Energy crisis

[GeoffCapes]

Any other predictions cos I just bumped into Jesus, Moses and Noah - who put in an offer for my boat

I'm pretty sure this is to do with Feed in Tariffs (other than the inflationary increases).

Nothing like a good headline to get in the way of the facts

 

[Tallman]

In other energy news we are now on Stage 6 loadshedding which means electricity is turned off for 11.5 hours each day in lots of 4.5 or 2.5 hours at a time here in the Western Cape. I just realised that loadshedding is older than my (early) teen daughter…that’s what happens when corruption and grift get out of hand, no matter whether you’re a democracy or not. You get used to it, laws get introduced to facilitate the corruption and grift and then you can no longer fight it. So fight it in the beginning stages with zero tolerance otherwise you’re toast.

 

[GeoffCapes]

The energy crisis has a knock on effect everywhere, particularly in the hospitality industry!

Wondering why it costs so much to eat out these days?

https://www.thecaterer.com/news/foo...ent?utm_source=TheCaterer&utm_campaign=monday

 

[Harry]

I’ve been insulating our loft as someone previously had boarded the central section out. Without any insulation. The eaves are 100mm so I’m adding 170mm on top. We have triple glazing throughout but some of our room radiators are too small. Kitchen has a tiled floor which is just a big cold sink. I’ll come back when we put the readings in but we were £360 in credit but the heating must be on close to 10 hrs a day now. We have 3.2kw solar array which helps to dent the electric. Think we get about £600 a year back but I’m on a waiting list (2024) to change the inverter to a inverter / storage system as buying I a double supplying.

I’m working on the basis that my boarded areas of the attic are covered in about 4ft of storage boxes full of stuff. This also acts as insulation. I might beef up the unboarded areas with more insulation, but I also worry about not enough air circulation from the eves and getting a frozen water tank/pipes. You still need to have some warmth coming up from below for those bits.

 

[midlifecrisis]

Our Barn was built in 1667 and we are the first humans to live in it 4 years back. 2ft stone walls and then water/vapor barrier and then 18" of herdwick wool insulation betwen the interior metal skeleton which has all the interior floors and walls fitted to it. So inside it is square and outside is just a facade.

The only room that ever gets cool is the main bedroom as one side is made of glass, so that and the dining room (lowest floor) are the only ones that ever have the underfloor heating used, and that's turned off now it's above zero.

Wood burner is all we need to keep the whole house hot... but 19° is the max I will ever set it to... any more than that and the Golden Retriever passes out!View attachment 109452View attachment 109453

Lab calibrated thermostat?

 

[GeoffCapes]

I’m working on the basis that my boarded areas of the attic are covered in about 4ft of storage boxes full of stuff. This also acts as insulation. I might beef up the unboarded areas with more insulation, but I also worry about not enough air circulation from the eves and getting a frozen water tank/pipes. You still need to have some warmth coming up from below for those bits.

You can always get the stuff that instead of going on the floor goes (effectively) against the actual roof.

This stuff.

https://materialsmarket.com/product...MI5LKfyc-F_AIVzNPtCh2enQK-EAQYASABEgK_N_D_BwE

 

[Harry]

You can always get the stuff that instead of going on the floor goes (effectively) against the actual roof.

This stuff.

https://materialsmarket.com/product...MI5LKfyc-F_AIVzNPtCh2enQK-EAQYASABEgK_N_D_BwE

From my rather rusty construction knowledge, you have to be a bit careful where the cool air/condensation interface is. But I only have peg tiles and then tyvek membrane. This would be a good time of the year to fit some! Thank you.

 

[D Walker]

I’m working on the basis that my boarded areas of the attic are covered in about 4ft of storage boxes full of stuff. This also acts as insulation. I might beef up the unboarded areas with more insulation, but I also worry about not enough air circulation from the eves and getting a frozen water tank/pipes. You still need to have some warmth coming up from below for those bits.

Yep...in the eaves I have been pulling back insulation from the join between roof and walls to try and aid circulation. Did find some condensation and abandoned wasp nests.....
But the shocker was going into the last cubicle( there are 4 )....I am thinking, I’m over the kitchen...I should be able to see 9 spotlights.......yep...they were all covered in 170mm of insulation so I’ve exposed them and re routed cabling on top of insulation...so no doubt I’ve made the kitchen colder...pmsl....

 

[mjheathcote]

It is just under £80 now so roughly £11.40 per day in these -0C conditions

I have a 4 bed semi detached townhouse style property with two floors with a garage door acting as a gaping hole in the front of the house. I have insulated the door and blocked gaps around it... renewed all of the draft excluders on the front door which has made it considerably better than previous years however it is not the most efficient layout.

We have 3 levels, the ground being double garage doors and store behind. First thing we did was replace the up and overs with insulated sectional replacements. Now toasty, for a garage.

 

[mowlas]

Porsche’s project to make ready to use fuel from captured carbon. I’m sure many of you will already have read about it.

Who knows where it might lead but one can dream…
Apologies in advance for the dodgy news outlet link, but I try to read outside my own ‘bubble’.

Porsche is replacing gasoline with air and water

Porsche has filled its first car with a new eFuel made from carbon dioxide and water that works like gasoline, but has net-zero carbon emissions.

www.foxnews.com

 

[mjheathcote]

Porsche’s project to make ready to use fuel from captured carbon. I’m sure many of you will already have read about it.

Who knows where it might lead but one can dream…
Apologies in advance for the dodgy news outlet link, but I try to read outside my own ‘bubble’.

Porsche is replacing gasoline with air and water

Porsche has filled its first car with a new eFuel made from carbon dioxide and water that works like gasoline, but has net-zero carbon emissions.

www.foxnews.com

It sounds too good to be true. Mix air, water and wind power and you have synthetic petrol that can run in any car?

 

[mowlas]

It sounds too good to be true. Mix air, water and wind power and you have synthetic petrol that can run in any car?

Well cost and scale, amongst other thing’s undoubtedly, are a challenge. Currently $45 per gallon (US) to make, but projected to be less than $8 per gallon by 2026.

 

[2b1ask1]

Well cost and scale, amongst other thing’s undoubtedly, are a challenge. Currently $45 per gallon (US) to make, but projected to be less than $8 per gallon by 2026.

Still cheaper than Tesco!

 

[DLax69]

Still cheaper than Tesco!

So...i'm gonna need two dowel rods, a ton of glue, a propeller about three feet in diameter, some sailcloth and rope, and a giant rubber band.

Need to mount one of the dowel rods through the roof, and affix the sail with the rope. The other dowel rod goes horizontally through the (ugh) "boot." Attach the propeller to the end, and have someone you trust (but not necessarily like) wind the rubber band with the propeller...once taut, release the handbrake and the propeller, and off you go! Once at cruising speed, hoist the sail...

Alternately, make sure that your destination is at a lower elevation than your starting point. The new Ronzoni Downhil 250 GT will get you there! No engine, no problem!

 

[happydaze]

Bon voyage, DLax69...

 

[philw696]

You wouldn't believe the heat that this Cuisinière produces and it's on its lowest setting.

 

[j s pollo]

You wouldn't believe the heat that this Cuisinière produces and it's on its lowest setting.
View attachment 109687View attachment 109688

Cant knock it my heating bills have dropped thro the floor boards

 

[DLax69]

Cant nock it my heating bills have dropped thro the floor boards

...because you're burning them?

 

[philw696]

...because you're burning them?

By law we have to have our chimneys cleaned and checked every year and a certificate issued for insurance and mine are all good all 3 of them.

 

[midlifecrisis]

By law we have to have our chimneys cleaned and checked every year and a certificate issued for insurance and mine are all good all 3 of them.

Surely a bit of redex should decoke the chimney