by their own solar installations. However, a new government says solar panel owners could soon see the back of the so called sun tax.

What is the sun tax?

This legislation causes those with self-consumptive photovoltaic systems to pay the same grid fees as those without solar panels. This covers the power contracted from an electricity company. But they also have to pay a second “sun tax” which means solar panel owners pay for the electricity they generate and use from their PV systems, even though it doesn’t come into contact with the grid.

There are other facets of the legislation which also caused more outrage. Photovoltaic systems up to 100 kW are not able to sell any excess electricity they produce. Instead, they must “donate” the extra to the grid free of charge. Systems over 100 kW must register if they wish to sell the extra electricity. Community ownership of PV systems, of all sizes, under this legislation is prohibited. Not only this, but the legislation is retroactive; meaning installations prior to the introduction of the tax must comply. If the conditions are not met, then the PV system owners are subject to a penalty fee of up to €60 million ($64 million). To put this in perspective, this is twice the penalty of a radioactive leak from a nuclear plant. Unsurprisingly, this caused outrage.

Exceptions to the tax

There are some circumstances where the tax does not apply. Fear not off-gridders, this tax is only for those connected to the grid. If you run an off-grid system then no grid tax needs to be paid at all. Installations smaller than 10 kW are also exempt from paying the second sun tax. The Canary Islands and the cities of Ceuta and Melilla (Spanish territories in Africa) are also exempt from the second tax. Mallorca and Menorca pay the second sun tax at a reduced rate.

The Spanish government defended the legislation by saying the fees contribute to overall grid system costs. However, the Spanish Photovoltaic Union (UNEF) pointed out how uneconomic the new law was. Their spokesperson stated, “Each kWh imported from the grid by a self-consumer will pay double the tolls compared to a kWh imported from the gird by another consumer.”

Change on the horizon

The current legislation is an unnecessary burden placed upon solar consumers who want to be more economical and environmentally friendly. This has been recognized by opposing political parties and other unions and consumers. The political party which initially brought in the sun tax is now a minority. Therefore, there is now the opportunity for all opposing parties to remove this expensive and impractical legislation.

In January 2017 a law proposal was registered in congress, beginning the process of the sun tax removal. The urgent changes …

March 29, 2017 4 Comments

Microgrid, revolution, off-grid, electricity, trading, blockchain, technology, solar, renewables

Energy

A Microgrid Revolution – Blockchains spreading everywhere

https://www.off-grid

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March 28, 2017 No Comments

Water

6 Hot Springs you must visit

Hot springs offer much-needed peace, quiet and relaxation. The naturally occurring, geothermally heated bliss provided in beautiful surroundings is second to none. Plus, if you don’t want to be in a more developed hot spring spa, there are plenty of options to explore off-the-beaten-track . Here are 6 off-grid hot springs you definitely need to visit!

If you want off the beaten track then try:

Ringbolt Hot Springs – Arizona

Located in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, this set of pools is visited by thousands of people per year. A 6 mile round trail takes you up through a dramatic volcanic canyon, south of the Hoover Dam. Volcanic rock and granite boulders litter the landscape and lead you to a spot just downstream of the Ringbolt Rapids. After climbing a 20 foot ladder to access the best springs you can bathe to your heart’s content. Directly at the source of the springs the water is the warmest, reaching up to 110°F. The highly mineralized water spews out of the source at approximately 30 gallons per minute! The strenuous hike takes approximately 5 hours to complete (excluding time spent bathing in those beautiful springs) and is closed during the summer months due to it being hazardous because of high temperatures.

Read this couple’s experience of trekking and camping in the area. Alternatively, watch this father and son duo take the trail up through the canyon and reach their destination:

Steep Ravine Hot Springs – California

These hot springs are rather unique, trading mountainous vistas for a beach front! The warm water seeps up through the sand at the Steep Ravine Beach in Marin County. These springs are quite a phenomenon, only being exposed for a couple of hours a day. Therefore, it is important to consult a Californian Tide Chart and opt for a minus tide, to avoid disappointment. However, due to the very slight window in the day in which the springs can be accessed it can get rather busy! It’s worth it though, even just to paddle in these warm waters.

Goldbug Hot Springs – Idaho

Between the small towns of Salmon and Challis, high up in the desert, lies a chain of six waterfall fed pools. These small but perfectly formed features are accessed by a very up-hill 2 mile hike. The trail offers little shade for respite and the majority of the climb is done in the last quarter of the trek. The pools are a definite reward after that steep incline! Water temperature varies depending on the time of year, so don’t dive in (literally) until you’ve judged the temperature with a hand or foot first! Be warned clothing is optional at the pools, so don’t be surprised if you see some not entirely clothed hikers in the area.

For other hot springs in Idaho, check this out.

If you want a

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March 27, 2017 No Comments

EcoSolarCool, Refrigerator, Solar, Off-grid,

Food

EcoSolarCool new Solar Refrigeration

EcoSolarCool have kick-started 2017 with the release of two new Solar Refrigeration models. The new additions to the upright product line aim to minimise the daily power consumption of cooling appliances. Refrigerators are one of the most energy consuming appliances in the home, accounting for up to 25% of household energy cost. EcoSolarCool want to change this, “providing constant, reliable and energy efficient cooling at great value.”

Two New Models

Both of EcoSolarCool’s new models are approved by UL250 and CSA to US and Canadian standards. These are the only solar refrigerators in the world to hold this approval. Plus this is for the whole unit and not just the compressor. Both models have the most up to date and advanced Danfoss DC compressor and are manufactured in Europe. The power consumption for the models is also at a record low for the solar/DC appliances industry at 201 kWh per annum! This is also amongst the lowest in the AC refrigeration appliances market.

The ESCR260GE Metallic Grey model has a total capacity of 260 litres (9.2 cubic feet). The refrigeration compartment is larger in comparison to the freezer compartment at 235 litres (8.3 cubic feet) to 25 litres (0.9 cubic feet). The freezer is located at the top of the unit and the refrigeration compartment at the bottom. This model weighs in at 121.3 lb (55kg) and is 23.7 x 25.2 x 57.1 inches.

The ESCR355GE Stainless Steel model has a total capacity of 354 litres (12.5 cubic feet). The larger refrigeration compartment (258 litres/9.1 cubic feet) is located at the top of the unit, and the freezer compartment (96 litres/3.4 cubic feet) at the bottom. This model weighs in at 163.2 lb (74kg) and is 23.7 x 25.2 x 78.8 inches in size.

Features of Both

Both models have adjustable internal temperatures and reversible doors. The temperature range for the cooling compartment is between 0°C/32°F to 10°C/50°F. Whereas, the freezing compartment temperature can reach as low as -18°C/-0.4°F. For operation, both models need a solar panel, a 12 volt AGM, lithium or deep cycle battery and a 15 amp 12/24 volt solar charge controller. The battery ensures the refrigerator will continue running through the night and on not so sunny days. Whereas, the solar charge controller regulates the electric charge from the batteries and the solar panel(s). To find out how many solar panels/batteries needed to run your solar refrigeration appliance, check out EcoSolarCool’s blog post.

The refrigerators are perfect for a wide variety of situations from RVs, to cabins to on and off-grid homes.

Both refrigerator models can be bought from a local dealer or the Solar Power estore. Prices advertised on the EcoSolarCool website are $1,299.00 for the smaller Metallic Grey model and $1,650.00 for the larger Stainless Steel model.

EcoSolarCool Products all have these…

All the solar powered refrigeration and freezer appliances sold …

March 22, 2017 2 Comments

Energy

Australia Battery Storage Battle

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March 13, 2017 No Comments

Solar, Farmers, Off-grid, solar panels, bills, charges

Community

Rising Electricity Prices cause Farmers to go Off-Grid

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March 8, 2017 No Comments

Why will my Solar power cut-out in a brown-out?

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March 1, 2017 1 Comment

Off-Grid pot growers have problems stashing the cash

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February 23, 2017 1 Comment

solar

Gridless in Gaza

The House with No Bills

Eclipse Monday

It’s solar, what could possibly go wrong?